BROKEN PIECES.

CHAPTER 20 | PROMISE

It's the middle of the night when I hear someone knocking on my door. I listen again and they continue to knock then Thato calls my name. I get up, light my side lamp then walk to the door and unlock it. He has his head down and that worries me cause I can feel that there's something wrong with him. Did they just come back from Newcastle now?. I step aside for him to come in and close the door after he steps in.
He goes to sit on the dressing table chair and takes a deep breath out. I sit on the bed and wait for him to collect his thoughts or tell me what happened. I don't even know if he wants to talk about it cause he's clearly not okay.
" I'm sorry to have woken you up "
" It's okay. It wasn't that long I went to bed. How bad was it cause you're clearly not okay "
" Can we talk about it tomorrow? "
" Yeah it's fine." We keep quiet.
" I know I'm asking allot but can I please sleep in the same bed as you and hold you? " He's the one that needs to be held.
" Yeah it's okay."
He goes to the bathroom and I get in bed. I hear the water running in the shower then he comes back after a while. He gets in bed and pulls me to him spooning me. He takes a deep breath, kisses the back of my head then he tells me everything that happened. By the time he is done I am so shocked and speechless. I cannot believe that there really are people who are wicked like that. It is true when they say money is the root of all evil.
When he talks he's emotionless like everything that happened drained him and left him with nothing. I can't believe they thought they were going to force him to marry Boni my God. What if he's aunt and uncle weren't there? What was going to happen?. I was never going to see him again. They made him bomb ATM's and steal money. That is why Thando once said she saw him with other men and they had big bags. That scares me to think he could have been caught by the police then spend the rest of his life in jail.
One thing he's happy about is seeing his dad and him being there. The smile on his face was infectious. He looked like a little boy telling me how he looks so much like him. I am so happy for him and I hope to God he will like me. I am glad that Palesa and aunty Natasha are here too but there's something worrying me and it scares me to death when I think about it. I don't even know how I am going to ask him cause that would confirm my worst fears.
He finally falls asleep but I struggle to sleep cause I'm scared that since his dad is here. He might want to leave with them and they could be gone for years or forever. I sneak out of bed and go sit on the couch and watch him sleeping. I heard how Thato explained how mad his dad was when he learned what was going on in his life and promised him all of that was going to change. That means he is taking them to live with him.
The night finally clears and make way for daylight and I sigh. My eyes are heavy but no sleep came. I get up and walk to the bathroom and take a shower. I take more time in there than I normally do. After I'm done I moistuirize my body then wear my robe and open the door. I find thato already up and he's standing by the window feeling the fresh air that is brushing up against his skin.
" Good morning " I stand there.
" Morning. You were up the whole night " H elooks at me. He's handsome.
" I couldn't sleep." I walk to the wardrobe, open it and look for my clothes.
" I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable " He apologizes.
" It wasn't that. I had no sleep honestly " He looks at me and sighs.
" They won't come between us. I promise you that." It's not them I'm worried about.
" What? Then what are you worried about? " Damn I said that out loud.
" I would like to change...please? "
" I won't change on you. I know I fucked up before but I won't do it anymore. I swear sunshine "
" I know." He sighs like he's defeated then wears his clothes. " When your dad leaves. He's taking you and Palesa with him...right? "
" He is " I nod.
" When are you leaving? "
" Tomorrow " My eyes get teary. That soon?
" When are you going to come back? "
" I don't know. We haven't talked about it "
" Ok. I would like to change "
" I won't be gone for long baby I promise. Maybe the longest will be three months tops." I don't say anything.
" Please say something? " Tell him what? like when he tells me he's leaving I feel like he's leaving me? and he's going to forget about me like how my parents did?. No I won't cause that would be selfish of me. His father wants to have a relationship with his children and I should be happy for him but a part of me feels jealous and hurt.
" I'm happy that you are going to live with your father and build a relationship. You deserve that."
