PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

66

                                 

     

His shoes landed with a loud thud on the floor and his pants followed as he stripped down to his briefs and slid between the covers. It was 6am, time for them to get ready and go to the hospital but the man lying beside her was in no rush to go back there. Lwazi didn’t take the news well and had to be sedated, which was expected because the doctors advised against it, making it even harder to witness.
     
Kgomotso turned around to face him as he laid on his back, staring at the ceiling. From the moment his head touched the pillow it became apparent to Kgomotso that her sister’s demise was taking a toll on him as well, something she overlooked because nothing had been the same since the tragic domino effect turned their world upside down.
     
She eased her body closer, doing away with the cold space between them and laid her head on his chest as her gentle caress soothed his galloping heartbeat. It was easy to pretend like everything was right in the world beyond their bedroom walls.
     
“Did you manage to sleep?” he asked.
     
She tried but sleep eluded her like a thief evading capture.
     
“No. I couldn’t stop thinking about Khanya.”
     
The kiss on her forehead was a sentimental reminder that she was never alone no matter the size of the storm she encountered.
     
“She’s going to be okay.” His chest rumbled as he spoke, teasing her senses with his smooth baritone.
     
“Is she though? I can’t help but feel like I will fail her.” Kgomotso sighed, fighting back tears. “I just don’t understand how cruel life is, we should still be celebrating but everything turned into a nightmare in a blink of an eye, Kamo didn’t deserve to be taken from her baby like that.”
     
“That’s not going to happen because you’ve already proven that you’ll go above and beyond for her, which is why I talked to Bab’Senzo and he agreed to let us take care of Khanya while Lwazi recuperates.”
     
“And you’re sure he won’t change his mind and take her from us because I have a hard time believing the crazy aunt will just roll over and let that happen.”
     
She could be such a pessimist sometimes, but in her defence it was always best to leave room for disappointment.
     
“There’s no need to worry about her because she won’t go against her brother and keeping Khanya here is best for everybody,” he said, reassuringly.
     
“Tjo! Anesu, we still need to prepare a room for Khanya, do we even have time? When will the doctor discharge her?”
     
Kgomotso tried to sit up because nothing would get accomplished if she stayed in bed any minute longer.
     
His firm grip kept her in his arms and he kissed her again. “You need to relax, baby, I’ll take care of everything and her room will be ready when you return home after the funeral.”
     
“Thank you.” She mindlessly traced his nipple with her finger, thinking about the impending funeral was depressing and Caroline’s disappearance made it worse but she was slightly hopeful their search would shed some light on her whereabouts. Kgomotso wasn’t sure how they’d proceed with the burial in Caroline’s absence.
     
“Don’t even mention it.”  
     
“I still can’t believe she’s gone.” Her voice trailed off and fresh tears gleamed in her eyes. “I knew something was off on the days leading up to her death, a feeling in my gut I just couldn’t shake.”
     
“What happened isn’t your fault.”
     
She raised her eyes to his face and encountered his blank stare. “Then whose fault was it because I know about the brakes.”
     
Oops! That slipped out. Ausi Daphne would have her liver for breakfast because of her unrestrained mouth.
     
“How because I didn’t release that information to the public.”
     
And she couldn’t help but wonder if he did that to protect the culprit, releasing that information would prompt the police to open an investigation or something and it would definitely be better than doing nothing.
     
“That doesn’t matter because I know who did it.”
     
He propped himself up and their intimate moment was ruined as he stared wide-eyed at her. “Haibo, Kgomotso.”
     
“Ha a, don’t look at me like that because it’s obvious Nomusa did it and you need to get her arrested.”
     
“Nomusa?” He was dumbfounded by the bold accusation and just couldn’t wrap his head around it. 
     
“Yes, she had a motive for killing my sister and I find the timing to be very suspicious, with Kamo out of the way she can have Lwazi all to herself.”
     
“That’s a serious accusation to make without proof and I don’t believe Nomusa is capable of murder.”
     
“Oh, really?!” Her eyebrows shot up. “It won’t be hard to prove it because she’s a spiteful ex, lying about Lwazi being the father of her child to get rid of Kamo when that didn’t work she went for a more permanent solution. I don’t know what’s so hard to believe here because it’s obvious she’s guilty.”
     
“Then I could say the same thing about that lawyer, I know he was at the hospital and you talked to him. He couldn’t have your sister and so he came up with this diabolical plan to make sure no-one else would.”
     
Tinashe didn’t waste time, running back to him with the scoop.
     
Kgomotso got out of bed, shaking her head and put on her gown. “Do you realise how crazy that sounds, Anesu?” She stared at him intently.
     
