IN THE WALLS

Prologue

He slammed the table startling their son Xola who was grasping his mother's hand."You will not take my son away from me woman!"

"I'm not taking him, I am saving him from a failure that is you!" She grasped her huge suitcase that was full of her and her son's clothes, matched out the door dragging her son with her.

She shoved the suitcase forcefully in the car boot, buckled her son in the car seat and was ready to hit the road,"I will not let you get away with this!" Shouted the angry ex husband behind her.

"Stay the fuck away from us Samkela!" She shouted, slammed the door scaring the little boy who didn't have a clue of what was going on. All his life his parents shielded him from  the reality of their marriage. He was kept in this small bubble full of sunshine and rainbows, all of a sudden everything changes.

She was not going to let Samkela take the most important thing in her life away from her. He took the houses, businesses, money and all the other assets she worked hard for, he left her with nothing but a Polo vivo car and R2000 in her bank account.

She was going to protect her son with everything she's got, even if it meant she has to be left with nothing but a torn underwear.

She packed her car in the driveway of her best friend, the only person she can turn to when things go south. Her family turned their backs on her, all her other friends ran away, she had nobody but her best friend.

She unbuckled her son, trying to suppress the tears that were threatening to come out, she was not about to look weak in front of her son.

She stood in front of the door and started knocking. No answer. She knocked again still no answer. "Mommy?" A shaky small voice came from her son. She looked down at him, her heart sank when she saw tears rolling down his face, small sobs escaping him, "Are you okay?" Even though he was scared, he still asked if his mom was okay.

She dropped down to his height, placed both her hands on both his shoulders, "Mommy is okay baby. She and daddy are just going through a lot right now."

He nodded sniffing. She wiped his tears and forced a smile trying to comfort her little boy, "We are just going to stay at aunt Zimi for a few days, okay?"

He nodded, "Then we will find a new beautiful home, okay?" He nodded once more, "Okay baby." She said sniffing, hugging his son.

"Zodwa?" She snapped her head to the door, finding her best friend standing there wearing a purple gown. She got up and threw her arms around her, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you." Her voice threatening to break.

Surprised, Zimi returned the gesture and told them to come in. She Zodwa coffee, gave Xola juice and sent him to her 7 year old son's room to play with him.

"Are you okay?" Whispered Zimi sitting on a chair that was the same colour as the small kitchen table in the middle of the kitchen. It wasn't a big house like Zodwa's. It was just a 4 room house with 2 room, a bathroom and a sitting area connected with a kitchen.

"It's bad. It's really bad Zimi." She released a frustrated sigh, "Samkela wants to take my baby away from me, he took everything else now he wants my one and only baby." Tears started forming in her eyes. She couldn't let that happen, she wasn't going to let it happen. But she didn't have the money to fight him, she didn't have anything. He could easily take her to court and say she's an unfit parent and the court would agree with him. She was broke. She was homeless.

"I will not let that happen." Zimi assured her.

"But-"

"No buts. He will not take Xola away from you, I will not allow it. Never." Zimi was the kind of friend that will fight your battles till the end. She was the kind of friend that will take a bullet for you at any given time. She was the kind of friend that would stop her wedding just because you are sick.

"Thank you." Whispered Zodwa grasping Zimi's hand tight.

"No need to thank me." Said Zimi squeezing Zodwa's hand tighter in a comforting way, "You can stay with me until you find yourself a place to stay, okay?"

Zodwa nodded. She was beyond grateful to have a friend like Zimi, she doesn't know where she would be if Zimi shut her door and turned her back on her.

***

Zodwa has never been this stressed in her life, she always had it easy. Well let's say she never lived in poverty, she always got what she needed when she needed it ever since she was a child.

But after her parents died, her other family relatives took all her inheritance, leaving her with nothing but she was never homeless and she never went hungry.

She had to start making her own money and make a living for herself. She did just that. Until Samkelo came and took everything she worked for.

She tuck her drowsy son in the single bed, she made sure he was tucked in tight, hoping that will prevent him from falling.

"Mommy?" A tired whisper came from him.

"Yes baby." She whispered too, not wanting to wake up the 7 year old that was fast asleep.

"I love you." With that he shut his eyes and immediately fell asleep.

Zodwa smiled at her son. Oh how she wishes she can give him the life he deserves. "I love you more son." She whispered placing a kiss on his forehead.

She glanced at his beautiful innocent face one more time before closing the boy's room door gently.

She made her way to Zimi's room, sat next to her on the edge of the bed and released a frustrated sigh.

Zimi pulled her into a hug, she was trying by all means to make her dearest friend feel better, okay. She knew Zodwa didn't like to depend on anyone, so the only way to make her feel better was if she got her own apartment.

"I got you an apartment." She whispered, Zodwa immediately pulled out the hug, her face filled with surprise.

"When? How?"

Zimi chuckled, "I contacted a friend and told her I have a friend that needs a place to stay with her son. She said she has a place available but it's not here in the city. It's in a farm that's not too far from here."

"That's fine. I'm okay with that. Thank you so so much." Zodwa knew Zimi was a very good friend but she never thought she was this good.

Zimi smiled, pulling her back into a hug, "You would have done the same for me."

She was right about that. Zodwa would do any and everything for her and her son.

"You can move in tomorrow."

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