“Dario… had another girlfriend…” Evan said t Tuneesah.

“Jy joke seka nou Evan…”

“Nee rerig nou, die ger wat hy gehad het was ini mag ma hy wou ni vi Bishni seer maaki ma hy wou n lewe vi hom laaitie gee, hy kon ni want wat van Bishni nou, vestan jy?” Evan asked.

“I see, now who is this girl?”

“Ek weet nie, ma sy loop nog skool en sys by Bishni se ou skool, ek kan nie haar name onthou nie,” Evan said.

“Wa die kindt?” Tuneesah asked

“God knows alone. Last time nog so paar weke voor die man se dood het hy gehoor van die kindt, miskien is die baby nog nuut, wie weet?” Evan said, holding his head.

“Hey man! Jou kop so hou nie. Ek en jy kan die ger mos gaan uitcheck, miskien is dit nie eens sy kindt nie en jy weet hoe was Dario, hy is baie sag en gee baie om vi amal.” Tuneesah said.

“Ja nuh, ook weer waar. Ons kan mos gaan tot in haar kol some nou.” Evan said.

“Nou kom an, ek weti hoe gaan ek die bou vi Bish se nie my bru.”

“Humble nog man, tot ons die regte ding hoor. Ek gaan haar nou se wat gaan vir wat.” Evan said and they went in.

*****

“Tuneesah, when are we leaving?” I asked

“Now, Evan wants to take us somewhere quickly,” Tuneesah said and we walked to the car, got in and drove to Mitchelles Plain.

“Where’re we going guys?” I asked

“To a girl, she has something Tuneesah wants to know.” Evan said.

We then stopped at a corner house. I assumed this was where this girl lived that Tuneesah wanted to see. Tuneesah got out and opened my door too, we then went in and a coloured girl was sitting on the couch holding a baby boy.

“Evening,” Tuneesah and I said

“Goeie naand, kan ek dalk help?” the girl asked.

“I’m Neesah and she’s Kylie,” Tuneesah said.

“Neesah but…”

“Just… go with it please,” Tuneesah said to me.

“That’s a really cute baby boy you have,” Tuneesah said.

“Dankie, hy aard na sy pa,” the girl said.

“Sy pa se jy? Wie is sy pa?” Tuneesah asked.

“Hoekom so baie vrae dan? Ons ken skaars mekaar?” she said.

“Ken jy dalk vir Dario, hy was onlangs oorlede,” Tuneesah said.

“Ja dus sy kind die,”

“En jy is so seker van jou damn saak nuh? Eks seker dus ni syne ni,” Neesah said.

“Hy wou nie sy kindt ken nie, hy wou eerder met sy Muslim ger wees,” she said

“Muslim…?” I asked.

“Yes meisa, haar naam is Bishni,” she said.

“I… oh… so it’s Dario’s baby this?” I asked.

“Yes meisie, it’s his blood this,” she said

“Don’t listen to her, she’s lying to you. She just wants a dad for her child because the real one she did it with, ran away now she wants to frame Dario. She’s not getting away with this and DNA results will prove the truth,” Tuneesah said.

“I want to go home Neesah.” I said.

“Bishni…?” the girl asked.

“Yes I am Bishni, the Muslim girlfriend of Dario,” I said.

“Dus jy wat hom gehou het van sy kind af,” She said trying to hit me but Tuneesah stepped in and stopped her.

“Jy gaan nie haar slaan nie, I won’t allow that! And this isn’t Dario’s child, that I can assure you!” Tuneesah said, while taking my hand and walking out to the car where Evan was waiting.

“How did it go?” Evan asked.

“Don’t even ask Evan, it didn’t go well, she’s so sure that its Dario’s child and you know I’m thinking it is so. I’m gonna search for answers and the real father,” Tuneesah said

“Neesah, don’t do things that you know will come out badly and somewhere someone might get hurt, badly. And we both know the person who’s going to get hurt is Bishni and its going to affect her life badly. Take things slow from now on and if you’re going to do the whole investigation thing, don’t do it alone, ask Ari or Luke to go with you.” Evan said.

