Down The Street
#4
At Onkemetse`s house…
Later that night Onkemetse balanced her books and sent postponing messages to the people she was supposed to meet accompanied by a suggestion of a refund if postponing doesn’t work for them.
Client: Hi, cool, see you Friday, around 8
Onkemetse: thank you, Onks full body massage appreciates your cooperation.
Client2: Don’t refund me, I’ll let you know when i am free.
Client3 PA: Hello, Mr Kothao schedule is free on Friday at noon. But i will confirm with him if he still want the massage.
Onkemetse: Thank you.
She replied several messages until her weekend was set, then she forwarded the whole cost to the Sandton client. She paused and smiled as she listened to her daughter singing freely in her room, for a second she remembered how this was for the rich back then…the children`s house was closed with an old sheet, and everyone slept on the floor, different people could just push the sheet and walk in, yet her mother`s house had a door. Tears warmed their way into her eyes and she gulped. She took a deep breath and sighed before doing her nighttime skin routine, Kesego`s music stopped, it must have been her bedtime.
She got up and headed to her daughter`s room where she sat on the edge and sighed looking at her with a long face.
Kesego: are you okay?
Onkemetse: I am fine, i was just thinking-
She paused, she really didn’t want to trauma dump with her past, besides she had never really been able to share anything with anyone…
Onkemetse: I don’t know anything about love, so i can’t say much about it but i know that being a single mother is very hard.
Tears filled her eyes and she paused as a big lump blocked her throat then she smiled.
Onkemetse: I loved having you, you saved my life and gave me a purpose, I heal through your happiness. All that i want is for you to achieve your dreams and have a family, a man that will love you…if i love you and give you everything you need, i think you will be able to make better choices. I want you to hang out with a better crowd, make better friends, and date better boys. That is why i am working so hard for you to stay in this neighborhood. I didn’t grow up in high walls, electricity, having a bed or a tap…i didn’t have none of that…above all (voice trembled) I didn’t have anyone to protect me, my mother was not present…i will not let you go through anything i went through, even if i have to sell my soul to the devil, even if i have to be a shell…id give it all up so you can wear a graduation gown…(tearfully) I just want to see you winning, i want you to be better than me in every way possible, have kids with a good man, have education and be surrounded by love…because every time you smile i heal a little.
Kesego wanted to ask about her father, but this didnt just seem like the right time, she had always had a feeling her father must have hurt her so bad. She sat up and hugged her mother.
Kesego: I love you mama
Onkemetse: I love you too.
Kesego leaned back and smiled, rubbing her mother`s tear…
Kesego: The way you like getting emotional, I can’t wait until the day you see me graduating or getting married.
Onkemetse: (laughed tearfully) I am probably going to cry tears of joy and even collapse.
Kesego: I want the three gowns, the graduation gown, the wedding gown, and the maternity gown, and in that order!
Onkemetse: (laughed out loud) Good, thank you! Goodnight, see you tomorrow.
Kesego: Its Friday, I am watching the movie.
Onkemetse: Alright, I am going out to meet some lady who wants an insurance cover, please talk to auntie o teng ko guestroom if you need anything.
Kesego: Ok, shap
She turned away and clicked on Netflix, Onkemetse got back in her room and got ready.
In Kesego`s room…
Almost an hour later, she heard her mother`s car pull out of the garage and put down her phone. She got off the bed with her phone and tiptoed out, she paused listening in auntie`s room, she was listening to the radio. Kesego headed to the security alarm and dsiarmed it before walking out through the back door.
She dialed the captain and sat by the lounge chair near the pool. Within 30 minutes, the young man jumped over the electric fence and landed on the lawn, he dusted himself up and joined her on the lounge as their lips met. She picked a little liquor in his breath…
Kesego: You stole your dad`s beer again?
Him: (smiled and kissed her) I was home alone, well with the kids but who cares
He leaned over and French kissed her as his hand reached between, he legs, she held his hand and closed her legs as they kissed.
Kesego: Slow down…i am waiting for marriage.
Him: (scoffed) Were you serious?
