It has been a month, and Zenande knows she is due the following month. Bulose is hardly in the house. He comes home late and leaves early. All of that causes strain on Zenande, and the stress takes its toll on her. Doctors have told her to stop stressing because it could push her into giving birth prematurely. She is trying, but with Bulose’s kind of job, what sane woman would not stress?

“Bulose, can’t you just stay home today?” Zenande asks one morning as she wakes up to find Bulose getting dressed.

“I thought you said you wanted me to leave this business?” Bulose asks.

“I do, but you’re hardly ever home,” Zanande complains.

“Don’t you ever get tired of complaining? I’m doing what you asked me to. I’m leaving this business,” Bulose says, shouting, and Zenande gets startled. Bulose had never raised his voice to her before. “I’m sorry,” he says, turning to look at her.

“It’s fine,” Zinande responds, but her voice is tear soaked.

“No it’s not,” Bulose says, fastening his belt and sitting next to her. “I’m stressed out baby. This is the biggest heist we’ve ever pulled,” he continues with a sigh. “The fidelity guys are armed, this car that’ll be carrying the money will be watched by cops, helicopters, the works. I mean, one wrong move and a bullet gets stuck to my head, or a life time in jail,” he says. “We hit this car, then it’s over. There’s over a hundred billion Rands.”

“Dead?” Zenande repeats, and Bulose nods in response. She then gets scared, because Bulose has never spoke of death before.

After a while, Bulose stands up to kiss Zenande’s lips. “I’ll see you later. Bye,” he says, running out, but not before packing two guns.

***

Tell us: What do you think Zenande should do to get Bulose to quit his kind of work?