L_O_V_E...

18

Nkuli sat in her office starring at the steps the therapist had given them to help them communicate effectively. They had been back home for two days and had not yet said anything to each other and she had not even spoken to Susie. They day after their therapy session the car that had brought them to the resort came to pick them up.

' Sorry but miss Susie is here and she says she's not leaving till you talk to her.'

' Grace I told you that I do not want to speak to her. If you can't get her to leave. Call security but do not bother me with that woman.'

Her assistant hesitantly walked out and back to her desk. Nkuli felt bad for putting her in the middle but Susie was the last person she ever wanted to talk to.

' You need to talk to her!'

Lorna barged into her office as she sat going through proposed articles for the following months issue.

' You need to mind your own business.'

' This is my business since you're both my friends -'

' You should have showed this much concern when her husband was messing with your neighbor. Now if you're done, leave! I have work to do.'

Lorna was shocked and hurt by her friends attitude and words. She stood watching her as she ignored her and kept her eyes on the computer before kissing her teeth and walking out of the office. Nkuli hated treating her like that but she needed to stay out of it.

' Hey mommy.'

' Hey princess.'

She had come to pick her up from school. The older kids had afternoon classes and would be coming home by bus. The situation at home was still the same and she was still at logger heads with her oldest three. It was the only time she wished she could go back to the resort.

' Mom I am sorry.'

' For what baby?'

' For asking aunt Susie to set you and dad up. I just wanted us back as a family again. I miss how it used to be.'

' You asked aunt Susie to do this?'

' Sort of. I kind of complained to her about having to stay in two different households. Having to deal with dad's girlfriend and you going out on dates every week.'

Nkuli was surprised that her daughter was that observant she thought she was hiding her dating life well and thought she loved having to have double the birthdays and Christmases. She would have never guessed that her innocent Minnie was the one who set them up.

' You know your father and I are just going through a lot.'

' Yeah but you still love each other right? Well he said he still does and I am sure if you just sat down and worked out your differences like Katie and I, we would be a family again.'

Minnie had never shown so much concern for her and her husband. She knew the older children hated their current life but Minnie never seemed to have a problem with it. It hurt to know that her decisions were affecting her daughter but was shocked and proud to realise how grown she was.

' I too do still love him.'