PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

58

                                 

     

The crying got hysterical as Kgomotso made her way down the stairs, she had to remind herself not to run in case she tripped and fell. Though she loved having a close bond with Kamo she found it exhausting, dealing with her many issues and with Caroline out of the picture Kamo dumped everything on her. 
     
Panic set in when she saw Kamo pacing as she did her breathing exercises. “What’s going on?” 
     
Anesu dropped his hands from his head and looked relieved to see her. “I think she’s going into labour.”
     
After the videos he watched online he wasn’t ready to witness childbirth because it was not for the faint hearted.
     
“No.” Kamo shook her head. “It’s just Braxton Hicks, it will pass.”
     
“Are you sure?” asked Kgomotso unable to hide her concern.
     
“Yes, it doesn’t last long.”
     
“Cha, you need to go to the hospital and I’ll call Lwazi and let him know what’s going on.” It was odd that he didn’t get a call or SMS from Lwazi, warning him in advance to expect Kamo because he wouldn’t last long living with two pregnant women.
     
Kamo immediately stopped pacing and glared at Anesu. Her stomach was big and seemed to have slightly dropped as she stood with her legs apart and her breathing was laboured from her frantic movements.
     
“Oh? But you never called me when he was busy playing father of the year to Nomusa’s child. Clearly all men are liars, including you.”
     
Now, why was Anesu in it?  
     
First it was Kgomotso now he had to deal with her equally unstable sister and his patience was running thin.
     
“I’ll give you two a moment.” He headed back upstairs before he said something he was sure to regret.
     
Kgomotso waited until he was out of sight and turned her attention to Kamo, folding her arms across her chest.
     
“You didn’t have to call him a liar.”
     
“Well, it’s not like he’s completely innocent in the matter, he knew what Lwazi was up to and didn’t say anything.”
     
And she thought it was right to paint Anesu with the same brush? That wasn’t going to happen on her watch because she never dragged Lwazi when she fought with Anesu. It was only fair to expect the same courtesy from Kamo.   
     
“I don’t tell him everything we talk about, so will that make me a liar if Lwazi found out about you and Churchill?”
     
“Bathong, Kgomotso.” She frowned, looking in the direction of the stairs to ensure no-one overheard. “I told you nothing happened between us after I got married. I would never cheat.”
     
“So, Lwazi cheated?”
     
Fresh tears glittered in her eyes. “I don’t know but I found messages on his phone, indicating that he’s been helping Nomusa financially, who knows what else they’ve been doing behind my back.”    
     
She was naïve to think having a lavish wedding would mean having a rosy marriage, spending all that time and money preparing for a day she barely remembered because she was worried about Nomusa and the threat she posed on her marriage. Going to pre-marriage counselling would have probably saved her from her current heartache. With her due date fast approaching that level of stress was bound to send her into labour and simultaneously give her a stroke.
     
“How long has it been going on?”
     
Kgomotso wasn’t planning to become an accomplice but joining the hate bandwagon was enough to show her support.
     
“Months. There were messages dating back to January, we’d only been married for two months but he was already lying and scheming with his ex.”
     
That was unforgivable in Kgomotso’s eyes, she’d leave and make sure Anesu never has access to their baby if she found out he was still messing with Felicity, even if it would make her a bitter baby mama.
     
“I can’t believe the honeymoon phase fizzled out so quickly, we should still be madly in love with each other but I feel like I’m starting to resent him. I’m stuck with a baby I didn’t want in the first place and I had to quit my career on top of that but he can’t even be a faithful husband.” She didn’t bother with wiping her tears.
     
“You don’t have to stay if you’re not happy anymore.”
     
“Happiness is subjective, Kgomotso and I choose not to base mine on one thing because I’d be lying if I said having money didn’t make me happy. I don’t like how he doesn’t respect me as his wife, if I leave I’ll be doing exactly what Nomusa wants because she won’t waste any time taking my place.”
     
Kamo was truly her mother’s child because no amount of money would make Kgomotso stay. The moment she’d ever feel the need to compete with someone else to keep a man, then she’d know that’s not the man for her.
     
“You’re not worried they might be back together again?” Kgomotso asked.
     
“No, I’m not because that will never happen,” she said adamantly.
     
Her confidence was admirable because Lwazi and Nomusa shared a long and complicated history, which they both couldn’t let go off and she’d hate to see her sister left with a broken heart if he allowed lust to rule his heart. Kgomotso couldn’t deny that everyone has a past and it was pointless to dwell on something that couldn’t be changed, but dragging the past into the present was sure to create an opening for precarious situations. 
     
“Are you hungry?” asked Kgomotso, making her way to the fridge. Talking about Kamo’s material woes on an empty stomach was making her hangry.
     
“I don’t really have an appetite but I’d like some hot chocolate if you have it.”
     
Kgomotso filled the kettle with water and made a peanut butter and jam sandwich with sliced banana. “Are you staying for the night?”
     
It dawned on her from the way Kgomotso was staring that she was a hot mess and needed a shower, because she left her house in such a state there was no time to change her pyjamas after packing her bags.
     
“Do you think Anesu will mind if I stayed here for a few days while I figure stuff out? I would’ve gone to a hotel but I don’t want to be alone for obvious reasons.” Kamo gestured to her stomach.