28 // Roots

It was shameful to regard someone as family only when you needed something, but I had no other option, nor did I have a choice or say when growing up.

As far as the world was concerned, my mother did not have any family left after losing her entire family to the grim reaper.

What she never told anyone was that she had a sister who resided less than an hour’s drive away from home.

My mother’s older sister, Meiki, was a traditional healer, but a witch according to my mother.

As soon as the car pulled up outside her home, she was at the gate in seconds and assisted Karabo in helping me out of the car, and then she led me into the house while Karabo followed close behind with my bags.

“Thank you for bringing her home,” Aunt Meiki said as she led my saviour out the door.

Watching her was like watching my mother in an alternate world. They looked exactly alike, they had the same big round bodies, with my aunt being slightly taller and