Be Loved

Chapter 9

More than a week has passed since Keeya met her father. Home has become a place of confusion since Keeya's eyes have been opened. When her grandparents are not around, she searches through their things, trying to confirm the story of her name. She found a birth certificate with her name as Keeya Phiri, but something told her that there was something fishy about the birth certificate. Keeya also looked for pictures of her mother, in the hope of seeing her father appear. In fact, she wanted to see any indication of her father's existence. But her search proved unfruitful. It was like her grandparents erased any existence of Molatlhegi, which ironically, erased her mother's existence as well. With the weight of everything happening to her, Keeya has been confiding in Sharon. Sharon has been a source of stability and truth in this time of confusion. Sharon advised Keeya to confront her grandparents about her name, as a result of her not trusting the proof she found.

Nkgono Tshidi decides to cook a special dinner, as she has felt the tension in the household. She cooked Keeya's favourite meal - beef lasagne and juice. When she was done with making the food and laying the table, she called Ntate Phiri and Keeya to come eat. As they started eating the meal, things were civil, with small talk happening. The tension is still there, but it is not as obvious. This gives Keeya the confidence to ask the question that she has been desperate to ask.

"Who gave me my name?"

"Your mother, of course. Why?" Nkgono Tshidi answers.

"Was that before or after she died?" Keeya's question brings the tension back to the forefront.

"Why do I feel like you want to say something but you are scared to" asks Nkgono Tshidi.

"I agree with your grandmother. Just spit out what you want to say" replies Ntate Phiri.

"The man... my em.. ja... Molatlhegi says that my name is Tshegofatso. He didn't know that I am Keeya. So who exactly gave me this name?" Keeya knew that she was pushing her grandparents' buttons.

"That man is a charlatan. You are Keeya. Your mother gave you that name. You are a Phiri child. Finish and klaar" replies a stern Ntate Phiri.

"That's why we didn't want you to go see that man. Look at how you are being affected" adds Nkgono Tshidi.

"So you kept him away from me for what? How can he affect me from prison? Why didn't you give me the choice" responds a courageous Keeya. She is in uncharted waters, as she has never challenged her grandparents in such a manner before.

"I don't like this tone of yours Keeya. Apologise!" Demands Ntate Phiri.

"But I don't have a tone"

"Listen to yourself. Where is the sweet child we were raising? You are too young to understand. We didn't want you to be the child that tells people that your mother was killed by your father, who is now in prison. You would be scared. That is trauma. You should be thanking us!" Adds an upset Nkgono Tshidi.

"You are ungrateful and naive. Just like your mom was when it came to this charlatan of a man. Whatever he touches turns to ruin. We saved you. You are what you are because of the decision we took and we would do it again." Ntate wants to make sure that he emphasises the point that they made a decision that saved her. Keeya realizes that she should stop pushing her grandparents. But she still wants to have the last word, saying

"I am sorry that you feel I'm ungrateful or naive. I'm going to grow up very quickly. I don't know what the truth is and that is all I want. That is why I will go back to visit the man who created me. I just want the truth. That is my prayer to God and I hope you can understand that." With those words, the issue was closed. Keeya takes the dishes into the kitchen and begins to wash them and clear up the cluttered kitchen.

Later that night, Keeya's grandparents discuss their fears about what is happening.

"Papa, this issue with Keeya and her father is troubling me. I don't know what will happen to her."

"I am also worried about his influence on Keeya. I think we will need to find a lawyer who can advise us of our rights. Otherwise, we will lose our child."

The prayers in the Phiri household could not be any different from each other. In Keeya's room, her prayers focus on discerning the truth and thanking God for answering her prayer to find her belonging. In her grandparents' room, their prayers focus on God stopping the relationship between Keeya and Molatlhegi, as well as Keeya seeing the real truth. Whatever that truth may be.