CHAPTER 03
SHLOBOSENKOSI MAVIMBELA

“Shoe size sir?” the sales assistant asks.
“He is a size 7,” he nods then walks away to
get the sneakers from the back.
I am at Gateway mall to buy the sneakers
Nhlangano told me about yesterday. I had to
come early because I didn’t want to find them
sold out and have him sulking the whole
month. My son has an obsession with clothes
and fashion, his clothes don’t even fit in the
wardrobe of his bedroom so he uses the
wardrobe of the guest room too. He wanted
us to trade bedrooms because the master has
a walk in closet, can you imagine?
“You can come pay,” the sales assistant is
back. I follow him to the till and take out my
card, I’m advised to buy sneaker wash and
some powders too, I agree and swipe the total
then leave the store.
It’s morning but this mall is already buzzing
with people, one would wonder if they don’t
have to be at work.
My son and I don’t have breakfast together
during the week because it’s always chaos in
the morning, you’d swear it’s not just us in
the house. He makes himself a smoothie and
drinks it on his way to school, I, on the other
hand get my breakfast at the office. My
secretary always has something on my desk
when I get in, but today I told her not to
because I’ll grab something here.
I get to mug and bean and the waitress takes
me to my table and leaves me to look at the
menu. I’m going to have coffee and the big
Ben, it will keep me good until lunch time.
The young lady comes back and takes my
order then disappears to the kitchen.
I take out my phone and reply to my emails
and a few minutes later my food is in front of
me. This coffee smells great, I cannot start
my day properly without caffeine, I don’t care
how hot it is.
“Bhut’Shlobo,” I look up and find Thalente
towering over me. My heart feels pain each
time I see this girl, she reminds me so much
of her sister.
“Hey, how are you?” I ask and she nods with a
smile.
“I’m great, how are you?” I’m good but seeing
her always leaves me in shumbles. Did she
really have to have Melamina’s face like this?
“I’m well sisi. Are you here with someone?” I
ask.
“No, I just came to grab breakfast,” I point to
the empty chair across from me, she pulls it
and settles down.
“I have been meaning to give you a call. How
is school?”
“Great. Thank you once again for paying my
tuition and everything else, it really means a
lot,” she has said this a million times before.
“It’s okay. Just work hard and make your
mother proud,” There’s bad blood between her
family and mine, let me rephrase. Her family
blames me for the passing of Melamina and
my family is therefore hated for being
associated with me. It hurts so much because
I loved their daughter with all my heart, that
woman was everything to me. They even
refused me coming to the funeral and that’s
one of the reasons why I cannot open my
heart to another woman. I never got the
chance to say goodbye, to find closure.
“I am working myself so hard to pass my
honors with flying colors. I also volunteer at
these NPO’s, I’m doing everything to make
sure that my profile is great for the masters
program. Getting into that program is hard,
only 6 to 12 applicants are taken yearly from
hundred applications per university,” that’s
hectic.
I wish most people made thorough research
before choosing to study psychology. Thalente
only realized later in the course that it takes
roughly 7 years to be a registered and
practicing psychologist. She graduated for her
undergraduate degree and had to stay home
for four years because there wasn’t any
money at home to pay for her honors in
psychology.
NSFAS only funds one qualification.
Melamina was the breadwinner and her
passing meant they had nothing, I tried
offering a helping hand but their mother
didn’t want to hear anything. I met Thalente
early last year, she was waitressing at one of
my favorite restaurants. She told me her
story and I knew I had to help, she applied at
UNISA for her honors and told her mother
that she got a bursary. I will be paying for her
until her dream is fulfilled, I’m doing this
because I know it will make Melamina rest in
peace. Family meant so much to her.
“I’m not discouraging you, but is all of this
worth it? I mean you’re working hard but you
still don’t know if you’ll be accepted into the
masters program. You said it yourself that
some students wait 3 years to finally be
accepted,” she takes a deep breath.
“This is who I am, bhut’Shlobo. This is what
South Africa needs, a lot of people are killing
themselves because they have absolutely no
one to talk to about their mental and
emotional challenges. They need someone to
help them fight and show them the light. If I
give up now it means I’m giving up on
someone who is hoping to have someone to
help them. I’m talking on behalf of all aspiring
clinical psychologists,” I’m nodding my
understanding. The higher education
department needs to do something about this
hard process of becoming a psychologist in
South Africa. I mean the whole thing is insane
and depressing for these graduates.
“Then stick it out. You don’t have to worry
about the funds,”
“Thank you,” she hasn’t ordered anything and
I’m sure my coffee is cold. I call the waitress
and ask for another cup then Thalente places
an order.
“How is Nhlangano? I’m sure he has grown” I
chuckle.
“He is a giant hey,” she giggles, “But he’s great.
An amazing boy to raise, he’s making my job
as a father really easy. Except for when he
wants to get a woman for me,” I say and she
narrows her eyes.
“Haibo, bhut’Shlobo. You still don’t have a
potential wife?” I shake my head.
“I doubt I ever will. I cannot get over
Melamina,” she exhales sharply.
“It has been 18 years since she passed on. She
would want you to be happy. Open your heart
and give love a chance,” I smile.
“I’m happy, my son makes me happy. My
businesses make me happy,” she rolls her eyes.
“You can’t compare,” the Thalente of
yesterday is now grown and giving me advice.

