The next day. Mr Sithole has just left the hospital after bringing Lwazi his toiletries and clothes. While relaxing during the last minutes of visiting hours, Lwazi is surprised by Melissa entering the room. He invites her to sit down.
“How are you doing?” she asks.
“Recovering, what about you?”
“I’m fine. I’m sorry, I don’t like the way I ran off on you.”
“Why be sorry? We made a deal and it turned out to have its own consequences.”
“Don’t say that. The way you kissed me the other day, did it come from your heart?”
Lwazi widens his eyes in surprise, “You mean?”
“Were you serious, that you really meant it?”
He takes a deep breath, “I had to do it, to prove to your ex that I was your boyfriend.”
“But other than that, it wasn’t just a kiss right? For you too.”
“Who are you really, Melissa? What’s your story? And what’s going on between you and Alex?”
She stares at the window.
“It’s OK if you don’t want to talk about it, it’s fine,” he says.
She looks at him straight in the eye. “I’m Melissa Mkhonto, I’m businesswoman. I own a successful salon, and I was in a relationship with Alex — a man who completely didn’t care about me. He wanted me to be in relationship with him and share him with another woman: he should’ve known better.”
“Then why didn’t you tell that straight to him?”
“I did several times, but he refused to accept our breakup and said he’d only believe me if I showed up with someone I loved and broke up with him.”
“And now you love me?”
Melissa looks at Lwazi with a stern look.
“I’m sorry, it’s a joke. But you see, Melissa, you and I are people from completely different walks of life. You’re beautiful, educated, a businesswoman. And me, I’m a nobody. My only goal is to work just so I can eat and live to see another day. I don’t have any goals, or dreams. Similar to you, I have a barbershop in my backyard, but it’s struggling since nobody wants to support a poor black child like me, right? I have nobody except myself and my little brother, we both need things and have desires which nobody cares about. We’re the people that are invisible in society. We’re only seen when people need to use us, and pay us peanuts to put our lives at risk, and some of us even die doing so. It’s a classic tale of the rich and the poor.”
“I’m not rich, and I didn’t force you.”
“Yes, perfectly said, that’s how it is. But little did you know that I only agreed because my brother needed school shoes, and I couldn’t afford to buy them for him since I had nothing. I had to agree. My poverty allowed you to use me.”
“I’m sorry I had to put you through all of that just because I couldn’t take care of my own personal problems. I should leave you alone.” She stands up to leave.
“You’re leaving?” he asks.
“It’s clear to me that our paths have wrongfully clashed, Lwazi. But I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. Goodbye,” she turns away, saddened, and leaves.
“Run away, that’s what you all do,” he says, taking in heavy breaths. He punches the bed in anger and frustration.
The nurse comes in to notify Lwazi that he can be discharged from tomorrow onwards. Therefore, he can request the discharge forms in order to officially be eligible.
“So soon!”
“Yes, you don’t want to go home?”
“No, I do.”
“Alright then, take care,” she says, and goes to attend other patients.
“At least in here I had a comfortable bed to sleep on, it’s never cold, and I had something to eat. But I have to return to where I belong, home, my place of pain.”
Tell us: Do you think Lwazi is being fair to Melissa?