PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

56

                              

     

Kgomotso was supposed to go home and help ausi Daphne prepare for tomorrow but Caroline’s calls were relentless and she couldn’t keep ignoring them. She wanted money, which was always the case when Kgomotso heard from her mother, but today was different she wanted to meet instead of just asking for an e-wallet.
     
The last time Kgomotso saw Caroline was at the height of her divorce proceedings and she fought with Sello viciously, disputing anything that seemed to be in his favour. He was her new-found enemy and Caroline treated him as such, which in turn made their divorce unamicable, leaving Kamo to pick a side and she chose her father.
     
For a Friday afternoon the Gold Reef City Casino was buzzing with people a week before month end, looking to start the weekend on a high note. That could never be her because her line of work required Kgomotso to be responsible with money, losing even R100 while gambling would be enough to give her a heart attack.
     
Waiting outside the casino was Caroline, it didn’t surprise Kgomotso that she wanted to meet her here because Caroline was happy to waste away at the slot machines.
     
“I didn’t think you’d come.” Her smile was cagey, making it obvious she was uneasy about their meeting.
     
The first thing Kgomotso noticed was Caroline’s shaved head, the stress of her crumbling life came for her hair first. The second thing was Caroline’s significant weight loss and the wrap coat she wore was big enough to swallow her. Her heavy use of foundation highlighted the dark patches on her sunken cheeks and the aggravating lines around her eyes and mouth reflected her problems and it was hard to believe that was her mother.
     
Kgomotso simply nodded, too overwhelmed to speak because she wasn’t expecting to find this version of Caroline.
      
“I had to sell my wigs,” she said, once she caught Kgomotso staring at her head.
     
She thought of giving Caroline a hug but quickly banished that thought from her mind because they never had that kind of relationship so it would only be awkward. She felt sorry for her mother but there was a part of her that believed Caroline deserved that kind of wake up call to bring her back down to earth.
     
“Did you bring the money I asked for? My luck ran out today and I lost all the money I won throughout the week.” She was itching to go back inside the casino and get away from Kgomotso’s pitiful gaze. She hated it more than anything, more than grovelling for money.
     
“Why couldn’t you just stop? You don’t have to live your life like this.”
     
“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do. If you won’t give me the money, I’ll make another plan.” Caroline snapped.
     
“I’ll send you the money but let’s sit down somewhere and catch up first.”
     
Caroline frowned, signs of irritation still evident in her eyes. “Why must you always be so difficult, Kgomotso? You’re acting like I asked you for a kidney.”
     
“I’m pregnant, but I guess you don’t care because it’s me.”
     
“Of course I care, Kgomotso.” Her frown vanished but her words lacked conviction. “And I don’t doubt that you’ll be a wonderful mother, it’s your sister I’m worried about.”
     
“Kamo is fine you don’t have to worry about her.”
     
Caroline firmly shook her head. “I can’t exactly say I set a good example raising Kamo, she’s too self-absorbed, what kind of daughter turns her back on her mother?”
     
“She has her reasons, give her time I’m sure she’ll come around,” said Kgomotso.
     
“How long do you expect me to wait? I’ve been through a lot and everybody knows that, the least she can do is answer her phone when I call. Maybe you can talk to her on my behalf, I don’t know what to do anymore.” Caroline pleaded.
     
“No, I’m not getting involved. We spent weeks in therapy working on our relationship and part of doing the work was realising that we needed to set boundaries where you are concerned, so any interference from my side will send all that work down the drain.”
     
There was no doubt in Kgomotso’s mind that Kamo would reach out to Caroline if she suggested it but bringing them together would be a mistake because they were a toxic combo, Kgomotso was always willing to help Caroline so that she didn’t push too hard to make amends with Kamo but clearly she was getting desperate.
     
“So, what you’re saying is that all those hours in therapy turned the both of you against me.”
     
“If that were true I wouldn’t be here,” said Kgomotso.
     
“I guess I need to thank your father’s wife for that, she never poisoned you against me.” Only Caroline could sound condescending when dishing out a compliment.
     
“Yes, I don’t think I would’ve turned out to be the woman I am if it wasn’t for her.”
     
“Mxm.” Caroline scoffed. “The only reason she’s still here is because I let her have Jerry.”
     
Kgomotso’s unrestrained giggling quickly turned into a belly shaking laugh, erupting from her lips like a loud splash, looking for attention. It was too late to stop when Caroline looked at her with disapproval etched on the lines around her mouth and her nose flared in anger.
     
“What’s funny?”
     
“You’d still have a husband if you weren’t so focused on Papa’s marriage and he doesn’t want you because he loves ausi Daphne.”
     
Caroline looked troubled by Kgomotso’s words but she didn’t let it bother her for too long, she had tough skin and this was a minor setback, she would make her way back to the top in no time.
     
“I loved your father and I know it may not seem like it because I left but I did, but that doesn’t matter anymore because I’ll fix things with Sello, he is nothing without me.”
     
Her confidence was spiked with a good measure of delusion, to even think she had a chance to get back with Sello given his current relationship status.   
     
“Good luck with that because he has a new girlfriend.”
     
“Eng?!” Her eyes widened and disbelief was written on her face. “Never, that can’t be true.” She clapped.
     
“Kamo wouldn’t lie about something like that,” said Kgomotso.
     
“What else did she tell you about her?”      
     
It would be nice if Caroline had such a keen interest in her life for a change, the thought teased Kgomotso.
     
“She’s a 32 year-old nurse with two kids and they live together.”
     
“He’s living with your age mate in my house?! I wouldn’t be surprised if she did something to him.”
     
She wasn’t going to stand for that, Sello embarrassed her enough with the divorce but this was a mortal blow on her wounded ego.
     
“It’s not your house anymore, Caroline, and they are both consenting adults, free to do whatever they want.”
     
“Hey, wena, I put my blood, sweat and tears into that house. It was a loving home for 20 years, we raised our daughter in that house and created wonderful memories I sill cherish to this day. And what does he do? He moves in with a loose straatmate, thinking he can replace me? Clearly Sello doesn’t know me, let’s go,” she said, heading towards the exit after her long rant.
     
A woman’s intuition was never wrong and Caroline’s intuition was telling her this gold digger invaded her marriage several years ago.
     
“Where are we going?” Kgomotso followed, reluctantly.
     
“To get that bitch out of my house, hurry up.”
     
She must be a magnet for drama because she was always embroiled in some bullshit.
                                                                **********