NORTON

Falling into Place

CHAPTER 16

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The attorney organized by Winnie's fiance for Kim was dressed to the nines when she arrived at Mercy's house in her gold Mercedes Benz. Her Faux Pearl hand bag looked like it cost more than Mercy's entire house and she smelled of a fragrance too unfamiliar to modest living individuals like Kim. The heavenly scent lingered hours after the guest left and Kim wished she could bottle the delicious smelling air and use it sparingly for at least a month. Kim couldn't imagine how her sister would know such a classy person but refrained from asking about personal matters. Mercy led the conversation, asking about Kim's options in the matter of Ayaan's refusal to grant a divorce and Tinashe Lowe offered brief answers that required Mercy to keep probing. The professional looked uninterested and it was painfully clear that she had made the stop only as a favor. Kim felt terrible but Mercy was undeterred. He even went as far as offering the visitor some refreshments which she turned down with a hint of a frown on her face. After Tinashe explained that they may need to hire a lawyer who can file a petition for dissolution of marriage with the court, Zam burst in with her usual bubbly personality and greeted the stranger. Ms. Lowe responded to the overwhelmingly pre-teen while staring at her outfit. "This is a very unique dress. Which boutique did you buy it from?" Tinashe asked still looking at the black and pink bubble dress Zam was wearing. Her eyes almost fell off her face with shock when Kim told her that she personally created it. Even more surprising was that Kim sewed not as a professional but for the love of it. Tinashe pulled her iPhone out and browsed before passing the handset to Kim. "Do you think you can create that look for me?" "I'd need good money to purchase the correct material, but yes."

An hour later, Mercy's couches were covered in dresses Kim had been sewing for herself and her girls while Tinashe took pictures and got more confused about which she liked most. When the happy family finally walked Tinashe out, Mercy asked if she'd like to continue the divorce conversation on her next visit and she happily responded by offering to be their attorney Pro Bono.

Feeling grateful for the assistance granted by Winnie's partner; Kim travelled to Rayton to personally thank her sister and see her nephews. Alpha and Omega were big boys now who talked, ran and fell asleep on their own. Pumla and Zam still adored the twins as much as they did when they were babies so Kim travelled on Pumla's off day so that she too could be present. When Winnie finally got over the shock of Pumla's matured appearance, she announced that she had good news. She and Joe, the father of her twin boys were planning to tie the knot in a months' time. It was after hugging her sister to congratulate her that Kim realised there was an issue with her family home. It couldn't be left standing alone and Winnie concurred, adding that Joe will be moving in instead of finding a new place. Winnie wanted to keep her parents' memories alive and selling the house would be erasing their history. Kim couldn't help but feel like she was about to lose her home. Joe living with Winnie in their late mother's house meant she couldn't just show up anymore without announcing herself first. The new set up was going to force her to ask for permission to come to her parents' house lest she comes across as someone who doesn't respect other people's personal space. The space that was once hers too was about to be turned into a place a stranger would claim as his home. Tears threatened but she breathed deeply and shifted her focus on her sister's soon coming nuptials. She endured four hours of Winnie's excitement about her husband-to-be and their children and their wedding and everything else Kim didn't want to hear about anymore then left at 2pm. Winnie was still enjoying her company and Pumla and Zam still wanted to continue playing with their cousins but Kim insisted they needed to leave early. "We have to stay ready for when Tinashe will show up. We've already taken a chance by staying here for hours" she said before kissing Alpha and Omega goodbye. Her upset state wouldn't even allow her to share the news of her sewing project with Tinashe. And for the first time in days, Kim felt upset that her husband was a newlywed.