Khuzwayo’s round face brightens. His red eyes glisten. His moist, thick lower lip stretches as he smiles. I notice he is missing a front tooth, but I remember distinctly that it was there four days ago. Khuzwayo coughs twice without covering his mouth, and swallows.

“Is this really you, smart guy? What are the odds?” Khuzwayo grins.

“Officer, please–”

I want to apologize for our altercation at the police station a few days ago before I let him and his two colleagues into my house. Khuzwayo shows me his big palm, signalling me to stop.

“Was it you who called the police?” Khuzwayo asks.

“My wife did, sir. I’m really sorry about–”

“What happened here?” he cuts me off.

I don’t respond. Khuzwayo’s unwillingness to listen to my apology gives me certainty that the police will not help in this situation. I think of a way to make them leave without going inside the house. There’s no way. And even if there was a way, Zanele would flame up if she found out that I told the police to leave. I unlock the gate and walk to the kitchen door. The officers follow.

“Are you deaf?” says one of the police officers who is with Khuzwayo.

This officer is short, light-skinned and plump like a toddler. He’s probably no more than eighteen years old, or whatever age the minimum requirement for being a police officer is.

“What?” I say.

I turn and look at him, not sure if he’s really just asked me if I’m deaf. It’d be disrespectful of him to ask a man who’s probably twice his age that question.

“These are my dogs,” Khuzwayo says to me. “Officer Mkhize,” he points with a thumb to the officer who has just asked if I’m deaf. “And officer Sithole,” he points to the other who has a body of a soccer player and big untended sideburns. “They are new but I’ve already trained them enough that they will eat you alive if you mess with me. So are you going to tell us what happened or not?”

I enter through the kitchen door at the same time that Zanele enters from the passage way. She’s still wearing the pink silk shorts and vest.

“Burglary!” I mistakenly shout the answer to Khuzwayo’s question instead of shouting, “Go get dressed!” to Zanele.

Zanele’s head shifts back and her eyebrows furrow. “What?”

Before I can correct myself, Zanele sees the officers and sighs in relief.

“Officers, I’m glad you’re finally here,” she says. “We have been burgled; they took everything. I don’t know–”

“Calm down,” Khuzwayo passes me and goes to Zanele. “It’s going to be okay, Mrs …?” he extends his hand to her.

“Gumede,” says Zanele.

She takes Khuzwayo’s hand. They don’t shake; they just hold each other’s hands and look at each other. My heartbeat goes up a notch.

“Mrs Gumede, I’m sorry for what happened here,” Khuzwayo puts his left hand on Zanele’s bare shoulder while his right hand continues to hold Zanele’s. “We’re here now. Leave it to us to do our job and make sure you’re okay.”

“Thanks a lot officer. Let me show you what the crooks took,” I say.

I walk past them, going to the passage way leading to the lounge and the rest of the house. I’m hoping to separate Zanele and Khuzwayo without causing a scene.

“Will you catch the crooks, officer?” says Zanele.

I can’t believe she is continuing her conversation with Khuzwayo, like I didn’t say anything. They are still holding hands; but now staring deeply into each other’s eyes.

“Honestly, Mrs Gumede, Hammarsdale is a hellhole. The chances of us finding the criminals who did this are slim. But I promise you that I will personally try my best to make sure that you and your daughters recover from this and feel safe again,” says Khuzwayo.

I turn and look at them. I consider kicking their hands, which are still together, so hard that sparks fly and both of them feel like they have been electrocuted. I know Khuzwayo is hoping for that; he’s hoping that I’ll give him a reason to hurt me. But I can’t stand here and watch while he makes a move on my wife inside my house. I’m a man.

“Zanele, go get dressed and look after the girls. I’ll talk to the police officers,” I say in the commanding voice I use on my daughters when they are being naughty.

***

Tell us: What should Vusi do?