Down The Street
#1
At the guesthouse…
Onkemetse walked out of the bathroom. The man was lying on the bed, breathing heavily, sweat still visible on his forehead and arms. She reached for her clothes and put them on as he stared at her.
Him: What’s your real name?
Onkemetse: (putting on her t-shirt) Why are you asking?
Him: Just to know you. We have been doing this for almost three years now, and I know Mavis is not your real name.
She tied her hair back and picked up her handbag and phone. She reached for his wallet and counted the money he had.
Onkemetse: It’s not enough.
Him: I asked you a question.
Onkemetse: I am running out of time. I told you I don’t talk… There is a fee ya companionship or just talking.
Him: Can I swipe?
She reached into her handbag and pulled out the swiping machine. He sat on the edge of the bed and tapped his card before entering the pin. She got it and handed him the receipt of a full-body massage. He sighed, staring at her as she walked out.
Onkemetse: Bye.
Him: Bye.
She headed toward her car. It was just minutes before 6 in the morning, cold, and there was fog everywhere. She got in her car, and the windscreen was covered in mist.
She turned on the car, and the wipers cleared the view for her. She put everything on her passenger seat and reversed before turning up the music.
At Onkemetse’s house…
Kesego’s alarm went off. She reached for it and pressed it before taking a minute to mourn her beauty sleep. Her feet slipped into her pink slippers, and she headed to the living room, where she turned the music on, volume a little louder, this always got her wide awake.
She got in the bathroom and washed her face with the pimple facewash. She hummed as she took a quick shower and headed back to her room to get ready for school.
Meanwhile, Onkemetse walked in carrying her gym bag, fully dressed in her gym clothes. She knocked before sticking her head into her daughter’s room.
Onkemetse: (smiled) Morning, Kess!
Kesego: (smiled, switching her books to another bag) Hi, mama.
For a second, Onkemetse wanted to tell her how she carried her books in a Macaroni plastic bag, but again, she was not going to trauma-dump.
Kesego: How was the gym?
Onkemetse: (smiled and shrugged) Same as always.
Kesego: If I had the opportunity to sleep, I’d sleep. You wouldn’t catch me in the gym early in the morning.
Onkemetse: (they laughed) Let me take a shower, then I’ll be ready.
Kesego: I came to your room last night and you weren’t there, i wanted my charger.
Onkemetse: Oh, i was sitting by the pool. I couldn’t sleep.
Kesego: Ok, i know you went to buy junk food without me but ok.
They both laughed as she got in the bathroom and sighed with her back against the door. She gulped with a long face. It was more than clear, the gym excuse was not going to work for long, Kess was getting older now. She sighed and took another shower before joining her daughter out.
They both got in the car, and she drove out as the gate slid open. She glanced at her daughter as she read one of her notebooks.
Onkemetse: Are you ready for the test?
Kesego: (Jokingly, with a British accent) Well, yes, mother. Ready I am! Can I ask you something?
Onkemetse: (laughed) Yeah.
Kesego: How far did you go with school?
Onkemetse: Why do you ask?
Kesego: Because you are paying a lot of people for my education, which is nice, and I appreciate your hard work… but who pays for someone to also help with homework? You can just do that like a normal parent. I appreciate the tutors, but I think the homework lady can stop coming. I am old enough to do homework on my own now since you never help. I am leading the school, so you have nothing to worry about.
Onkemetse: I just don’t want your performance to drop at the last minute. You are about to sit for your final exam, and if you do very well, then you get sponsorship ko DTEF and I can get a break from paying school fees.
Kesego: Yeah, but I honestly don’t need a homework helper. Tutorials are okay. You should save the homework helper expense.
Onkemetse: (smiled) Okay, I will tell her that this month is her last and we won’t be needing her services anymore.
Kesego: (smiled) You still haven’t answered me.
Onkemetse: What?
Kesego: How far did you go with school?
Onkemetse: I only did Standard 7.
Kesego: (laughed out loud) Mama, I am serious.
She looked at her mother expecting a better answer, but it didn’t seem like one of their normal jokes. The smile on her face wore off as she frowned, looking at her.
Kesego: (voice lowered, softer) Why didn’t you finish school?
Onkemetse: (laughed in disbelief) Believe it or not… I didn’t have a uniform or shoes to start Form 1, and no one found the need to buy it. I went to school with clothes, attended orientation, and attended the first days. Then teachers said I should call my mother to school, and I should not go back to school without her. She didn’t want to go, so I didn’t go back. In public schools, teachers used to beat students badly, i have scars i got from being beaten at schools by teachers. I was afraid to go back, laws were different then. One of the relatives heard I wasn’t going to school and took me to help her nurse her baby. Then I went from relative to another helping with children.
Kesego: Did they pay you?
Onkemetse: No, ne ke ba baya matsetse hela, babysitting and in exchange, I had food and a roof over my head.
Kesego: I don’t think I love your mom right now. Why are you buying her food if she is the reason you can’t read properly? Is that why you never send texts and do voice notes all the time?
Onkemetse: (laughed) I can read and write very well, mma wee I got A in standard 7. I just don’t trust my spellings that’s why I prefer voice messages.
