CHAPTER 22
NALEDI MOLETSANE

I took a couple of days off work because of
the stitches on my forehead, I am not going
back to that place until the doctor has
removed them. I don’t want to be answering
questions from gossip mongers; At least this
time around my humiliation wasn’t caught on
camera for the whole world to see it. I was so
stressed thinking I’d have to deal with being a
public spectacle again. I spent the night at
the hospital on social media, searching my
name, the clubs name and anything that
might have been related to the incident.
Vhutshilo and his daughter walk in the
kitchen laughing over something and my
heart melts, they are so cute. Basetsana is
thrilled that we will be staying with her dad
for a while and so is Vhusthilo.
I feel bad for him though, his girlfriend left on
Sunday and she was mad that he invited us to
live here. Well, not Basetsana of course.
Karabo is cool with her not me.
I am going to move very quickly in trying to
find a place for my baby and I because I
honestly don’t want to be the reason why
their relationship fails.
They share a concerned look before they move
their eyes my way, I roll my pair and point to
the two chairs across from me. I know I
cannot cook but frying eggs, bacon and
mushrooms isn’t rocket science. I wanted us
to have good breakfast on our first morning
together. Tonight they’ll have something out
of the box, Woolworth saved lives with those
pop in the oven meals. I know I should take
some cooking classes and I definitely will…
Soon.
“You’re cooking?” This Venda man just had to
ask me that stupid question.
“I just fried those, toasted bread and
unwrapped cheese. It’s nothing much really,” I
say with a shrug and he’s just smirking.
“Bassie, has mommy ever did this at
grandma’s house?” our daughter laughs,
shaking her head.
“No, Manana does all the cooking,” little
traitor.
“The Durban trip you’ve been making noise
about, please forget it,” I say and she gasp in
shock, “That’s what you get for siding with
daddy,” she’s batting her eyelashes. What a
cute angel I made here.
“I was just joking mommy, of courses you can
cook,” a flip flopper, just great.
“Eat your food you two,” I put plates infront
of them and go get my own food. I’ll clean
around after dropping my child at school.
Vhutshilo can’t take her because it’s not on
his way to work. I am happy to do it because
mornings are our mother daughter favorite
time; We have rituals we do every morning
and if it doesn’t happen then my whole day is
a miss.
My baby daddy is the first to kill his plate and
gulp down his juice before pushing the chair
back and standing up.
“I never thought I’d say this but that was
good, Thank you,” I appreciate the compliment
but everyone can make breakfast man.
“We will have this for dinner then,” he is
thrown into a fit of laughter.
“Don’t push it,” he bends down and kisses his
daughters forehead then rounds the table to
my side and pecks my cheek.
“I gotta run. I love you guys,” he says.
“We love you too,” Bassie and I say in unison.
.
.
.
“I am beautiful, smart, strong and kind. I will
not let other people project their insecurities
on me. I can do and be everything I want to
be for as long as I put my mind to it. My
name is Basetsana Takalani Moletsane, I was
born to be great,” I taught her affirmations
from a very young age and my baby does
them every morning. I am trying to raise a
child that knows herself and her worth in a
world that will constantly try to pull her
down.
“It’s okay not to be okay; Crying doesn’t mean
you are weak. Days are not the same and
never dwell much on what’s going wrong.
Always try to find the silver lining behind the
dark clouds. You are love and you’re loved,
never forget that mommy and daddy adore
you very much,” I say and she takes my hand
and kisses the back of it. Yes, we hold hands
while I’m driving. She’s my broke best friend.
I pull up outside her school and her fellow
pupils are climbing out of their parents cars
and greeting each other with smiles. Bassie
leans in and we share a peck then she opens
her door and climbs out with her school bag.
She waves goodbye and I blow her a kiss; I
don’t want to imagine what life would have
been like if I didn’t have my daughter. Yes, I
had her when I was very young and I was full
of regrets back then but now she’s my whole
life. A world without her wouldn’t make
sense, non whatsoever.
My mother stops Bassie in her tracks and I
close my eyes. What the hell is she doing
here? I need to get her off the list of people
that can come pick up Basetsana, Maswabi
might grab my daughter and refuse to give
her back. They share a hug and the school bell
goes off; I quickly climb out the car when she
doesn’t allow her to go on into the school
yard.
“Baby, go on now,” I say, pulling her from my
mother.
“Bye, grandma,” she says and my mother is
giving me the evil eye.
“Have a good day my angel,”
Once Bassie is safe inside the yard I try and
walk away but she grabs the bottom of my
dress as she’s on her stumps. This ball is not
afraid to be kicked.
“What?!” I ask, glaring down at her.
She signals me towards her car and leads the
way, I follow behind not interested in
anything she has to say to me.
“How dare you, Naledi?” she asks angrily and I
roll my eyes.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play stupid, Naledi. Why did you take
my granddaughter? If you felt like you needed
to leave then you should have left that girl
home. She belongs to me,”
Bathong!
“My daughter? Belongs to you? Maswabi,
Bassie is mine, mine and Vhutshilo’s. You have
absolutely no claim over her, get over yourself
mme ke wena,” she would have slapped me if
she could reach me.
“Naledi. I am giving you until Friday to come
back home and start behaving accordingly,”
claps once!
“I’m not coming back to your house. I am done
living with your abuse, leave me alone,” She
presses her lips into a thin line.
“I am a very powerful person, Naledi. That
means I also know people in higher places,
don’t make me use my influence to legally
take Basetsana from you,” she says and I gasp
in shock.
“You wouldn’t dare,” I say with tears burning
my eyes. I know she would play dirty just to
get what she wants.
“Please try me, Naledi, try me,” this woman
has done a lot to hurt me but this one?
“You are the devil Maswabi and you’ll rot in
hell.” I say in a shaking voice.

