CONNECTING
by
Thabi Majabula

Published by Thabi Majabula at Smashwords
Copyright 2012 Thabi Majabula
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed, this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com. Thank you for your support.

This is a work of fiction. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
GLOSSARY
OTHER BOOKS BY THABI MAJABULA
CHAPTER ONE

“I hate you,” he said feelingly.
“And I love you. I always have, and I always will,” said Suko.
“You don’t know what love is,” he sneered.
“I have a better idea than you do. Does your father know you’re here?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Go home, before he finds out.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“You look very much like him. You even have the same bitter expression on your face,” said Suko, looking him over. He was six foot tall, light in complexion, and of big build. He was the mirror image of his father.
“Shut up!” he said. She stood.
“Get out,” she said.
“I…”
“Nobody insults me. Get out. Get out,” she shouted.
“Don’t get excited, I only want to talk.”
“I don’t want to listen. Go now.” He left. Suko sat down and put her head in her hands. A few minutes later, she forced herself to smile, and continued with the rest of her day.
She showered at home, then, as she was changing, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was five foot seven in height, of medium build, and dark complexion. She kept her hair black and natural. She noticed the grey hairs, and decided that she was going to stop dyeing her hair. Aging was a fact of life, and she was not going to fight it anymore. She tried to find any resemblance that Sydney might have got from her, but there was none. She noticed the sadness in her brown eyes, and forced herself to smile, trying to cheer up, but it did not work.
She found Ray in the lounge. He had been seated, and stood when he saw her. He was six foot tall, with blue eyes, and long brown hair. Suko was struck again by how very handsome and sexy he was, with his broad shoulders and lean hips. She understood why he had been a very popular model when he was younger. He approached her, kissed her, then they sat down. He switched off the TV, and watched her. She looked away from his scrutiny.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“Then why do you have that sad look in your eye? Were you thinking of your son?”
“He came to see me.”
“And?”
“And he hates me. Of course he hates me. His father can only have fed him lies and horridness about me.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to hold onto you.”
“I’m right here,” said Ray, holding his arms out wide. Suko went to sit on his lap, with her arms round his neck. He held her tight.
“I love you,” he said. 
She started crying quietly, then she started sobbing. He rocked her, and rubbed her back. When she quieted, he drew back from her, and wiped away her tears. He kissed her gently, several times. 
They started kissing frantically, and disrobing each other. Suko put her hand between Ray’s legs and stroked him. He put a hand between her legs, and caressed her. In seconds, he helped her to straddle his lap, then he thrust into her body. They moved together desperately. He shuddered as she continued to rock, then she made a frustrated sound. 
He slipped out of her, and caressed between her legs. Her breathing accelerated again, then she shuddered, overcome by pleasure. He kissed her gently, then she went to freshen up. Suko did not eat much dinner, and she felt guilty that her bad mood was affecting Ray negatively. When they climbed into bed, she spooned behind him, and lay awake a long time.
“I hate them,” Ray said at breakfast.
“Who?” asked Suko.
“Your son and his father.”
“You don’t even know them.”
“For their own sakes, I hope we never meet, because I’ll kill them.”
“Why?” asked Suko, shocked by Ray’s sentiment. He always advocated non-violence. 
“Whenever you see either of them, or think about them, you spend a week moping, feeling guilty, and who knows what else. Those good-for-nothings take you away from me. I want to sue them.”
“For what?”
“Alienation of affection.” 
“It won’t hold water.”
“It will. The words mean someone’s taken your lover’s love from you.”
“It only works if the lover loves them. I don’t love them, not both of them.”
“As I said, I get left with no love.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Always the same words.”
“What else can I say?”
“Love your son if you want to, but stop punishing yourself, and me, for what you did over twenty years ago. Let it go. Let yourself live. You can’t change things. Do you regret what you did?”
“Of course not!”
“Then why the guilt? If you don’t regret something, you can’t feel guilty about it.”
“You don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t. Help me to understand, then I can stop hating them.” She tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth.
“Tell me why you get miserable about them,” he said.
“I…they…you…I can’t explain.”
“You must, Suko. You must. Your explanation is the difference between us separating, and staying together.”
“What?” asked a panicked Suko.
“I’m not staying here a second longer, to compete with men I don’t even know.”
“You’re not competing!”
“No, I’m not, because I lost to them a long time ago, and they win again each time you see them, or think about them.”
“They don’t win.”
“Explain how not. You agonise over them the way you never agonise over me. Not that I want you agonising over me, that would cause you pain, and I don’t want you in pain, but I do want and deserve more attention than them, because I don’t hurt you.” They watched each other in silence.
“Do you love me?” he asked. She nodded.
“Say it,” he said. She opened her mouth, but words would not come out. She tried again, and failed. He smiled sadly.
“They win,” he said.
“They don’t!” she said. He stood, and she followed suit. Her approached her, caressed her cheek, kissed her gently, then deeply. He broke the kiss, and held her.
“Goodbye Sukoluhle,” he said, in a voice choked by tears, then he left.
“Ray, Ray,” she called. He did not turn back. She ran after him, and found him outside the house, being driven off.
“Ray!” she shouted. He did not hear her. She ran after the car until it was out of sight, then she walked back to the house. She sat in the lounge, unable to believe that he had really left. 
She was startled by the ringing of her phone. Her PA was reminding her of an important meeting. Suko drove to her office on automatic pilot. After the meeting, she phoned Ray several times. He ignored calls to his cell phone, and would not take her calls when she called his office. 
When she returned home, his clothes had been taken from the bedroom that they shared. She looked in the other rooms, he had taken most of his belongings. She rushed to the garage, his boat and cars had gone. In the kitchen, his chef had gone too. 
Suko climbed into her car, and drove to his home. His staff told her that he was not home, and that they had been forbidden to tell her where he was. She drove home in a daze. She spent the night phoning him. She lost count of the number of messages that she left for him. She phoned his friends. None of them had seen him.
Over the next few days, she would phone him several times a day. He did not take her calls, or return her messages. At the end of a month, she had lost count of the number of times that she had called him each day. She was not sleeping much. At work, she lost several potential clients because she did not have the energy to prepare for the presentations that she had to make. 
She finally decided to put an end to her bad patch. She hired a private investigator to do some work for her. In three days, the investigator gave her the information that she needed.
She took a week off work, and started making her preparations.
Several days later, she stood outside a beautiful home. She rang the doorbell. Her heart was pounding. The door was opened by someone in an apron.
“I’m looking for Mr Maseko,” said Suko. The woman led her to a dining room.
“Sukoluhle!” said Maseko, as he and a younger man stood hastily.
“Hello, Patrick,” she said to Maseko. She looked from him to the younger man.
“Hello, Sydney,” she said. Neither of the men responded. She closed the dining room door, locked it, and pocketed the key.
“What are you doing?” demanded a woman. Suko looked at her.
“You must be Viola, and that must be Laura and Violet,” she said, looking from the woman, to the two teenage girls at the table.
