“I am going to ask Mpumi to give me a child.”
Bowman was shocked at his son’s decision, “What did you just say, son?!”
“She might just die.”
“Might? She’s already dead.”
That maddened Dion, “That is so insensitive, Dad!”
“You’re right. It is. I’m sorry. I don’t know how that came out.”
“I just…
“Love her? You love her?”
“That is not what I was going to say.”
“Phew!” a sigh of relief from Bowman.
“Dad, when mother died, she left you with a part of her. She left you with me.”
“Dion…”
“I cannot let her go, dad. It is too hard.”
Bowman left his seat; he went and covered his son in him.
None of Mpumi’s friends were allowed to visit her. She had asked Dion to ensure that. She did not feel that sh
(This chapter contains violence. Please read with caution)Slowly, Shannon and Kefense took steps back out leaving the door open to keep ‘watching over her’. Mpumi trying so hard to wiggle out his grip—she did not like him holding her down like that. “I don’t know what has possessed you right now,” he said. “I will let you go, and I will walk out. You will not jump at me and you will not throw things at me.”Dion finally let her go. He thought he was able to simply walk out now. Surely, Mpumi had calmed down. He turned his back to walk out…AHHHHH!Came the screeching voice of Mpumi. She jumped at Dion’s back—it wasn’t clear what her intention was. She simply wanted Dion to stay. She was dying—surely, Dion must give her the attention she wanted.Mpumi wanted to be a little problematic that morning. She had gone wild. Dion finally managed to th
Once again, Sphesihle heard the two sneaky boys talk again (Michael and Gift). She had learned to stalk them to hear more about Vincent.Gift: Ah, so he is adopted?Michael: His mother is sick! He doesn’t need this right now. She’s dying, Gift, of cancer.Gift: Ah, cancer, huh? Father has malnutrition—or what do they say? Kwashiorkor. And mother on the other hand goes head-hunted by the deadly cancer… Doesn’t that make a perfect headline?Michael: What? No. No, Gift, don’t do it.Gift: What a bunch of unhealthy misfits. And yet, people look at them and think they have it all. Flawless…Sphesihle thought that she had heard enough, she showed face, “Stay away from him!”“Ah, Sphe.” Gift smiled. Gift was a confident boy—it was no wonder he was the leader of the popular boy-group in the school. “Always lovely seeing you.”She went and stood at his
While Mpumi lost all hope, the remaining days of her life were spent fighting with Dion. Dion kept pushing her to eat, get out of bed, and socialise. He even left the company to his father so that he could take of the woman. She would cry all day, scream at night, and pinch whatever she found reachable when in pain.It was becoming too hard on the kids. Vincent was falling behind academically; he was always destructed. He would forget writing homework; he would forget study groups—of which he had started to help others.The other students were starting to get worried about Vincent’s consistent absenteeism. They started hovering around rumours. They were left guessing his situation. They saw how distant he had become. “Gift is giving him a hard time,” they said among themselves.“Gift doesn’t like him. He doesn’t like anyone above him.”“I saw how Gift talks to Vincent. Disgusted, and grudging.”
“Vincent’s mother.” Sphesihle said, “I hear she is battling cancer. You feel pain. In fact, it is the first thing I saw when you opened the door for me. Now, I may not know the extent to which your pain goes, but I do know what pain is. Pain is pain. One of the most brutal punishments to humans, it cannot be avoided, and it cannot be blocked.”Dion had nothing to say. He started walking up. Vincent appeared, immediately. He was standing with her, facing her. Not so welcoming of her.“I brought your scripts. Marked and moderated.” Sphesihle spoke, “I figured the teachers couldn’t email them, so I took them myself.” She stretched them out for his reach, but he only looked. Not responding. She saw the table near them, she went and put them there. “I will go now.”“They didn’t email the work or the notes either,” he said.She turned back to him, “I have notes!&rdqu
Dion was determined to torture the woman emotionally. He wanted her suffering in a way to compare with his. He knew the best way was to ignore her and avoid her. Unfortunately, he was doing good thus far.Mpumi woke up each day to try and reason with him. Each day she destined to grovelling to him. She was dedicated to make things right.“Dion,” she stood at the door. It was in his study (at home). He was busy with some papers. As soon as he saw her, he got up. He walked past her and out of the office.At the dinner table, she went and grabbed a chair. Before she could sit, Dion pulled out of his, carried his plate, and walked out—he wouldn’t eat at the same table with her. It had become obvious to every person in that house that there was a serious conflict between the two.In the morning, Liam was driving the children to school, and Dion to work. The four people were ready to go, until a door opened. It was Mpumi. She got it. The
