Zulus are firm believers of two things: Izintaba azihlangani kodwa abantu bayahlangana – mountains never meet but people always do. Lapho amanzi ake amakhona aphinde ame – if it happened once, it will probably happen again. It was on this sunny Friday afternoon at The Royal Show grounds in Pietermaritzburg, where these two beliefs were put to the test.

Three years prior to this day, Portia came clean to her aunt and the rest of the family about her divorce and infertility. Admittedly, this was all very surprising to them, since she had kept these secrets quite well. Nonetheless, they stood by her side and supported her throughout the entire divorce proceedings.

Following her aunt’s advice, she did not put up a fight with Sipho. They settled out of court and she even agreed to pay for his lawyer’s fees. Their parting was relatively amicable, but a friendship was definitely not on the cards for them and they never kept in touch.

Newly divorced Portia, finally started living a life she had once feared. She was at peace with herself and began her journey of self-rediscovery. Although at the peak of her career, her first decision was to resign from the accounting firm, much to Amber’s delight. She then sold her majestic manor as it harboured memories of a superficial life, she once led. She moved back home so as to be closer to her family. She joined forces with her father and became dedicated in assisting towards further development of the community she once tried to leave behind.

Her bond with Nozipho was also stronger than ever, and they made sure to make more time for each other. Nozipho never stopped offering to introduce her to some Ben 10s, which Portia constantly declined. She was no longer in a rush or felt pressured to be in another relationship. Seeing these drastic changes encouraged her aunt to find the strength to finally leave Mlenze, for good.

Kerry White was no longer heard blasting out of her bedroom, rather Single Ladies became her new song of choice. Whenever no one else was in the house, she and Portia danced to the beat of Beyoncé, well not in black leotards that is.

Sipho’s life also changed for the better, he was not as dumb as Portia believed. He used the settlement money from the divorce to turn one of his interests into a lucrative business. He opened Sibeko’s Hotplate, a shisanyama with a free delivery service. His restaurant attracted an eclectic group of people, from the average taxi driver to the suave men in suits. He was just another simple man, on the prowl for his next shandis at a shisanyama, but now he was the proud owner of one.

Today, he decided to take Sibeko’s Hotplate on the road. He and his team packed all the essentials and made their way to Pietermaritzburg. As a marketing strategy, they planned on having an exhibition in one of the food tents on the Royal Show grounds. Once they finally arrived there, they started assembling their stall. The tent was boasting an array of sweet and sour aromas and the people were gradually walking in and passing each stall. He stood right in front of his stall, smiling broadly and holding a tray with some food samples.

Meanwhile on the other side of the tent, Pinky was making her way through the gates with the crowds of people. The Royal Show had a special place in her heart and she was excited to finally share this experience with her children. S’bu was finally out of prison and was now living with them in her house. Unfortunately, he was working today and could not join them for some special family time. She walked with her children by her side and they were in awe of the place.

“So, tell me, what do you think?” She asked, smiling at them.

“It is so massive, Mama,” her son said looking around.

“It is beautiful and there is so much to see and do,” her daughter said ecstatically.

“Me and your uncle used to come here on school trips. He spent so much time on the rides that he would forget to even eat. I wish I did not have to work this morning, otherwise there would have been enough time to see it all,” she said looking into their eyes.

“So, Ma, can we please get our pocket money now? We also want to check out these rides that drove Uncle S’bu crazy,” her son said to her holding his hand out.

“Mameshane! The nerve! We just got here and you already want to leave your mother all by herself. Are you too grown to be seen with me now?” Pinky asked amused.

“No, Mama, we just want to get there before it gets too full,” her daughter said with a sneer.

“OK, if you say so. Make sure that you are back at the entrance at 2 p.m. That is where I will be waiting for you. We can then have lunch and see a show together before driving home,” she said, handing them their pocket money. They thanked her and ran off, so as not to lose any more precious time.

She stood there laughing to herself and watched them until they disappeared into the masses. They reminded her so much of herself and her brother. It still felt like a dream to have them all living under the same roof. She was very proud of herself that she stood her ground with her mother. She took them and never looked back, but regularly heard news of Brooke Logan, who diligently told the church, how her children had abandoned her. In tears of course.

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