At school, thinking hard, Sipho didn’t pay attention to what the teacher was saying.

“Sipho! What’s the problem?” shouted the teacher.

“Ma’am,” he said, amazed.

“I asked you a question and you just sat there saying nothing.”

“Um, yes, I’m really sorry ma’am, I was just thinking about something,” he explained.

The time for lunch came. Everyone went out, but Sipho just sat at his table thinking about his abusive mother who was always drunk. He remembered that he had nothing to eat with his sister that evening.

After lunch everyone went back to their respective classrooms and the lessons continued until the school was out.

On his way back home, Sipho saw his sister sitting on the stoep outside the house.

“What’s going on with you, Mbali?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why didn’t you go to school today?”

“Nah, no big deal, just leave it OK!” said Mbali.

“No Mbali!” screamed Sipho.

“Stop it! Just stop asking me questions and mind your own business, Sipho. Don’t you know that we do not have food to eat this evening? So I didn’t go to school because I was looking for money in order for us to be able to have something to eat tonight,” she said.

Sipho stared at his sister in amazement. “So what did you do? Did you get the money or what?”

“No, actually, the taxi driver just promised some money. He said I must come back to him in the afternoon,” she said.

“What! No, Mbali, what are you doing? Going around with taxi drivers is not safe. You really don’t know what he wants in return and I’m sure he is older than you,” said Sipho.

“Can you just stop talking so much? I have to go now.”

Mbali went out and Sipho went inside the house, straight to his bedroom. He was about to close the door when he heard some noise outside. He found his mother on a chair in the sitting room, shouting.

Sipho went back to his room.

After some hours, Mbali came back with plastic bags full of groceries. Her mother looked at her and said, “That’s what girls must do. Bringing food in the house is a very good thing to do, especially now as you are 16 years old. You are able to go out and bring food in the house.”

Mbali was hurt by those words, she went to her room and cried. Sipho knocked and entered her room.

“This is too much,” said Mbali.

“Yes, I know. It’s just that we cannot leave the house as you know there is no place where we can go. Mother is the only family we have. Every family member hates us because when mom is drunk she does stupid things and swears at everyone,” Sipho said.

“Yes, that’s true, there is nothing we can do now; she is our mom after all.”

In the morning when Sipho and Mbali entered the school gate they came across the teacher, Mr Khosana. They greeted him as they passed.

“Oh yes, children, how are you?” he asked.

“We are perfectly fine, sir,” Mbali said.

“Can I have a minute with you?” he asked.

“Me?” asked Mbali.

“Yes you, Mbali. Can you please go to the library and get me a science book for Grade 12? You will find me in my class.”

Mbali left Sipho standing with Mr Khosana and went to the library.

“Sipho, go to your class,” he said.

“No, sir, I am waiting for my sister to come back.”

“Why? It’s not like she went to some strange place she doesn’t know; she just went to the library, she will soon come back.”

“Yes, I know it’s not a strange place, but you are the strange one. Why don’t you go to your class because you told Mbali that she would find you in your classroom?”

He was about to shout at Sipho when he saw the principal. He walked towards the staff office instead.

Sipho thought, why is he behaving so strangely? I wonder where he went, I will have to keep an eye on him before he does something.

Sipho waited in a corner by the class and watched Mr Khosana. Then he noticed him going into the library.

“Um, sir, I don’t see any science book for Grade 12, I only got the one for Grade 11,” said Mbali.

“I know,” he responded.

Confused, Mbali asked, “What do you mean you know, because you just sent me here to look for the book and now you say you know there was no book?”

“Yes, I knew, but I don’t want any book. I want you, Mbali. Ever since I saw you I have been thinking about you.”

“Um, sir,” Mbali said, in a crackly voice.

“Shhh, don’t say a word my girl. You know it’s only me and you, no one else in this room, so come close to me,” he said, moving towards Mbali.

Mbali said, with a small voice, “No, sir, you can’t be doing this.”

“What, Mbali, what did I do? I have done nothing wrong, come closer.”

He came closer to Mbali and was trying to kiss her when Sipho ran into the library.

“What are you doing?!” shouted Sipho, “Leave my sister alone, you useless man!”

“Ow, look who is here, your little hero. I’m not surprised you came,” said the teacher in a small voice, looking at Mbali. “You are lucky because your nosey brother came and saved you.”

Sipho ran to his sister and asked. “Are you good, sister, did he do anything to you?”

“Yes, I am fine, he didn’t do anything to me, don’t worry. Let’s go and leave this place,” she said, with tears in her eyes.

They went to their classes.

After school, at home, they found their mother having fun with her friends, drinking and eating the food that Mbali had bought.

“What’s going on, mom? “Mbali asked.

“Can’t you see that I’m having a fun with my friends, are you blind, Mbali? Go to your room and leave me alone please,” she said.

“But mom…”

“Just go, Mbali, or I will slap your face!” she shouted.

They both went to their rooms.

After a few minutes Mbali heard someone screaming.

“Mbali, Mbali, Mbali, come quickly, your mother is dying!” a voice shouted.

Mbali ran to the sitting room where her mom was earlier and found her lying on the ground.

“Mom, please wake up! Sipho, can you call the ambulance?”

At the hospital the doctor told Mbali her mother had a heart attack, but her condition was not bad as they managed to get her to the hospital in time.

Two months later

Mbali and Sipho were sitting with their mother in the lounge.

“I am very sorry my children, I am now trying hard to change. Please forgive me for everything I did to you,” she said.

“It’s OK, mom, we have already forgiven you and we are happy that you are happy. We’re also happy to see you back with us again,” Sipho said.

“Mom, we love you so much,” said Mbali.

They all hugged and lived happy ever after.

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