Rudo paid her a visit the next day.

“I found the family who took my baby,” she told Rudo who was instantly surprised.

“Did you see her?” Rudo asked holding her hands.

“No, she ran away,” Tatenda said with no hope.

Tatenda went on telling her how Ray’s family treated Thandi. Tears flowed when she spoke about the rape and how Aunt Musa hated her.

“I thank God I met Ray,” Tatenda said after Rudo hugged her.

“You will find her, God will make everything possible,” Rudo comforted as her friend cried loudly.

Tatenda was in love with Anesu, who was a doctor. She had been honest with him and told him all her secrets. He wanted to marry her but first, she had to make peace with her daughter.

One day, when she didn’t have any clients, Ray visited her office. His presence made her feel even guiltier about what she did years back.

“Here is Thandi’s picture, if you still want it,” Ray said giving her the picture.

Tatenda stared at it for a while and saw that Thandi, at five-years-old looked just like her in her teens. She loved the picture; everything seems to make her smile. She had committed a big sin, she realised, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“You can ask, Ray,” she said wiping her tears. Tatenda wanted answers to where her child was and in her heart she knew that Thandi was still alive.

“Why are you so concerned about Thandi?” Ray asked watching her carefully.

“Uhm… I… uh… You…” She tried to speak.

“I can see that you are her mother. How could you dump an innocent baby?” He hissed, hatred evident in his tone.

“I made a mistake. My life has been incomplete without her,” Tatenda cried in a low voice.

Her hands covered her eyes as Ray walked closer to where she sat behind her desk.

“You are heartless. I don’t understand you. Every year women abandon their babies for what? Don’t tell me you had dreams to fulfil. Suddenly your life is incomplete!” He shouted at her.

Her hands were still covering her eyes as she continued crying. She was damaged and her heart ached with pain.

“I was young,” she said standing up, but nearly fell back down from the effort.

Tatenda could hear Ray shouting at her; it played over and over on her mind like a recording. After that meeting she avoided meetings with Ray. She would ask the receptionist to fetch the files she needed from Ray and send them back to Ray with the receptionist. It was a hard life for her at work. She had to carry on living though.

A month later, Mrs Daniels came back to drop her will signed and sealed.

“I am happy you signed it and took your time doing so,” Tatenda said to a smiling Mrs Daniels.

She went through the will while the elderly white lady sat there. She caught the name of the adopted child, it was Thandi. The will said that Thandi had been born in 2006 and adopted in 2016 while in the hospital.

“Mrs Daniels, where did you find the adopted child?” Tatenda asked slowly.

“In the hospital, she had been living on the streets,” Mrs Daniels answered.

“Do you have a picture of her?” Tatenda carefully asked.

“Yes, I do.” Mrs Daniels answered, unbothered by Tatend’s request. Mrs Daniels opened her handbag and took out a small picture which she handed to Tatenda. “Is something wrong, my daughter?” She asked seeing Tatenda looking shocked.

“No, but may I please keep the picture?” Tatenda asked.

Mrs Daniels nodded and walked out of her office. Tatenda took out the picture that Ray had given her out of her drawer and compared it to the one that Mrs Daniels had just given her. The girl on both pictures was Thandi.

She dialled Ray’s office number and asked him to come to her office immediately. Two minutes later, Ray stepped into her office.

“Come in,” she said gesturing Ray towards the chair opposite her desk.

“You called me, Miss Shumba,” he said professionally, obviously not interested in her personal life.

“I found Thandi! Mrs Daniels, my client adopted her,” she said excitedly.

“I thought this was business, Miss Shumba,” he replied and walked towards the door.

“Ray, please forgive me. I did wrong and I admit it,” she said loudly.

He stopped at the door, turned around and sat in the chair, clearly unhappy.

“I want her to know I am her mother if she doesn’t forgive me, at least I will have peace,” Tatenda said determinedly.

“It’s not going to be that easy, she will be hurt,” Ray said.

“I am doing the right thing,” she said trying to sound more convincing.

“When do you plan on going to see her?” He asked standing up from the chair.

“Next week, I have to accept whatever will happen,” Tatenda answered.

Ray walked towards the door and looked back before exiting. “All the best,” he said and walked away.

***

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