The following day was the begining of the fasting and I did not really eat. I’m the one who dished the food for people so I just did not dish for myself. Oh the food smelled so nice and I wanted to eat it but I did not. It was hard but I had to hold on. The boys still came to play cards and they all left one by one and I remained with Buhle as usual.

“How are you coping so far?” He asked me.

“I’m okay, and you?”

“It’s hard Slie.”

“Be strong baby.”

“Slie from this moment as long as I live I will love you, I promise you this. There is nothing I would not give from this moment on.”

He knew I loved Shania Twain with all my heart but his eyes did tell me that he meant every word of it. When he saw that I wanted to cry. He changed the subject and talked about funny things. I laughed untill my stamach ached. God I enjoyed being with him. It was as if there is no other heaven I’m still going to see except for him. After he made me laugh so many times I gave him a serious look. I looked at him straight in the eyes.

“Oooohh heaven is a place on earth.”

He had heard a song that goes like that before but my eyes told him I meant every word.

Time was so jealous: every time I was with him time would run so fast and the day would end very quickly. But at least I only felt hunger when he was not with me. Unfortunately I could not be with him all the time, we had eyes watching us.

On that day before I went to bed my aunt told me to stop playing cards with Buhle alone right until I had fixed Andile. I knew the hunger would attack me now, but for love I was willing to beat it.

The following day it happened as my aunt wished: I did not play with Buhle alone I did not even go under the tree that day. He came to me he found me in the kitchen. I did not want to run away or be away from food I wanted to be around it and still not eat it when I was dying to. He came in and he cried the moment he saw me.

“Slie I can’t hold on anymore if I don’t eat now I’m going to die. I tried but I failed I just can’t.”

I did not say anything to him. I just prepared him food and he ate like he was eating for the last time. He told me he never ever again will try this in his life. I was so glad that he had tried, that way he knew how hard what I was doing was just because of him. He respected me a lot. I was his heroine.

I prayed so hard like a dying cat in its last minutes. For the first time I even cried when I prayed. I was buying this love with tears, pain and sorrow. I was buying Buhle with tears, pain and sorrow. I wanted him to be mine freely. I wanted to love him freely. I was fighting for the freedom to love.

It was finally the third day of fasting. I wanted to eat so bad. It seemed even harder towards the end of it, the fasting. I just stayed in bed. I had no energy at all.

I told everyone who asked me that I had a headache and was allergic to the pills that people offered I take. I slept the whole day. I only woke up to pray, only Buhle knew I was doing that. He was so worried he thought I was going to die. He could see I was weak.

Well, there was nothing much he can do he just had to hope that nothing happens. Indeed nothing happened.

The following day I woke up and I ate. I felt so proud of myself. Even if it did not work but I knew I gave it my best try. I ate seven times that day and that day seemed so long. I guess it’s because I did not get a chance to be with Buhle.

Since everything comes to an end that day came to an end too although it took so long.

The fifth day finally came – a day I have been waiting for, a day that would decide if I can be with Buhle or not. I quickly went to wake up Andile. I took him to my bedroom. It seemed as if he got worse instead of better. He laughed even more. He just seemed worse. I cried. After so much hard work. Life is not fair, its better if I die my aunt better kill me I don’t want to live no more. I thought to myself.

“Slie why are you crying? I was only fooling you. You did it! You did it I am normal. I can remember all the things I did in the sky but I am free from that now, all because of you. I love you so much.”

I just stared at him and then started crying but now these were just tears of joy. I could not believe I had done it, I could not believe God helped me. Amazingly he did, I was not dreaming. Andile ran to my aunt and after few minutes my aunt called me. Buhle was already there, she asked me to sit next to him.

“Slie I don’t know how to thank you. You have made me a better person. Today I am not a joke around this place because of you. Thank you. Buhle is yours you can have him for as long as you want.” I held Buhle’s hand tight as she was talking.

“Both of you can visit anytime you want to when you get a chance, you are always welcome.”

“About that, mom, I want Slie to go to school here – if she goes I’m going with her.” Andile said.

“I want my son next to me. Next year he will start school – I want and I need him here. So I will call your uncle, Slie, and tell him that you are now going to school here. Your brother Nduku can bring you a remove from your school and bring it here. Since you got your report, it’s cool.”

I did not expect that. It was more than exciting. Buhle stared at me with his eyes full of tears too.

“It looks like we made it, look how far we’ve come my baby. They said I bet they will never make it but just look at how strong we’v gone. We are still together still going strong. I’m glad we didn’t listen – look at what we would be missing. They said I bet they will never make it but just look at us holding on.”

His eyes told me he meant every word. He took out his cell phone and he played the song Shania Twain you are still the one. Everyone else was still sleeping. The moment the song began we began kissing in front of my aunt and Andile. It was the victory and the celebration felt like double heaven.

The End