RAFAEL NGUBANE

7. SOMEONE I TRUSTED

RAFAEL

3 DAYS LATER

KNOCK

“NETHA, VULA PLEASE”

ME: (CRIES) FUCK

I WIND UP A LINE AND SNIFF IT UP MY NOSE.

ME: (GROANS) (LAUGHS)

I LIE ON THE FLOOR LOOKING AT MY X-RAYS FROM THE TIME I GOT SHOT. IT FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY WHEN THAT BASTARD SHOT ME 6 TIMES ON MY CHEST. HOW I TRUSTED HIM TO NOT EVEN DO THAT TO ME AND HE STILL DID IT. SOMEONE I TRUSTED PULLED THE TRIGGER, I WAS IN A COMA FOR 3 FULL MONTHS, HAD TO USE A WHEELCHAIR FOR A YEAR AND GO THROUGH PHYSIO.

ME: (CRIES)

IF MY BROTHERS WERE NOT THERE, THEY WOULD BE THE NGUBANE TWINS. I WOULD BE MAGGOT FOOD RIGHT NOW.

PHONE RINGS

I LOOK AT IT.

ME: (ROLLS EYES)

I HANG UP

PHONE RINGS

I HANG UP

PHONE RINGS

I ANSWER

ME: WHAT ?
...: OPEN THE DOOR.
ME: FOR ?
...: ANSWER THE FUCKING DOOR.

I HANG UP AND GET UP. I OPEN THE DOOR AND THEY ARE ALL BY THE DOOR. I SCAN ALL OF THEM UNTIL MY EYES REACH HER. I PULL HER IN AND CLOSE THE DOOR.

ME: WHERE TF IS YOUR SISTER ?
L: IF I LET YOU KNOW, WHATS GONNA HAPPEN ?
ME: PLEASE. I CAUSED THIS.
L: YOU DIDN’T RAF, IT WAS TIME FOR HER TO SPEAK, SHE HAS BEEN DYING INSIDE.
ME: (SHAKES HEAD) NO. I WANNA FIX THIS.

I HOLD HER HAND.

ME: I WANNA HEAL HER, SO BOTH OF US UNDERGO THERAPY
L: SHE WON’T AGREE.
ME: CONVINCE HER WITH ME. HELP ME SAVE HER.
L: WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS ?

SHE LOOKS AT ME

L: HUH ?
ME: BECAUSE I’VE FALLEN FOR HER.

SHE LOOKS AT ME, CONFUSED

L: OUT OF SYMPATHY OR ?
ME: (SCOFFS)

I LET HER GO

ME: I HAVE BEEN EYEING MASEGO FOR A WHILE. I KNEW HER FIRST BEFORE RIO SAW YOU. SHE HANDLES YOUR FATHERS BUSINESS FOR HIM. IF IT WASN’T FOR HER AND YOUR BROTHERS, WE’D BE DOING ARRANGED MARRIAGES TO SAVE THAT OLD MAN.
L: YOU KNOW MY BROTHERS ?
ME: (SIGH) YUP. YOUR BROTHER...

I TURN TO HER.

ME: YOUR BROTHER IS THE MAN THAT SHOT ME.
L: (SILENCE)

SHE LOOKS AT ME

L: (LAUGHS) YOU’RE CRAZY HEY.
ME: (SHAKES HEAD)

I OPEN MY DRAWER AND TAKE OUT A PICTURE. I GIVE IT TO HER

L: (GRASPS)
ME: MY BEST FRIEND. OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS BONDED OUR FATHERS. BUT THEN... HE SHOT ME
L: WHY ? THERE MUST BE A REASON
ME: HOW SHOULD I KNOW ? I’M ALSO AS CONFUSED AS YOU.
L: WHEN WAS THIS ?
ME: LAST YEAR.
L: HOW BECAUSE MASEGO LINKS WITH MOTSI ?
ME: I KNOW. I CAN’T KILL HIM. HE’S RELATED TO YOU AND A WOMAN I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH.
L: (CHUCKLES) HOW ?
ME: (SMIRKS) THAT’S HOW I ALSO FEEL. I NEED ANSWERS.
L: NO, I ALWAYS KNEW MOGOMOTSI IS CRAZY BUT YOU AND MASEGO
ME: REMEMBER THE TIME SHE CAME HERE TO FETCH YOU. I ACTUALLY TOLD HER SHE’LL BE MINE AND SHE SWORE AT ME.
L: OH YEAH (LAUGHS)
ME: HUMBLED ME AND MADE MY BROTHERS LAUGH AT ME.
L: IM SO SORRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU.
ME: I THINK HES ALSO DEALING WITH WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, SEGO AND SEDI.
L: (NODS) TRUE. SEDI IS NEVER COMING BACK SHAME. HE MARRIED A CAUCASIAN WOMAN AND HAS 4 KIDS.
ME: I KNOW. I WAS WITH HIM LAST WEEK.
L: HUH ? BUT HE’S IN CAPE TOWN
ME: NOPE. HE CAME BACK A MONTH AGO. HE LIVES IN ONE OF THE ESTATES IN GREENSTONE.
L: (ROLLS EYES) RIGHT
ME: HELP ME FIND MY LADY. HELP ME SAVE HER.
L: (NODS) I GOTCHU. SHE’LL CALL ME SOON.

SHE SCANS THE TABLE.

L: PLEASE STOP.
ME: (SIGHS) I WILL. I’M STRESSED.
L: CLEAN IT UP BEFORE I OPEN

I CLEAN UP AND SHE GRABS MY PACKET.

ME: YHOOO

SHE SPILLS IT IN THE TOILET

ME: (HANDS ON FACE) YHOOO
L: YOU WILL BE CLEAN WHEN YOU MEET WITH MASEGO. SHE’S ALREADY GOING THROUGH A LOT.

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