When she arrived back home she collected Noni from Thembi. Mama was not home yet, but not long afterwards Goodwin came in.

“I’m starving. That food sure smells good.” Maria had made a mutton stew earlier and it had been slowly cooking on the stove.

“I’m worried about Mama,” she told her brother. “She should have been home ages ago.”

“I’ll eat some stew and then I’ll go look for her,” Goodwin said.

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Mama came walking through the door. She looked exhausted. Maria ran towards her and helped her sit down. “We were getting very worried, Mama. What took you so long?”

“Can you make me a cup of tea and then I’ll tell you,” Mama said. When Maria placed the cup of tea in her hand Mama suddenly started crying.

“What’s wrong, Mama. You’re making us all very worried.”

Mama slowly nodded her head. “I had to go to the Hospital today. I saw the specialist. I have cancer in both my breasts. They are going to take them off.”

Noni started crying. Maria guessed she had no real idea what was going on but she was crying because everybody seemed shocked and upset.

“It’s alright, lovey,” Mama said, and put her arms around her.

Maria and Goodwin looked at one another, and each saw the despair and desolation in the sibling’s face.

“We’ll all be here for each other,” Maria said.

“I’ll look after the tuck shop, Mama. You don’t need to worry about that right now. We were very busy today.”

“Thank you, children,” Mama smiled. “I’m going to bed now. It’s been such a long day that I can’t think straight anymore.”

Mama’s operation was scheduled for three weeks’ time. Maria was so worried about her that she completely forgot about the suspicious guys she had seen at the tuck shop.

It was school holidays now. Goodwin was able to work in the tuck shop all day. Maria took care of the house and looked after Noni and her sick mother.

One morning, just after Maria had cleaned the house, she heard screaming in the street. She went outside to see what was going on.

“I’m telling you,” Penrose, one of the neighbours, was yelling at the top of her voice, “somebody got my son involved in drugs! After he pulled a knife on me he ransacked the house looking for money.”

All of a sudden Maria’s mind flashed back to that day at the tuck shop. She knew what was in those packages. Goodwin was selling drugs to make money.

Maria left Noni in the house with her Mama. She ran all the way to the tuck shop.

Goodwin was behind the grille serving a few old ladies some bread and sugar.

“Is everything alright?” he asked her as the last customer left.

She told him what had happened outside their house.

“Oh no.” He put his hands over his face and began to sob. “I didn’t want to deal in drugs. Honestly Maria. They forced me to do it. I haven’t even spent any of the money they gave me.”

“Where is the money?” demanded Maria.

“It’s under my mattress.”

“Let’s go and get it and take it to the police.”

“What will Mama say?”

“Don’t worry about that now. Let’s just go to the police station in Walmer. You need to tell the police the names of the drug dealers.”

“Yes, I’ll do it. I hate drugs and how greedy and desperate it makes people. I want to make an honest living, Maria. I would really like to go back to school and get my Matric.”

The police captain listened to Goodwin. “Thank you for coming to us with this information. It was very brave of you.”

“What happens now?” Maria asked.

“I’m not going to arrest you, Goodwin. I truly feel you have learned a valuable lesson. But if you see any more drug dealers in or around the township please come and see me.”

“I most certainly will. Thank you, Sir.”

Goodwin and Maria walked home together. Just as they were about to enter the township, their father appeared in the street in front of them.

“Papa!” both Goodwin and Maria cried out. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see my family,” Papa said. “I wanted to tell you face to face how sorry I am about abandoning you all. How I have missed you!”

“Do you think you can just come home now?” Maria begged and began to sob.

Goodwin put his arms around her. Then he told his father everything that had happened since he left.

“I’m going to see your Mama now,” Papa said, with tears in his eyes. “She doesn’t have to take me back. I won’t blame her after what I did. But I want you all to know I’ve just got my old job back and I’m going to take good financial care of my family.”

“What about … the other woman?” Maria asked.

“I’m not with her anymore. I made a huge mistake.”

Maria nodded her head. She didn’t know if her Mama would have him back. It would take some time before they could trust him again.

* * * * *

The day of Mama’s operation grew closer and closer. Her sister Hilda was coming from Pretoria to help the family out.

The night before Hilda arrived Mama was sitting up in bed drinking some tea that Maria had made for her.

“I’m not very frightened,” Mama said. “Now that I know what’s wrong with me it’s easier to cope with it. I’ve got my family around me. I’m happy that Papa is providing for us. It means that Goodwin can go back to school, and when I’m better I’ll run the tuck shop.”

Maria nodded her head. Papa had rented a room in town but he was always calling around to see his family. He was a changed man.

“I’m very proud of you, my beautiful daughter. Of how well you have coped through all of this,” said Mama.

Maria smiled at her Mama and then she began to cry. Soon they were crying and laughing together at the same time.

“Everything will turn out okay, Mama. You have your family around you. You are an inspiration to us all.”

***

Tell us: Do you think Mama should forgive and take Papa back into the family home?