NONKULULEKO

14

NONKULULEKO
#14

The following day I had a lot to do, I had to go and apologize to the families and my bullies. Anything to keep me out of juvenile. I was prepared to do anything to beg for their forgiveness, although it was going to be hard because the parents didn't trust me. But I had to do it.
I asked the principal to call them for me and we would meet at school, it was the weekend so there were no other students at school. Just us.

"They will be here soon. Remember, humble yourself through everything they say. Don't raise your voice. Your freedom depends on it", Mr Maseko instructed me. I nodded and waited for the bullies' mothers to arrive. Not even a minute passed and they were there. I started to sweat uncontrollably.
"Why are we here again?", MakaNqobile asked vexedly.
"Nonkululeko asked for this meeting because she has something to say to you. Please listen to her", Mr Maseko asked them.

I cleared my throat and stood up. "I know you must have a bad picture of me in your mind, you must be thinking I am a bully and I like to prove my strength. But that isn't the case, I was once a good teenager. I listened to my parents and respected my elders. But my life changed when my mother died, she died unexpectedly. Nothing prepared me for her death, I was just coming back from school one day and my father told me my mom died. To say I was shattered would be underestimating how I felt. I felt hopeless, sad and broken. My mother was everything to me. She meant the world to me. As if that was not enough, my father found a new woman months after her death and we moved into her  house. You know how most stepmothers are, she didn't treat me well. She abused me both verbally and physically. I spent a year living like a helpless orphan,and my dad was saying nothing, but he saw all of that."

I took a deep breath and continued talking, "Nandi broke me to a point that I was scared of anything moving near me. One day I found myself in a tough situation, a boy I had found comfort in. I regarded him as a friend but he took advantage of me. He violated me, he raped me. I told him to stop but he just kept going. I was only 15 years old!"

I shook my head, stopping my tears that were flowing like a stream. I scanned their faces and they had pity and sympathy written all over them.
"After that I fell pregnant and he forced me to have an abortion, which destroyed my uterus. I am broken like this because of all the people who have hurt me. Your daughters were only talking with me and I became defensive. I attacked them. I am sorry. I am aware I need help and I want to do everything to get better. But please don't send me to juive. I would never survive, my dad has cancer and I need to be with him. Please have mercy on me. I am sorry. I wish I could take out my heart so you can see how sorry I am"

I sat down and Mr Maseko gave me a tissue. I wiped my tears and kept my head down. My heart was pounding with fear. I hoped they would buy it. "Well that was a lot. Parents, what do you have to say?"Mr Maseko asked them.

"I am a mother myself and I would hate to die and leave my children, only for them to be abused by others. I don't want to press charges. I forgive you. May your father get better", that was Nqobile's mother.
"Me too. Our children go through a lot in the hands of stepmothers, I am sorry for what you have gone through..and that boy! He needs to be arrested for what he did", Khethiwe's mom.
They all forgave me and I just wanted to give myself a high five.
"Thank you, I will also apologize to your daughters."

"Do you want me to call the police?" - Mr Maseko
"What for?", I asked .
"The boy who violated you. Don't you want to see him paying for what he did?"
"I do, but I am scared. His mother threatened me to keep quiet or she would end me"
"Not anymore, no one is above the law".

He called the police and they came within an hour. I told them the story and they asked me if I was sure that I wanted to open a case. I agreed and we went to the police station to open a case officially so they could make a docket file. Things moved too quickly.
"When will he be arrested?", I asked the sergeant.
"The detective handling your case will tell you. He needs to ask you questions first."
"Okay. Where is he?"
"You will know by tomorrow. For now let me take you home"

He took me home.
"Why is the police bringing you home? How did the meeting go?"Gogo asked, worried.
I told her the meeting was fine and that the police gave me a lift when they saw me walking down the street. She told me we needed to go to the hospital. Apparently we were called there.
I hoped everything would be fine.
We went there and the doctor tending to my father asked to speak with us in private.

"Give it to me straight doc"
Doc:"Your son is getting worse. The cancer has spread all over and there isn't much we can do. His life is deteriorating day by day"
He had been in the hospital for a month if my calculations are right.

"Doctor Nala to Ward B4E! Dr Nala to Ward B4E", he was doctor Nala. He ran out and left us there. We followed after him. It was my dad. He was having convulsions and I didn't like the sight I saw. White liquid was coming out if his mouth and his white were rolled to the back, only the white part showed. I was scared. What was happening?

"He's dying. Prep for surgery. Get those two out of here!", he pointed at us.
The machines stopped beeping and flatlined. The doctors were all over him trying to wake him up. But he was just still. Laying there quietly. Not moving. Not breathing.
"Come on. 1 2 3 4", one doctor said, pumping his chest.
They eventually gave up.
"Time of death. 09h00am" Noooooo!
Gogo just fainted and I froze. I didn't…I didn't mean for things to happen like that. …..Dad!.
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To be continued
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