The following morning Likhona went to church and her sister arrived by taxi. It dropped her in front of the gate with her bags and she went inside the yard as the gate was left open. Noxolo was to stay for some time while she wrote her exams and Likhona had told Thando to expect her when she left.

The next day Likhona threw Noxolo a small party to celebrate her being the top achiever of the third term. She invited Noxolo’s closest friend Simphiwe. They spent the day next to the fire place drinking beer and wine.

“Alright guys, I’m off to bed, too much wine is not good for my twin babies. We are all getting drunk now,” Likhona laughed as she went upstairs to her room.

“Oh, look at the time,” said Simphiwe picking up her jersey, “I must head home.”

“Alright, let me give you a lift home then,” offered Thando.

“Oh, how nice of you but, no thank you, my boyfriend is outside with his car. And besides, you guys are wasted. See you on Monday my friend. Bye guys, and thank you for the invitation, I enjoyed it,” she said as she went out to her boyfriend’s car.

Noxolo closed the door while smiling towards Thando who was now lying on the floor.

“I’m off to bed,” she said.

While Noxolo was about to take the stairs, she lost her footing and fell. Thando quickly stood up, drunk and sleepy like a toddler on medication, and picked her up and carried her to bed. Noxolo looked at him and accidently kissed him.

“Oh! I’m sorry,”

“No! It’s OK,” said Thando as he opened her room and laid her to sleep. Then he went downstairs to finish his beers and he went to sleep an hour later.

The following morning Noxolo woke Thando up with a shout. He looked side-ways and realised that he had slept in the wrong bedroom. He was also naked. He got up and took his clothes with him downstairs, leaving Noxolo sobbing with guilt as she tried to remember what had happened last night. But her thoughts had vanished in thin air and the bed was soaked with blood next to her half-dressed body.

Thando quickly got dressed up and acted like he was sleeping on the floor. Likhona woke up and found Thando on the floor in the lounge.

“Baby,” she was amused as she woke him up, “you should drop the alcohol, it’s not suitable for you,” she added on her way to the kitchen to make him a cup of coffee.

“Thank you baby!” he said as he acted sleepy, heading for bed.

Later, he found Likhona with her sister planning the baby shower in the dining room.

“He slept on the floor, can you believe it?” Likhona said with an endless smile but Noxolo looked at her sister sadly. “Oh! Look at him,” she said as she stood up from her seat, “you’re awake, sleepy drunken master,” she looked at him happily.

“What are you guys doing?” he asked.

“Come on baby, you forgot that I’m having my baby shower in three weeks’ time?”

“Oh well, I’m not included there, how much?” he asked.

“Here,” she gave him the list of all the necessary things that should be bought.

“What?” he looked closely, “no, this is too much,” he said.

“Noxolo,” said Likhona looking for backup, but her sister was in her own world.

“Some of the things here are not that important,” Thando said.

“Noxolo?” shouted Likhona. “Are you alright?”

Thando looked at her while pouring a juice.

“No! I’m not…”

Likhona approached her and took a sit next to her.

“What is wrong? Talk to me?” she gave Noxolo her total concentration.

“We have to tell you something,” she said.

“What do you mean ‘we’?” asked Likhona.

Thando purposefully dropped the glass and cut himself while picking it up.

“Oh my word, I’m cut, baby, I’m cut.”

Likhona quickly stood up and inspected her husband’s hand.

“Come on baby, this is a small cut,” she said.

“You’re right, let’s go and buy the things that are needed for the baby shower,”

“Really!?” asked Likhona as she looked into her husband’s eyes happily.

“Yes! Now baby, I’ll even give you guys extra cash,”

“Oh baby!” said Likhona as she hugged him. “You will make a good dad!” she said on her way upstairs to get dressed.

“Noxolo! Are you crazy?” he asked silently.

“This is not good, you know it too, we had sex, unprotected sex,” she shouted.

“Shh! Look, and listen to me clearly, your sister is very happy and I want her to stay that way. What happened between us happened, if it did. I don’t even remember but listen, that woman has my baby and I need her in good health, so please, save the drama,”

“Is there something wrong guys?” Likhona asked on her way down stairs.

“I was just telling Noxolo not to stress about her exams, she says she’s stressing too much,”

“Oh little sister, is that what you wanted to tell me? Don’t worry honey, I was just like you when I was doing Grade 12 and at the end, I came top in the whole province. My advice to you is just to study and practice,” she said smiling towards her.

“Yes! Just do that, that’s what we did,” added Thando, walking them towards the door.

***

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