“Who are you?” demanded Viola. Suko smiled, and looked at Patrick.
“I’m his worst nightmare. Let’s all sit down,” she said. She sat down. Patrick and Sydney sat down too.
“Carry on with your meal, I’ve already eaten, so I won’t join you,” she said.
“Who are you?” repeated Viola.
“I’m Sydney’s biological mother.”
“You’re the witch…” Suko took a gun out of her handbag. Viola quieted.
“I must ask you all to put your cell phones on the table. Now,” said Suko. The women and Sydney complied.
“Still playing tough, Patrick,” said Suko. She pointed her gun at him. He put his cell phone on the table.
“Am I Sydney’s biological mother?” she asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Have you heard of statutory rape, Laura?” she asked.
“What?” said Laura. She looked sick.
“Statutory rape, have you heard of it?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“Er…it…it’s when a man has sex with a girl under the age of sixteen.”
“Very good, Laura. Sydney, you came about because of statutory rape,” said Suko.
“Liar!” said Sydney.
“Patrick, am I lying? Patrick? Aren't you going to tell our fine son here that his mother’s a liar? No? Okay. Sydney, this is for you. It’s a docket number,” said Suko, giving Sydney a piece of paper.
“I know your father’s told you all sorts of stories, beginning and ending with me as a wicked and heartless bitch. Your father’s told you his version of events, now, I’m going to tell you my version,” continued Suko.
“I don’t want to hear it,” said Sydney.
“Too bad. You’re going to hear it anyway. Your father and my father, were friends, best friends. Uncle Patrick was more my uncle than the uncles that I have blood ties with. When I turned fourteen, he started touching my breasts, and bum.”
“No!” said Laura.
“It’s true, Laura. I felt odd about it, he said he wanted to teach me something, so I stopped protesting when he touched me through my clothes, and then under my clothes.”
“No!” repeated Laura.
“I started to enjoy our time as he taught me…”
“Stop it,” said Patrick.
“I’m just getting started,” said Suko.
“You’ve had your say, you can go now,” said Viola.
“I’m not leaving until that boy knows my version of events. Where was I? Oh, yes, the sex. It was our little secret of course. My mother noticed my growing stomach. I didn’t know I was pregnant. My body was going through changes, I thought that was one of them. I told Ma all about what uncle Patrick had taught me, and I even told the nice policeman that Ma took me to. 
“Can you imagine my surprise when uncle Patrick, who had been so loving and gentle, suddenly became a monster, threatening me with death for opening my big mouth? He told me that he’d be arrested unless I changed my statement. I refused, he beat me. Still, I refused. He offered to marry me. My parents were so ashamed, they were relieved that he had offered to marry me. They didn’t care that he had beaten me. All they wanted was for me to be gone. I refused. 
“Uncle Patrick paid damages, and amalobolo. I refused to go with him. When my parents threatened to take me there by force, I threatened to kill myself. They didn’t believe me, until they saw me preparing to swing from a rope I’d hung on a tree. I was allowed to stay with my parents, on the understanding that I’d go to Patrick after the baby was born.
“Once you were born, Sydney, your father came to take you away. I begged him to let me wean you, but he wasn’t interested. He’d paid amalobolo, and you were going home with him. He took you away. I couldn’t sleep or do anything else. You were all I thought about. I wondered if you’d been fed, if you’d been changed, or if you were being neglected. 
“I went to inquire after you, and I’d hear you crying. Your father’s sister would tell me that I could feed you if I came to stay with you. I agreed. She kept me locked up in his home for days. You’d cry in hunger, and still I wasn’t allowed access to you. Your aunt told me that I’d hold you once I changed the statement I’d made to the police. I managed to escape.
“My parents sent me to school out of the country. When I returned, your father started sending me pictures of you. They were always accompanied by letters telling me that a real woman was raising you, because I had dumped you. I didn’t dump you. I’d never dump you. Once I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to raise you and be there for you, the way my mother was for me.
“I know you felt rejected and I understand that you resent me. I was fifteen years old when you were born. I had no education, no income, no home. Your father was in his forties. He had money and everything else that a baby needs for it to be raised properly.
“When your father sent me pictures of you, I’d ask if I could see you. He always said he didn’t want me and my bad influence around you. That’s my truth. Am I lying, Patrick?” asked Suko. Patrick was looking at her with hate. She looked from him to Sydney. He looked confused.
“If you want to know more, Sydney, ask your father’s sister, Niva, or my sister, Sheila. Her contact details are with that docket number. Patrick, I know you want to blow me off the face of the earth. I’ve sent this docket number to several people. If anything untoward happens to me, that docket number will be sent to several tabloid journalists. You know they’ll print that story. They’d like nothing better than to write discrediting stories about a candidate for the post of Attorney General. 
“Sydney, if you have questions, I’ll answer them, but if you come with insults, I’ll make sure you never make babies. Viola, Violet, Laura, I’m sorry we met under such unpleasant circumstances. I don’t imagine you’ll seek me out, any more than I’ll seek any of you out,” said Suko. She looked at everyone, nodded at Sydney, stood, unlocked the dining room door, and left.
She drove to a hotel and checked in. She had lost Ray, and now, she had lost Sydney. She had never had him, but now, there was no chance of him ever trying to see things her way. She rebuked herself for not thinking things through. She had shocked and confused her son, then she had left him with his father, who would explain her words away as lies. 
Patrick would ask him if he would believe his father, who had been there all his life, or a woman who had rejected him. Sydney would choose to believe his father, and Suko would never see him again. She spent most of the night crying. In the morning, she did not have the energy to get out of bed. She spent the day crying and sleeping. 
The day after that, she was resigned to living life alone. She would live through the pain and loneliness, and maybe, she would eventually heal, and love someone else, although that was unlikely. She checked out of the hotel, and drove home.



CHAPTER TWO

Her front door was almost pulled off the hinges by being opened violently.
“Where the hell have you been? How dare you disappear off the face of the earth without telling me! Where were you? Where…were…you?” roared Ray. Suko stared at him in shock. She had thought that she would never see him again.
“Tell me!” he shouted. She started.
“I was in a hotel,” she said.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“I switched it off.”
“I’ve filed a missing person’s report. I thought something bad had happened to you.”
“I’m fine.” He looked her over, then he took her hand and drew her into the house. He closed the front door. Suko freed her hand from his, and walked into the lounge. He followed her.
“Why wouldn’t you take my calls?” she asked.
“Because I’m a fool.”
“What?” said a startled Suko.
“I thought I could get over you, but I can’t and I won’t. I went to see the competition yesterday.”
“What competition?”
“Your son’s father.”
“Why?”
“To understand what hold he has over you. It’s the other way round.” 
“What do you mean?”
“It’s you that has a hold on him.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Maseko’s obsessed with you. He’s in love with you, and hates himself and you, for it.”
“He hates me passionately.”
“Only after loving you just as passionately. I made it very clear to him that if he makes any move on you, I’ll kill him.”
