@Socialrecluse
Wa-alaykum salaam, fellow South African :-). I'm really glad I came across your story, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
About the voting... sometimes I voted twice as I wasn't sure if the first vote registered, then the second vote then removed the first vote...(sigh!)
So if you received a string of votes and "votes removed" its because of the above. (Felt I needed to explain this just in case you thought I'm bipolar! :-))
You are a talented writer, and your characters are so real with real-life issues and hardships that it makes your story stand out. You tackled so many difficult topics in a sensitive manner and also leave the readers with a sense of hope and belief in second chances in life.
I loved the local flavour with words like "lightie", loadshedding and the way Aunty Fatimah ended her sentences with "Ma". I could totally visualise that, it's so cute!
I look forward to reading more of your work.
And hey, I hope you find a job in the new year, you'll be an awesome teacher, InshaAllah.
Take care...With greetings from Cape Town :-)