" You deserve that too baby and we will find your family. No matter how long it takes. I promise." He walks up to me and we hug tight. I want to shed a few tears but that would make him feel bad and I don't want that. He kisses my cheek then closes the door behind him.
I sit on the bed, cover my face with a pillow and let a few tears drop. After cleaning my face and making my bed. I walk out of my bedroom and go to the dining room where everyone is having breakfast. Thato gets up when he sees me and pulls out a chair for me. It's Thando, aunty Natasha, Uncle Leo and Thato's father and he looks like him. I look at three of them and they look the same. Wow. Thato is going to be a handsome man when he's older.
" Good morning " I say sitting down and feel awkward.
" Papa. This is Jabu my girlfriend. Jabu this is my father Nicholas."
" Nice to meet you sir "
" The pleasure is all mine." He says kindly. He's got an accent and he speaks nice.
" You don't look good " His father says looking at me.
" I didn't sleep well sir that's all."
" I'm sorry we woke you up when we came back " I nod politely.
" Are you having nightmares? " Thando asks me.
" No "
" Are you still taking your medication? "
" I am thando " I frown looking at her.
" She's just worried baby that's all but are you okay though? "
" I am aunty."
" Hello, Good morning everyone " Palesa says walking in, smiling and shouting. Thank God.
" Hi sis Jabu I'm back " I smile.
" I am so happy you're back. I missed you " She laughs and begins to plate her food.
" When are we leaving dad? I am so excited. I can't wait to get in the plane, see London and live with you. I am so excited! " We laugh.
" We are leaving tonight my fossette." what? I look at Thato and he shrugs his shoulders. " I know we were supposed to leave early in the morning but something came up and we have to leave tonight. I'm sorry " He says looking at Thato and me.
I try to eat but the food is not going down my throat. I thought I'll spend some time with him but obviousy that's not going to happen.
" Can I be excused? " I ask aunty Natasha and she nods. I get up and go outside to the garden. Thato follows me but I hear his uncle telling him they have to leave and go somewhere in 10 minutes.
"Sunshine? Baby? Jabu? " I stop walking. " I swear I didn't know plans changed baby I'm sorry. "
" I know it's not your fault okay so stop apologizing! " It comes out very hush. I try to fight my tears off but they stream down and I cry.
" Don't be sad baby please. I'm not leaving you "
" But you are...."
" I will be back. It's not forever I promise " That makes me cry harder.
" Can I hold you? " I nod.
I wrap my arms around him tight and cry. I feel him sniffing too and I just know this is also hard for him. We stand like that until his uncle calls his name.
" When we come back we are going to spend time before we leave. okay baby? " I move my head up and give him a peck on his lips.
" Ok " I tell him. He looks at me for a while then walks away.
After a while I go back in the house and Palesa attacks me with a hug.
" I'm sorry you feel sad " We sit on the couch.
" Yeah I'm sad cause I am going to miss you and your brother " She lays her head on my shoulder.
" I'll miss you too but I know you'll miss my brother more cause he is your boyfriend "
" That doesn't mean I'll miss you any less. I also love you, you know " She looks at me smiles.
" I love you too. I heard my brother telling my dad that he's going to marry you as soon as they find your family " I smile.
" I would love that too " I tell her. I really would.
" You willl always be my family whether we find your family or not " That makes me cry.
" I'll always be your family too dimples " She laughs.
Thando and aunty Natasha join us.
" I hope you know he's not leaving you right? "
" I know but it's hard cause I don't know when I an going to see him "
" You will face time and call each other everyday sis Jabu. That way you won't miss him a lot " She's so sweet.
" What's going to happen to us? Are we going back to Secunda? "
" No you're not going back there. We are going to live here from now on. This is your home "
" But this is Thato's father's house aunty? " I tell her.
" Technically it's Thatos house. His dad is the one that wants you and thando to live here with me. They and I will take care of you my babies. I promise." Oh my God.
" Thank you aunty. Thank you " I tell her and Thando throws herself at her.
" I should thank Thato for bringing you to me and making me feel like I am a mother. Thank you for making me feel that way." She gets teary. I thread my hand with her.
