“I walked out of here, but in attempt to start a new life I’ve only managed to mess it all up. I can’t live out there. Not alone. I’m lost in the dark out there alone. I can’t…” she battled with saying it, “I can’t live without you. This family has become all that I am. I don’t want to be anywhere else where none of you are. Nothing goes well. That’s just too bad.”
She laid down, and like that she was deep into sleep.
Mpumi only woke up the next day when the children were at school and Dion was washing the dishes. She woke up and sat quietly. Dion finished packing the dishes away. He began to hear her cries. He was too afraid to approach her.
Mpumi saw him shrug at a distance. “Oh, Dion,” she went to him. “You are no monster. I was lying. I was only hurting when I said that to you.”
“Here’s your breakfast,” he passed a plate with dry bread. &
Mpumi and Dion were at the grocery store and they did not have enough money to pay for the items in their trolly. Mpumi was still trying to convince Dion why it was okay to cheat people into paying for their grocery.“Remember when you said presentation is key? Yeah, you look pretty convincing and no one would say no to you. Look at you—homeless and tired. Me… well skinny and hungry. Boy, we can do this.”“We’re cheating people. That can’t be good. When did we get to that?”“Living in the orphan home taught me to hustle, forget your shame. Just hustle to keep living.”“I thought you had a mother. How did you end up in the orphan home?”“She neglected me a lot when she was alive. I was hungry, cold and lonely. So, I went and searched love from other places. Come, let’s go.”The line was lessening at the till. Dion was becoming much more nervous. He coul
When Mpumi and Dion returned home, they started packing everything away. They had something to eat and left some for the young ones. Mpumi saw Dion begin to be miserable again. He sat at his corner with the book facing down on his knees. He stared into space and sat quietly. She went to him. “Dion,” she put her hand on his shoulder. He startled for that while and got himself together again. “What’s wrong?”He did not know what to say to her.“How do I comfort you?” she asked the silent man. She held his cheeks, and that immediately reminded her of something, “Hey, I also bought something.” She got up. She took out a bottle of cream and razors, “You, my dear, are getting a new haircut and we’re definitely doing away with that bush on your face.”“What are you talking about?”“I bought cream, and razors. I’m giving you a trim and a shave. We’re getting your
Mpumi was shocked to have been caught especially by her in her office. Mpumi stood there shaking terribly. “The same way that you are staring me into my eyes was the very same way you stared at me when you would lie to me. So, I’m complaining… Calling in investigators to find the thief, but here you are. You know what? I won’t stand here and do all the talking. Say something. Convince me that I’m wrong. You’re just moving the pills to a much safer place. Or as you were wiping my desk they fell, and I’ve just caught you putting them back. Tell me something sweet. As sweet as you’ve always pretended you were. Tell me…”“…Please don’t report me. Please don’t take me to the police,” Mpumi started tearing in her face. “Please I won’t do it again.”“We have been running short of medicine. Patients have suffered because of you. You know we could only order so l
Vincent pulled the belts that spiralled around his ankle. He looked closely at the piece. It roused concern, “Mpumi, what is this doing here? You go to strip clubs? This looks kinky…”Mpumi quickly shoved the book away, hurried to the young, and snatched the piece of belts from him. “Learn to mind your business, butthead!” and then she walked out leaving only Dion, Vincent and Dave inside.“A stripper’s costume?” Dion would not believe it.“Yeah,” Vincent said, “a bunch of belts and chains. Too revealing, if you ask me.”"You know too much for young kid.”“I had a friend. She was 17, and she worried that by the time she turned 18 she would get kicked out of the home. She had to find alternatives. Stripping at the club was the option she picked. She would go to strip clubs and I would stick as close, just to have her back.”“Where is she now?&rdqu
Mpumi had just told Vincent about her great news. She got an internship from Mr. Carlson—the man who helped her and Dion pay for their grocery. “Wow. That is…Mpumi, that is great!” Vincent was excited for her. “Yeah! He is the acting CEO of Metallic Wholesalers. He said something about the previous acting CEO gone missing. But hey, thank God he’s the new CEO, right? Else I wouldn’t have gotten the internship. He is the sweetest rich person I have ever known!” “Wait, how serious is this thing? I thought it was only business, now you’re talking about knowing the man.” “Why are you always so concerned?” “I just don’t want Dion to get hurt.” “Ow, that.” “He’s hurt too much. I think it’s enough now. Anyway, you say you will be working in the Metallic Wholesalers?” “Oh, no. I’ll be in the International Transport Service Unit (ITSU).” “Ooh, sounds fancy.” “Wait till you actually see the biggest branch which is
There was a knock on the door. Mpumi answered the door. It was the authorities. She knew them, she had been avoiding them the entire month. “You shouldn’t be here,” the man said. “You have your own house allocated to you.”Mpumi was astonished, “I do?”Vincent and Dave were at school. It was a matter of thirty minutes until they returned. Mpumi was shown to her new house. “Your mother changed her name to yours as the owner of the house in Muden 10 years ago. Moving the entire town, we have allocated each of the owners of the houses built that side new ones here.”Mpumi was in disbelieve to hear that she had a home of her own. It was strange having to have things work out for her so simply. Mpumi was lucky to have had all her furniture moved in from Muden. She realised that she only had to arrange it around the house.Mpumi had to go fetch Vincent and Dave from school. She was happy to let them know tha
“So, any interesting emails today?” Dion asked. Mpumi had told Dion when she went to the internet café. She had been checking her emails every single day and Dion had become very enthusiastic and eager with her. He would be excited every time she went, he would be excited over any news she would bring home. “Ow, um.” -**I’m telling him. It’s not fair to keep him here. If we’re heading to Johannesburg and he finds his life and rejects me, so be it. I will not hold a good man hostile all his life. **- “I got an email saying that I—” “Daddy! Daddy,” Dave ran into the room. “Is it true that you’re calling me?” “No. You just love me too much. You wanted some reason to come see me, didn’t you?” “No. Vincent told me that you called me.” “Well, I did not call you. And did you change the shirt? It’s not so easy to wash. It is white, I heard. And for a blind man, a white shirt is the hardest thing to wash.” “Yes.” Mpumi decided to hand him in, “No, he did not. He’s wearing the white shi
“MPUMI?!” Dion was shocked and amazed. “What are you doing here? You followed me…” he was standing in the presence of the little frail woman down the stairs of the giant company. “You found me…” …………………………………….. Being the team leader, Mpumi hosted a camp for her Marketing department. It wasn’t a big deal however, the CEO of the company had to be there. This was to lift the team morale and give esteem to the project. ITSU was a huge company at the end of the day. The scary CEO had to be there. Mpumi wasn’t sure if she was glad to see the CEO. The CEO was Dion. It was awfully strange to see Dion in a work suit and a billionaire. The Dion she knew was a lost homeless man, who was blind and hopeless… The tour agent welcomed them with a noon feast. They all gathered at the table to have their meal. Mpumi sat at the length of the long rectangle table. She was in between her two close friends, Thabo and Sam. She had her face bowed to her plate—she wouldn’t look up because Dion was sitting
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