“Raymond!”
“That type of obsession can only be cured by death, maybe. I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
“You have no right to give me instructions.”
“I’m your lover.”
“You left.”
“I’m back.”
“For how long?”
“For good!”
“Because you’re jealous of Patrick?”
“Because I’m completely, and utterly, in love with you, and I like it that way.” They shared a long look, then Suko turned away from Ray. She put her handbag and car keys on the table.
“You phoned me every single day for a month, then you suddenly stopped. I waited a whole day, and when you didn’t phone, I came here. After another day with no contact from you, I went to see Maseko. He assured me that he was more in danger from you, than you could ever be from him. What did he mean by that?” Suko looked at him.
“It’s not important. I love you,” she said.
“What?” asked Ray. Suko could see that her words had taken him by surprise.
“I love you,” she repeated. He looked deep into her eyes, then he kissed her deeply and thoroughly. 
When she awoke next morning, she felt Ray spooning behind her.
“Hi, honey,” he said.
“Hi, Ray.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“I was testing.”
“What?”
“To see if you could say it again. We’ve been together five years, and you’ve never once said it. Forgive me if I can’t get enough of you saying it.”
“I wasn’t deliberately holding the words from you. It’s just that…”
“It’s just what?”
“Patrick used to tell me that he loved me. Once I started saying it back, he beat me, and stopped being the man I had grown to love. I learned then never to say those words.”
“Why are you saying them to me?”
“I feel the feelings, and I’m trusting that you’ll continue to be as loving as you’ve always been.” He kissed her gently.
She was in her office a few days later, and looked up suddenly. A man was standing at her door, watching her intently.
“Have you come to insult me?” she asked.
“No.”
“Why have you come?”
“I don’t know.”
“Sit down, Sydney,” she said. Sydney sat down, and they continued to watch each other.
“I can’t believe how grown up you are. The last time I saw you, you were six weeks old,” said Suko. She smiled, looking into the past.
“In the hospital, I used to sit, and just watch you. I couldn’t believe that such a beautiful creature had come out of me. I’d wake up several times a night, just to look at you,” she said. Her smile faded.
She stood to pour two glasses of orange juice, and to cut two slices of carrot cake. She gave him one plate and one glass, and took the others to her seat. She watched as Sydney looked at the food before him warily. 
As soon as she had eaten three mouthfuls of cake, he gobbled his piece of cake down in seconds. She gave him a second piece, which he also dispensed with quickly. She gave him a third piece of cake, and he ate that one at a more leisurely pace.
“Is that your favourite type of cake?” she asked. Sydney ignored her question.
“It’s my favourite, too,” said Suko.
“You and I have nothing in common,” he said. She shrugged, then she went into a reverie.
“I was five months pregnant, before I knew that I was expecting you. Once I found out, I’d caress my belly, and tell you how much I loved you. ‘No matter what, always remember that Ma loves you,’ that’s what I always said to you. Other times, I’d talk about music to you. You used to kick hardest when I listened to Luther Vandross. I never knew whether you liked or hated his music,” she said.
“I like it,” he said. She smiled.
“I don’t know how long I refused to eat after returning from your father’s home. I’d have died if Ma hadn’t force-fed me. Once I accepted that I wasn’t dying, I started praying for you three times a day. I’d pray before every meal. Instead of saying grace, I’d pray for you. I’d ask Thixo, the ancestors, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, anyone and everyone with the power and resources, to take care of my precious son. 
“I still pray for you at every meal time. The powers obviously heard me, and answered my prayers. You’re healthy, and you’ve grown into a very eligible young man. Are you married?”
“What’s it to you?”
“I want to know if I have a daughter-in-law, or grandchildren.”
“You don’t.” They watched each other in silence.
“Who’s Parker?” he asked.
“Parker?”
“Raymond Parker.” Suko drew back in surprise.
“Why do you ask?” she returned.
“Is he your lover?”
“Yes, he’s my lover. Why do you ask about him?”
“Baba hates him.”
“How do you know that?”
“I heard it in his voice when he talked about him.” Suko nodded.
“How are the women in your family?” she asked.
“They hate you.”
“Hate is strong. I expected them to dislike me, but not to hate me.”
“You showed them a side of Baba that they didn’t want to see, or know about.”
“I wish they’d been away when I came to see you, but they weren’t.” Sydney looked at his watch and stood.
“I want to see you again,” he said, then he left.
When Suko arrived home, she kissed Ray in greeting.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine, thanks, and you?”
“I’m fine.” He watched her closely.
“What happened to put that look in your eye?”
“What look?”
“That anticipatory glow.”
“Sydney came to see me.”
“And?”
“And we talked, no insults. He said he’ll come again.”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m great.” He gave her a long look.
“Do you want us to have a baby?” he asked.
“What?” asked Suko in surprise.
“Do you want a baby?”
“I…I don’t know. Do you?”
“I’ve never thought about it. It occurred to me now, that maybe if we had a baby, you’d feel less guilty about Sydney.”
“He’s talking to me, inspite of what I said. I have no guilt about him anymore.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. You’ll still have my undivided attention, even though I saw him.” Ray looked deep into her eyes, and nodded.
They were changing for dinner one evening, when Suko noticed Ray watching her.
“It’s been a week and a half since you saw Sydney, and I haven’t once wanted to kill him. Thank you,” he said.
“For what?” asked Suko.
“Loving me, really loving me. I feel now that your heart belongs to me, and I don’t have to kill anyone for it.”
“You’ve always had my heart.”
“Not all of it.”
“I’m sorry about that, but now, my heart is all yours.” He kissed her, then they went to dinner.
Afterwards they sat in the lounge, talking. Suko straddled Ray's lap, and kissed him. She undid his shirt buttons, and kissed his chest, then she sucked on his nipple. He put a hand on her head, his breathing accelerating.
“Suko,” he panted. Suko put a hand on his trousers, and undid his zip. She put a hand on his masculinity. A throat was cleared, startling them. They both looked up. Ray's father was in the room with them. 
Suko removed her hand from Ray's trousers, climbed off his lap, and sat beside him. She greeted their guest, he ignored her, and looked at Ray. He was doing up his shirt buttons nonchalantly.



CHAPTER THREE

“I want to talk to you,” said Mr Parker. Ray looked at him coldly.
“There's nothing you've said to me in the past ten years, that I want to hear,” he said.
“Where can we talk in private?”
“See yourself out.”
“Ray!” gasped Suko. Ray took her hand in his.
 “You know your way out of here,” he said to his father. Suko gasped again, looking at him in shock. She had never seen him that angry, or known that he could be that rude, especially to his own father.
“Your mother's ill,” said Mr Parker. 
“She's been ill as long as I've known her,” said Ray.
“She wants to see you.”
“I don't want to see her.”
“She says she has something important to tell you.”
“No doubt she wants to tell me again, what a worthless son I am.”
“You're priceless,” said Suko.
“That's not what she wants to say,” said Mr Parker.
