Nolitha and Jakob sat in the darkness of their car, and looked at each other. They had been to another two clubs and there was no sign of Busi and Nomsa. Jakob was beginning to wonder if the girls had gone on to another club after all. They could be anywhere in the city. Nolitha was beginning to cry. She was exhausted, as well as being beside herself with worry.

“Let’s go home,” said Jakob. “Maybe they just got a lift home.”

“No,” said Nolitha, shaking her head. “The girls won’t be at home. They must be at a club somewhere.” She closed her eyes. Surely Busi wouldn’t go to the home of someone she didn’t know? Nolitha thought to herself. She wracked her brain to try to remember everything she had ever taught Busi. She thought she had done a good job. She thought she had prepared Busi so that she would make good choices. Good decisions.

Nolitha sighed heavily. The day she had first met Nomsa, in her Maths class last year, she had been worried. Nomsa was far too clever for her own good, was her thought at the time. And then Nomsa had chosen Busi as her friend. And Busi had been in awe of Nomsa right from the start. Oh well, thought Nolitha. It’s too late for all these thoughts now.

“Where do the Shabalala cousins live?” asked Jakob suddenly.

“Live?” asked Nolitha incredulously. “How should I know? I don’t exactly move in the same circles as them you know!” Nolitha was irritated, but then a thought took hold. “I’ll phone my sister,” she said suddenly, hauling out her cellphone. “She knows everything about every celebrities.” Nolitha began to punch in her number.

“You do know it’s two in the morning?” said Jakob half-heartedly. He was beginning to feel exhausted.

Nolitha’s sister answered the telephone in a panic. She was very highly-strung, and to her a call at two in the morning, could only mean bad news. Once Nolitha had calmed her down, she asked her question. Nolitha’s sister then wanted to know all the details of exactly what was going on. Nolitha patiently explained. Then Nolitha had to listen, as her shocked sister related every horror story she had ever heard, about young girls being driven away some place in cars with strange men.

When she was finally done she replied to Nolitha’s question: “Of course I know where the Shabalala cousins live. Doesn’t everyone?”

She explained that their house had been featured in every tabloid newspaper for months. Their famous relative had been accused of spending money which was not his. Their famous relative had spent millions on renovating their house to accommodate his large extended family. Nolitha’s sister even described what the house looked like. Nolitha listened carefully. She had never read a tabloid newspaper in her life. But when Nolitha told Jakob he nodded.

“Yes, of course,” he said. “I saw it on the news some time back.” Then Jakob started the car, and began to drive.

Nolitha noticed that he was driving way over the speed limit, but she was past caring.

The Shabalala house was surrounded by high, well-lit security walls, and had a guardhouse planted firmly at the entrance, behind huge steel gates. Jakob parked the car, and sat for a moment, staring at the huge mansion, partially visible up the sweeping driveway. Then he took a deep breath, and climbed out the car. He squared his shoulders and approached the gate.

From the car, Nolitha saw two men appear behind the gate. It was fairly dark, but she could see that they were very big. They were also carrying guns, of that she was quite certain.

Jakob approached them.

Nolitha wound down her window. She heard voices being raised. She saw the two men making firm and wide arm movements. She saw Jakob raising his hand and pointing his finger into their faces. She saw one security guard move his hand to his hip, and rest it on what she feared was a gun.

Nolitha flung open the door of the car. She jumped out, and began to walk towards Jakob.

“Jakob!” she called out.

He husband turned then, and impatiently indicated that she should stay back.

“Get back in the car Nolitha!” he shouted.

Nolitha turned back to the car at the very moment that her phone began to ring. For a hopeful moment Nolitha thought it might be Busi. Then she remembered that Busi had gone out without her cellphone.

Hastily, she picked it up. A strange voice answered her, “Hello”.

“Girls, are you OK?” It was the same low, soft, man’s voice that had asked about the missed call.

Jakob had returned to the car in frustration. “I swear the bloody gangster just threatened to shoot me if I didn’t push off!” he was saying, angrily.

Nolitha put her finger to her lips to quieten him.

“Who is this?” she asked nervously. “What girls?”

“I picked two girls up earlier. I drove them in my taxi. They phoned me from this number. I’ve been worried about them,” said the voice on the phone.

“Where are they?” said Nolitha eagerly, adding, “Are they all right?”

***

Tell us what you think: Was it a good idea for Busi’s parents to go to the Shabalala home? What does the story imply about the Shabalala family?