I went to the sitting room and saw that the glass came from the framed wedding photos that had been on the wall my entire life. She’d smashed them and then torn up the photos inside into tiny bits and pieces.

I sat on the floor trying to collect up everything. I didn’t know a world where those photos were not on the wall. I found the edge of my mother’s white veil. There was my father’s hand on her waist, and on another piece, my parents’ lips kissing.

Suddenly I realised what I was doing. Even if I found every single piece and I put the photos back together they would always show the lines where they’d been torn apart. It was futile. I began to cry. Surrounded by the bits and pieces of their wedding, by the photos that had been a constant in my life always, I cried and cried. Soon my school blouse was wet with tears.

It was real now. My father was gone. He was not coming back. My mother was lost in her sadness and anger, and in the alcohol. My life would never be the same again. Just like these photos, it had been torn into tiny pieces and thrown all over. Even to find the pieces was difficult. But then, to find how they could be put back together … I knew that was impossible. My old life, like the wedding photos, would need to be put in the rubbish bin. Any life that came out of all of this would have little to do with those torn bits and pieces.

I heard a phone ringing somewhere in the distance. I looked around and saw my bag dropped at the front door. I rushed there and saw it was finally Leah calling.

“Mimi?”

I could hear loud noise in the background and could barely hear her.

“Leah? Yes, it’s me.”

“I’m on my way. The conference finished and my boss gave me three days off. This bus will arrive in the morning in Gabs. Are you okay?”

“Yes. Did you talk to Dad? He won’t answer my calls.”

“I did, Mimi. I’ll tell you everything when I arrive.”

I was so relieved. At least Leah would know what to do.

After I hung up, there was a knock at the door. Before I could answer I heard Aunty E: “Hello?”

I looked at my blouse, still wet with tears, and rushed to change in my room. I splashed water on my face. I grabbed the key to my mother’s room and locked her inside.

I opened the door only enough for me to fit. “Hi Aunty E.”

“Mimi.” She looked at me. “Let me in.”

“Mom’s sleeping.”

“It doesn’t matter. I want to come in.” Her face was firm. “You need to let me in.”

I stood my ground but Aunty E pushed me backwards and stepped into the house.

I grabbed her hand. “Please don’t go in! Mom wouldn’t want you to see.”

She looked at me. “See what? Mimi, you must tell me right now what is going on! You’re a girl; you can’t do this on your own.”

***

Tell us what you think: Should Mimi tell Aunty E, against her mother’s wishes?