“I don't care what she has to say, I don't want to hear it.”
“She doesn't have long to live.”
“You told me that thirty years ago, and she's still here.”
“Go and see her, give her that, at least.”
“Why?”
“Because she gave you life,” said Mr Parker. Suko looked at Ray, he looked torn. She kissed his cheek.
“Go and see her, what can it hurt?” she asked. He tightened his hold on her hand.
“I'll come with you,” said Suko,
“Are you serious?” asked Ray. Suko nodded.
“Yes,” she said.
“She's only ever had insults for me, I don't want to think about what she'll say to you.”
“I'll take the chance. It's a very short interlude in the rest of our lives.”
“I like that,” he smiled, then he took the hospital details from his father, then Mr Parker left. Ray did not look happy. Suko put her arms round him.
She returned home some evenings later, exhausted. She climbed out of her car, then she heard her name called.
“Sydney? What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I need to see you.”
“Is everything alright?” Sydney put his hands in his pockets, and looked away from her.
“Come in,” she said, leading the way into the house.
“Are you alright?” asked Ray.
“I'm fine,” said Suko, going to hug him. He kissed her, then he looked behind her.
“Hi, you must be Sydney, I'm Raymond,” he said, offering his hand to Sydney. Sydney looked at the hand, then he shook it.
“You've come to see your mother?” asked Ray.
“Yes,” said Sydney.
“No insults, Sydney. No one insults Suko.” Sydney nodded. Ray kissed Suko's cheek, and left the room.
“Sit down,” said Suko. They both sat down.
“What do you want to see me about?” asked Suko.
“Why did you come to our home?”
“I wanted to tell you my side of the story.”
“Why?”   
“Because I was tired of being known as the wicked one.”
“Is that the only reason?”
“What other reason could there be?”
“That you love me.”
“I do love you. I told you that the first time you came to see me.”
“Why do you claim to love me?”
“Because you’re my child.”
“How can you say that, and accuse Baba of statutory rape?”
“I don't accuse him of something he didn't do. He and I had great times together, and then, after I spoke to the police, he became a monster. That didn't stop me from loving you.”
“You don't love me.”
“I do. I know your father must have told you that I hate you, but I don’t. The fact that I wasn’t in your life doesn't change how I feel.”
“Love is more than words. Why were you never there? Baba says he wanted to marry you.”
“He had a wife at the time.”
“What?”
“He was married to someone else, who rightly, didn’t want me joining her in her marriage.”
“How could you get involved with a married man?”
“I was fourteen at the time, and once he said what we were doing was fine, I believed him.”
“It was sick, and disgusting! I don't believe your statutory rape story.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“How old do you think I am?”
“Fifty.”
“I'm forty-two.”
“You can't be.”
“I gave you the docket number, Sydney. Look at the docket, and don’t come here to vilify me. You've said your piece, you can go now,” she said coldly, then she left the room.
She took a long bath, dressed warmly, then she went to look for food.
“Ray? Ray,” she called.
“I'm in the lounge.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Are sandwiches okay?”
“Great, make lots of them.” Suko set to work, then she took the tray of food to the lounge. Ray took it from her, and put it on the table. 
“Thank you,” she smiled. She turned to the food, and frowned.
“Sydney? What are you still doing here? I told you to leave,” she said.
“Suko, calm down,” said Ray.
“I told you that I'm tired of being the villain, and since you can't see me in any other way, you need to leave,” Suko said to Sydney as she pointed at the door.
“Sit down, honey, I'll bring you your food,” said Ray.
“I can do it!” said Suko.
“You have to include Sydney.”
“I don’t want to.”
“He’s our guest.”
“He called me a liar.”
“He didn’t mean it.”
“Of course he meant it. Why don't you leave?” Suko demanded of Sydney.
“Baba's in jail,” he said. Suko was surprised to be told that.
“So what?”
“For statutory rape.” Suko had been glaring at him, she looked away from him, and sat down.
“He's been in bed with Laura,” continued Sydney.
“His child?” gasped Suko.
“She needs your help.”
“I don’t see her mother letting me anywhere near her.” They were all thoughtful a while.
“I'm sorry about Laura,” said Suko.
“She’s seeing a psychologist, but she needs to talk to someone who’s been through the same experience.”
“There's a support network for that, that’s what helped me.”
“She asked for you.”
“Sydney!”
“I'm here because she begged me to come and ask you.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“I gain nothing by lying.” Suko watched him, then she looked at Ray. 
“She needs you,” said Ray. Suko looked away from him. They were all quiet.
“If you bring her here, I'll see her,” she said.
“I can't bring her here. You need to come and see her at home. She's recovering from an STI that Baba gave her.” Suko's eyes watered.
“Please come and see her,” said Sydney. Suko closed her eyes, then she opened them, and stood.
“Will you come with me?” she asked Ray.
Violet met them at Laura's home, and led Suko to Laura. She was curled up in bed.
“Laura, she came, aunty came,” said Violet. Laura uncovered her head, and peered at her sister, then she sat up, when she saw Suko.
“I'm so sorry,” said Suko. Laura threw the blankets off, and threw herself into Suko's arms. Suko held her as she wept.
“It's not your fault,” she said.
“He said I owed him,” said Laura.
“You don’t owe him anything.” Laura quieted, and eventually stopped crying.
“Thank you for coming, you’re the only one I could think of talking to,” said Laura. She withdrew from Suko, propped up her pillows, and sat back, watching Suko.
“How are you?” asked Suko.
“Much better. I couldn't believe it when you came here and said what you said. I felt like you were talking about me. I told my teacher, and she took me to the police to give a statement. I stayed at a friend's house until Baba was arrested. When I came home, Mama was furious, she wouldn’t talk to me. If it wasn’t for buti Sydney, I'd have been sent away from home.”
“Why?”
“Because she said it's my fault that he got into bed with me.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“With the disease.”
“He didn’t hit you?”
“No, he just said it was our secret. I'll never sleep with him again.”
Viola came in. 
“So, you came. It’s all your fault. If you’d stayed away from us, I’d have my husband home, and I could hold my head up high,” she said. Suko noticed a woman behind Viola, and froze, losing colour.
“Aunty, are you alright?” asked Laura, touching Suko's arm.
“If you touch me, I'll kill you,” Suko said to the other woman.
“I won't touch you. Why soil my hands with a strumpet? I see you’ve taught Laura your filthy, lying ways,” said Patricks' sister, Niva.
“It's your brother who was irresponsible.”
“He’s a man, he can’t help himself. You destroyed his first marriage, and now, you’re here to destroy this one. I won’t let you. I won’t let you!” shouted Niva.
“What is going on here?” demanded Sydney, entering the room, followed by Ray.
“This strumpet has come to destroy another of your father's marriages. Get her out of here, get her out,” shouted Niva.
“Stop it! Stop that at once. This is my father’s house, and I say she can stay. If you don’t like that, you can leave.”
“Mfana...”
“Accept it, or go.” Niva left, with Viola trotting after her, begging her to stay.
