She shook her head. "My mom died," she said and the tears started running again. "I have to live with her sister and uncle Dan.
The woman on the other side of the counter made a 'tsk tsk" sound.
"Sorry Gogo, what can I do for you?"
"I need sugar and rice and send that little one over here, we need to talk." She said.
The old woman smiled when Lindie moved around the counter: "And what is your name? How old are you? She asked.
I am Lindie and I am five years old."
"Oh, baby, you're not supposed to do that, stealing is not the way to go. Would you like to come with me, then I can show you how to earn money?"
"So I don't need to go back to uncle Dan and his family?" Lindie cried. "He said that: if I don't bring him the money I will have to sleep outside without any food!"
"We can't allow that to happen," Gogo said and took Lindie's hand. She paid for the sugar and rice and led Lindie in the opposite direction as Uncle Dan's house.
"Lindie, you can call me Grandma or Gogo if you like. Let's go home and make something to eat. After you washed, we can set off to work.
After a lunch of porridge with a stew of baked beans and onions, Gogo showed her around the house and gave her some clean clothes to wear. In the afternoon the rest of the family arrived from school.
There was Thomas, Jonathan, and David. They were all about nine to ten years old. Mary was in grade eight and Thandi in grade ten. Joyce was in grade five and in the same primary school as the boys.
They were all kind to her. Joyce called her, her little sister and showed her their room and her toys. She felt instantly at home.
YOU ARE READING
Cry, my beloved people
Teen FictionYoung people going through tough traumatic experiences to find their inner strength and discover that they can not only be supportive of each other, but can create systems to help others that are going through similar traumas.