Kesego: Yes, i am serious, i am saving myself for marriage
Him: You know that shit won’t work, right?
Kesego: What do you mean?
Him: No one marries a virgin, marriage doesn’t depend on virginity, and if you don’t give it to me someone will take it by force one way or another. Virginity does not pass university, that shit is for the bible and the novels.
Kesego: Well, i believe it and you will wait if you really like me.
Him: (touched her thigh) Or maybe you want to but you are too embarrassed to admit it…
He kissed her getting on top of her as she turned her head and pushed him though his body weight was heavier than anything she ever had to push.
Kesego: Kevin stop! Stop or i am screaming, the helper is in the house!
He paused and sighed, looking at her.
Kesego: I think you should go.
Him: are you serious?
Kesego: yeah
Him: I am sorry, i won’t touch you again, i love you. We can’t lose us because of a minor issue
Kesego: You promise?
Him: cross my heart, i am sorry.
She sighed as he leaned over and kissed her then they carried on chatting and eventually watched a movie on her phone.
At Charlotte’s house…
The next day Charlotte’s father cleaned the braai stand as the gate slid open, he glanced at the gate, and it was the guys from his rugby team arriving with their families. He could only hope Mavis wouldn’t show up, if she did, he would have to pull one Oscar awarding act. He washed his hands and smiled, meeting the guys…
In the car…
Meanwhile Onkemetse checked herself one more time, this is the look she liked when it came to her daughter`s things. Very minimal makeup and maxi dresses, something that screamed i am a mom but i can still slay…
She glanced at her daughter as she put on her lip-gloss. Again, a memory from her teenage years came back, back when lip-glosses were new. There was one she used to stare at through the glass window, a pink lip-gloss in the shape of a red strawberry. Lots of girls had it back in the days, except her.
Kesego: what?
Onkemetse: (smiled) Nothing. You are beautiful…
Kesego: Thanks for passing it down to me, the way I blush when people say hey you look like your mom. (they both laughed) Mama can I ask you something?
Onkemetse: yes
Kesego: Who is my father? I know you said he wasn’t interested in us but i was a lot younger when i asked those. Now i want to see him…sorry if this offends you.
She turned and looked at her then she carried on driving.
Onkemetse: I will not be the type of mother that hides a child’s identity, but we will have to go through counseling before i tell you who your father is. He is there and you can meet him if you want.
Kesego: Can’t you just tell me?
Onkemetse: No, i really want to do the right thing when it comes to you. Even if i have to pay for a counseling session.
Kesego: You are terrible with money; you spend unnecessarily. I am old enough to understand what breaks up are and how it affects kids, i am not a baby. If you lived so poor why do you spend recklessly? A counselling session just to tell me who my father is?
Onkemetse glanced at her and gulped as she drove quietly, Kesego looked at her and looked down with a long face, she forgot how sensitive her mother could be at times.
Minutes later they approached the gate, she buzzed, and the gate slid open for them. Onkemetse`s heart skipped a little, so many people…rich people, what had she gotten herself into, she had never seen so many white people…half the people were black but she never been in the company so much white people.
As soon as the car stopped, the girls swept Kesego away. She waved at her before hurrying off to the backyard where the children were. She shut the door and fixed her dress before taking a deep breath, then she walked towards the triple garage where most people were, she glanced at the men standing by the braai, she knew at least 4 of the guys but she wasn’t going to show that, she smiled and politely greeted them, Charlotte’s mother smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear as she hugged Onkemetse and introduced her to the ladies…
Meanwhile a new neighbor pulled over and stepped out, he walked towards the guys and shook hands with Charlotte’s father…
Charlotte’s father: Oh, you came
Him: (smiled) I said I’d come
Charlotte`s father: (to the guys) Guys this is Khumo, he just bought the house next door…
The guys shook hands as Khumo stared at a lady in a maxi dress, his eyes moved to her hands and fingers, she had no ring…
Meanwhile Onkemetse sipped the juice and when she turned, she locked eyes with a man she didn’t see when she arrived…she quckly turned back to the ladies and chatted before glancing back, the same gentleman was staring at her…
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