Ntaoleng opens the kitchen door and before they can even walk in and be private Sephiri jumps down her throat.

“So Paul and Papa are – were – brothers?!” she shouts.

Ntaoleng raises a hand wearily as if warding off her daughter, moves to the lounge and sits. The couch is worn out and reminds her of a time when she and Ntjapule used to cuddle on it. “I’m going to get us an even bigger couch and it will be in your favourite colour,” he would say as they lazed on it.

Thirteen years is not so long ago after all Ntaoleng thinks, as she switches on the TV, unable to face her daughter’s rage. As always soccer is the order of the day on SABC 1 and so she changes the channel. A rerun of Muvhango is playing on SABC 2.

Sephiri follows her into the lounge. “Don’t you dare ignore me!” she demands.

“Wait … what must I say?” Ntaoleng replies, stalling.

“Paul and my dead father are brothers! Don’t tell me you didn’t know. How could you? My father leaves, some years pass, and you jump into his brother’s pants!”

Ntaoleng switches off the TV, gathers herself.

“Sit down” she says and waits as Sephiri perches on the arm rest of the opposite couch. “This is not how I wanted you to find out. That is why I didn’t introduce you and Paul the other evening. I was planning on having lunch tomorrow where we tell you everything. I didn’t think that your father’s funeral would be today. I thought they’d wait until next week … I mean the man died on Tuesday.”

“So obviously you knew all along. How could you?” Sephiri asks, shaking her head.

“I met Paul when I was in high school and we dated for a while. A year after we broke up I met your father, and fell in love with him. Probably because he was so similar to Paul! But part of me still loved Paul – my first love. Your father and I dated for three years when Paul came back into my life. I saw him at our lobola ceremony and realised then that they were brothers. Soon after your father and I moved in together, Paul would visit frequently and … and … that’s how we started seeing each other … our affair. We were always wracked with guilt of course. Eventually, three years after your birth, I ended it with Paul. He couldn’t take it and told your father about us. Can you imagine the scene… and I think that’s why your father left in the end.”

“You disgust me!” Sephiri storms out of the lounge and into her room, banging the door.

Ntaoleng, teary-eyed, walks over to the door and continues: “I know what I did was horrible and I haven’t forgiven myself for it. But years passed and Paul and I found each other again; by now I considered myself single again. All of that is what your father and I were fighting about the day he returned; it’s what Linda and I were fighting about after the funeral earlier. I’m sorry. So sorry.”

“How could you?” Sephiri says, re-opening the door violently. “All these years, you victimized yourself and made it seem like Papa was the one who abandoned us … when all the while you were … were whoring around!”

Ntaoleng rushes forward and pushes Sephiri, toppling her onto the bed. “Listen here, I know what I did was wrong but I am still your mother. Don’t talk to me like that!” she shouts, infuriated. “I am tired of explaining myself to everyone. It was thirteen years ago! Now is now – a new chapter! You said you wanted the truth: there it is!” Ntaoleng heads for her room.

Sephiri is stunned and lies on her bed, frozen, contemplating it all. She then remembers that her father left when she was five. If he found out when I was three why did he wait for over a year before he left, she thought. Something didn’t add up.

She feels too emotionally exhausted to try and find out more now and so dismisses it. Wearily she rises to change.

Beep. Beep.

It’s a text from Letso.

Hey grl. Hw ws de funeral?

Eish.

Hao dat bad?

Yep. Dnt wanna talk abt it. How ws de trip?

Fyn. u were nt there. *meh*

Grl Paul is brothers wif my dead fada.

*shocked*

Yes grl. *crying*

Yoh.*hug* I’m gonna come ova as soon
as we gt 2 kasi neh.

Kwl. Let me cook.

L8a

Sephiri, feeling a bit better, changes into a blue tribal print mini dress and flip-flops. She goes into the kitchen and takes meat out of the freezer.

*****

“OK. Did you cook enough for three? Paul is coming over later.”

“Wow – I don’t believe it! After what we have been through today. Why?” Sephiri shouts, irritated.

“I thought it would do us all good if we sat down and talked.”

“Well I have nothing to say!” Sephiri replies as she passes Ntaoleng her plate of food then storms into her room.

***

Tell us what you think: Is Ntaoleng wrong to take up with Paul again after all these years? What do you think of the way Sephiri speaks to her mother?