Be Loved

Chapter 22

"I feel like after spending time with you, I know my mom better" explains Tshegofatso

"Don't your grandparents talk about your mom" asks a surprised Molatlhegi.

"No. I don't know if they are scared that it would upset me or what... The only time my mom features is a day before my birthday, we visit her tombstone and talk to her. But for me, I've never been comfortable with that because I never knew her. But I know that this year when we go back to her tombstone, I will have more to say" Tshegofatso stands up and walks to her father's chair and hugs him.

Warder Maluleke saw them hug and resisted the temptation to intervene. She could see that both of them needed the moment. When they were done hugging, the Warden came in to tell them that time is up. The meeting with Tshegofatso's grandparents was scheduled to happen during the next visiting hours, so Molatlhegi was taken back to his prison cell.

When Tshegofatso arrives home, she finds that her grandparents had already left to go see her father. She decided to start doing her homework. She takes her books and stationery into the study and works. Her phone starts to vibrate and she ignores it, assuming that it was WhatsApp notifications. The vibration continues and she decided to check. She notices that she is being called by Pearl.

"Hello em aunty Pearl"

"Yho Tshegofatso. We spoke about this aunty thing. Anyway, how are you?"

"I'm fine" responds a confused Tshegofatso. Pearl doesn't often call her without warning her before.

"I'm fine as well. How did your visit with your father go?"

"It was special. I didn't want to leave. Conversations with him are special" replies a happy Tshegofatso.

"I feel you. You have an amazing father"

"Yes. I'm discovering that about him. I wish he wasn't in a place that I can only visit once a week. I wish I could see him every day" explains Tshegofatso.

"You know Tshegofatso, you have the key that could help your father," says Pearl

"How?"

"Look, your father doesn't want me to do this, but I care about him too much to let him stay in prison when he could be free," says a passionate Pearl

"I know that you care about him. You care about him a lot" comments Tshegofatso

"There is no cute way to put this Tshegofatso. Your father is in prison because of you. Well, because they say he kidnapped you. In a parole hearing, the victim has to speak about how they would feel if the person who harmed them would be released from prison. I think you know where I am going with this Tshegofatso"

"Yes. If I'm the victim then I must say how I feel about him being released. But you said my father doesn't want you to do this" asks a confused Tshegofatso

"Yes. He doesn't want you to think that this whole spending time with you was so that you get him out of prison. But he doesn't understand that without your testimony, he may never get out"

"I understand. I know he didn't do this to win me over. I want to testify for my father. I love him."

Pearl knew that what she had done could upset Molatlhegi if he ever found out. To appease her conscious, she continued speaking with Tshegofatso on the phone, talking about random things. By the time the call ended, she felt confident that she did the correct thing. After the call, Pearl makes her way to the prison to support Molatlhegi.