PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

67

                               

     

Kgomotso left Khanya with Lwazi’s aunt and made sure she was fed and bathed, so the crazy aunt would have no excuse to badmouth her. She wasn’t happy about leaving Khanya with her but ausi Daphne had to come with them for operation: Find Caroline, which was off to a bad start because their search in Pimville was fruitless and Kgomotso was ready to give up. She didn’t care anymore whether they found Caroline or not, giving Kamo a dignified send-off was far more important than chasing after a grown woman who didn’t want to be found.
     
Faint rays peeked through a veil of grey clouds as the cold weather persisted across the country, with directions from Google Maps they drove past Grace Bible Church after meeting with one of ausi Daphne’s friends who referred them to someone who might be able to help in Rockville.
     
KONKA was not far from their current location she went once with Hazel for her birthday, and always thought the flex was only for social media until they arrived and she quickly realized it lived up to the hype. The random thought popped up in her head as a welcomed distraction. 
     
Instead of going to Chris Hani Rd like the GPS suggested, Anesu kept driving around while Kgomotso kept her eyes glued to the window, hoping to spot Caroline in the many faces they drove past. It was a long shot but worth a try because deep down Kgomotso didn’t want Caroline to find out on the news or a headline on the side of the road.
     
She made Anesu stop at a kota joint down the street after a few minutes of hopelessly driving around, which also happened to be a chillas for those who preferred to sit and eat. It wasn’t something she’d normally eat but she stopped having control over her body the day she stared back at those two lines on the pregnancy test. She wanted the last number with a beef patty and one fried egg.
     
Khusela could be heard in the background and the smell of cooking oil filled the air and the wooden seats were occupied by a group of boys, feasting on chips & russians with a 2L bottle of Fanta so she knew they were at the right place.
     
“I also want one with extra chips and sauce,” Tinashe said, looking up from his phone. He tagged along for moral support. Since he got sober it was easy to see how close they were and it made sense why Anesu wouldn’t give up on him when he was at his lowest. 
     
Extra chips? Did he think they were at McDonald’s?
     
“Can I get you something, Ma?” asked Anesu.
     
“Just a can of Coke.”
     
That smile meant ausi Daphne was impressed with her future son-in-law, she couldn’t stop singing Anesu’s praises when they left the hospital and also added she prayed for God to bless Kgomotso with someone as supportive and loving as him, and clearly her prayers were answered because God went all out when He chose Anesu for Kgomotso.
     
“Sho Grootman.” The tallest boy in the group got up to shake Anesu’s hand, urged by his overzealous friends.
     
Anesu stopped to have a chat with him because the boy seemed to have a keen interest in his Bentley. He didn’t drive the Merc anymore since she claimed it as hers. 
     
Kgomotso decided to check on Khanya while they waited, she was worried because there was no update from Lwazi’s aunt since they left two hours ago but her phone rang unanswered.
     
“Nxa!” She hung up when it went on voicemail for the second time.
     
“Maybe she’s busy.”
     
“Ha a, ausi Daphne, that woman is ignoring my calls on purpose. I just know it.” Her building frustration was a quiet simmer visible in her shaking leg. That woman was too old to be so inconsiderate and Kgomotso’s plate couldn’t take anymore crap.
     
Lifting her eyes to the rear view mirror, Kgomotso found Tinashe’s intense gaze locked on her and it was unnerving because he didn’t even blink as he tried to penetrate her thoughts. She forgot to be cautious around him since she was aware of his inability to keep anything to himself.
     
“What?” She demanded, shaking off his intimidation with a nonchalant shrug.
     
He cracked a small smile, shaking his head. “Khanya is fine, don’t worry.”
     
And he expected her to take his word for it? Kgomotso knew better than to make that mistake, therapy wasn’t cheap and she couldn’t afford to trigger her trust issues. 
     
“How do you know?”
     
“I’m talking to aunt Sthembile on Whatsapp,” he said in a bored tone, while holding up his phone.
     
“Tell her to answer my calls, I need to know that she didn’t cross the border with my niece.”
     
“You’re just being dramatic now, why would she kidnap Khanya?”
     
Woosah!
     
The devil’s advocate was on a mission to test her.
     
She was ready to fire her comeback and deny him the satisfaction of having the last word but ausi Daphne stopped her with a squeeze on her knee. 
     
“Calm down, stressing is not good for you.”
     
And as if the universe was somehow conspiring against her Calm Down by Rema & Selena Gomez started playing on the radio, she would’ve laughed if her mood wasn’t reduced to zero.
     
The space in the car suddenly felt small for both of them and the damn song got on her nerves. She put her phone back in her hand bag and got out of the car.
     
“Manana?!” Ausi Daphne exclaimed when Kgomotso slammed the door.
     
A dramatic exit called for the occasion because someone saw it fit to label her a Drama Queen.  
     
