My brain was still trying to comprehend what I had just discovered. I read the note over and over again while still in the car. It would explain a lot. Her always working through the night, her mysterious business calls, the times when she would forget or “misplace” her ring and the times she would make herself up when going out to work.

But then again, I could have just been reading too much into things. One thing was for sure, I was not going to confront my mom any time soon. Besides I had far too little evidence anyway.

Next morning was like any other morning except my eyes widened as I caught a glimpse of the dining table. Elena had prepared the biggest breakfast I had ever laid my eyes upon. There was everything from bacon and eggs with homemade hash brown to gourmet pancakes with strawberries and syrup on our little glass, circular kitchen table that barely sat four. The smell was delightful and filled the air with pleasant energy.

Perhaps Mom was feeling guilty for an action that she “might” have done the previous night. Or maybe even worse she could have been in a good mood after a real good night out. Dad and Sam had already been seated as I made my way to the overwhelmed table. They were just as confused as I was, but the combination of joy and hunger had probably forced any scepticism they had out the window.

“Is Mum dying?” asked Sam rather sincerely in his slight English accent he had picked up from Dad.

“I hope not,” I giggled.

‘Ha-ha-harr, very funny,’ she responded. ‘What? A wife can’t cook a decent meal without rousing suspicion in her household?’

“No,” my dad interjected. “Except you never cook breakfast love,”

“Wow, this is how one gets treated when they prepare a nice breakfast?” she exclaimed, walking in with a jug of orange juice.

“We’re just teasing love,” reassured Dad. “We all are grateful for your effort.”

“Thank you,” she quickly snapped while grabbing a seat.

One thing was for certain, I had to see if mom was truly being honest about her whereabouts of the previous night. There are no office jobs that hands workers roses with a note thanking the employee for a good night out with a beautiful lady – especially on a Saturday night. I just had to find out what was really going on.

“Mom…” I announced.

“Yes,”

“I’m sorry to have caused you any trouble when I asked for you to come pick me up from your… I’m sorry what was it that kept you at the office so long again?” I asked, looking her in the eye.

“Agh you know, work stuff,” she smilingly answered, quickly breaking eye contact and nervously reaching out to her glass of juice.

“Oh? Wow then it must’ve been one hell of a mission getting those flowers,”

“No. I got those…” she stared at her glass before bringing it to her lips “I got those at lunch break,’ she countered, still smiling.

“And the little white n-…” I quickly stopped myself. Her smile disappeared and she almost instantaneously looked me dead in the eye, still holding the juice by her lips. There was a now silence at the table as even Sam was now listening quite intriguingly.

“Pass the pepper, would you please Thando,” she requested. I reached out for the pepper and while handing it to her I noticed her squinted eyes.

“OHKAYYY…” Dad exclaimed, rolling his eyes in confusion.

I knew it. I knew Elena was up to no good. Ever since I was adopted I could tell there was more than met the eye with her. Everybody was fooled by her – except me. Yet what could I do. If I told Dad it would most likely destroy the first family I have ever had.

*****

“Thando!” Mr Larson ordered. “Thando, when are you going to hand in my maths assignment? It’s Monday; the assignment had to be handed in last Thursday already,” I quickly snapped from my day dream.

“Uhm… I’m sorry what sir?”

“My Financial Maths Assignment, when can I expect it?”

Before I could answer the bell rang and most of the pupils rushed out the class to be first in line at the school tuck-shop during first break. I could not help but reminisce all day about the note I had found in Elena’s car and the breakfast ordeal that took place the Sunday after.

While Mat and I were making our way to our lockers, I had the feeling of some learners laughing over their shoulders.

“Don’t mind those idiots,” Mat whispered.

“Easy for you to say; it’s not like you actually heard how awful I deejayed on Saturday,”

“No I didn’t, but don’t beat yourself up about it bud. Maybe you’re just not cut out for the deejay scene,”

At the end of the school corridor I could see a small group of familiar looking individuals.

“Hey, are those who I think they are?” I asked Mat, nudging him in the arm.

“Yeah, it’s some of the people who were at my braai on Saturday,” answered Mat, hesitatingly. “What of it?”

“Why are they pointing and laughing at us… Oh, I see it’s me they laughing at,” I hissed. “Oh I’ll give them something to laugh at!”

“Uh-oh I don’t like the look in your… Wait why are you rushing towards them?” Mat yelled from behind. ‘Thando! Wait, come back… Thando!’ As I came towards the group one boy completely burst into laughter.

“Haha, if it isn’t Dj Fresh himself!” he yelled. I now stood in the middle of the group of about seven individuals who were scattered around their lockers, situated at the end of the corridor. Shortly afterwards I cleared my throat.

“Yho listen up guys, listen up,” I started. Most of the group was not paying attention and of the ones that did, were giggling as I spoke. “Right I know, my deejaying was off the last time,”

“Off?” one boy shouted. ‘It sounded like a cat being run over by a bus dude!” The group laughed and quickly went quiet again.

“Ja anyway, I have a proposition for you guys,” I continued. “Mat’s birthday is coming up soon right?”

“It is? Don’t tell me you’ll be deejaying again?” another boy cried.

“As a matter of fact I am… But wait, let’s put money to it,” I demanded. ‘”I’ll give a hundred bucks to everyone who thinks my deejaying is bad. However if my deejaying is good, you will each give me 50 bucks… Deal?”

“You better believe it!” one boy remarked, as he jumped to shake my hand.

“Easiest hundred bucks I’ll ever make,” another shouted.

“Count me in!” a third shrieked. And as I turned around I saw Mat a few meters away from me, shaking his head as he walked away.

All I wanted to do was to make right for embarrassing Mat and myself at his braai. Today was the day I wanted to do right all my wrongs. The day to make right with Mat and also to tell Dad that his wife was having an affair.

If the day started so badly, how would I still break the news to him?

***

Tell us: Can Thando pull this off?