Midnight Kiss
9
Ofentse stared at Lesedi.
“How do you know that?”
“Because I haven’t had my periods in a while. Since I first had sex.”
“How far along do you think you are?”
“Three months.”
He looked at her stomach then back at her.
“Who is it?”
“My partner.”
“And you want to keep it?”
“You said this was temporary. That after two months you would take me back home to my parents.”
He slid his hands in his pocket.
“Is that what you want? To go back to a life of extreme poverty?” He shook his head. “I don’t want to rain on your parade, but the honest truth is this, if you go back to that village boy, you will give birth and raise a child in poverty. You will die poor, and your child will grow up poor and die poor too. It’s a cycle that never ends. The poor keep getting poorer with every generation.”
She remained silent.
“He won’t afford to take you back to school. Did he even go to university?”
She stared at him.
“My guess is no. He will never get a decent job. Is that the life you want? Even for your unborn child?” He stepped closer. “I can take you to school. Give you a good life. Buy you a car. Let you live a life you could only dream of.”
“What about your-“
“It’s over.” He cut in. “You won’t be seeing her again. Go change. Let’s go shopping. Maybe do your hair too.” He paused. “One more thing, if anyone asks about my whereabouts today, you will say I called you on my way from the office and came straight home. Okay?”
She nodded.
“Good. Go change.”
Lesedi walked slowly toward the bathroom where her clothes were. Ofentse sat down, his mind replaying everything that had happened. His heart skipped as his phone rang.
“Mama.”
“Did you call him? I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling, Ofentse.”
“I tried. He’s not picking up. I will try again later.”
“What if something has happened to him?”
“You are overthinking. You know how he is. He will just show up. He is fine.”
His mother sighed. “Okay… please let me know once you reach him.”
“I will.”
Minutes later, Lesedi stepped out wearing a long ankle-length dress. Ofentse frowned.
“Don’t you have something nicer?”
She looked down at her dress. “This is my nice dress.”
He sighed. “Okay.”
He went to change and came back a while later. Lesedi followed him outside and got into the back seat.
“You can sit in the front.”
“I-“
“Jump over.”
Lesedi moved to the front seat.
At the mall, Ofentse walked into the first shop with her. He waved over a shop assistant.
“Please help her pick some nice clothes. Don’t hold back.”
The assistant smiled at Lesedi.
“Come through.”
The shop assistant whispered as they walked away. “Is he your relative? Or your person?”
Lesedi hesitated. “My father married me off to him. But he loves someone else. He has never been nice to me… until today. It’s strange.”
The assistant glanced at Ofentse.
“Are you being held hostage? I can get you help. He won’t even know we called the police.”
Lesedi blinked. “I found some money in his pants, he always forgets money in his pants. I have put away emough. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
The assistant smiled. “Good. Now let’s shop.”
***
At Arefa’s house, her helper hummed as she walked into the yard, earphones in. She locked the gate behind her and headed for the door. Her phone rang.
“Mama.”
“It’s getting dark. Your son will wake up soon. You know I can’t see properly at night.”
“Arefa told me to come now to collect my salary. It won’t take long.”
“Okay. Hurry.”
She hung up and knocked but there was no answer. She knocked again then tried the handle. The door opened and she stepped in.
“Arefa?”
She looked at TV that was playing music.
“Arefa! It’s me!”
She walked around then walked toward the bedroom. She knocked softly.
“Arefa?”
She knocked a few more times then pushed the door open.
She gasped looking at the man hung from the ceiling.
Her eyes dropped to the floor where Arefa was lying.
***
At the mall, Ofentse helped carry the plastic bags with Lesedi’s clothes. She trailed behind him wearing a brand new dress. He unlocked his car and they got in.
Ofentse looked at her. “I want us to go out, but first I want to pass by a friend’s house.”
Lesedi remained quiet. He drove off. A while later he parked in front of a house and seconds later a man stepped out.
Ofentse stepped out of the car. Lesedi watched silently from inside the car as he conversed with his friend. He got back in the car and drove off.
He handed her a sachet of pills.
“Get one in there and drink it. We are going to try sea food. They are anti allergy pills.”
.
Good evening family.
May I kindly and gently ask that we continue voting for this little princess. Competition is ending soon.
Target, 200 votes