I got up from the chair, balancing myself so that I didn’t fall, and walked inside. I found her in the kitchen, sitting on a chair, with her face hidden in her hands. She was crying uncontrollably.

“Mimi love, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry my love. Please…I’ll do anything to make this right. Just tell me what to do.”

“Why did you have to go and do all those things in the first place?” she shouted in my face. “You are nothing but a lying, cheating bastard. You claim to love me, but you are staying with a woman old enough to be your mother!”

I was so hurt by her words. If only she knew that I never intended for all of this to happen. Despite all of the things I had done, I loved her. She was the only woman for me. Why was it so hard for her to see that?

“Babe, look at me! Look me in my eyes…please! Mimi!” I shouted.

“What do you see? Tell me what you see? Are these the eyes of a person who doesn’t love you? Why do you have to make things so difficult for us? You know it, I know it. You and I are dangerously in love with each other. When are you going to stop fighting it? Hmmm?” I said.

With those words I tilted her face upwards, so that her eyes would meet mine. I knew that if she could just see the love in my eyes she could no longer deny it.

“I love you Thapelo, but…”

“No buts babe, you love me…I love you. That’s all that matters. Come here.”

It was like a dream, having my ‘Mona Lisa’ in my arms again, our lips colliding, our hearts as one. I could feel my hunger for her, passionate love rising inside me, and I could sense it in her too. We slowly peeled off each other’s clothes and I carried her up to her bedroom, which I remembered very well, for we had our first loving making session there. After I took her in, I reminded her of the reason why we were crazy about each other in the first place. It was a night I would never in my wildest dream ever forget. At six o’clock the next morning Mimi woke me.

“Love, can’t we just spend the whole day together? I missed you, babe,” I said, trying my luck.

She giggled then kissed me on my forehead and replied, “Love, my mom said I should take her clothes to the wash on my way to school. I really don’t have a choice.”

“Okay. Do you promise to stop shutting me out?” I said, kissing her soft hands.

Her face grew serious again and I could sense a little tension between us, though it felt more like fear.

“Please Mimi! I’ll sort out my life. I promise. Please don’t shut me out.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about. It’s my mother, Thapelo. She knows about you and that woman. It makes it so hard for me to…”

“For you to do what? Mimi what are you not telling me?”

I saw tears shining in her eyes. Could Julia have threatened her or Hazel again? What was going on?

“I was shutting you out because I was planning to…I wanted to have an abortion…”

“A what?” I asked dumbfounded. “Whoa, wait a minute! Do you mean to tell me that…Oh my God Mimi! You are carrying my child? Oh my God, babe…”

I don’t know why, but I felt so happy, so excited, so proud of myself. I was going to be the father to a child from the woman I loved with all my heart.

“Why are you so happy? Can’t you see what this would cost us? I’ll have to drop out Thapelo. You will need to get a job and if my mother finds out…if that woman finds out…I don’t want a baby.”

“No!” I shooshed her with my finger, taking her hands into mine. “That is not you talking…you are only scared my love. I’m scared too, but babe…I’m the happiest man on earth. See this as a beginning of a new life together. We will raise our child together my love, come rain or high water. Look…I know you don’t want to hear this but I can’t leave Julia now. She promised me a job babe.”

God, there was no other way but to lie to her, I thought.

“What are you saying Thapelo? You want me to share you with her? Is that what you are asking me?”

“No love! You will always have me when you want me, and I swear I’ll never ever touch her. All I need is for her to get me that job. But you my love will always be part of my life. Promise to be patient with me. Please! I can’t live without you Mimi.”

“Okay fine, but if I want to see you and you are not here and your phone is off…it’s over, Thapelo, and don’t you dare think that I’m bluffing.”

“I know babe, and I know that you are never one to bluff. You know what else I know? I know that I would love to take a bath with you,” I said, pulling her closer with her night gown.

“Stop it Thapelo! You’ll rip it,” she said, giggling.

“That is exactly what I plan to do,” I responded as I chased her to the bathroom.

I left her halfway to the bathroom, however. Kissing her goodbye, I promised to see her later that day. After she had gone, reality finally hit me and I knew that I had to face Julia. I prayed that I still had the upper hand because if I didn’t, she was going to kick me out. Maybe it was high time I went home to ask for forgiveness from my mother, because if Julia kicked me out I’d be homeless.

***

Tell us what you think: What do you think Thapelo will do if Julia kicks him out? Where will he go?