“Umtshela nini umama Thuli, you know she will find out soon right?” asked Lungile as she closed the door behind her.

“I’ll tell her, I’m still working on that. Please don’t tell her anything, I still have to talk to Sandile before I make any hasty decisions,” replied Thuli.

“Let’s hope because pretty soon, before she even leaves, sizobonakala isisu sakho, the bump will start showing,” said Lungile as she gave her sister a pat on the shoulder.

In the evening after dinner, MaNkosi asked as Lungile cleared the table, “Lulu, Thuli, is there anything you girls want to tell me?” Thuli started sweating but she just brushed it aside.

She told her mother about the boys’ progress at school and how she and Lungile had passed their grades. MaNkosi was excited and thanked her children for their dedication and revealed her big news. Both Lungile and Thuli were going to live with her in the big city the following year. They were excited.

Late that night, Lungile and Thuli were exploring ideas on how to tell their mother that they were both pregnant. They fell asleep mid-conversation.

It was Sunday morning and they went to church with Malume’s mini bus. Thuli wore a knee-length black dress with floral patterns on the skirt and black wedges. She wore a diamond necklace and bracelet. She had a donut hairdo with floral hairpins and she had put on light make up.

After church, she asked uMakhulu for taxi fare and explained that she was going to the mall because she and Lungile were out of sanitary products. Makhulu gave her and she headed off. She was running late by thirty minutes because church took longer than expected. She got to McDonald’s and ordered an expresso as she waited for Sandile, who was also running late.

Eventually he came and ordered a coke and sat down at the table. He sat face to face with Thuli and asked her what he was doing there. Sandile was taken by surprise at how Thuli was dressed; this was not like any of their other dates. She was fire. Thuli had been experiencing abdominal pains but she thought it was because of the long service at church, and she definitely was not having period pains.

They held hands and Thuli looked as lovely as ever.

“First things first, I’m sorry I’m late. I ran out of fuel and had to pass by the garage to fill up. Second thing is that I’m deeply sorry for how I acted Friday night, I was scared and angry and ….,” explained Sandile as Thuli put her slim beautiful index finger on his lips and shushed him. She whispered, “Let me explain first okay…”

“Sandile I know you come from a rich family and you might think that I am trying to trap you with this pregnancy just to get money. No I’m not like that. I also want a future for myself; I never planned to have a child at sixteen. I also want to change the situation at home. My mother’s teaching salary is good enough at home and covers all the expenses and we hardly have nothing left to save.”

Sandile listened attentively and didn’t interrupt one bit. She continued, “It was never my intention to fall pregnant, especially when I go to Matric, but it did happen. I wouldn’t have fallen pregnant on my own without your sperm. I missed three of my periods consecutively and I figured I’d take a pregnancy test and it came out positive. I even went to the clinic to check, I have three more weeks to change my mind and abort. At first I thought that maybe we’d manage and our families would help with raising the baby but after how you reacted on Friday, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Sandile, tomorrow I’m going to one of the clinics or hospitals around and ngizosihumusha lesi sisu. Ngicela unganginqandi, please don’t try to stop me because it’s my body, my unwanted baby and my own choice. You have no say in what happens to my body if I have made a decision. And ngicabanga ukuthi it’s best sihlukane. I mean, we bring out the worst in each other so I don’t even know how we stayed together for a full three years. Ngicela ungixolele Zwane but I can’t do this anymore. Maybe one day, just one day, and find it in your heart to forgive me and we’ll remain friends like this never happened,” Thuli said as she let go of Sandile’s hand and took off the diamond necklace Sandile had bought her on Valentine’s. She placed it on his hand as she said, “I’m sorry but this is for the best.”

Sandile tried processing what Thuli had just said to him and broke down. Thuli also wiped her face and stood up. She went to the ladies’ room to freshen up. She splashed cold water on her face and fixed herself up and went back to their table.

Sandile was still in a trance and Thuli grabbed her handbag and headed out for the door before he could say anything. As she pushed open the door, Sandile grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the parking lot where his car was.

“I didn’t want to make a spectacle in there. I get you, but babe can I tell you something? I’m also glad it’s over!” Sandile said as he got into the driver’s seat and left with his Toyota Tazz. Thuli stood there like a clown wondering what happened and just smiled. She knew Sandile didn’t mean it.

He loved her too much to say something like that and she went back inside and bought herself 3 burgers, she ate one at the cafè and left one for her sister and one for herself. About an hour later she took a taxi and went home.

In the taxi she felt numb and to her surprise when she got off, everyone was staring at her but she didn’t pay much attention to it.

As she walked towards her house, she felt a watery wet sensation between her thighs and got a shock of her life as she looked down at was happening to her. There was blood between her legs. It was not like any other time she had her periods, there was a large volume of blood and she fell to her knees and sobbed.

To her surprise, she was facing her front yard where her mother, Lungile and her grandmother saw what was happening. MaNkosi quickly rushed to get her daughter as Lungile called for an ambulance.

“Yoohhhh kwenzekani enganeni yami bakwethu?” she shouted as she escorted her child into the yard. MaNkosi and Makhulu kept pestering her with questions at what was happening to her until the ambulance arrived.

After a long three-hour wait at the hospital, the family was allowed to see Thuli. Thuli was sobbing and stuttering as she hugged her mother and said, “Mama, ngya…ngyaxolisa….. Be-be…bekungeyona inhloso yami uku…I’m sorry it wasn’t my intention to…” she sobbed as her mother comforted her. Lungile started sweating, thinking of what the doctor would say before Thuli said anything to MaNkosi. She was scared.

“I have the results with me. My dear it seems that you were having huge contractions leading to abdominal pains and discomfort leading to-” Dr Mabena was still explaining but MaNkosi interrupted her.

“Dokotela what’s going on? Simple English, please!”

“Well ma’am, it seems as if from the results that I have with me that Ms Nkosi here had a….” the doctor said when Thuli interfered “…miscarriage” and she wept into Lungile’s arms.

Sandile’s bag dropped as he heard what Thuli just said when he walked in. Lungile had called him when they were waiting in the reception.

“Wait, what?” said MaNkosi in disbelief,

“What happened? Thuli were you pregnant mntanami?” she asked again and Lungile sat her down, gave her a glass of water. She and Thuli explained what happened, all from the beginning, to Lungile’s untimely pregnancy.

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