The car came to a halt in front of a red sliding gate. Sergeant Moleko alighted and unlocked the gate, talking on his cellphone. Reneilwe could hear that he was lying to his wife about his whereabouts, as usual. He was telling her that he had just arrived in the hotel, and was about to meet with his colleagues in a conference room.

She laughed sarcastically inside, looking at the four-roomed RDP house in front of them, wondering if his wife knew about it. The house had been their spot ever since they started seeing each other.

Well, that was if they were indeed in a ‘relationship’. To Reneilwe this was definitely not a relationship. She was just paying him for taking good care of her and her family. There were no positive feelings involved; most of the time she only felt guilty about what she was doing.

But now Reneilwe felt anger warming her chest as she entered the house, Sergeant Moleko leading the way with bags in both hands, and Reneilwe’s school bag hung over his shoulder. He threw them on the red velvet couches and switched on the TV.

“Finally, we’ve arrived. And the house is not that dirty, like the last time, with all that wind. Just listen how quiet it is here,” Moleko said, leaning back on the couch with his arm around Reneilwe’s shoulders, squeezing her tightly.

Reneilwe did not say anything. She was still angry about what had happened in the shopping complex back in Tembisa. She kept wondering if Shawn would ever speak to her again. What if he had added one plus one and realised what was going on between her and the policeman? She felt her heart jumping towards her throat with the thought. Tears shone in her eyes, as she hoped that wasn’t the case.

She wanted to call him, just to hear his voice, but the policeman’s presence made it difficult.

“What are you thinking about? Don’t tell me that you’re still angry about what happened with that stupid boy,” Moleko said, stroking her smooth skin with the back of his two long fingers.

Reneilwe sobbed, her face still turned away. “Mmm! This is our place. We’re here to have fun, not fight, babes.” He kept quiet for a moment, staring at the TV. There was a report about roadblocks that would take place on the national roads that weekend. “Do you want something to drink? I think there is juice in the fridge. I left it the last time we were here. I want a cold beer.”

“I’m hungry. I think I should start cooking. There is food, right?”

“Yes. No-one has been here since we left. Morapedi was in Krugersdorp. You know that one,” he smiled. “He loves food and that’s the only reason why he takes care of this place. To eat all my groceries. I wonder if he even buys groceries for his shack.”

Reneilwe flashed a fake grin and stood up, heading towards the kitchen. Moleko followed her and opened the fridge, taking out a can of beer. He leaned against the fridge, looking at Reneilwe as she opened the kitchen unit, searching for something to cook.

“Babes, do you know how much I love you mara? I can’t even imagine losing you to some stupid school boy. What do you even see in that boy? He doesn’t look like he comes from a rich family. He will surely bet you with nothing but his pocket money. Is that what you want? Giving away all this – for a R5 coin during break?” He sipped his beer with a smile.

Reneilwe wished she could tell him how Shawn gave her butterflies in the heart. How she felt like she was in paradise every time he touched her. But mostly she wished she could let him know that she didn’t care whether Shawn had money or not – but she knew that would definitely drive Moleko crazy.

However, knowing how easily he could lose his temper, and how he usually didn’t hesitate to pull out a gun when he was angry, Reneilwe kept her thoughts to herself.

“There is nothing going on between us. I told you, mos,” she said, peeling the potatoes.

“I hope you’re telling me the truth, girl. Otherwise, it would be the end of you two. I’ve spent a lot on this relationship already. There is no way I’ll let you go now. You’re mine. No other man will ever touch you. Not when I’m still alive. So, stop fooling yourself.”

The chilling words terrified Reneilwe. She regretted the day she had met this man. The day she gave him her body. The day she accepted the expensive gifts that he bought her to continually lure her into his bed.

Reneilwe’s heart still spurted blood every time she remembered that first day. It was a year ago, a few months after her father’s stroke, when she had just turned 16.

Sergeant Moleko was always visiting her father with his wife. Then he started coming alone, drinking expensive whiskeys with her father, before he got ill. He soon became more like her uncle than her neighbour. He even called her father ‘groot man’ meaning ‘big brother’ and Radillo called him ‘moratho’ meaning ‘young brother’.

Radillo didn’t worry when he saw the police officer taking his children to the city to buy them clothes, because he saw him and MaMoleko as nothing but family. She and Radillo could never believe that Sergeant Moleko would take advantage of Reneilwe. They were more than family friends.