Anesu walked up to her sporting a frown. “What’s wrong?”
     
“Nothing, I just need some fresh air. It was getting stuffy in there.”
     
“You’re going to get cold.” His frown got worse.
     
“Hold me.” Neediness clung to her words, she missed being the subject of his attention.
     
He wrapped his robust arms around her and she buried her face in his chest, smudging some of her Fenty Beauty lip gloss on his hoodie and his scent heightened her senses.
     
“Feeling better?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.
     
“Yeah.” Her anger evaporated into thin air. “Kanti, what’s taking so long? Are they waiting for the bread to finish baking?”
     
“Haibo, Kgomotso.” His laughter reverberated through his chest, sending a shiver tumbling down her spine. “They’re almost done.”
     
His number was called shortly afterwards and he went to pay, and bought another 2L for the boys. She noticed there was one kota instead of two but said nothing, Tinashe could die of hunger she didn’t care.
     
He opened the door for her and she got inside.
     
“Thank you, babe.” Kgomotso cooed.
     
The corner of his mouth lifted in a coy smile, who knew a term of endearment could make him blush so effortlessly? He welcomed her soft peck with enthusiasm, Kgomotso could get away with doing that in ausi Daphne’s presence because she wasn’t strict like her father.
           
“What about me?” Tinashe asked, rubbing his hands together.
     
Anesu started the car unbothered by his brother’s glare. “Do I look like Mr Delivery?”
     
Kgomotso couldn’t have been more proud than in that moment to see that smug smirk wiped from Tinashe’s face. She unwrapped her food and hummed in appreciation as the warm aroma of those appetising chips hit her face, it was well presented which was a plus cause sloppy food was unappealing. But the size was a problem and required a plan because she still needed to keep it cute while eating it.     
     
Tinashe’s jaw twitched as she took her first bite and she relished taunting him.
     
There was progress in Rockville, they found an address which led them to a face brick house framed with shiny aluminium gutters, and a well-kept garden. The zig zag bricks on the paving were freshly coated with red and black paint and there was a broken down Gusheshe under the carport.
     
Anesu parked the car and unfastened the seatbelt. Coming here was their last resort if there was no sign of Caroline then they had to accept defeat and carry on with the preparations in her absence.
     
“This is it?” asked Tinashe. He stopped sulking after Kgomotso shared her kota with him and there was no denying he had a big appetite.
     
Anesu sighed, checking out the coast. “I hope so.”
     
Kgomotso was nervous as she wasn’t prepared to deal with Caroline’s reaction because she was running away from her own pain. She took a deep breath and placed both hands on her stomach, it must be true that a foetus can feel every emotion experienced by the mother because she hasn’t felt a kick since the first time it happened.
     
“I’ll go in first and make sure we’re at the right place.”
     
“No, I’m coming with you.” Kgomotso followed Anesu out of the car and held his hand because she didn’t trust her legs to make it to the gate.
     
There was a black refuse bag at the gate, waiting to be collected and the dustbin from next door was knocked down, spilling the rubbish onto the street.
     
“It doesn’t look like there’s anybody home and even the gate is locked.” Kgomotso was dismayed because where was that nosy neighbour that knew everybody’s business and didn’t waste time coming out to investigate when an unfamiliar car parked outside. 
     
This game of hide and seek Caroline subjected them to was draining and exhaustion was fast catching up with Kgomotso because growing a big-headed human with ten fingers and toes was no small feat, and her cup was fast running empty.
     
“I can jump the fence and…”
     
“Hai, Anesu.” She pulled him back. “That’s trespassing and what if they have a dog.”
     
“I should be fine because I’m a dog person.”
     
Mxm.  
     
The front door opened and a petite woman who looked to be in her late 40s stepped out covered in a gown that was too big for her. Kgomotso didn’t see any resemblance to Caroline, her nose was too wide and she didn’t have a fair complexion.
     
“We don’t have rooms for hire.” She shouted, which was unnecessary because they could hear her.
     
“We’re not here for that,” he replied, calmly.
     
“Then what do you want?”
     
She didn't look like Caroline but her foul attitude proved she shared DNA with her.
     
“We need to speak to Caroline.”
     
Fear rippled in her eyes and she slowly backed away and ran back into the house, leaving them stunned.
     
“Luckyboy, wake up! That Mashonisa has sent his people back here again, you can’t let them take the TV because we still haven’t replaced the microwave. She clearly wanted the whole neighbourhood to hear.
     
Luckyboy was a limping pensioner with salt & pepper hair, a potbelly and carried a knobkerrie, definitely not the picture Kgomotso had in mind. Miss Attitude pranced next to him like an angry peacock, encouraging Luckyboy to put his knobkerrie to good use.
     