“Have you joined the support network?” Suko asked Laura.
“No.”
“I'll give you the details. They saw me through some very tough times. I have to go now.”
“No, Aunty, please, don’t go. Mama will kill me if you leave.”
“She won't kill you. Sydney will protect you. You will protect your sister, Sydney?” said Suko.
“Of course,” said Sydney. Suko kissed Laura's cheek, stood, and left.
“Are you alright?” asked Ray, as they drove home.
“Seeing Patrick’s sister was a big shock. The last time I saw her, she and Patrick had imprisoned me, and they were starving me. They'd bring Sydney to me when he was hungry and say I could breast-feed him, if I signed an affidavit changing my police statement. If I see her again, I may have to kill her,” replied Suko. 
Ray put a hand on her two, which were clenching each other on her lap.
“I'm sorry,” he said.
“It's not your fault.”
“I wish I could have protected you.”
“You're here now,” she said, then she leaned over, to kiss his cheek.
Next evening, Ray fetched Suko from work. He was very tense.
“What's the matter?” she asked.
“I'm going to see my mother. If you're not coming with me, I’m not going,” he said.
“I'll go with you.” He gave her the hospital details, and she drove them there.
“I’ll wait here,” she said in the waiting room. She kissed his cheek and he went to his mother’s room. He joined her some minutes later. She stood. He sat down, she sat beside him.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
“She’s dying.”
“I'm sorry.”
“She wants to meet you.” Suko was surprised into silence. Ray looked up from his hands.
“She hasn’t got long,” he said tiredly. Suko took his hand and stood.
“Okay,” she said. He stood, and led her to his mother. His father was seated beside her. Suko greeted him, he ignored her.
“Mom, this is Suko. Suko, this is my Mom,” said Ray.
“Hello, Mrs...” said Suko. The woman in the bed shook her head, and held a hand out to Suko. Suko put her hand in hers. Mrs Parker tugged on her hand. Suko leaned down to her.
“Look after him. Don’t break his heart,” whispered Mrs Parker. Suko nodded. When no more words were said, she straightened. Mrs Parker looked at Ray.
“She's pretty,” she said, her voice sounding weak.
“Yes, she is,” said Ray. Suko looked down shyly.
“Suko, are you going to give me grandchildren?” asked Mrs Parker.
“I...I...” said a shocked Suko.
“Do you love him?”
“Very much.”
“Good. He loves you too. I don't like that he chose a woman of a different colour, but being on my death bed, I have to accept his choice.” She looked at Suko’s left hand, then she looked at Ray.
“I thought you loved her?” she said.
“I do,” said Ray.
“Then why doesn't she have a ring on her finger?”
“Well, I...we...it's...”
“No excuses, son. When you love a woman, you show her and the world, by walking to the altar with her, and saying I do. Got it?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Do your people accept your living in sin with Raymond?” asked Mrs Parker.
“No,” said Suko.
“And rightly so. Do the right thing, Raymond, I don’t want you murdered for toying with her.”
“I'm not toying with her!” said Ray. He and his mother shared a look.
“I’ve missed you,” she said. He smiled in disbelief.
“It's true,” she insisted.
“You missed insulting me, and belittling me?” asked Ray.
“I missed my son.”
“You sent me away.”
“I thought I'd scare you into marrying Lynn, but you left, and didn’t come back. I was trying to do what I thought was right for you.”
“I don’t believe that. You were trying to marry me into money. Lynn and I would never have worked. I can’t relate without my heart getting involved. Suko accepts my heart, and takes very good care of it,” he said, as he put an arm round Suko’s shoulders. Suko put an arm round his waist, and smiled at him. He kissed her forehead.
They both started when the machine that Mrs Parker was hooked up to, made a beeping noise. Nurses rushed into the room. Suko and Ray watched as the medical staff worked on his mother. 
In a very short time, the heart monitor produced a straight line. The medical staff continued to work on Mrs Parker, but nothing changed. They looked at Mr Parker, and shook their heads. He sat on the bed, beside his wife, and caressed her face. Suko kissed Ray's cheek, and made to leave.
“It’s your fault. How could you bring that black woman in here? You know your mother was against your union from the word go,” said Mr Parker.
“Suko did not kill Mom,” said Ray.
“I'll never forgive you for this, never!” Mr Parker said to Suko, then he looked at his wife.
Suko went to wait in reception. She decided that Mr Parker had spoken in grief, and that she was not going to get upset. She wanted to be there for Ray. He joined her some minutes later. She put her arms round him.
“I'm sorry for your loss,” she said. He nodded, and led the way to the car. Suko drove them home. Neither of them could sleep. 
Suko kissed him gently. He lay still, as she gently kissed and caressed his face, neck, chest, belly, and lower. She touched him intimately, stroking and caressing him until he shuddered in pleasure. She lay beside him, and he put his arms round her. Suko fell asleep.
After work next day, she went to see Laura. She was out of bed, and up and about. Viola kissed her teeth at Suko, but she did not send her away.
At home, Suko found a furious Ray.
“What's the matter?” she asked.
“He...he...I...” Ray was too furious to speak.
“What can I do?” Ray made several angry gestures, then he held out his arms. Suko walked into them, and held him tight. He held her tight, as she listened to him as he took in big breaths.
“My father says I can’t go to Mom's funeral with you,” he said.
“It’s okay, you can go.”
“Not without you!”
“I'll be here when you come back, and you can tell me all about it, and show me the DVD of the funeral.”
“Suko...” Suko kissed him.
“I’ll be here,” she said. Ray nodded.
The funeral was held the next day. Suko helped Ray to dress, then she watched him being driven off. She went to work, then she went to see Laura at Patrick’s house.



CHAPTER FOUR

“You!” said Patrick, opening the door to her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I live here, what brings you here?”
“I've come to see Laura.”
“She's not here.”
“Where is she?”
“None of your business.”
“What did you do to her?”
“Nothing! I didn’t touch her, that girl is a liar,” said Patrick, making it clear with his stance, that Suko would have to wrestle him to get into the house. She phoned Sydney as she drove away.
“Where did you get my number?” he asked.
“Never mind that. Where's Laura?” asked Suko.
“She and her mother moved out.”
“Where to?”
“I don’t know.”
“How can you not know?”
“Laura's mother's divorcing Baba because of what happened with Laura.”
“I see.”
“She's going to marry the father of Laura and Violet.”
“I thought Patrick was their father. Are you alright?” asked Suko.
“I'm fine.”
“Will you continue to relate with Viola?”
“She left.”
“She's your mother.”
“No, she isn't.”
“She raised you.”
“I was raised in boarding schools. On holidays, I was encouraged to go to friend's houses.”
“I'm so sorry.”
“Those are the times I hated you the most. I knew my mother would never have sent me to boarding schools. Baba told me she was busy with her other children.”
“I don’t have other children. If I'd raised you, I’d never have sent you to boarding school, unless you wanted to go, and I'd have wanted you home for the holidays. I'm sorry Sydney.” 