Dion had a long day out with Emilia. At the end of it all, he was tired. He needed a shower and to go to bed. He opened the door to his room. He met a whole mess. His room seemed turned upside down. Broken vas, torn sheets, ruptured curtains, thrown table. //--What on earth— --// He saw Mpumi at a corner, chucking down a bottle of alcohol in her hand. She too was a mess as the room. Case closed; she was the culprit. //--Alcohol? I thought the doctor told her not to have any of those. I thought she was working on herself. Who was I kidding? She will never change. --// Without saying a word, he turned back and walked out. Immediately, Mpumi felt like she messed up. She got up, empty handed and ran after him. She felt bad about what she did to his room. She was infuriated earlier, but now she was calmer and back to her senses. “Dion?” He did not stop for her. “Dion, please!” she chased after him in the passage. “Dion, I’m sorry!” she finally managed to grab his elbow. He did not ap
“Dion, what do you think?” asked Emilia.“Mpumi, I think that you should not carry a load alone.”“What?” Emilia was amazed.Dion was back, “What? Where? How? Um…” he got up. “I was in my thoughts, sorry.”“You’re always in your thoughts. You’re like a zombie around me. Do you even enjoy my company?”“Um, yes. I do.”“Um, no. You don’t!”“Emily—”“You don’t know my name anymore?!”“Emily… Emilia.”“Wow.” She took her bag and walked out. She was headed for Mpumi. She found her in the department office alone.She shut the door walking in, “Listen here, black barbie.” Emilia was firm, “I don’t know of your little history with Dion. But here’s the thing, h-i-s-t-o-r-y. That’s what it is. Now
Dave opened the evening with a piano. He gave a soft music to welcome the guests and calm them down. “Your son is great,” said Mr Jenner. “Thank you,” Dion. He was sitting at a table with a few more people, one being his father and right by his side was Emilia. Mrs Jones was there as well, at that table. She loved seeing her daughter on Dion like that. She was glad that Dion did not push her off. She thought there was progress. Applause went as soon as Dave gave a bow. He went and sat at a table with Vincent and a few of Vincent’s friends. Michael was happy to have been invited by Vincent. Sphesihle too felt privileged to be around. Gift was fortunate to have been brought by his father who held a contract with ITSU—his father had every right to be there. “You keep amazing me, Dave.” “Thanks, Vincent.” “That was amazing, kid,” Michael cheered. “I practise all the time.” Gift sat at that table too. He was grounded that night. His mind was a bit chaotic—a mix of family issues and
Chapter 150“You… You’re alive?!” Mpumi couldn’t believe her own eyes.Ray was alive this whole. This was a man she had fallen in love with many years ago. Their relationship was a tumultuous one. It was on and it was off, it was good and it was toxic. Mpumi ended up getting so obsessed with this man. He was her first love after all.She had dated some guys before him but she never quite felt anything for any other man before Ray. She couldn’t understand her feelings, she was too young.They were both at Mpumi’s motel now. Mpumi was hesitant on letting him in but in the end she did. He sat at the small round table while she remained standing. She was still so frightened.“You stabbed me and then ran.” Ray continued, at the same time piercing a strict gaze into Mpumi’s eyes, “You left me there to die. I collapsed and laid on the pool of my own blood, I asked you to help me, but you r
Chapter 149Kefentse was the happiest man in his entire friend group. Things were working out for him and in his favour. He was taking over his father’s company. This was something he worked his entire life for. To be recognized by his father meant everything to him.“And now, you must bring us a wife.”“What?” Kefentse couldn’t believe the words of his father.“My son, you have just acquired a thrown. Now you must have an heir. With this much wealth and fortune, many vultures will come out of the woodworks to try to steal from you. Besides that, people are more likely to trust a man with a family. You are at an age to ground yourself.”Kefentse was still so struck with shock. He did not see that coming.His father went and on and on about his next plans for Kefentse’s life, “Ooh, I know a few girls around your age. All from respectable families. Say, we should set dates! ...”
