CHAPTER 24
NALEDI MOLETSANE

I am in the passenger seat of Vhutshilo’s car,
he is driving me to the location my mother
and Mongezi meet to have sex behind my
back. This whole thing is unbelievable but the
evidence Manana showed me is clear as day
light, there’s nothing they can say to make it
seem otherwise. Plus, I’m about to catch them
red handed.
My mother? Maswabi Moletsane, she’s busy
fucking a boy young enough to be her son
then turns around to judge me. That woman
has been acting like deputy Jesus, pointing
out every wrong I do as if she’s a saint. I
know her filth now and I’m not gonna feel bad
using it against her to get what I want from
the situation. No one threatens to take my
baby from me. I would have to die first before
that can happen.
The one I call my best friend has betrayed me
in the worst way possible. How does he hustle
my mother? I know exactly how he operates,
he has no mercy on the women he uses. He
takes as much as he can from them and
leaves them hanging when he is done. I will
never forgive Mongezi for this, after I
confront them we are done. No one will make
me change my mind about this decision.
Vhutshilo takes my hand and squeezes, this
guy’s support means so much. He is going
through a lot with Karabo but like always he
has put his own thing on pause just to get
through this with me. I know this has
everything to do with our daughter but I feel
bad because everything would be okay in his
life if my mother didn’t treat me like shit. I
wouldn’t have been forced to move out of her
house and move in with Vhutshilo, a move
that clearly caused problems for his
relationship with Karabo.
I promise that when everything has died down
I’m going to help him win his girl back.
We get to the lodge and Vhutshilo tells the
security that we would like to view the place
and make a booking. He makes us sign in and
tells us to drive straight until we get to the
reception area. We both thank him then drive
inside, this place is really beautiful. I swear it
doesn’t look like we are still in Gauteng, it
looks and feels like some place in
Mpumalanga.
We get to the parking lot and climb out of the
car. He holds out his hand and I take it. My
heart is thudding in my chest. I’m nervous out
of my mind but this needs to happen, I have
to see them with their filth and put my
mother in her place forever. I want to see her
face when I walk into their room, for a
change she will be the one in the wrong. I get
to tell her how disappointed and disgusted I
am with her and see how she takes it.
Bassie’s father is a smooth operator, he has
charmed the poor receptionist and had her
agreeing to show us around the executive
rooms. Apparently those are for their
members only; To me that translated to rich
people who have high positions in society and
want to keep their filthy affairs a secret. I
wonder who owns this place.
We are driven to the back of the property on
a cart and the chalets this side are big and
breathtaking. They must be gorgeous inside,
I’d be looking forward to seeing the details of
the decor but I’m here to catch my mother in
bed with my best friend.
We climb off the cart and Vhutshilo
immediately makes convesation with the
receptionist, he’s destructing her so I can slip
away and find my mother.
We pass the water fountain heading to the
empty room she’s going to show us. Vhutshilo
is telling her that if we like the space we will
sign up for membership immediately. She’s
sold and giving him more information about
the place.
I notice a board saying chalets 25 to 30 are to
my left; The message Manana forwarded
herself from my mothers phone said executive
chalet 27 at 12 noon.
I manage to slack behind and run off to find
the chalet. It’s at the corner and from here I
can see the big blue swimming pool. No time
to admire the place Naledi, you have
important matters to attend to. I take a deep
breath outside their door before knocking,
foot steps approach and Mongezi says
something about food and drinks. They must
have ordered room service.
He opens the door and the shock on his face
when his eyes land on me. He is blinking
rapidly as I stare at him with fury. My mother
asks him what’s wrong and he can’t answer
her; I push him back inside and forcefully walk
in and close the door behind me. My mother
sits up straight, she’s completely naked. Her
eyes are bulging out, she didn’t expect to see
me here.
“Naledi! What are you doing here?” she asks
and I chuckle, taking out my phone to record
them. I need my own insurance policy.
“What are you doing?” she pulls up the covers
to hide her nakedness.
“World, this here is my mother, minister
Maswabi Moletsane. She is here with my so
called best friend, Mongezi. They have been
having sex behind my back, I wouldn’t care
about their escapedes if my mother didn’t like
judging me so much. This woman always
looks down on me, meanwhile she’s sleeping
with a boy who could pass as her son. I am
making this video because I want her to feel
the pain and humiliation I always suffer when
she judges me for making mistakes that are
caught on camera,” I say, moving the camera
from her to Mongezi.
They are both ashamed, her toy boy has his
hands on his head and my mother is just
sitting there like a wet chicken.
“Naledi, you cannot post that. Please think
about my reputation, think about what this
humiliation will do to you and Basetsana,” I
laugh out loud, not because I’m amused,
because I’m mad as hell that she has the
audacity to mention my child.
“The same Basetsana you were planning on
taking from me if I didn’t do as you wanted?” I
ask and she heaves a sigh.
“Why can’t you see that all I do is for you
girls? I want you to have a good life, Naledi,”
that’s bullshit.
“No, you don’t Maswabi. You just want to
dictate my life, for some reason you get
pleasure from treating me like a senseless
child,” she holds out her hands in surrender.
“Okay, okay. I am sorry, we can work through
this. Please come back home so we can make
our relationship better,” I shake my head no.
I’m not going back to her house to endure
more emotional abuse. I’ve had enough of
Maswabi. “Naledi please. I know I’m not
perfect but I’ll do anything to make things
right. I need you to delete that video and
come back home,”
“This video? No ma’am. This is my insurance
policy,” she narrows her eyes.
“What do you mean?” I’m still recording. I
want everything on record.
“You will leave me, my daughter and her
father alone. You won’t try anything funny
with us, one wrong move and I swear I will
expose you to the world. They will know
you’re not a saint, just a filthy old woman
sleeping with her daughters friend and hiding
behind her government position,” she gasps in
shock.
“You’re blackmailing me?” she asks and I shrug
my shoulders.
“Call it whatever you want, I don’t care. We
are not moving back with you, don’t go
behind my back and contact my child,” she
drops her tears and I roll my eyes.
“You want to keep Bassie from me?” she
sounds genuinely hurt.
“I’m not as cold hearted as you, Maswabi. You
will see my daughter on my terms,”
Relief is visible in her eyes.
“You still have time to think about this. Cool
down and make a decision later,” that’s not
happening.
“Mme wee! I am done with you. We have
never had a relationship, cutting ties with
you is not a loss to me, I’m winning. I’d be
dying inside if I had to do this to Manana but
you… I’m getting my freedom,” she places a
hand over her chest, like her heart is aching. I
don’t care if she’s hurting, I’ve been living
with the venom that comes out of her mouth
for years. My truth is nothing compared to
what she put me through. Let her cry, I’ll
drink her tears.
“Naledi, how could you say this to me? I’m
your mother,” bathong!
“No, Dzunisani is my mother, you just gave
birth to me. That’s all and you know this for a
fact,” I feel like I’m offloading things I’ve been
carrying on my shoulders for years. This
woman will finally know exactly how I feel
about her.
She’s sobbing on the bed, I finally get to see
her being human. I look at her boyfriend and
he is embarrassed, as he should.
“Wena Mongezi,” I say and he looks up at me,
shame painted on his face.
“Naledi, I am so sorry babe. I honestly didn’t
mean for this to happen…” I hold out my hand
to stop him from saying more.
“Stop right there! I know you and you knew
exactly what you were doing with her. I hope
her money is worth loosing our friendship
over,” he gets up from the bed, shaking his
head.
“Naledi please. I will end it with your mother.
Please don’t throw our friendship away, you’re
like a sister to me,” he should have thought
about that before he betrayed me like this.
“I want nothing to do with the both of you,
stay away from me. Or the will be
consequences,” I stop the video and walk out
of their sex reeking room.
I don’t know which room Vhutshilo and the
receptionist are in so I take my phone and call
him.

