I knew that if Ma found out about Boeta and me, she would probably lock me up. My mother had never liked the Groenewalds. She always said that they were evil people and that we shouldn’t mix with that sort. ‘Meng jou met die semels en die varke vreet jou op,’ that’s what Ma says about people she thinks are sinful.

Boeta used to hand me letters under the desk in Afrikaans class. I never guessed that I would fall in love with Boeta the Mail Boy. But nou ja, I do not question our stolen times together. It was so secret neither my sisters nor God knew. He told me that he wanted to build houses like his father who had built the klipkerkie in Dempers Street. I liked talking to him and listening to his ideas about life. Sometimes we just went to go and sit at the vlei and talk. No one visited it anymore and it was close to church so I would always have an excuse if Ma asked.

For a long time, we only held hands. Then, after a few weeks, Boeta let me rest my head on his shoulders or sometimes he lay on my lap and we would talk about all kinds of things. About exams and about life here in Strandtjiesvlei. When Hellie wrote to me about the bright lights in Cape Town, I showed Boeta the letter. In it, my sister had included a R5 note and a picture of her and a handsome man. She was wearing a pink dress and sandals and he was wearing high-waist pants and a tucked shirt and sunglasses. He was a mechanic and he had a car which he drove her around in. Boeta smiled and said he would make an even better life for us. My heart began to beat really fast when our fingers gently crossed into each other’s.

When we kissed for the first time, he looked at me smiling.

‘What?’ I asked.

‘Do you know our eyes are the same?’

I did not know what to say. He rubbed his nose against mine.

When I got home, I went straight to my bedroom. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. It was our secret. There was a knock on my door. It was Ma.

‘I got Mrs. Williams at the shop, Father Williams’ wife.’

My eyes went big in my head. Immediately I thought, Oh my God, she found out! Why else would the Pastor’s wife be speaking to her? I could hear my heart beat in my chest.

‘Father Williams wants to see you tomorrow.’

‘Oh, thank you Ma.’

‘Just don’t be late, it sounds important.’

I felt relief. My secret about Boeta was still safe. I knew why Father Williams was looking for me. He was helping me apply for the teaching college in Wellington. Father Williams was hoping I would get a bursary, but we both knew it was going to be difficult. This was another secret I was keeping from Ma. I knew she would not have approved. She would have thought I was reaching above my station.

Boeta. The bursary. When had I started to keep so much from my mother?

***

Tell us: Do you think Lieda’s secret is safe?