Our Parents Pain Came With Love

Chapter 52

-MELOKUHLE BESS

We are back in South Africa after my sister called a week ago telling us that dad was back in hospital and he was critical, hanging on by a thread. My phone rings from my pocket, I take it out of my blazer and it's Asemahle, I answer it

“Hey twinny”

I answer and she starts sniffing, every time I get a call from my sister crying I can't help be reminded of the time she once called me crying after having been raped by a friend and the mere fact that I once succumbed my wife to the same fate. I take a deep breath and then exhale slowly

“Ase talk to me please”

I plead

“It's dad Melo. He’s gone”

She says still in tears.

The thing about death is that you know it's going to happen, it's inevitable, it can't be stopped or postponed for some time in future. If it's meant to happen then it's going to happen. My father was sick, i’ve been expecting this call and as much as I should be ok with the outcomes I can't be, yes I expected his death but it doesn’t stop the heartbreak and the pain that comes with death. It hurts to the core knowing that he is gone, knowing that we will never sit with him and laugh like the good old times, knowing that Boobie will not have him by her side anymore, knowing that I can't go to him for advice anymore. My father played a huge role into shaping me into the man I am, he was the perfect partner to my mother and the perfect father to my siblings and I even in his old age he was still the best I could ask for. 

“How is mom?”

I ask when I have gathered to strength to speak

“She’s not saying anything. I’m worried about her”

She says

“We’ll get on the next flight ok?”

I tell her and end the call, I bury my face in my hands

.

.

-YANDISWA BESS

I walk into the room and I find my husband sitting on the edge of the bed with his head bent and buried in his hands while his elbows are pressed on his lap. I walk over to him

“Honey”

I say stopping a few feet from him, he looks up at me and he looks distraught and broken

“It's Nuni, He’s gone”

He says and I walk closer and kneel in front of him between his legs and he rests his head on my shoulder, I hug him tightly brushing the hair on the back of his neck

“I am so sorry”

I say because I really don’t know what else to say either than “Sorry”, I know it doesn’t make things better or make the pain any better but it's better than nothing. I let him rest on shoulder until he is calm, he’s not crying and that worries me because he had a great relationship with his father as did the rest of the family. Anyone who knew Damon Bess knew that he was the best man you would ever meet. He was perfect in all aspects, a great father, a great husband, a great grandfather and father in law to me. His death hits harder than any death probably should, one way or the other Damon Bess is dead and that’s ok because he has held on for far too long.