“It's all done with now.” After that call, Suko hired a private investigator to find Laura, then she went home.
Ray opened her car door for her, helped her out of the car, and kissed her. She gasped as he picked her up, and took her to the house. He put her on the bed, and climbed onto it beside her. Her kissed her, and disrobed her frantically. 
She tried to slow him down, but he wanted her naked. He was kissing and sucking on her breast, as he caressed between her legs. He left off touching her, and took his clothes off.
He kissed her when he was naked, and caressed her intimately, then he joined his body to hers. He started moving frantically, then he stilled and shuddered, before collapsing beside her. He kissed her cheek. She went to shower.
She found him in the dining room. He helped her into her seat, then he sat down.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“Hmm.”
“You don't want to talk about it?” Ray shook his head. He slept with his arms round her.
Suko's private investigator gave her Laura's new address, and Suko went there.
“What do you want?” asked Viola.
“To see Laura.”
“Why?”
“I want to be sure that she's alright.”
“Of cours she’s alright, she's with her mother, and unlike you, I don't dump my children.” Suko decided not to get upset.
“Can I please see Laura?” she asked. Viola looked her up and down, then she closed the front door. Suko waited, and a few minutes later, Laura opened the door.
“Aunty! Hi, what a pleasant surprise!” she said, hugging Suko.
“How are you?” asked Suko.
“Fine, thank you. I thought you’d forgotten about me.”
“I didn't forget. You look better,” she said.
“I feel great. I'm glad to be out of that house.” Suko nodded.
“I just wanted to be sure that you’re alright. I can’t stay,” she said.
“Have you seen buti Sydney?”
“No.”
“See him, he needs his mother.”
“But...”
“Please, Aunty. And when you see him, tell him I love him, and that he must come and visit. He’s still my brother.”
When Suko arrived home, she was surprised to see Ray. He had been working long hours all week long, and they had not seen much of each other. They dined together, then they made love.
“I've missed you,” said Suko
“I missed you, too. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Ray.”
Next evening, Suko went to Patricks' home.
“What do you want?” he demanded.
“To see Sydney.”
“He doesn’t want to see you.”
“Yes, I do,” said Sydney, appearing behind his father.
“No, you don't. She's a ...” said Patrick. Sydney side-stepped him, and took Suko's hand. He led her to her car, and climbed in beside her. She drove off to a restaurant, and they had a light meal.
“How are you?” she asked.
“I'm fine. Why did you come to see me?”
“Laura said to tell you that she loves you, and that you should visit, because you’re still her brother.” Sydney smiled, touched.
“Is that the only reason you came to see me?” he asked.
“No. I also wanted to be sure that you’re alright. It can’t be easy having Viola leave.” Sydney shrugged.
“I'm an adult, I can take care of myself,” he said.
“When you first came to see me, what did you want?” she asked.
“I wanted to hurt you for hurting me by dumping me, and for all the times I hurt, and wished you were there for me, but you weren't.” 
“Do you still want to hurt me?”
“And if I do?”
“Then I'll have to say, don’t come near me again. You don't have to hurt me, I hurt myself with guilt. I'd watch children your age, and wonder what you were doing, then I'd call myself all kinds of names for not being with you. Guilt was a big part of my life, but not anymore. I've forgiven myself. I hope that someday, you'll forgive me too, and that we can have some sort of cordial relationship. Much as I’d like it to happen, I don't see us having a loving relationship.”
“You want a loving relationship with me?”
“Almost as much as I want to live. You and Ray are the most important people in my life. He lets me love him, I don’t know if you can let me love you.”
“I don’t know either.”
“How are you and your father getting on?”
“We quarrel all the time.”
“Why?”
“Because we hate each other.”
“Sydney!”
“I hate him for lying about how I came about, and he hates me, because my birth led to his disgrace. You did well not to marry him. He'd have punished you every day of your life.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Only by telling me what a wicked mother I had.”
“I'm so sorry.” After their meal, Suko drove Sydney back to his home.
Some days later, Suko went to see Laura. She found Sydney there, he looked relaxed. Viola and her children clearly did not hold his father's behaviour against him. Suko did not stay long.
When she arrived home, she found Ray in the kitchen. He kissed her, and told her that dinner would be ready soon. After her shower, she joined him in the kitchen.
She sat watching him finish cooking. He was only wearing jeans. She noticed something sparkling on one of his ears, and went to touch it. She leaned up, and sucked on Ray's earlobe.
“Suko! I can't focus when you do that,” he said. She turned off the stove, and kissed him. In a short time, she had him on his back on the floor, as she caressed him, and kissed her way down his body.
She caressed him intimately, then she unbuttoned his trousers. She stroked his hardening masculinity. He was caressing her under her skirt. In a short while, she sank her warmth onto his hardness. She moved her hips, pleasuring them both, as he kissed and sucked on her breasts. She shuddered in pleasure, and collapsed on his chest. 
He shuddered with pleasure, and held her. She kissed his cheek.
“I'll be back soon,” she said, then she went to shower.
Next morning, she found Patrick in her office.
“What do you want?” she demanded.
“I want you to talk to Sydney.” he said. Suko laughed. 
“Why would you ask me to do that? After all the horrible stories you must have told him, I'm the last person that he'll listen to.”
“He trusts you.”
“No, he doesn't. He thinks I'm a liar, an abandoner, and...”
“Suko, please!” Suko was taken aback. Patrick was very upset.
“What's the problem?” she asked.
“He's left home.”
“He's an adult, he can take care of himself.”
“Who'll look after him?”
“He will, he must be quite good at it, after spending all those years in boarding schools.”
“Who told you about that?”
“He did.”
“I had to send him there. You weren’t there to take care of him.”
“I know.”
“If you’d married me...”
“You’d have made life miserable, for me and him. There's nothing I can say that Sydney will believe. You're the parent he trusts, you talk to him.”
“You heartless bitch!”
“You can leave of your own accord, or I can have you thrown out,” said Suko. Patrick stood, and left.
Next afternoon, Suko and Ray picnicked on the lawn outside their home. After the meal, Ray started kissing Suko. She held him close, and he rolled onto his back. Suko was lying half across his chest, a hand on his trouser zip, as she kissed his bare chest. She could feel Ray's hand on the back of her head, as his heart pounded with excitement.
“I taught you how to do that. Do you remember, Suko?” asked Patrick. Suko stilled. She felt Ray’s hand tighten on her head, then he released her, and sat up. Her face landed on his lap.
Ray raised her head and kissed her. She panted on his chest, feeling his arm round her shoulders, as she caught her breath after the kiss.
“What do you want?” she asked Patrick. He was seated beside her and Ray.
“I'm looking for Sydney.”
“I don’t know where he is. I haven’t seen him or heard from him in over a week.”
“You’re hiding him.” Suko sat up.
“No, she isn't,” said Sydney, joining the group.
“Suko hasn't been hiding me, I've been hiding myself,” he said.