" We love you " I tell her and she bursts into tears.
THATO.
We arrive at the warehouse just a few kilometers outside Pretoria when driving to Witbank. They let us in and we walk inside. Dan my stepfather the rapist is sitting on the chair hand and feet cuffed. He looks so dirty with torn bloody clothes. He looks very exhausted too. I see a bucket of water close to him. I take it and throw all of it on him and he wakes up gasping for air.
" Rise and shine rapist." My uncle says to him.
He look at us terrified cause he knows what is going to happen. My uncle's men found him at the mall getting in his car and he looked like he was planning to run away after the day we had that fight. They took him and dragged him here and my uncle has been torturing him ever since. I loved every minute hearing him scream and beg for mercy when he finally confessed to raping Jabu.
When he explained how he did it I was sick to my stomach. I vomited twice. When he told me how he dragged her to the bathroom and told her to wash herself off. I lost it and took a hammer and hit him on his rotten dick. He screamed but that wasn't enough for me. I want him to suffer and feel the same pain he inflicted on Jabu but his pain is going to be so much worse.
" Please let me go. I promise I won't do it ever again "
" Men like you who go around, raping women because of the power you think you have on women disgust me. Do you know what we do in my country to men like you? "
" Who...you look like him, them "
" I'm his father. His real biological father."
" I knew there was something wrong with this boy. He was never like me. That lying bitch of your mother..."
" Don't you dare call my mom a bitch! " I pick up the bucket and hit him on his head and blood gushes out.
" Raphael stop. I don't want this man's blood on your hands " my dad pulls me away from him.
" I want him dead " I tell my father.
" I'm a fucken policeman. If anything happens to me they will know. I'm sure they are looking for me even now! "
" That's why you raped Jabu cause you knew that she wouldn't report you! You son of a bitch! "
" Let me go and I will forget about this stupid stunt you all tried to pull and I won't come after that bitch. I had a taste of her and I don't even know why you're so crazy about her cause she was..." My father kicks him with his shoe in his mouth and Dan's teeth fly out of his mouth and the chair falls down and breaks into pieces. Damn that hurt.
The door opens and three huge guys come in followed by the security men. They go to Dan and pick him up and he coughs blood.
" We have a treat for you Dan. These guys are here just for you. They decided to accept our invite cause they know it's very rude not to honor an invite when someone asks for your presence." My uncle says.
" What the hell does that mean? " He asks coughing.
" You will find out soon " My dad says laughing.
The security men take un cuff him then they take off his clothes and he screams and tries to fight him but he can't cause he's tired. One of the big guys begin taking his clothes off and I don't want to watch it but I also do. I want to see the look on his face as he gets raped.
He tries to run but they grab him and the big throws him down on the floor and gets on top of him. The security guy gives him a lube of oil and the big guy pours it on Dan's screaming ass.
" Raphael you don't have to watch this " My dad says.
" I don't want too but I want to see the look on his face as he gets what he deserves."
" But I want you out of here. I don't want you to have this thing stuck in your mind. okay? "
" Yes Papa."
When the big guy is satisfied with how oily Dan is. He begins to smear it across his manhood then the other two guys come and hold Dan's hands. I only see how the big guy forces himself on him roughly as he penetrates him and Dan screams bloody murder. The look on his face as he gets raped too is very satisfying to me.
" Ae they also going to rape him? "
" Yes " My uncle says.
" Good. Then kill him after "
" I am going to set him on fire and watch him burn to ashes." My dad says. I look at Dan one last time.
" See you in hell mother fucker! " I say and walk out of the warehouse followed by Dan's screams. After two hours of listening to Dan screaming then stops, my uncle and dad come out and get in the car and we drive out followed by other cars. When we are a kilometer away a huge explosion goes off at the warehouse and it burns.
" Did you leave him there alive? " I ask them cause what if he survives.
" No. We set him up on fire first and watched him drop dead as his body turned into ashes." I take a deep breath out.
" Thank you " I tell them.
