When I built my mum a ten-room house, Phelo bought an ocean-blue Polo GTI with double exhaust. It turns a couple of heads at the London Theatre after 6 p.m., adding to Amo’s arrogance.

“Phelo Mokoena, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do to Sanele,” Amo teases as he opens the door, getting off. “I’ll join the line in the meantime.”

Sanele is Phelo’s sister, Amo’s age, and he has a mad crush on her.

“You’re doing the right thing…” Phelo says quietly next to me in the driver’s seat.

I turn to him. “Right for who?”

“For you and for those who love you… we can’t afford to lose you.” His eyes bore into mine. The genuineness in them is easy to see. The longer we hold the gaze, the more I feel like he’s searching for something in my soul.

I clear my throat. “Let’s go.”

My heart is beating insanely as we approach. That was… tense.

We finally show the guards our tickets, and we plod into the theatre room. Amo guards the seats while Phelo and I wander around, searching for the dressing room. The security guards refuse to let me in, even when I show my badge. I tell them my name and assure them Lucy will want to see me.

“Are you crazy?” Lucy pulls me in, closing the door. She’s wearing a sparkly rose-pink bouffant dress that reveals her baby bump. She could be in her third trimester.

“Your boyfriend used me. Maybe I am crazy.”

She looks around the room, frustrated. The backup singers are dressed up, sitting on chairs. Some young ladies are doing makeup on them. Everyone is minding their own business.

“Two things, Lucy: one, tell him I’m not in on this affair business. Two, tell him I won’t tell anyone about his secret.”

She ogles at me. “What makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

“As his woman, you know which buttons to press. Your man thinks I’m Jakes’ lapdog. That’s why he won’t rest, because he thinks I’ll tell Jakes what I heard.”

A frown forms between her eyebrows. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what you heard, then Jakes—”

“You’re not listening to me, are you?” I interject.

She sighs softly, stroking her baby bump. “This is Jakes’ baby. There’s a chance he might not know his real father because Timothy is out there searching for him so that he can kill him. I’m also dead when he finds out about the paternity of this child. When he’s done with us, he’ll make sure you live a hellish life. Let’s help each other, Peakanyo.”

“No… I’m not helping you and your boyfriend. You’re the reason I’m in this mess. And you should have thought about the consequences of opening your legs for another man while you’re married.”

“Peakanyo…” she softly calls after me, but I continue toward the door and exit.