Life-moving moments

Chapter 40

The drive home is quiet with both of us lost mostly in our own thoughts. While we'd had a brief heart to heart during Emily's breakdown, we still had a lot of ground to cover in repairing our friendship, if we decide to repair our friendship.

I still don't know if I can trust Emily. If the repercussions of her gossiping tongue were enough to make her rethink how she treated people's confidences then maybe there is hope that we will repair our friendship. I know she is sorry but I am not sure that she has changed.

When we get to Emily's home, I go inside with her for a bit. Aunty Winnie is on the couch watching a soapie.

"How was camp?" she asks.

"A little all over the place." Emily says. Aunty Winnie looks at her intently. This woman has a sixth sense when it comes to her children. Her look becomes more penetrating and I know she knows that something big is afoot.

I dive in with innocuous details while Emily takes her bags to her room. I tell Aunty Winnie about the smaller venue and the programme amendments and how hot and cold the responses from the campers were. She listens attentively but her eyes follow Emily as her daughter walks to the room and back, finally making her way to the kitchen.

"Everything has its seasons. Your and Emily's seasons as youth camp mentors might be coming to an end but new and different seasons are beginning," she says pensively.

Emily comes back a few minutes later and I can tell that she is steeling herself for the conversation to come. I wonder if Emily wants me to stay. Things between us are a little raw. We're both sitting stiff-backed in the silence when Aunty Winnie says: "Ronel and Tauriq broke up."

"What happened?" Emily asks, but there is no surprise in her tone.

"Apparently he overheard you telling someone on the phone about Ronel cheating on him." Aunty Winnie says. Her opinion on the subject is anyone's guess because her face is a mask but Emily looks at the ground shamefaced.

"I'm actually relieved," Aunty Winnie continues and we both look at her. She has never been anything but kind to Tauriq.

"Tauriq is too soft for Ronel," she says. "Ronel needs to grow up a bit more before she can date a guy like that."

"How is Ronel taking it?" Emily asks.

"Ag, she's pretending not to care but I can see she's upset and she's very angry at you. She's sleeping over at Kim's house tonight and going straight to school from there so you're off the hook for now."

We settle into silence again as the background noise of the TV keeps everyone distracted. Eventually Aunty Winnie asks: "Ava, are you staying for supper?"

Emily looks at me and I can tell she wants to have this talk with her mother alone.

"I'd better get home," I say. "I have work tomorrow and I would like to get an early night after this heavy weekend."

We say our goodbyes and Emily walks me to my car.

"Are you going to be okay?" I ask.

"I think it's best to get the worst over with now," she says. "Well, the second worst. My mommy will want to talk to Terence's parents."

I shudder.

"I'll pray for you," I say.

"Thanks."

When I get home, I find my mommy and Olivia watching the same soap opera and am asked the same question as when I entered Emily's house. I almost laugh. I give them the same answer I gave Aunty Winnie, as I dish supper and make me a cup of rooibos tea.