SHLOBOSENKOSI MAVIMBELA

“They just finished erecting the tombstone,
Bhut’Shlobo. It’s so beautiful, thank you so
much for doing this for my family. My mom is
so happy,” this is great news.
My heart will now feel better knowing that
her eternal house is beautiful, fit for the
Queen that she was.
“Thank you Thalente for helping me out with
this, I’ll sleep better at night now,” they
wanted to have an intimate family unveiling
but I begged her to convince her mother
otherwise. I want the whole of Mahlabathini
to be there and celebrate Melamina. She loved
a good gathering and so I made Thalente
promise that she will give her sister a good
day because this is the last time people will
be gathered in her name.
“One day I will show my appreciation,” I have
already told her countless times that she
should pass and give her mother the best life.
That’s the only appreciation I want from her.
“Thale, come! Your uncle has arrived,” her
mother shouts, not far.
“I’m coming mama,” she shouts back,
“Bhut’Shlobo, let me call you again later. We
are going to view cow’s for the ceremony,”
That’s good, things are coming together
nicely. I wish I was attending but it’s okay
because I have a hand in what’s going to
happen. I will be there in spirit.
“Okay, but please don’t be so close to your
mom when talking to me,” she heaves a sigh.
“I’ll be careful,” she has to because everything
will definitely be canceled if her mother knew
that I’m paying for everything and not the
bursary money like she claimed.
“Okay, bye,” I hang up the phone and drive
into the club ranch. It was included in the
sale of the team.
I don’t want to be here for obvious reasons
but there are papers I need to sign. I want
Mphikeleli gone but the agreement with the
previous owner says I have to keep the
technical team until the season is over. I
swear next year he is the first to go and I
hope he stays gone forever; My son and I don’t
need him in our lives. That man is bad news
and I want him as far away as possible from
Nhlangano, he needs to remain the stranger
he never asks about. I am the only father that
boy will ever have in this life.
Speaking of my son, he has been going out of
his way to show me how sorry he is for the
whole situation with his teacher. He also
went and apologized to Khwezi who is heart
broken by my rejection. Yes, she voiced it out
to my son who happens to be her student. I
don’t appreciate how comfortable she is
discussing such matters with Nhlangano, but
he’s the one who caused this so I kind of
understand where she might be coming from.
I told Nhlangano to leave her alone and only
focus on passing her subject.
I will finally bring Nhlangano here to meet the
team during the week, Mphikeleli won’t be
here. He’s attending a 5 day long workshop in
Johannesburg for fitness coaches. It’s the
perfect opportunity because I don’t want that
son of a bitch laying his eyes on my child.
Keeping Nhlango away from that man is the
best thing to do for him, Mphikeleli is a
different kind of evil.
“Shlobo,” he likes sneaking up on me.
I turn with a creased forehead, “Is it work
related?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“No, but it’s important,” I bury my hands in
my pockets.
“I know you hate me and I accept that but
you can’t keep me away from my son, Shlobo.
He needs to know me and decide if he wants
me in his life or not,” I chuckle.
Mphikeleli has some balls.
“He deserved to have a mother too, but what
did you do to her while she was preganant
with him?” I ask and shame takes over him.
“Oh, cat caught your tongue now?”
He takes a deep breath, “I was young and
stupid. I will forever regret the choices I made
as a young man; Shlobo I live with the guilt of
what happened everyday but I can’t change
my past. I can only focus on being the best
version of myself right now and in the future,”
story story story!
“Your type doesn’t change. You will always be
the low life that cut Busisiwe’s life short. The
bastard that robbed my son off a mother,
MaZikode off a daughter and me off a sister
and Melamina, the love of my life,” he wipes
those crocodile tears.
“I am begging you, I have changed,” he goes
down on his knees.
I raise my arm and attempt to lick my elbow.
“The day my tongue reaches my elbow is the
day I will believe that you have changed but
for now, inganekwane.” I say bitterly and walk
away.