MASWABI MOLETSANE

It has been an eventful day, my daughter
found me naked with her friend and took a
video of us. Naledi said some things that were
pretty hurtful and as if that wasn’t enough,
she went on to threaten me. She wants me to
stay away from her and my granddaughter in
exchange for her to keep the video to herself.
I am backed into a corner, I don’t have a
choice but to honor her wishes as much as it
hurts.
My heart is aching, I don’t think I’ll ever stop
hearing her tell me that I’m not her mother.
The hate and disgust I saw on her face will
haunt me for the rest of my life. How did
things get out of hand this way? My only
child hates my guts and wants nothing to do
with me. I have lost the only family I’ve ever
had and it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have
pushed too hard, but I couldn’t help myself
because I wanted her to live a flawless life
and be a good example to Basetsana and
mirror me as her mother.
Mongezi and I decided to cut ties and cease
all communication with each other. I am
going to miss him and how he makes me feel
but this is necessary. It was good while it
lasted; Right now we both have to fight to
get Naledi back. I don’t know how but I’ll
make things right.
I don’t want to lose my family, I won’t survive
being along again. My parents gave me away
like I was a nothing and I lived my life
fighting to be something because I couldn’t
stand feeling worthless. I have not showed it
much but I love my daughter and her arrival
in my life didn’t only prove that I’m woman
enough even without legs; Naledi being born
made me feel a love like no other, she patched
up my heart and made me feel worthy.
My driver stops the car in the driveway and
climbs out to open the door for me. I couldn’t
come home after the confrontation that
happened at the lodge. I had one last meeting
for the day and it dragged longer than
expected; I won’t even tell you in detail half
of what was discussed there. At least my
secretary was present and taking notes, she
will fill me in first thing tomorrow morning. I
am going through a lot right now but my
personal life cannot destruct me from doing
my job.
I walk inside the house and find Dzuni sitting
infront of the television watching some
telenovela. I wasn’t gonna address this but
seeing her, God, I just want to know why she
would betray me like this. I know for a fact
that she’s the one who told Naledi about
Mongezi and I. Yesterday I found her with my
phone, she must have been looking for
information to give to my child. She gave me
a silly excuse when I asked her what she was
doing with my phone and I bought the story
because I trusted her.
“Why Dzunisani?” I ask and she heaves a sigh
and places the bowl of popcorn on the coffee
table.
“I couldn’t stand by and watch you torment
that girl, Maswabi. You have hurt Naledi so
much and taking Bassie from her was going to
kill her,” she says and I shake my head.
“I just said that so they could move back
home and we can be a family, I wouldn’t have
hurt her like that,” I say and she laughs.
“Don’t lie. We both know what you’re capable
of, Maswabi. You’ve done this to them before,
remember how you threatened Vhutshilo with
a statutory rape accusation?” she says and I
swallow hard.
That was different, he gave my 16 year old
daughter a baby. I wasn’t going to standby
and watch them continue their relationship,
he was way older than Naledi.
“I hope you’re happy now, Dzunisani. My
daughter hates me, she says you’re her
mother. You have won,” she gets up with a
frown on her face.
“You think I’m happy with this? You think I
want our family separated? Maswabi you
forced my hand here, I told you countless
times that I would do anything for Naledi, I
would give my life for her to be happy. You
threatened to take the one thing that makes
her Naledi, her baby girl. As much as you hate
to admit it, Basetsana has the best mother
and you had no right to threaten to take her
away just because you can. If you want
someone to blame for the mess we find
ourselves in then look in the mirror.” she
grabs the popcorn and walks out of the room.