I let my tears flow freely and then I remembered that our little girl had been sleeping for a while. I decided to go check her, only to find Tshidiso in the bedroom holding her. My heart felt warmth when I watched them giggling and playing together. It brought back sweet memories of the days we used to spend together as a family. The warmth in my heart didn’t last long.

When he saw me standing at the doorway, he placed Basetsana down, whispering to her, “Daddy is coming back hey! Daddy has someone very special to see and then he will be all yours.”

“Are you going somewhere?” I asked with a shaking voice.

“Yes I am my dear, not that it’s any of your business.” He responded with a voice full of annoyance.

“What have I done to you to deserve this treatment? Please tell me so I can correct my wrongs. I can’t stand this tension anymore. You have barely said a word to me ever since you arrived. You didn’t even say anything when you left. What have I done to you Tshidiso, please tell me?”

“Bonolo, just do us all a favour and go home.” Those were his last words before he pushed me aside leaving the bedroom.

I couldn’t take it any anymore. I needed to know if he meant what he said; if it was really the end of the road for us.

“What have I done, please tell me?” I said following him.

He just kept walking as if I was not talking to him. His pace quickened with every step he took but I followed him anyway. I desperately needed to know what the cause of the hostility he had towards me was.

Out of the kitchen door he sped, taking his phone out of his pockets.

“My love! Yes I just arrived. No babe, I’m on my way as we speak.”

I felt a pain in my chest just listening to that conversation. Tears ambushed me, blinding me from seeing my path. I stopped at the gate to catch my breath. I hoped that he would see what he was doing to me, that he would stop on his tracks and comfort me. But he didn’t. He just kept walking. When I looked up to see where he was I realised he was just about to turn the corner of our street to another street.

A craziness of some sort came over me. I didn’t know why I was following him but something told me I just had to. Faster and faster I started running, following him in and out of the other streets. His last stop was at some big house, not far from his home. My heart nearly stopped pumping when I saw who he was going to. It was his ex, Kgomotso, the one he dumped to be with me.

They were kissing and hugging as if I was not even there. He whispered something in her ears and she laughed loudly as if she was mocking me.

“So this is why you are busy giving me a cold shoulder, over an ex who failed to give you a child?” I yelled.

They laughed hilariously like I said something funny.

“Oh no Sweety, I didn’t fail anything,” Kgomotso responded. “Some of us don’t use children to keep our men, we know they will always find their way back home. What are you doing here? Can’t you see you are making a fool of yourself?”

“You are nothing but a desperate bitch! He left you for me. He didn’t even think twice, nine years in your relationship and he just walked away.” I barked back.

“He never left my darling, he was with me all the time. When you fell pregnant, when you had a child and guess what, when you forced your way into his home.”

“Is that what he told you? You bitch.” I said with a trembling voice.

“Keep calling me that and I’ll show what I am made of…”

“Bitch! You are nothing but a pathetic b…”

She came over me so fast that I didn’t know what hit me. I pushed her away from me, strangling her with my hands. When Tshidiso saw that I had an upper hand he pushed me away from her, wrapping his arms around her.

“So you are choosing her over me? Do you love her?” I choked in my own tears.

“I don’t have to choose, what is there to choose from. Please leave us in peace, you’ve had made a fool of yourself to last you a lifetime so go.”

“Tshidiso this is me, your baby’s mother. This is me you are saying all this to.” I pleaded desperately.

“I’m not even sure if your baby is mine. You and your child are another sad story in my life, now leave before we call the police for you.”

I picked up my cell phone from the concrete ground where it had fallen during our cat fight. With those words, I turned my back on them. With all the tears blinding me, I don’t know how I managed to get back to his home.
In the garage I found plastic bags waiting for me. My child’s clothes, nappies, food and formula were all stuffed in one plastic, while my belongings were stuffed in another.

Matlakala looked so happy; she couldn’t even hide it. I guess she was waiting to see the look on my face when I walked in. Her words to me were: “My brother said I should pack for you. Please don’t leave anything behind when you go.”

She said turning her back on me and headed to the house.

***

Tell us what you think: What would you do if this happened to you?