“Once upon a time there was a girl called Brenda. She didn’t further her studies but her mother helped her do a course in Catering so she could look after her three children, by different fathers,” Granny sips the tea quickly, twice.

“Sounds boring,” Xolile lifts her eyes wider and grasps.

“I am still talking,” she says chewing in small pieces of the scones. “Everyone loved her catering so she decided to grow it. Brenda rented a big two roomed shop and started catering for a hospital. She got a tender to cook for 50 staff members, breakfast and lunch. She was 22 years and met Benny, a Grade 11 boy at Matshelo High school. Her friends were against her relationship because she was now a ‘sugar mama’ and she had a Ben10 who needed to be spoiled. Obviously there was no future for them but Benny got benefits from her. She bought gifts, clothing and shoes for him with her business.”

At this point, Xolile is sitting up, listening to Granny’s story with interest.

“Brenda’s mom didn’t know about the relationship and Brenda knew it would break her heart if she did. Brenda was pregnant at 15 and continued school after giving birth to twin boys. She was vulnerable, she would be manipulated by the father of twins that he will marry her but it didn’t happen. The father was a thief who was later shot dead before the twins were born. Then she met George and gave birth to the girl. Her mother supported her through all those years. But Brenda seemed to forget it, she hoped one day she would get married as her friends.”

“Granny, Brenda is an idiot,” Xolile hisses angrily.

“All women get promised by lovers non-existing things and they fall for it,” she warns, staring at Xolile worriedly.

“I won’t be like her, I promise,” she assures her and touches her Granny’s hand.

“Brenda became a businesswoman at a young age and a lot people recognized her. Benny left school and she got pregnant. Now her children increased to four. Benny was still unemployed and used to the fact that Brenda will support her financially. He didn’t want to work. He would sneak out at night to sleep with Brenda and she still lived with her mother in a seven-roomed house. Three single rooms were built outside, one of them was her bedroom. Things got ugly when her mother caught Benny in bed.”

***

Tell us: How do you think Brenda’s mom will react?