Let sleeping dogs lie, but how foolish of Tshepo to think that inquiring about a past incident, in hopes of being rid of guilt, would bring good news. He cursed his luck the day he pressed about knowing where he knew Dinaledi from.
“It is you, isn’t it? How lucky of me to meet you after a year.”
Tshepo stood in the bathroom door as if it were raining heavily and he was stuck in the drenching storm. “Did something happen between us?”
Dinaledi had struck the lottery, her hopes of an easy life presented before her without any intervention. She had been planning to drive Tshepo and Naledi apart, but how lucky it was for her to not do anything. “What do you think?”
“Don’t play games. Did anything happen between us?”
Dinaledi sneakily touched Tshepo’s shoulder, closing the distance between them. “You dare ask after you cheated on my sister with her twin?” She sneered, gazing seductively at him. Having worn a short denim miniskirt helped as she pulled it up a little bit.
Tshepo pushed her away. “I don’t believe you.” He wasn’t able to be angry, but he was overwhelmed by guilt. Tshepo loved Naledi deeply, and one mistake might have cost him his entire marriage.
“Fair enough, but I have proof.”
“What proof?”
“The baby your mother-in-law is holding right now in the sitting room is ours.”
“What did you say?” A feminine voice yelled with anger laced in the sound.
Dinaledi and Tshepo both turned to the voice that joined in the secret.
***
“Tshepo, initially, I want to say I’m disappointed in you. I never thought you were one of those men who cheat on their wives,” the twins’ father slammed the table angrily.
Naledi’s stepmother, Victoria, Dinaledi, Tshepo, and the twins’ father all sat around the dining table. Naledi had been purposefully sent to the pharmacy to buy sinus medicine so they could discuss the leaked secret.
“Had it not been for Victoria, who heard your secret, I wonder how long you would have hidden this disgusting act of yours.”
“Simon, I am sorry,” Tshepo’s head hung low.
“SHUT UP. SHUT UP,” Simon scolded him. “I entrusted my daughter to you, she trusted—and still does trust—you. Do you know what this will do to her?”
“It was a mistake, Tymer. I didn’t mean to cheat on her. Please believe me, I was too drunk to notice anything. I didn’t even know she had a twin,” Tshepo cried, tears rolling down his eyes.
“Stop!” Dinaledi shouted. “Don’t act like you didn’t know what was happening!”
“Dinaledi, shut up,” Simon chided, pointing a finger at her.
“No, I won’t shut up. All along, I’ve been suffering. You left me with that crazy, greedy woman called my mother but gave Naledi everything. What kind of bad luck is this that Naledi has to have everything that is mine? Tell me!”
“Are you trying to act like a victim here? You were the one who slept with Tshepo and left your child on the pavement to die!” intervened Victoria. “Dare you say anything against Naledi, then I will deal with you accordingly.”
“Victoria, calm down. Dinaledi, I know I’m at fault for divorcing your mother and leaving you with her, but back then, I had no choice. We had to split the two of you. Over the years, I’ve been trying to meet you and I paid to meet you, but your mom never kept her promise.”
“Why didn’t you try harder?”
“I did, but tell me truthfully if you didn’t know about any of this.”
Dinaledi hung her head low, knowing very well that she knew everything and had a share in the money. While her mother used most of it to feed her alcohol habit, Dinaledi used it to buy fancy clothes. “I don’t care, Tshepo, marry me. We can be together as a family along with Gotsididi.”
“No, I will never be with you. Never.”
“What do I lack? Are you happy with an infertile woman?”
“I don’t care what the both of you do after this, but Naledi can’t find out about this, and Dinaledi, you are not getting Gotsididi or you will go to jail.”
“You can’t do this!” cried Dinaledi.
“I can and I will. Name your price and never see Naledi or Gotsididi again.”
Dinaledi contemplated hard, but eventually, it was the best deal of her life. “I want R3,000,000.”