Stars Aligned

Insert 28

Narrated

Mbali: I want to know m-more.
Mbali said after calming down from her sobs, but her cries were still heard. David sighed, wiping his own tears.
David: I thought I was gonna get treatment then tell everyone but- but-
Mbali: There isn't any treatment, but there is no damn treatment baba.
She cried so painfully as she looked at her father who looked pale.

Her bottom lip trembling with her throat clogged with sobs. Her eyes stinging with fresh tears. Sanele wrapped his arms around her comforting her. Her heart felt heavy, it was as if someone hammered it with a Thor hammer.
David: I just want to enjoy the little time I have with my children and my grandchildren. Ngiyaxolisa zingane zam (I'm sorry my children)
Mbali: Baba!
She walked over to him and threw herself on him, crying a heart wrenching cry in her father's arms.

David hugged her so tight, he was scared to die now that he saw his family. At first he had accepted the situation but now, with his children crying so painfully in front of him, for him.
David: Take her.
He nodded to Sanele, Mbali shook her head at him.
Sanele: Sthandwa sam, think of the babies, it's not good if you stress.
Mbali got up and walked over to Sanele, leaning against him as he led her upstairs to their room.

Sanele undressed her, while she cried silently. Sanele sighed as he got her into pajamas, she looked so broken, it broke him.
Sanele: Come on, sthandwa sam, you need to rest for the babies.
He knew that she would do anything to make sure that their babies were okay and safe. But he knew the pain she was feeling wasn't going away anytime soon, the thought made him want to thrash everything.

***

Snakes: How did you find me?
Lisa: I just did.
She sat next to him on the barstool. She saw that he was already getting tipsy or it was just his tears. But he looked defeated, almost broken. The sight wasn't something her heart could take.
Lisa: So what are you doing at our old house during this time?
Snakes shrugged, taking a swig at his beer.

Lisa thought about keeping quiet and letting him deal with his grief his own way, but she couldn't just watch him drown himself in alcohol while his father was dying. Every minute amounted to something at this point.
Reaching for the beer in his hand, she gulped it all down and slamming the bottle on the counter. Snakes looked at her like she was crazy.
Lisa: I know I can't make you to stop drinking so I'll drink with you.

Snakes: You won't do no such thing.
She knew he wouldn't let her consume the same amount of alcohol he does, he was a heavy drinker, while she could pass out with three bottles. So she had to use a different method to prevent him from drinking.
Lisa: You can't tell me what and what not to do, I'll drink with you.
Snakes sighed and pushed the beers away from his reach.

Lisa looked at the beers that were now pushed away and felt a sense of pride build up in her. But his face was dead of any emotions except for his eyes that were blood shot red and filled with so much pain. She hadn't known what to do, so she kept quiet and looked ahead. Suddenly she felt arms wrapping her in a warm embrace. Snakes laid the side of his head on her shoulder.
Snakes: Why does everyone leave? My mom left me when I was young. Mr Nkosi who took me in when my mother died, he left as well. I found you, but you left, now David- or wait my father, right he's also leaving.

He laughed humorless. Lisa felt a wave of guilt when he said all that. She did leave him, left him alone when he was in the hospital, needed her.
Snakes: It hurt, I was just a kid, it fucken hurt so much to be alone, it hurt everytime someone I loved left me. Here...
He got up and stood right in front of Lisa, taking her hand to put on his chest, right next to his heart.
Snakes: Right here, it hurts so bad, why? Why do you all leave?

He cried, now in front of her, he wasn't that tough Mafia boss. He was a little boy who's mother left him alone, a boy who had to kill to live, forced to be a cruel man. A boy who lost people due to ill fate. She hugged him to her chest as he sobbed. Lisa felt her heart breaking in pieces with each cry that came out of his mouth.
Snakes: Don't leave me, please don't leave me again, I won't survive this time.
Lisa: I won't go anywhere, you have me and Ronnie as well as your brothers. You have your sister.

Upon hearing sister he looked up, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.
Lisa: You still have David, give him a chance. You don't want to regret it when it's too late.
She knew she once said she won't leave him before but she did. This time she meant it, she wasn't going anywhere not when he showed to be just a little boy who was scared of being left alone. This side of him, the vulnerability in him made her want to take care of him. Reassure him, that she won't ever leave his side.

She hugged him again, kissing his head.
Lisa: Let's go home, we still have to fetch Ronnie.
Snakes nodded getting straightened up from his previous posture. Lisa took his hand in hers as they left to fetch their child and went home. David was to be discussed the following day when everyone calmed down.