NALEDI MOLETSANE

Spending time with Basetsana and her father
after this hectic week is exactly what I
needed. We can’t go out in public because my
mother said so, my daughters father
understood because he knows what would
happen if we disobey Maswabi Moletsane.
That woman is just a bully, no one can tell me
otherwise.
Vhutshilo ordered takeaways and made
popcorn so we can enjoy while watching a
movie.
We promised each other genuine friendship so
we can be able to raise our baby girl well.
Some people think there’s more to our
relationship than co-parenting, but there’s
really nothing going on between us. Our
priority is Basetsena, we don’t want to
jeopardize the stability we have built over
lust or anything like that.
“Bassie,” Vhutshilo calls out but gets no
response from his daughter.
“She’s definitely out,” I say laughing.
This is exactly why I don’t bother watching
movies with this girl, she sleeps halfway
through.
“I’ll take her to bed,” he gets up from the
couch and picks Basetsana up from the rug
then takes her to the bedroom.
I take the bowls of popcorn, cans of soda and
empty packets of wine gums and head to the
kitchen. I need some adult drinks now, I open
the fridge and there are savanna’s chilling.
Vhutshilo is the baby daddy he thinks he is
man, I take out one and a beer for him. We
walk back in the lounge at the same time and
I hand him the bottle.
“Only three dumpies for you. You’re driving,” I
roll my eyes.
“We are sleeping over,” I say and he snaps an
eyebrow.
“You want your mother to come here with the
police?” I want to sleep here because I don’t
want to be dealing with that woman.
“I am an adult and that’s our daughter. Mama
can turn into a crazy cow for all I care but we
are sleeping here,” he chuckles and sits next
to me. I reach for my phone and text her,
informing her that we will be sleeping over.
Basetsana has clothes here and I’ll wear
Vhutshilo’s oversized sweatpants and a t
shirt. He’s gonna be pissed because he told me
to leave a few things.
My phone chimes and it’s my mother’s
response. She said okay. No fight?
“What’s up?” I hand him the phone and after
reading he looks at me with widened eyes.
“Are you sure you sent the message to the
right person,” I laugh.
“Of course I’m sure,” we click bottles.
“That was too easy but okay,” he shrugs his
shoulders.
I understand why he is shocked. My mother
hates him for getting me pregnant at 15 when
he was 22 years old.
Vhutshilo didn’t know that I was that young,
he thought I was 19 doing my first year at
another university. That’s the lie I told him,
he believed me because I looked the age I told
him. I am a big boned girl so it wasn’t hard to
sell the fake age.
“How are you?” I take a deep breath.
I know what he is asking me.
“I cannot change what happened so I won’t
dwell too much on it. I am focusing on what’s
important,” he hugs me.
“And the guy?”
“He showed up at the office with flowers and I
called security on his ass,” he smiles, proud.
“That’s my girl, you did well. Naledi, you
deserve better and you’ll get it,”
“Maybe I should date my age mates,” he is
thrown into a fit of laughter.
“Girl please,” I nudge him with an elbow.
I don’t know why I’m attracted to men older
than me. I literally cringe when a guy my age
tries to ask me out, I just cannot but it looks
like I have to give them a chance. Mjolo with
the old souls is showing me flames.
“I’m serious. We should both register on a
dating site,” he pouts and I know he’s keeping
something from me.
“You’re dating?” he nods and takes a sip of his
beer, “And you didn’t tell me?”
claps once!
“You also didn’t tell me about Jimmy. I found
out on social media Naledi,” he has a point “I
wanted to see if there’s a future with her
before introducing her to you and Bassie,”
that’s our rule.
We don’t introduce our child to someone we
don’t see ourselves spending the rest of our
lives with. We’ve each met a few of our exes
but our daughter has never been introduced
to someone.
“And?” he smiles.
“We are having dinner with her next Saturday.
Be nice,” oh God, Mongezi is going to be mad
at me. He asked me to accompany him to a
braai.
“Here or restaurant?”
“Here, I’m gonna need you to come and cook,”
he’s playing with me.
His girlfriend will have breakfast for dinner.
“I’ll find the best caterer,”
“On your budget then,” what a baby daddy I
have.