SIMPHIWE: HER LAST

Chapter 15

RELEBOGILE

"No baby, this can't be!" She exclaims. "What?! How???"

"Well I guess that's what happens when you decide to be on your own." I say.

"How are you so chilled about this, Lebo?"

Relebogile: "Lebone, fighting and panicking won't change anything."

Lebone: "So you're just gonna accept defeat like that?"

Relebogile: "It's not worth fighting."

Lebone: "Lebo, you have no money to your name! You're just going to accept it like that?!"

Relebogile: "It was never mine anyway. Rugby will make us money."

She jumps in bed in sigh of defeat.

Lebone: "How can Martin just take everything away?"

I sigh and turn my back to face her.

Relebogile: "When I was in hospital while you were still in a coma, Obakeng, Thato and Kaone came. I told them my mom was coming to fetch me and one thing led to another and I told them that I was done with that family."

Her eyes widen. It's like she's worried. Ironic how I study emotions but I don't know what this one means.
She removes the duvet and comes behind me.

Lebone: "Babe..."

I exhale. She's going to ask me that question. I forgot to tell her.

Lebone: "You actually did it?"

Relebogile: "I've been wanting to do it for the longest time and you know that."

Lebone: "Yeah but I didn't think you'd actually do it."

Relebogile: "You know that I'm tired of that life. I've even come to terms with the fact Boetie doesn't want to be found and--"

Lebone: "What about Gontse? Surely you can't leave him like that."

Relebogile: "Yeah, I guess."

Lebone: "Come on. At least let him be the one connection you have to your paternal side. There's Felicia's kids too."

Relebogile: "They're going to be taken care of by Kgomotso, and I think at some point she will also cut ties with the Kunupis."

Lebone: "But she has a child with Kunupi blood."

I sigh. I don't think she gets it.

Relebogile: "Listen, babe." I say as I take her hand that's been on my shoulder. "This isn't about the kids and who they're taken care of and stuff. You know, Kgomotso and I had this conversation a while before she gave birth and she said that she also would like to move on and I think we should do the same too. What good has this family brought you ever since you came here?"

Lebone: "But baby we can change that."

Relebogile: "We can't. We can't change anything and we surely cannot change them. They will always remain the way they are and trust me, these people do not like change. Babe, I want to live an honest life. And if it means Martin taking away everything then so be it. We can start afresh. I can do rugby and you can look for a job as a nurse here. I want to live life on a clean slate. Baby, this could be a blessing in disguise from God. I'm ready to give everything away to live the right way. We'll even go to that church every Sunday. We haven't been there in a long time. We can live the right way, with God."

She sighs after a long time.

Lebone: "Are you sure about this, babe?"

Relebogile: "More than ever."