Kesego: Okay, I will be tutoring you every day because, yes, you don’t write proper English. You butcher it, but I am going to teach you, and we will be reading a lot of things together.
Onkemetse: Okay. As long as you spend more time on books, I am good.
Kesego: Deal.
Minutes later, Onkemetse drove through the school and parked next to another car. Her daughter grabbed her bag and cooler bag before shutting the door.
A white student ran over and covered her eyes then she signaled Onkemetse to keep quiet.
Kesego: (giggled) Ok, bye, mama.
Onkemetse: Bye.
Kesego: (to her friend) I know you are Charlotte!
The girl let her go, and they both laughed out loud as they walked away. A heavy black girl joined them before another student joined them, this one was one of the minister’s daughters. Onkemetse’s eyes filled with tears as she watched her daughter disappear into the building with her friends, knowing how she was bullied and never had friends made this little moment a healing and a victory.
She heaved a sigh of relief, and turned up the music before driving out. One of the cars behind her flashed the lights, and she stopped. The driver pulled over next to her and smiled, it was one of the mothers to Kessy’s friends. She always avoided rich people, but this time she had no choice but to stop.
Mother: Hi!
Onkemetse: (smiled wide) Hi, how are you?
Mother: I am great. We are having a housewarming party. We finally bought a home, so if you don’t mind, you can drop by with Kess. I will ask Charlotte for your number and forward you the details.
Onkemetse: (smiled) I will be there.
Mother: Ok, bye!
Onkemetse: Bye.
She sighed and rolled up her window. She had never been invited to a party before, and knowing that there would be a lot of people that would force her to speak English didn’t make things easier. She sighed and joined the road.
At Onkemetse’s house…
Minutes later, she closed the door and dropped the car keys on the table. She pulled out her sweater and dropped dead on the bed.
After three hours of a good sleep, she reached into the wardrobe and pulled out her bag. She sat on the bed and clicked on her second phone. She had about four missed calls from clients… but she would get back to that later.
She clicked on her bank app and balanced her cashbook app then she paid her daughter’s school fees. She clicked on her calendar and went through it. She had a client today!? How did she miss that? She reached for her phone and dialed his PA.
Onkemetse: Hi, it’s Onkemetse from Onky Insurance and Loan Agency… **… yes, I was just calling to check if the appointment is still on with Mr Mothibi…**… Okay, thank you.
She hung up and clicked on the missed calls; she returned the first one.
Onkemetse: Hello?… hi, (looked at the time) right now? I cannot come to your house…***…I don’t do home visits for a reason, you know the rules… The car is not my thing, if you want that type of thing go where it is offered…**…(sighed) Thank you, and the guesthouse should not affect my fee… Okay. I am on my way. By the way, I have to be somewhere in an hour, so we can’t be more than an hour… **…I keep telling you to make an appointment…(laughed out loud) Okay.
She hung up and grabbed her work tote bag, she shook her pepper spray, it was still enough. She checked the taser and put them both inside then she fixed her makeup before putting on her formal wear. She placed her insurance and loan papers in her bag and locked it before walking out.
As she drove out the gate she returned the second caller. This time it was actually a client, like someone really looking for a loan. It had been eleven months since she actually got a client for this nonsense, she wasn’t even sure how much the commission was for this thing.
At Mr Mothibi’s office…
Later that afternoon, Onkemetse walked in through the glass doors as they slid open. The AC blew her hair back as she removed her glasses. Her lady suit stuck to her, defining her curves, as her behind stuck out like it came straight from a BBL injection. But that was all natural, just an African figure and God’s good work.
Onkemetse: (smiled) Dumelang.
Receptionist: Ee, mma.
Onkemetse: I have an appointment with Mr Mothibi.
Receptionist: This way.
She followed her direction as her “work” phone vibrated. She would silence it, but this was one of the high-profile clients. She threw her head back with her hair and picked up the call.
Onkemetse: Sir?
Him: I have a trip to Sandton this weekend. I will come back to Botswana on Thursday. You are coming with me. I will need your company outside the business meetings.
Onkemetse: I have plans this weekend, but you can book me a Saturday afternoon flight, then I can meet you th-
Him: Cancel them all and send me their quotes for their refund. You are coming with me. I’ll have the payment sent this afternoon.
What else could she say? With this, she could clear her daughter’s school fees for this year and even save her a little present for her 18th birthday.
Onkemetse: (smiled) Of course. I will send it in a few hours. The price will also include PrEP and the risk allowance, that way you can have as much fun as you want.
Him: Now you’re making me look forward to this trip, ne ke itsapa tota.
Onkemetse: (smiled) Bye
Him: Sure.
The call ended, she smiled and gave the PA a small wave with a smile before pushing the door with her shoulder and walking in.
Mr Mothibi smiled, closing the laptop and standing up. He walked past her and stuck his head out.
Mr Mothibi: You can take a two-hour break. Go book that license test you’ve been talking about.
PA: (smiled excitedly) Yes, sir!!!
She got up and hurried out. He locked the door as Onkemetse slowly unbuttoned her blazer.
Mr Mothibi: I missed you…
He approached, she got on her knees and unzipped his pants and…. #Removed (Scene too mature, will be posted at the group)
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