When the phone rang Valerie thought Sophia had forgotten something, or was trying one last time to get her to the party. But it was the school secretary, and she had bad news. Sophia had failed.

Valerie couldn’t believe it – how could life be so twisted? One twin excelling in her subjects was pregnant, while the other one failed her matric…. what a sad way to start the year!

Valerie had been a so-called ‘good girl’ all her life. She worked hard and excelled in her schoolwork, she was a prefect and even did sports! She never really did anything hastily; she left that bit to her sister. She was a good planner. She liked knowing where she was going and used all means to ensure she got there. She had applied to study Law at UCT, and with her good pass, there was no doubt that she was going to be admitted. In fact, you could call her any mother’s dream daughter!

How had things got so bad for her? It was David’s fault. She really thought she loved him and thought she would take a risk with him…How stupid could she have been! No, he had to own up to his end of the bargain! She had been crying and felt like she hated herself after she found out she was pregnant, but she couldn’t start a new year full of anger and resentment. David and me will have to work things out, she thought. If not for their sakes, then for the sake of the child. She was definitely going to keep the child. She had contemplated abortion, but ever since she was a girl she had believed that you should take responsibility for your actions – and for her this meant keeping the baby. That was exactly what she was going to do. But she was dreading telling her mother. She was a nurse who had come face to face with other teenagers who had got pregnant. She had always tried to tell her daughter to take the necessary precautions not to fall pregnant. She had taught her the right way to use condoms – for her they were the best option – she didn’t want Valerie to use injections because they came with some undesirable side-effects.

She would have to tell them soon. But now she had other news to break. She had to tell Sophia she had failed. She would find her at the party. But she wouldn’t tell her there. She would let her enjoy New Year’s Eve. Perhaps on the way home – when Mado was there to help comfort her – she would break the bad news. Valerie picked up her coat and bag and headed for the train.

Do you think that Valerie should keep the child?