Chapter148The kids were trying to find out who leaked a very private piece of information about Vincent’s father.“I don’t know.” Gift argued for himself, “The only reason I was beefing with Vincent back then was because I thought he would take you away from me. Other than that, I really have no problems with that kid. I was just jealous…”“You’re not jealous anymore?”“No. Ever since you claimed me, I really had no reason to be anymore.”Sphesihle was touched to hear that. In fact, she remembered the reasons why she liked him in the first place—he used to be so sweet. She could swoon over his sweet words but that was not the time, they had serious matters at their hands.Whoever leaked that news what in the school, because the first article to be released about the matter was published in that school’s news-site. They had to find out who did that.&
Chapter 147Bowman started weeping bitterly. Mpumi was only flustered, and at loss for words.“When he woke up, he wanted hurt himself again. The doctors had to strap him down and sedate him.”Bowman tumbled to his knees. “Please…”He crawled over to Mpumi’s feet.“Please, you have to help him. You have to watch over him—at least keep him alive for me!”Bowman was actually on his knees, grovelling for her help. Mpumi once thought that she wanted him to do that, but now that he was, she couldn’t stomach it. She saw the pain in that man’s eyes. He was a single father who was terrified of losing his son. His only child.She started trying to help him up but he was far too heavy to lift. He kept rubbing his palms together, and kept crawling to her as she was backing away from him.“Please. Please, little Miss. Please help my son.”He then grabbed and held on to her knees so that she wouldn’t back away anymore. All over his face were his tears and a very certain sadness.………A little whi
Chapter 146When morning came and Mpumi had to go home, since her shift was over, she remembered to go check on Dion first. She found him on the floor, unconscious and bleeding from his head.She called for help, and all the others rushed in and took him for an emergency care. Mpumi was worried, she couldn’t sit still as she waited for the results. Bowman and his family were at the hospital too, after receiving that early morning call. They too looked worried.Mpumi did find herself exchanging glances with Bowman. She wondered what that was about. She was able to go home when the doctors confirmed that Dion was okay. She could stay up and blame herself for what happened to Dion on her watch, but she was too tired and too sleepy.Mpumi quickly, slipped into her pyjamas (nightwear), and into her sheets—DING DONG!Came a doorbell at her door. She was tired. She simply scoffed, and then buried her head under her pillow. She was determined on ignoring that vividly loud doorbell.DING DONG
Chapter 145There was silence as Mpumi was thoroughly thinking about her decision. The Hill family had asked for her help to bring Dion back home. The ball was in Mpumi’s court.She then turned to Bowman, looked at him dead in the eye, “You fired me and then I left. I left your son and your darned company, so you can have all the control you wanted. As soon as I’m gone, your son goes missing? None of you knew where he was until I came along. I came back and I found him. You should be thanking me.”Mpumi continued, “In fact, you should be begging me to help you and your little precious son.”“I am begging you, Mpumi—”“Not you, Liam. I want Mr. Bowman Hill to beg me himself.”Bowman simply scoffed. He couldn’t believe the audacity of the girl. How dare she demand him to beg?“I see that proud smirk at the corner of your mouth, Mr. Bowman Hill.” Mpumi sa
Chapter 144At school, Gift was always happy to see Sphesihle. He would always beam and brightly so around her. He didn’t care if anyone saw him with her. Gift knew that he was the most admired kid in that school. His social value did not decrease on just being seen with Sphesihle—if anything, Sphesihle’s social value was more likely increase.“I get so excited to come to school nowadays,” he said smiling at Sphesihle.They were in class, first period. They spoke in low tones so that they wouldn’t make too much noise. That was allowed. This was their Life Orientation teacher, and she allowed socialization among pupils as long as they used their ‘inside voices’—as long as they were not too loud.“I get to hang out with you again.” Gift continued, “Remember how tight we used to be? And we were such a power couple.”Meanwhile, Sphesihle couldn’t shake off the uncomfort
Chapter 143Mpumi could see a clear view of his face. His front hairs were dangling at his forehead, overgrown and almost obscuring his sight. His beard was as long and tangled in what could soon turn into locks.As she looked closer, she saw his eyes sunken in and dark circles around them. She saw his cheeks all bones and protruding.Shocked! Mpumi’s throat was almost as dry as the sand in the Saharan Desert. Her tongue had never felt so heavy as she tried saying her first words upon seeing the man’s face. On her own face was the look of sheer terror!“DION??!!”He only looked into empty space and mimed what even he couldn’t make sense of. He seemed very far and lost. Mpumi got closer to have a closer look at his eyes.“Dion?”However, he looked lifeless almost as though there was no soul living in there. Mpumi could only wonder what happened to him. How he even got to that place, in the firs
Chapter 142The nurses did not succeed at collecting the patient’s DNA. The patient in room X1. He was aggressive and wouldn’t let any of them close to him. They couldn’t even take a photo of him. This would make it even harder to identify him. They needed to find his next of kin.They nurses were with the matron in her office. They were all brainstorming ideas on a way forward. The matron only went silent. She didn’t know what else to say. She was still thinking.“I think I can help him…” Mpumi had said.They turned to her, looked at her and wondered, “How do you think you can help? Not only is he mental but he’s also dangerous.”“I’ll take my own chances, but I think I have to try to get through to him.” Mpumi could clearly see that none of those people were convinced.She had to try harder. “Look, as you know that I’ve worked at a clinic before. I a