“Why?”
“I didn't want to see you.”
“Why not? I'm your father.”
“I don’t want to see, or be the type f man that you are, abusing girls, taking babies from their mothers, and sleeping around.”
“Show some respect boy!”
“To whom? You? You don't respect yourself, I don’t have to either. Laura says you talked to her. Do you want to go back to jail for talking to her?”
“I wanted to see you.”
“Here I am.”
“Let’s go somewhere private.”
“What could be more private than the presence of my mother?” Suko gasped, surprised. Patrick gave her an accusing look. 
“You’ve taken him from me,” he accused.
“She has not,” said Sydney.
“You called her your mother.”
“You’ve always told me she was my mother. Do you want to change your story?”
“She is not a mother! She's a strumpet, who...”
Ray socked him on the jaw. Suko and Patrick gasped, then Ray started choking Patrick. Suko tried to get him off Patrick, but Ray would not let go.
“If you ever call Suko names again, I'll see to it that you have no tongue to call anyone anything,” Ray said, between clenched teeth.
“No, Ray, no!” panted Suko, her arms round Ray's waist as she tried to pull him away from Patrick. She could not budge him. She moved to his side, and kissed him. He released Patrick, held onto Suko, and kissed her deeply. She felt the ground beneath her back, and Ray's hand in her blouse.
“Ray! I don’t want to see that,” said Sydney. Ray broke the kiss, and looked at Suko. They were both panting. They turned to look at Sydney. He was seated beside Patrick, patting his back. Ray sat up. Suko sat up too.
“Get him out of here. Patrick, stay away from Suko. You had your chance with her, and you messed up. Now, she's with me, and I’m not going to lose her, to you, or anyone else. Sydney, get him out of here, unless you want to be fatherless,” said Ray.
Sydney helped Patrick to his feet, and led him away. Patrick was weak, and leaning heavily on Sydney. Suko stood to hold Patrick up, and relieve Sydney, and Ray drew her away. She watched as Sydney half-carried his father to a car, then they left in Patrick’s car, leaving Sydney’s car.
Ray kissed Suko hard.
“You’re with me, now,” he said.
“I know.”
“Don’t go anywhere near him.”
“I won't.”
“I mean it, Suko. If you so much as look at him, I'll kill him.”
“Raymond!” gasped Suko.
“He’s obsessed with you. I've told you that before.”
“I’m over him.”
“I'm not taking chances. Stay away from him, and if he comes near you, I want to know about it. Got it?”
“Yes.” Ray kissed Suko again, then he strode to his car, and drove off.
Suko spent the night alone. She phoned Ray, but he did not answer her calls.
After her shower in the morning, she found him in the bedroom. He presented her with a bouquet of flowers.
“Hi, honey,” he said.
“Hi, Ray. Where were you last night?”
“At my house.”
“You live here.”
“I should have called, I'm sorry.”
“What's going on?”
“Will you marry me?”
“What?” gasped a shocked Suko. Ray knelt before, took her hand in his, and kissed it.
“Will you marry me?” he repeated.
“I...I...I don’t know.”
“Will you think about it?”
“I don’t know.”
“I love you and you love me. Let's get married.”
“Why? We've been doing fine...until you met Patrick. You're jealous!”
“Of course I am. You have a son with him, and you have issues about him. I can't take the chance that you'll go off with him.”
“I won't. When he beat me, I got over him for good. There's nothing he can do that will make me get back together with him. I love you, and I'm in love with you. It's you I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
“So you’ll marry me?”
“I don’t know.” Ray stood, kissed Suko, then he went to shower. Suko sat down, thinking about the proposal. She had never thought of getting married. She wondered if she should think about Ray's proposal seriously. She shrugged, and dressed for work. Sydney fetched his car that evening.



CHAPTER FIVE

Some nights later, she found Sydney in her lounge at her home.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I’ve come to see you,” he said.
“I'll be with you after I've showered.”
“I'll be here.” After her shower, Suko returned to the lounge.
“I'm listening,” she said.
“Baba was in love with you,” he said.
“What are you talking about?”
“He told me. He said he wanted me back home because I'm part of you. I refused to go back. Some nights after we were last here, he killed himself.”
“Are you alright? It must have been a big shock to you.”
“I'm fine.”
“I'm sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.”
“When is the funeral?”
“It was held yesterday.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“I don’t know.” They were quiet for a while.
“Would you like to take a shower?” she asked. Sydney nodded. Suko led him to a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, and left him there.
She was cooking, when she heard Ray's car arriving. She met him at his car, with a kiss.
“Welcome home,” she said. 
“Thank you.” They walked into the house hand in hand.
“Is that Sydney's car?” asked Ray.
“Yes.”
“What does he want?”
“He doesn't know. His father killed himself some days ago.”
“Oh!”
“He's joining us for dinner.”
“I'll be ready to eat after my shower.” Suko went back to the cooking. She hummed as she worked.
“Can I help?” asked Sydney. Suko asked him to chop up some vegetables. He started slowly, having admitted to never having chopped vegetables before. He started chopping faster, then he dug his knife loudly into the chopping board. Suko got a fright, and looked at him.
His eyes were closed, and he had tears on his cheeks.
“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered. Suko switched off the stove, washed her hands, and put her arms round him. He resisted, then he subsided. He clung to her, sobbing. Suko saw Ray coming into the room, then he left quickly.
After a while, Sydney stopped crying. He tried to withdraw from Suko, but she held onto him. He sighed, and stayed in her arms. She kissed his cheek, and released him, then she looked at the vegetables.
“This is very artistic chopping,” she said.
“I know it’s horrible, but...”
“I didn't say it was horrible. Do you want to help me some more?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Set the table in the dining room. Go through that door, the cutlery's in the top drawer in there.” Sydney walked away from her, then he looked at her.
“I'm sorry,” he said.
“Don’t be sorry, just set the table. Ray gets pretty cranky if he's not fed regularly.”
“I heard that,” said Ray, entering the kitchen.
“It's true,” said Suko.
“Hi Sydney,” said Ray.
“Hi. Maybe I should go,” said Sydney.
“Maybe you should stay. I’ve made food for three, and I don’t want to see it go to waste,” said Suko.
“But...”
“Do as you’re told!”
“Yes, Ma'am,” smiled Sydney, then he left the room. 
Dinner was a light and relaxed meal. Afterwards, Suko told Sydney to use the bedroom that she had shown him to earlier. He thanked her, and went to sleep.
Next morning, Suko woke early, woke Sydney, and told him to go home, and get changed for work. She returned to bed.
“Where were you?” asked Ray.
“I was waking Sydney.”
“Come here,” said Ray, spooning behind Suko, and holding her tight.
Over the next few nights, Sydney came to dinner every night. One evening, when he went to his bedroom, Suko followed him, and opened a cupboard door.
“These clothes are for you. I bought them for you, so you don’t have to leave before dawn every morning. You have a toothbrush and everything else you could need,” she said.
