Days passed and Lungile and Mudiwa kept their secret. Mudiwa went to school every day and her mother went searching for piece jobs outside of the township, and made her daily trip to the phone shop to call home try and find news about her husband. But at night, they sneaked into their hiding place and when Lungile’s mother went to sleep, and Bongani went out to be part of his own secret life, Lungile crept to the back of the house with food and water for Mudiwa and her mother.
Lungile sat at the table with her mother after Bongani had left. She moved her food around on her plate, not eating, trying to save as much as she could for her friend. Suddenly, her mother looked up from her hands; her face was wet with the tears she cried each night for Bongani.
“What is the date today?”
“I don’t know,” Lungile said. “Maybe the twenty-first or the twenty-second?”
Her mother got up and went to the calendar – a free one from the local service station – that hung on the wall. “It is the twenty-second! Oh Lungile! In all of this, we have forgotten all about your birthday. You’re twelve today!” Her mother grabbed her up in her strong, working-woman’s arms. “Oh! What kind of mother forgets her own daughter’s birthday?”
Lungile let her cry for a few minutes. “It’s OK, Mama. I know you’re worried about Bongani and all of this violence. We’ll celebrate another time. I don’t mind.” She smiled at her mother to put her at ease. “Let me make you some tea before you go to bed.”
Her mother sat back down on the chair. “You are such a good girl, Lungile.”
Lungile quickly made the tea. What she wanted now was to get her mother off to bed. She had a lot to do – because she had forgotten the date too!
Her mother drank her tea slowly, bringing the cup up to her lips and sipping the hot liquid. She started telling some of her stories. Tonight, they were all about growing up in the lush valleys of the towering Drakensburg Mountains. They were happy days, and when she was calming herself that was where her mind found most comfort. Soon her eyes drooped and her cup emptied. “My daughter, I must get off to bed. Don’t stay up long now.”
“I won’t Mama. I have a bit of maths to do and then I’ll join you,” Lungile lied.
***
Tell us: Why exactly do you think the mother is worried about her son in this story? For example, is it that he will get hurt?