" We are doing this for our future daughter in-law son. Don't thank us. That animal deserved to die." I nod.
We arrive home after an hour and thirty minutes and dad tells me we have to leave in an hour cause of the traffic. Jabu is not going to be happy with me.
I find her in a room that I was sleeping in since we came here and she was packing my clothes. We look at each other not saying anything then I go to the bathroom and take a quick shower. Her eyes and face are red from crying as she watches me wear my clothes. I pull her to me and she cries. I lay on the bed with her on top of me and we just hold each other tight.
" Dan is dead. He's never going to hurt you or anyone else ever again." She freezes then she looks at me and cries. Heart breaking cries that make me teary too. I wish I can go back and kill him again and again. My aunt opens the door in a hurry looking scared but I shake my head when she sees I'm comforting Jabu. She looks relieved and closes the door behind her.
I sooth her until she stops crying and I just listen to her breathing.
" Promise me you will come back to me." she says whispering with her breaking voice.
" I promise you that I am coming back to you. Nothing will keep me away from you. Not in this world. I love you too much to let that happen again."
" I'll wait for you."
" Promise me " I beg her.
" I will wait for you. No matter how long."
" I love you." I tell her.
" I love you too."
Someone knocks on the door and I know it's time. I take off the sweater that I am wearing and help her wear it. It's my favourite and I know she loves it.
JABU
We get up then he takes his bag and we walk out holding hands. Everyone is in the living room and the mood is sour.
" Raphael will be back Jabu. I promise. My son loves you very much don't forget that. You and your sister and Natasha will also visit us in London okay? " He looks at me
" Yes sir. Thank you " He nods.
We all walk out and get in cars and they drive to the airport. When we get there it really hits me that indeed thato is leaving. The cars park at entrance and we see this private Jet written ALARIE. Wow.
We step outside of the car and wait for them as they go to the customs before they leave and come back after 30 minutes with their bags. Palesa runs to us when they come back and we hug her tight with thando. Thato hugs his aunt and thando and says goodbye to them. His aunt is also having a hard time keeping her tears in check.
Thato pulls my hand and we stand a few feet away from everyone.
" I want you to have something from me."
" You already gave me your favourite sweater so what is it? "
He looks nervous then fishes something out of his pocket.
" I brought this a week ago and I was waiting for the right time to give it to you but then I would chicken out and begin to think that maybe...." he's rambling.
" Calm down. I'm sure I'm going to love whatever it is you brought me."
He pulls out a gold silver chain that has ring on it. I gasp in shock. It looks very expensive and heavy to be just a gold and silver chain. I look closely and oh mu God. That is a white gold chain with diamonds around it and small one around the ring.
" Thato..."
" Shhhh. Don't cry. Listen to me sunshine." he kisses my tears. " I want you to wear this chain with this ring and never take them off. Ever Jabu. When you find yourself in any kind of trouble you will press this little button here...." He shows me something that looks like the rest of the diamonds but it's a little different from the rest. ".....and they will find you anywhere you are on this earth. This ring is my promise to you that I am going to marry you one day and call you my wife. Please keep them safe and never take off this chain." He puts it around my neck and it's coldness makes me shiver. This must have cost him a fortune.
" I love it. Thank you. I promise that I will never take if off even when I shower." I get on my tip toes and kiss him on the lips and he tastes my tears.
" I love you Raphael."
" I love you Jabu. I will face time with you as son as we land."
" Ok." I sniff.
" I'll always be around, watching, caring and protecting you. Even if I am on the other side of the world." I nod.
" Raphael. Time to go " We hold each other tight. He gives me a kiss that pours out his love for me and I do the same. We stop then he walks towards the plane and turns around and smiles through his tears and mouths " wait for me."
I run to him and he meets me halfway and we hold each other again then I stand there and watch him leave and get on the plane. I run back to where thando and aunty are crying and they hold me. We stand there and watch the plane leave the tarmac and fly up to the sky.
He left with my heart. He will come back with it. I know he will.