In the dark kitchen, deep in the night, Mrs Phiri finally knows exactly what to do. The answer comes like a brilliant light shining down onto her. Of course! Of course! There is only one way to help Tshepo. There is only one thing she can do.

It is a terrible thing, for sure. It will take all her strength and all her love for her son. But she has promised him: whatever it takes.

When morning comes, Mrs Phiri phones Angelique. She still has Angelique’s number on her phone. And happily, this time Angelique answers.

“Hello, Angelique dear!” Mrs Phiri forces herself to sound friendly. “This is Tshepo’s mother.”

Mrs Phiri panics suddenly. What if Angelique has been listening to the news or reading the newspapers? What if Angelique knows Tshepo is in jail for murder?

But it seems Angelique has not heard about her ex-boyfriend. Naturally! She only watches soapies, never anything important like the news. Angelique answers pleasantly, as if she never at one time broke poor Tshepo’s heart. “Oh hi there, Mrs Phiri. How are you? How is Tshepo?”

Cold, selfish slut! But Mrs Phiri keeps her anger under control. “Fine, fine,” she lies. “And you, dear?”

“Great. I’ve just got a modelling contract – very exciting. So,why are you calling?”

“Well, dear, I was just cleaning out Tshepo’s bedroom and I found some of your things. I thought you might like to have them back.”

“Things? What things?” Angelique definitely sounds interested. Naturally! She is a girl obsessed with material possessions! That was Tshepo’s only fault in her greedy eyes: he ran out of money to provide her with more possessions!

So Mrs Phiri tells her about the bottle of Angel Child perfume, about the black lace pantyhose. “Really lovely, those pantyhose,” says Mrs Phiri. “Good as new. Oh and a few other odds and ends. I tell you what, after work today I can meet you behind the taxi rank in Extension 6. Will that be convenient for you?”

Angelique says now, “That’s kind of you, Mrs Phiri. I thought you might still be angry with me.”

“Angry? Never!” Mrs Phiri lies. “No, dear. Forgive and forget, that is my motto. What’s past is past. Tshepo has already moved on. He’s got himself a lovely new girlfriend. They are talking about getting married. So everything has worked out for the best.”

Mrs Phiri can hear that the stupid girl believes her. Well, come this evening, beautiful Angelique aka Neo Mokgosi will discover there will be no forgiveness. Not for her! Yes, the past is about to catch up with her.

“See you then,” says Angelique pleasantly. “About 7.30, right?” And she hangs up.

Mrs Phiri does not go to the factory that day. Instead she sits at the kitchen table with the lace pantyhose and the bottle of Angel Child laid out in front of her. For the whole of that day. Without eating or drinking.

Often she mutters aloud, “Whatever it takes, my beloved son.” Sometimes she mutters, “This is killing two birds with one stone. Yes, I will save my son and get my revenge on that slut all in one action.”

But will she have the courage to do what she needs to do? All her life, from when she was a little girl, Mrs Phiri has always done what was right and good. She has never knowingly done wrong. She has absolutely, definitely never broken any law. Well, except for once when she was ten and she stole some sweets from the corner café. But her mother found out. And the look of disappointment on her mother’s face was more terrible than any beating. Mrs Phiri vowed on that day she would never, never again do anything to disappoint her mother.

Yet now – now she is planning to break not only a law but also one of the Bible’s Ten Commandments. All for the love of her son. But what does the Bible say? ‘Perfect love casts out fear.’ Yes! And she knows for sure that her love for her son is as perfect as love can be.

When darkness falls, she puts on Tshepo’s hooded jacket. She slips the bottle of fragrance and the pantyhose into the right hand pocket. She walks out of the house towards the taxi rank in Extension 6.

There is only thought in her mind now: Please let Angelique be there. Please let her be there to meet me. Please let me have the courage to do the deed that I must do.

*****

Dawn is almost breaking when Mrs Phiri gets back home. Her hands are shaking so badly that she struggles to unlock the door.

She goes to sit back in the kitchen with Tshepo’s jacket still on. She puts the bottle of perfume on the table in front of her. There is very little perfume left now. Beside it she lays the lace pantyhose. They wind across the table like some strange and venomous snake.

The TV is on. But the news is mostly about political parties holding rallies and about some terrible disease that is ravaging the people of Central Africa. And then something confusing about platinum mines and gold shares. Followed by soccer players rushing across a green lawn. And then a weatherman promising there is more cold weather to come.

Mrs Phiri sits silently. And slowly, slowly her hands stop their shaking. And still she sits and waits.

***

Tell us what you think: What was the deed that Mrs Phiri believed she must do? What Commandment did she plan to break? Did she go through with her plan?