“I didn’t ask you to...”
“No, you didn’t, I used my initiative.”
Suko arrived home early some days later, and found Sydney sitting on the front door step.
“How come you're back so soon?” she asked.
“When you left this morning, I climbed into my car, but I didn't go anywhere.”
“Why not?”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No! Why didn't you go to work?”
“I took a month's leave.”
“So all the times I sent you off in the morning, you had no place to go?”
“I'd go to my house, then come back for dinner.”
“You should have said. Now, you’ve been sitting here like an unwanted guest. Come. We're going to get you a key.”
“I don’t need a key.”
“Of course you do. Get in the car, let's go. Don’t argue, Sydney,” Suko said firmly. They climbed into the car, and went to get a set of keys cut for Sydney.
“You have a key now, you can come and go as you please,” said Suko.
“Will Ray be alright with this?”
“We'll see.”
“I don’t need charity.”
“I'm not giving you charity, I'm giving you love. Give me a chance to love you. Please Sydney. I've never been a mother, so I'll get things wrong a lot of times, but please, give me a chance.” Sydney did not respond.
At her home, she stopped the car, kissed his cheek, and alighted.
“Where were you? I rushed home, picking up a speeding ticket, and you were nowhere to be found,” said Ray, helping Suko out of the car, before kissing her cheek.
“Sorry.”
“Hi, Sydney,” said Ray.
“Hi, Ray.”
“Did you bring the food?” Ray asked Suko.
“Yes,” she replied, opening the boot. Ray took the food out.
“Come on, you two, let's eat,” he said, walking into the house.
“Maybe I should leave. You and Ray want to be alone,” said Sydney.
“Come,” said Suko, taking his hand, and leading him into the house.
After dinner, they watched a hilarious movie, then they sat talking. Ray lay with his head on Suko's lap.
“How's your family taking your father's death?” he asked.
“My family?” returned Sydney.
“Your siblings, uncles, aunts?”
“Badly.”
“Shouldn't you be comforting them, and getting comfort from them?”
“Are you telling me to leave?” Ray sat up.
“I'm trying to help you. You look so very sad, and that makes your mother sad. When you’re happy, she'll be happy too, so I want to help you find what makes you happy.” Sydney looked from Ray to Suko.
“I can't go to them,” he said.
“They are your family,” said Suko.
“My family wouldn't call my mother a murderer. They all say you killed him.”
“I didn’t.”
“I know.”
“I don’t mean to make you sad.”
“I know.”
When Suko and Ray were in their bedroom, she looked at him.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I gave Sydney a key to the house. He spent the day sitting outside.”
“Oh.”
“I'm sorry I didn't discuss it with you. I just felt so bad, seeing him looking so lost and miserable. Can he stay a few days? I'm sure he'll go home once his leave ends.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“If he doesn't what?”
“If he doesn't want to leave, what then?”
“Well...”
“Why do you want him here?”
“I feel like it's the least I can do for him.”
“Alright, but if he insults you, or steals, or can't get on with me...”
“He wouldn't...”
“You don't know that. We don't know him.” Suko looked down.
“We'll work things out, Suko. He'll stay, and we'll see how things go,” said Ray. Suko nodded.
She fetched Ray from work next evening. When they arrived home, they found Patricks' three sisters there. Suko felt her blood heat. They were talking to Sydney. They all turned to look at the car, as Suko parked it. She climbed out of it, and joined the little group.
“I knew it. I knew it! You wasted no time in stealing our son,” accused Niva.
“I...” said Suko.
“We've come to take him back.” 
“I'm not going anywhere with you,” said Sydney.
“Oh yes, you are, we are your family.”
“My mother's my family.” The women gasped.
“What is it you do to the men in our family? What makes you so irresistible to them, Sukoluhle? Sydney, you’ll come running back to your real family, when your so-called mother's through with you,” said Niva.
“I'll never be through with him, he's my son,” said Suko, putting a hand on Sydney's forearm.
“You're a liar! You lied about Patrick hurting you, when you'd asked for it, and now...”
Suko approached Niva, and slapped her. Niva gasped, and her sisters made to hurt Suko. Sydney put his arms round her, his back turned to the angry women. Suko stilled, surprised. Ray stood behind Sydney.
“Get off these premises before I call the police,” he commanded. The women argued. Suko freed herself from Sydney, and made to attack them. Ray and Sydney held her back.
“If you ever come anywhere near me, or my son, I won’t be responsible for my actions. Get away from here. Go!” shouted Suko, struggling to get at the women. They looked at Ray, who was on his phone, and left. Ray and Sydney released Suko.
“Don’t you ever endanger yourself that way again!” shouted Ray.
“I...” said Suko.
“What will I do if you get yourself killed? I'm not having it, Sukoluhle, do you hear me?” he demanded. Suko nodded. Ray stormed into the house.
Suko looked at Sydney, he was looking at her strangely.
“What is it?” she asked.
“No one's ever called me their son. Baba called me mfana, Viola called me her husband's child. Am I really your son?”
“Yes, you are and I'm very proud of you,” said Suko, putting her arms round him. She and Sydney followed Ray into the house.
He met them at the door. He kissed Suko, then he looked deep into her eyes.
“I love you. Will you marry me?” he asked.
“Raymond!” gasped Suko.
“You love me, I love you. Let’s get married.” She stared at him.
“Do you mind if I marry your mother, Sydney?” asked Ray. Suko gasped, and looked at Sydney. He looked from Ray to her.
“I’ve never seen a man as proud of loving a woman as Ray is. If you want my advice, Ma, marry him,” he said.
“Suko, what do you say?” asked Ray.
“Yes,” said Suko. Ray put his arms round her, and kissed her deeply. When the kiss ended, Suko was dazed. She watched as Ray put a ring on her finger, then he kissed her lightly.
“You’ll be best man, Sydney,” he said.
“Me?” said Sydney.
“You convinced your mother to say yes. I can't stand up with anyone but you. I hope that look means yes.” Sydney nodded.
“If we register tomorrow, we might get a booking on your birthday, honey. Would you like that?” asked Ray. Suko nodded.
“Congratulations,” said Sydney. Suko hugged him.
“I'm glad you’re here,” she said.
“So am I,” he said.
“So am I. Now that you've cheered up, your mother will cheer up too,” said Ray, hugging Suko and Sydney. 
Suko kissed Ray's cheek, then she kissed Sydney's cheek. It felt great to be alive.

###

GLOSSARY
Amalobolo –Bride price
Baba – Father
Buti - Brother
Damages – money paid to a woman’s family by the father of her child, if she gets pregnant out of wedlock
Mfana – Boy


Thank you for reading this ebook. I hope it transported you to an interesting realm and brought you joy.
OTHER BOOKS BY THABI MAJABULA
Becca’s Treasure
Complete Family
Lerato’s Heart
Letting Go
Molly’s Match
Noma’s Awakening
Sylvies’ Love
Where Themba’s Heart Belongs
Xoli’s Reluctant Groom