“Because he’s some hotshot lawyer?” His words carried a hint of disdain.
     
“Yes, and it doesn’t make sense that he would commit a crime that could ruin his career and then come to the hospital distraught and crying to me.”
     
There have been numerous cases worldwide of perpetrators mourning with the victim’s family and the possibility of Churchill being that twisted left Kgomotso speechless.
     
“He knew no-one would suspect him if he showed up and put on an act.”
     
Something he learned from Criminology 101 and she fell for it, but she won’t be a fool for a second time because hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and Churchill won’t be spared if they found even a shred of evidence linking him to this. She had family ties in Limpopo and a phone call from her would be the beginning of Churchill’s suffering.
     
“So, what’s the plan? I’m assuming you have one since you didn’t mention the brakes during your statement to the media.”
     
She could use a glass of water. No. Scratch that, a glass of wine would do because she was livid someone decided to play God and disrupt their lives.
     
His ringtone interrupted them from the night stand, Kgomotso expected him to ignore it because their conversation couldn’t be left unfinished but he chose to dodge her question instead. The call didn’t last 5 minutes but he was already in the closet, getting dressed in black jeans and a hoodie.
     
“What’s going on, Anesu? Who were you talking to?”
     
He sat down to tie his shoelaces. “We have to go there’s an emergency at the hospital.”
     
Her cause of death would surely be a heart attack.
                                                                   ***********

     

Lwazi developed a blood clot, which travelled from his leg into his lung and caused him to have a pulmonary embolism. What doctors called a common risk after the type of surgery he had, inserting a metal plate and screws to support his fractured femur incited a panic amongst everyone, because losing Lwazi would make Khanya an orphan. 
     
When everybody eventually calmed down, Kgomotso was excited to go and check on Khanya because she was coming home with them, and one of the nurses recommended skin to skin contact as a great bonding tool since she couldn’t breastfeed her. But the sweet taste of excitement instantly soured in her mouth and she couldn’t stop the frown forming on her lips at the sight of Prudence holding Khanya.
     
What kind of hospital was this? And why would they let an unsavoury character like Prudence near new born babies?
     
“Oh, you’re finally here, what took you so long?” she asked, dumping Khanya in Kgomotso’s arms. “Can you believe she threw up on me?” She clicked her tongue for good measure.
     
It had to be exhausting being so two-faced because if Sello were here she’d be giving Mother Teresa a run for her money.
     
Kgomotso unwrapped the blanket, checking to see if Khanya needed a diaper change “Did you burp her?”
     
“Of course I did. I’m not stupid.”
     
Well, that was debatable.
     
Her diaper didn’t need to be changed but her light pink romper with the bunny ears had a big vomit stain, and the unpleasant smell was no longer stifled under her fleece, while Prudence stood there without an ounce of shame on her face beat, meanwhile Kgomotso left in such a hurry and didn’t think to brush her hair.     
    
“We need to talk,” said Prudence.
     
“Not now Khanya needs clean clothes.”
     
She cleared her throat, picking lint off her coat. “What I have to say is actually about her.”
     
Kgomotso stopped in her tracks and adjusted Khanya in her arms and knew before taking a seat she wasn’t going to like what Prudence had to say.
     
“I’m listening.”
     
“I’ll start by saying what happened to your sister was tragic indeed and I can’t express my condolences enough but we won’t be able to take Khanya in. I already have my hands full with my two kids and Sello is not in a good place at the moment, adding an infant to the mix will be a burden for me.”
     
“Whoa, pump your breaks because you’re getting way ahead of yourself, I don’t know where you got that idea from but that was definitely never going to happen.”
     
“Well, I thought—”
     
“You thought wrong, so you don’t have to worry about being burdened in ‘your’ mansion.”
     
Pru’s laugh was abrupt and shook Khanya from her peaceful sleep, a yawn broke from her lips instead of a wail and in that moment Kgomotso wished to trade places with her, and be oblivious to what was going on.
     
“It’s obvious you don’t like me and the feeling is mutual, but I don’t care what you think about me because I don’t sleep next to you at night. You thought bringing your mother to the house would scare me away? I’m here to stay and I’m not going anywhere because I waited a long time for Sello to leave your mother and now he is all mine, but you know all about that because game recognizes game.”
     
“Game? I’m not playing any games.”
     
“Oh, really?” She folded her arms across her chest and regarded Kgomotso with a bold cheekiness. “You sure didn’t waste any time getting pregnant, I’m starting to think you should be giving me some pointers so I can lock it in with Sello.”
     
First of all Anesu and Sello were not even in the same league.
     
Kgomotso got up and grabbed her handbag. “My darling, you’ll have to aim higher if you really want to secure the bag.”