I would cry, but he would remind me of the good times we had and gave a reason not to cry. The 4th of November at 15h00 was the last day he held me in his arms, and he said, “If it’s the last thing I do, remember to look up in the sky and, when you see the stars, know that I will be there whenever you miss me! I love you Kedibone Leshobane!”

Leshobane? Maybe he said that because it was set to be our wedding day. Before I even told him I loved him back, he was gone. He was gone! I was in his arms and I was looking at him with tears running down my face, and that was it. Sibusiso was gone, I took a deep breath and smiled while drowning in an ocean of tears.

Death robbed me of an opportunity to grow old with the love of my life, but fate gave me a chance to be in his life for those last six years of his life. And like he said, whenever I missed him, I looked up at the sky and saw him in the stars. For once, that did really make sense because I still do that every day, and now with the company of my son.

After Sibusiso’s death, I learnt that he gave me a gift and there was a bun in the oven. Isibusiso!! Oh yes, a blessing from God; a blessing from mom in heaven; a blessing from Sibusiso; even a blessing from Mapheto’s husband. Actually, a blessing from fate! Sibusiso sam, I named him!

To rectify what I said in the beginning: I am Kedibone Leshobane, and this is my story!

Tell us: What have you learnt from this story?