“I can do it alone too, om nog ane mense te nader gan die situation nog bad maak Evan,” Neesah said.

“Ask Ariana to go with you Neesah.” Evan said.

“Okay, just drive to her now let me ask her.” Neesah said.

We drove all the way to Ariana’s house and she wasn’t there, she was at Wayne’s. We drove to Wayne’s house and got her there, still smoking a pipe.

“Bish, you still up?” Ariana said.

“Sadly, yes…” I said.

“What’s up guys? I sense trouble and why is my girl so down…” Ariana asked.

“Almost got into a fight! With that low class b… I don’t want to upset myself now again.” Neesah said.

“Ari, ry saam met Neesah en Bishni aseblief,.” Evan said

“Sure babe.” Ari said.

Neesah, Ari and I drove to the girl’s house again and we all got out. Ariana wasn’t scared at all, she looked so tiny but she was really strong; she could put anyone in their place. As we got out the girl came out too.

“Is it she this?” Ariana asked

“Jah, sy dai! She wanted to slap Bishni, ask why,” Tuneesah said.

“Julle behoort nie hie ni wuh, ons donner julle amal hie! Vestan jy my!” she said.

Ariana laughed.

“We aren’t scared of you either girly. You see us girls, can stand our own ground very nice and we’ll show you what donner really mean,s so don’t underestimate someone you don’t know. You’re so small and you still have a baby, you should look at yourself in the mirror first before slapping other people, especially MY people,” Ariana said.

“Ek kani help as Dario kind gemaak het by my nie!” she said.

“It’s not Dario’s baby and you know that,” Ariana said.

“Dit is sy kindt die! Jy wasi by nie,” she said.

Tuneesah then stepped up to her and slapped her in the face because she was tired of the lies. The girl fell to the ground and Neesah wanted to get on top of her to punch her but Ariana stopped her.

“Neesah! Stop it!” Ariana said.

“Jy beter jou girl control!” she said.

“Shut your mouth!” Ariana said.

“Ek soek die bladdy truth Ari! Ek gani laat sy weg kom met dit ni,” Neesah exclaimed.

“Tuneesah, don’t work yourself up like that… leave the whore alone, Astagfirulla.” I said.

“Noem jy my n ho? Jy slap met my kindt se pa ma eks die ho,”she said.

“No, sorry… you’re much worse than a whore. You’re a liar, a liar because you don’t have a father to your child. Now you’re wanting Dario to be there for your son that’s not even his. I honestly don’t know why you get mad at the things we say to you… but it’s clear, My Dario, ain’t the daddy,” I said.

“OK! Jys reg… dit is nie sy kind nie, is jy nu gelukkig?” she said.

“No, but I hope you are… bye,” I said and walked off. I started to understand Afrikaans but only when I was mad, weird right?

Ariana stood by the girl and watched me leave with Tuneesah. After having a conversation with the girl, Ariana came back to the car and we dropped Tuneesah off at home and then we went to my house. My mom was furious when I came home the next day.

“Salaam mum.” I said, walking in the kitchen looking at my mom.

“Salaam,” She said.

“I’m sorry I came now only, Tuneesah and Ariana showed me how the city looks at night, I went with because I thought mom won’t mind…” I said.

“It’s one in the afternoon, Bishni! And you expect that I won’t mind? I haven’t raised you like this, this is no way for a Muslim girl to act!” she yelled at me.

“Mom said that I should go out and enjoy myself. I wouldn’t have gone if Mom didn’t say so, so don’t blame me. Be happy I’m here!” I said and walked to my room, my mom didn’t call after me. She was probably shocked for the way I talked with her.

I cried the whole time in my room. Over Dario, and over that girl who lied on his name. I mean what kind of monster does that! I wondered if this wasn’t what Zaahir wanted to tell me.

*****

Tell us: Do you think Zaahir knew about the girl? Could it be true?