The tuck shop is at the end of a five-minute stroll. Sthe has been following the navigational guidance of Ayabonga.

Where he’s said, “Siyajika la,” they have taken a turn. Sometimes the footpath has taken them through people’s yards.  Sthe doesn’t know why, but he’s at ease walking with Aya.

“Ya Aya,” people keep greeting the young lad. They ask him to pass their regards to his mother: “Ubulis’ uma wakho!”

During the trip to the shop, they walked past a structure with just walls, no windows or roof.  Grass was growing off its concrete foundation. A cloud of white smoke floated out of the house. The air was thick with the smell of marijuana. The yard just across was packed with women dressed in white and ready to engage in what looked to be a sermon. A gunshot sounded from somewhere in the distance.

The possibility of danger in this slum called Shayamoya Hills is lost on Sthe. He’s so much at ease with he has yanked his iPhone out and taken pictures.

“Ufunani Boy?” Sthe asks Ayabonga. On the counter in front of them – packed behind a mesh barrier – is an assortment of toys for boys – marbles, spin tops and guns.

Ayabonga can’t decide between a spin top and marbles.

“And the gun?” Sthe teases Ayabonga. He shakes his head, declining. “Mommy will kill me,” he answers.

“Kill you for having a gun. That’s funny.” Sthe chuckles. Ayabonga won’t stop staring at all the toys in front of him.

They leave the store with a spin top, a string and a pack of marbles.

Back home Zandi is almost done with Sbonga.

“What grade are you in, Sbonga?” Zandi asks.

She raises her finger, showing ‘one’.

“Do you think you are going to Grade 2 next year?” Sbonga nods. “Good girl.” Another high five.

Now you are ready,” Zandi says, whilst spraying Sbonga’s scalp. “We are done. Mommy should be proud of her princess now.” Zandi thinks the last line should help answer the question she has about Sbonga’s mom. Why would a man tend to a little girl’s child?

“Daddy look, Aunty Zandi has finished!” Sbonga gets off her chair and runs off to her father with arms stretched wide. He has just entered the gate when Sbonga gets to him. He hugs her with one hand, the other hand is joined to Ayabonga’s.

“Ncooh,” Zandi presses her hands against her chest. She’s swept by the wave of love she’s witnessing.

“Look Ma! Uncle Sthe bought me these.” Ayabonga shows his marbles and spin top off to his mother.

“Oh Nkosi.” Zandi puts her hands on her head and a grin on her face. “He’s going to break what remains of my windows.”

“Not unless I teach him how to play it,” Sthe jumps in. “This is how you get a top to spin,” he says to Ayabonga. He gets on with the business of teaching the lad the fine art of playing a spin top.

Sthe then stretches his arms. “I’m tired now,” he says in the yawn. “You are a smart guy, Ayabonga. This won’t be a problem for you.”

“Sis’ Zandi,” he turns to her. “How much do I owe you?”

“Five minutes. And please. Call me Zandi.” There’s something in how she smiles and rolls her eyes at the same time. He thinks she’s dropping him a hint, a flirtatious one.

“I owe you five minutes? I don’t understand.”

“I’ve prepared a little snack – for the kids. Please stay. And please don’t say no.”

Sthe sighs, seemingly mulling over the snack he can’t say no to.

“I’ll stay,” he says. “But rain clouds are gathering.”

“You can’t say no, remember?”

“I’ll stay for the snack. But I have my own condition.” He lowers his voice to just above a whisper. “Will you have dinner with me, sometime? And you can’t say no.”

As if knowing his weakness for it, she smiles. “Maybe.”

“You are cheating,” he protests, smiling. “You are supposed to say yes.”

“That’s where you are wrong, my dearest Sthe,” she says. “I wasn’t supposed to say no.”

Sthe’s phone buzzes with an incoming call. He kills it after just one glance.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Zandi tells him. He realises she saw him killing the call like it was a mosquito. “I could have excused myself.”

“It wasn’t important.” Sthe hopes he’s kept a straight enough face to avoid suspicion.

Tell us: How do you think Zandi feels when Sthe kill a call to chat to her instead? Do you think it’s a sign of a hot romance or something more sinister?