The commotion called Tinashe and ausi Daphne to the gate and the couple was surprised to see they were outnumbered.
     
“I’m calling Thibos and Shakes.” Miss Attitude pulled her cell phone out.
     
“We’re just here to talk.” Anesu tried to diffuse the situation.
     
“Does Caroline owe you money?” Luckyboy demanded, in a hoarse voice.
     
“No, she’s my mother.”
     
Miss Attitiude dropped the call and turned her undivided attention on Kgomotso. “Are you the doctor or the other one?”
     
Wow!
     
“I’m Kgomotso.”
     
“Oh, do you remember me? I’m your mother’s younger sister and this is your uncle.” A smile graced her lips. “We were not invited to your sister’s wedding because we’re too low class for your mother, but she came crawling back to this 4 room after the divorce with her tail stuck between her legs. Life surely humbled her. ”     
     
Kgomotso shook her head, she wasn’t in the mood for a family reunion because these people were strangers and that wasn’t going to change.
     
“Are you in a hurry? Because your cousins will be back in a few hours, my son is in high school and my daughter is single in case any one of them is available.” Her gaze wandered to Anesu and Tinashe.
     
She certainly was Caroline’s sister and any doubt that still lingered in Kgomotso’s mind vanished.
     
“I’m her husband,” said Anesu
     
Kgomotso almost choked on her saliva after Anesu’s statement.
     
“And I’m not interested unless your daughter is White.” Tinashe quickly chimed in.
     
She met Bianca once and it was safe to say they won’t be exchanging friendship bracelets anytime soon.  
     
“Oh, okay.” The attitude was back. “Caroline’s not here and don’t think about taking the things she left because I plan to sell them.”
     
“My sister died not so long ago and we came here to tell Caroline the news.”   
     
That seemed to shut her up for a bit and what looked like remorse washed over her face.
     
“Did your sister have life cover because Caroline can use the money to pay off her debts?”
     
They made a mistake by coming here.
                                                                **********

     

The memorial service almost didn’t happen because the two families were at war. Sello wanted to bury Kamo in Mafikeng and adhere to Tswana customs and traditions like he didn’t marry his daughter off to a family that paid lobola and sprinkled his daughter with bile as an introduction to their ancestors.
     
Bab’Senzo put his foot down and Nolitha’s father was no push over, as he reminded a grieving Sello that Kamo left home with a kist on her wedding day and therefore he had no say on how or where she should be laid to rest and that was a bitter pill to swallow for him.
     
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Prudence kept the circus going when she wormed her way onto the mattress, taking Caroline’s place but both families were united in telling her to fokof. She was too eager to play the role of makoti and that didn’t win her any favours with Sello’s family.
     
The service was broadcast live from the Maslow Hotel and politicians came in numbers and shamelessly used the platform to campaign for the upcoming elections, making empty promises. Kgomotso didn’t want them attending the funeral and convincing Bab’Senzo wasn’t going to be an easy task.
     
It was an emotional service and the slideshow of Kamo’s pictures almost brought her to tears, she was beautiful and smiling in all of them and that’s how Kgomotso wanted to remember her sister. While everyone mingled because there were tenders to discuss since businessmen and politicians were under one roof, Kgomotso found a secluded corner to rest her feet, praying that Nolitha didn’t find her and disturb her peace. 
     
She drifted off to sleep after putting her feet up on the comfortable arm chair but her ringtone was a menace meant to torment her.
     
“Hello?!” she snapped after a loud yawn.
     
“Miss Modise.”
     
The knots in her stomach intensified at the sound of his voice, Kgomotso never thought she’d hear it again after his showdown with Anesu all those months ago.
     
“Petersen?” She gasped, clutching her imaginary pearls.
     
“Surprise, surprise.”
     
“What do you want?”
     
“To pass on my condolences of course. I hope I’m not too late.” He laughed.
     
What a sick bastard.
     
She fought back the burning tears. “I’m hanging up.”
     
“Then you won’t get to hear my big announcement.”
     
Hang up, Kgomotso and save yourself the trouble.
     
She sighed and tightened the grip on her phone. “I’m listening.” She hated how shaky her voice sounded.
     
“I watched the memorial and the best part was seeing how heartbroken you are because it means you know how I felt when you took everything from me and you had to take it a step further by sending your little boyfriend to run me out of the country.”
     
“Are you telling me that you’re responsible for my sister’s death?”

And Nomusa was innocent all this time.
     
“You forced my hand and I want you to always remember that it’s your fault your niece doesn’t have a mother anymore, all because you refused to look the other way.”

Her phone slipped from her grip but she was too far gone to care. That company was not worth Kamo’s life she’d rather watch it burn to the ground if it meant having her sister back.

His words were a dagger to the heart and it took commendable strength to pull herself from the chair but her knees folded before she could even take two steps and light slowly faded into darkness.