“Please, George. Make sure that she doesn’t run after boys. I want her to finish school and be a nurse like your wife … or even a doctor. Who knows? My children are your children. If they are misbehaving, don’t hesitate to give them a hiding. Show them the way,” Reneilwe remembered her father telling Sergeant Moleko. Those words made her trust him like a second father.

Then one day he took her to the city, alone. He bought her everything she wanted: clothes, a cellphone and groceries. Then he took her to Orange Farm. When she asked him where they were going, he had lied to her and said they were visiting his aunt.

On arrival, he told her to relax. He went out for some time and came back after an hour with a brick of R200 notes. He threw the cash on the coffee table and sat on the couch, next to her. Reneilwe was shocked, seeing that amount of money. She wondered where he got it and what it was for.

“What?” Sergeant Moleko had asked, when he saw her eyes bulge. “You’ve never seen this kind of money before?”

Reneilwe nodded, dumbstruck.

“Well, stick with me, girl. This could be yours. In fact, I can give you this every month-end. Imagine what you can do with it. Mmm? Every month-end.”

At first, Reneilwe didn’t understand what was going on. Then her heart nearly stopped when he reached over and stroked her hair. She pulled back, shyly.

“Don’t be afraid. You’re a woman now, mos? You do menstruate right? You know menstruation?” He had asked, staring at her with a funny look, licking his lips. Reneilwe became even more scared.

Then, “No, Uncle Moleko!” she screamed, as he licked her cheek.

“Argh! Stop playing games wena man!” He grabbed her by the neck and forced a kiss on her. Reneilwe had cried, trying to free herself from his grip, but he was too strong for her.

“You were enjoying spending my money. Now is the time to pay me back, girl. What did you think? That I am Jesus Christ? Giving away money for no reason? Don’t be crazy, wena!” he fumed, putting his gun on the coffee table.

Reneilwe had felt her guts jumping into her throat when he started brushing her thighs gently … until his hand disappeared under her floral mini dress. She tried to push him off and scream, but he told her to behave if she didn’t want to die, pointing at the gun.

Seeing his weapon lying there on that coffee table, she let him do everything he wanted with her body. Things that made her feel dirty; violated.

When he saw how distraught she was, Sergeant Moleko then promised to take good care of her and her family. He said that it was what every girl of her age should do, and she was lucky she had lost her virginity to a responsible man like him. Someone who would always take good care of her; not to some boy who would impregnate her and run away.

“Here, take this. You deserve it,” he said, handing over two R100 notes. “There are more to come if you can just keep our secret. I’m going to spoil you rotten, girl,” Moleko had promised. “Anyway, people will laugh at you if they could find out about this. They will call you names. You know that, mos?”

Reneilwe knew he was right. She knew Sister Moleko would be livid if she found out that she had slept with her husband and so, indeed, it became their secret, till today. It was easy to keep it because those who saw them thought he was just being a good neighbour, taking care of his friend’s daughter.

Moleko had been very careful about their relationship since then. He always took her to Orange Farm, far away from his wife, whenever he wanted to be intimate with her. Actually, she didn’t even know that it existed because his aunt, it’s owner, died before she could occupy it. She had no child and just like most of her inheritance, the house was given to Moleko as her dying wish.

“Anyway, I need to rest. I’ve been working night shift. I’ll see you later,” he now interrupted her thoughts and stood up, heading towards one of the two bedrooms.

Her mind revisited home. She wished Shawn would call and save her from the boredom. Then she decided to swallow her pride, and sent him a WhatsApp message. A simple:

Hi

It took a long five minutes before the ticks turned blue; she was even starting to panic, thinking he didn’t want to chat to her. Then a beep sounded and she jumped quickly to grab the phone with a smile.

Hi Sweet Angel. Are you fine?

Yes. How about you? I’m sorry abt
wat happened earlier.

Don’t worry about it. For you …
I can even face a lion, sweetness.

Reneilwe was so absorbed in their conversation that she even forgot she was cooking. Then Sergeant Moleko called from the bedroom with a sleepy voice, asking if she wanted to burn his house down, when he smelt burning pap.

She said her goodbyes to her boyfriend and continued cooking, her heart feeling pure.

***

Tell us what you think: Was Reneilwe raped by George Moleko? Why or why not?