Beckoned Through The Dark

22 // Lesego // False ID

I stood still as if I was glued on my feet. I couldn't believe my eyes; Abigail Daniels was Mrs Dube's daughter, and Mrs Dube was Abigail's mother.

I couldn't believe that Abigail was sitting in my house, about to have dinner with my family.

"Hi, pleased to meet you! I have heard so much about you." She said.

I just looked at her. Why was she pretending not to know me? And how come didn't I know that she was Mrs Dube's daughter? She was a Dube, but she introduced herself as Abigail Daniels.

What was with all the secrets?

I ignored the thought and continued to sit down; since she had taken my seat, I had to use my study chair.

"Good things, I hope." I smiled back at her, and just decided to play along with whatever game she was playing at.

Mom asked me to help her to dish up. I dished up the rice and told her that everyone could dish up the salads for themselves since some people were allergic to certain dishes.

Everyone dished up the way they pleased, and dinner was going well, with a few words exchanged between the families. The food kept the conversation going.

Moreover, mom seemed pretty interested in Abigail; she kept stealing glances at her.

"Abigail, have we met before?" Mom asked, and Abigail nearly choked on her drink.

"Uhm...I don't think so." She cleared her throat and gulped down her juice.

"Oh, I thought I had seen you somewhere before." Mom said, and smiled at her, but knowing her; her eyes spoke a different language.

"So, Nomalanga, how far long are you?" I asked, with the hopes to change the topic.

"Oh, approximately six months." Nomalanga laughed while rubbing her stomach.

"Really? You look like you are nine months pregnant." Dineo commented, and I kicked her from under the table. However, Nomalanga didn't seem to be bothered; she just laughed and said that Dineo was clever.

"That's great, you must be excited! I mean, you are having your sixth child." I said, and this time, I was the one who earned a kick from Dineo.

"Yes! I can't wait; I am going to Durban next week." Nomalanga said excitedly.

"Really?" My mom suddenly asked.

"Yes."

"Are you going to deliver there?"

"No, it's just for the festive season; I am coming back in January." Nomalanga explained, oblivious to my mother's reactions.

When she said she would be going to Durban, mom panicked. But when she said she would come back, mom looked rather relieved.

"It is just our last family holiday before the baby comes." Abigail chirped in.

I still didn't understand why she was lying; she lied to my mom, saying that they had never met before, but they had met at the hospital. I was quite sure that, that was where mom had seen her, but she was denying everything.

"The food was delicious, Betty. Again, thank you for having us." Nomalanga said.

"The pleasure is all mine, Nomalanga."

"Ma is right, the food was delicious, and thanks for having us." Abigail said, "but I think it's about time we left."

"What's the rush?" Jack asked the same question everyone was asking themselves.

Throughout the entire dinner, Nomalanga, mom, Abigail and I were the only people talking. Dineo only commented now and then, Duncan, and Nomalanga's kids; Siphiwe, Andile, and Samkelo were quiet throughout the entire dinner.

"Oh! Uhm...Ma needs to rest. She shouldn't stay up until late, it is not good for the baby." Abigail said.

"And how would you know that? Are you a nurse?" I prompted, and this time, she choked on her saliva.

"Wh-what?" She asked, breathlessly while her mother rubbed her back.

"My daughter, a nurse?" Nomalanga laughed. "That would never happen." She said, and Abigail seemed bothered by her mother's tone.

"Why do you say that?" I frowned.

"Because Abigail is studying to be a lawyer; she went to law school." Nomalanga said, proudly. Abigail was burning holes into my skull.

"There is nothing wrong with being a nurse." Abigail said with determination, earning a look from her mother.

"Everything is wrong. No child of mine will work as a nurse, and that's final." Nomalanga said sternly. One would think it was the pregnancy, but I doubt it; Nomalanga seemed like one of those women who cared about what other people thought of her.

If anyone of her children became a nurse, it would tarnish their family name.

Tension was in the air as Abigail looked at her mother angrily, she was close to crying, but she controlled herself.

"If it wasn't for me, Andile wouldn't be here; remember?" Abigail asked pointedly.

"Abigail-"

"Lesego, you look like you could do with some assistance there, your bandage looks tight." She said with a forced smile.

"Gee! Thanks." I said.

It was as if she had sensed it; Barbara had made sure that the bandage around my head was tight, my head hurts!

"Excuse us!" I said, pushing my chair back. Abigail got up and followed me upstairs to my room in silence.

When we got to my room, she scanned around with distaste. "Is this your room?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"It is so...small." She said and shook her head.

"Shoot me." I muttered under my breath.

"Sit; let me take a look at your head." She commanded, and I did as she said; I sat down on the bed, and she stood in front of me and took off the bandage.

"Why don't you want your mom to know that you are a nurse?" I asked, while she worked on my bandage.

"Do you seriously want me to answer that?" She asked.

I thought about her question; I already knew the answer to my question, but I wanted to hear it from her mouth. So, yes; she had to answer the question.

But I did not push the issue, so I didn't answer her.

"Mama is very judgemental; she wants all her children to become lawyers, doctors, pilots, and all that. Anything less is nothing at all." She said after she'd finished wrapping the bandage around my head. It was nothing difficult, she just had to release the pressure.

"I love my job; I love being a nurse, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else in this world." She sat next to me. "I love helping people, taking care of people no matter who they are, or where they come from." She said with so much passion in her voice.

"Have you ever told that to her?" I asked, but she laughed to my question.

"Tell her?" She asked. "If she ever finds out that I am a nurse, she is going to lose it! She will go ballistic, Lesego, and disown me."

I had the feeling that we were not just talking about her career, there was more to this than meets the eye.

"So, tell me something; why is your surname Daniels and not Dube?" I asked.

I felt Abigail tense by my side, and her entire demeanour changed.

"I hope you feel better now," she said standing up. "Because I do. It was nice chatting to you, Lesego Medupe." She said and walked out of my room.

I had the urge to rush to her and pull her back, and force information out of her, but I didn't. Instead, I let her go and went to the bathroom before I went back downstairs.

Upon arrival, they were no longer at the table; everyone was standing at the door, where a loud commotion was taking place.

"Mom, what's going on?" I asked once I got to the door; and everyone turned to look at me. "Detective Daniels?" I asked, confused. What was he doing here on a Sunday evening?

He was standing outside with other officers. I stepped outside and noticed that there was a police car outside our gate. "Uhm, Detective; what are you doing here? Is this about the break in?" I asked.

"Honey..." Mom said quietly, her voice breaking.

"Mom, what's..." I trailed off as I watched the detective take out a piece of paper; and then everything settled into place.

The only time I use a car, is when I'm going to make an arrest.

"Lesego Medupe, you are under arrest for damage of property, arson, and multiple homicides." The detective said. It took the detective to cuff me for the words to settle in.

"What-"

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in the court of law..." Detective Daniels said a lot of things but I didn't hear him.

Everything happened so fast, I didn't know what was happening anymore.