After their non-mutual love making, Nombuso stands up, feeling jovial. “Now, that was good. As good as I can remember,” she compliments, and Zanele nods in response with tears in her eyes. “Wipe those tears off your face,” Nombuso yells while wearing her clothes.

“Can I go check on my son?” Zanele asks.

“He is asleep. After all that, I’m sure you’re hungry and tired. I’ll make food for us,” Nombuso says, going down the stairs.

Once Nombuso is gone, Zanele kicks off the blankets and runs to the panic button in her bedroom. She then pushes it and goes back to bed. Nombuso comes back after a few minutes with a tray.

“Breakfast is served,” Nombuso says to Zanele.

Zanele smiles in response, and takes the tray from Nombuso’s hands. “Thank you baby,” she says, nodding.

“My pleasure. You look so good when you’re not fighting me,” Nombuso responds, kissing Zanele’s lips.

“What good has fighting done me?” Zanele says, eating her food. She knows that in the next ten minutes, the security will be raiding her place. “Has Simphiwe eaten?” she asks.

“Oh yes. I’ll go feed him, so finish up here,” Nombuso says, leaving.

Once Nombuso is gone, Zanele lays in bed. “Where are those damn securities?” she wonders. “They better get here, fast.” She then gets up, wears her clothes, and goes downstairs.

“We can leave now, Zanele. If we leave now, by the time Lihle gets back, we will be long gone,” Nombuso says as soon as she spots Zanele coming down the stairs.

“I just need to pack a few clothes for myself and my son. But what about my daughter?” Zanele asks.

“We’ll pick her up from school,” Nombuso responds.

Instead of saying anything further, Zanele sits down, and starts counting the minutes and seconds. “Where are the damn police and security?” she wonders.

“You are uneasy. What’s wrong with you?” Nombuso asks, staring at Zanele while putting Simphiwe down.

“I’m just not feeling okay,” Zanele responds, lying.

“Aww. I missed you too, baby. You will be fine now that I’m here,” Nombuso says, sitting next to her.

After a while, the two of them hear commotion outside. There is noise and police sirens, so Nombuso jumps up. “The hell, Zanele?” she screams, picking Simphiwe up. “How many times do we have to go through this?” she yells, aiming the gun at Simphiwe’s head.

“Put him down, please. Take me,” Zanele begs.

“No, no, no. Today, we will all die. I die, he dies, and you die,” Nombuso shouts.

“Leave Simphiwe out of this. Kill me,” Zanele cries.

“But if I kill you, then I can’t have you. Zanele, you have two options. Either you marry me, or your wife plans a funeral for you. If I can’t have you, then nobody else will,” Nombuso says.

“I’ll marry you,” Zanele quickly says.

***

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