It was Saturday morning and Karabo was babysitting her little brother, Lesego. She arrived as Sipho was unlocking the pet shop. He had taken on an extra weekend shift to help earn the money for her necklace. He was late for work, and was surprised to see Karabo holding her eight-year-old brother by the hand.

“Babes, I need a favour,” Karabo said. “I’ve got an appointment at the hair salon. He’s going to be a nuisance in the salon. Can you please keep an eye on him? I’ll be back by eleven.”

“Sure,” Sipho said. “Hey champ. Howzit?” he said, boxing Lesego playfully on the chest.

“Thanks, love,” Karabo said, hugging him and whispering, “I love you.”

“Love you too, babes,” Sipho said, as she left the store. “Come on Lesego. You can help me feed the baby parrots. And I’ll pay you to help me clean out the cages.”

An hour later the cages were swept, the animals fed, and Lesego was bored.

“Uncle Sipho, can I go play computer games at the shop next door?”

Sipho was busy unpacking boxes of birdseed. “Sure, I’ll take you now.”

Dominic, the manager of Gaming Factory, didn’t even look up from the magazine he was paging through as they entered the shop. Sipho settled Lesego down in front of a screen and gave him the money he had earned. “Don’t spend it all at once, and don’t get into trouble. If you need me I’m right next door.”

As he passed the counter he noticed that Dominic had stopped surfing the internet and was busy drooling over a porn magazine. “Hey – your eyes should be on the shop,” Sipho said. Dominic gave him the middle finger. Sipho paused. Should he be leaving the child in a place like this? But then he thought, no, he’ll be fine. I’m right next door.

The hours passed quickly, with a rush of customers. Sipho kept thinking about the red necklace. It would look so beautiful on Karabo’s long neck. He went to look at Perry. He took him out of the cage and stroked his feathers. Perry was growing nicely. He was almost ready to go. I wonder what Mr Mohamed will say when he finds out I’ve sold him? I hope he’s not too upset, he thought, admiring the beautiful parrot.

Sipho was just getting ready to make a cup of tea when he remembered Lesego. He had a moment of panic. “You idiot,” he said to himself. “You promised to keep an eye on him.” He hurried next door.

As he entered Gaming Factory, Karabo herself came storming out with Lesego. “Sipho, I thought, I asked you to watch Lesego.”

He’d never seen her so angry. “What’s happened, babe?”

“Some older kids wanted to take Lesego’s money, and he refused, so they hit him.”

“Sorry, babes, I was on my way over. I have been busy with customers. Is he OK?”

“Yes he’s OK. It’s all thanks to Dom here. He intervened and sent the big boys away.”

Lesego frowned. “I could have beaten them – I’m a fighting machine,” he said and he showed them his biceps.

Dominic laughed. “You’re the man, Lesego. But those boys were bigger than you. They could have given you a black eye.”

Karabo smiled at him. “I’m so glad you were there, Dom. Thanks for saving my little brother.”

“Any time,” Dom said, putting his arm around her. “I’m always here. Drop him off any time you like. I’ll watch out for him.”

Sipho felt angry watching Karabo and Dom. If she only knew what he had been doing when he left Lesego there, how he hadn’t even looked up from the porn he was reading…she wouldn’t be thanking him.

As he returned to the pet shop Sipho felt really bad. He shouldn’t have forgotten the little boy there. And he didn’t like the way Dominic touched Karabo. Couldn’t she tell he was a slimy bastard who liked porn?

***

Tell us what you think: Should Sipho be worried about Dominic, or not?