Moments later a man wearing tight, hot pink shorts and a bright yellow vest walks in, waving a piece of paper, shouting in outrage.

THAMI: I have no idea why you put that troll in charge of your company darling! I mean, I am one paper cut away from running him over with my car and pleading self-defense.

THULI: (Now seems completely herself again; laughing.) Come sit down and tell us what happened.

THAMI: (Sitting between them.) Child, you have no idea! That man is going to be the end of me. Agnes, would you be a dear and play Tryphina from Muvhango and get me something to drink? (Agnes is about to protest.) Chop, chop darling! (Clapping his hands.) I am dying here. (Agnes gets up to get the drink.) Well, can you believe that roach made me come all this way so you can sign these papers?

THULI: That’s the reason you want to kill him?

THAMI: No child, I am pissed coz that prick made me come here after I spent two hours telling him that your brain still isn’t functioning well enough for you to be signing anything. (Agnes comes back with juice.) Thank you darl.

AGNES: Thuli is not crazy and you shouldn’t be telling people that she is, especially not at work.

THAMI: Don’t get your apron strings in a knot! I was just saying … anyway, don’t you have a cupboard to clean?

THULI: Thami, give me those documents. I’m sure you need to get back to work. Agnes I’ve got this. Can you give us a moment? (Agnes leaves, looking upset.)

THAMI: What has got her thong all twisted? Or should I say her granny panties?

THULI: Would you stop with all that mess, and give me those papers!

Thami hands her the documents and a pen and she signs. Thami notices and picks up the stuffed animal. When she is done signing Thuli looks up, leaps to her feet and grabs it.

THULI: Mr Snuggles! There you are! Palesa will be so happy to see you. She’ll come back to me when she sees that I have you. She can’t sleep without you. She needs you. She’ll come back I know it.

THAMI: (softly) Thuli darling … you back on crazy mode now?

Thami slowly gets up and tip-toes away while Thuli continues mumbling to herself. As Thami walks out, looking back over his shoulder at Thuli, he collides with Eric who is just walking in.

ERIC: (Whispering and frantically scanning the room.) What the hell are you doing here?

THAMI: I work for your wife, remember? I brought documents for her to sign. (Puts his arms around Eric’s neck and pulls him close. Whispering.) What happened to you last night? You said you’d come over. I missed you.

ERIC: (Outraged, pulls out of the embrace.) What the hell are you doing? My wife is literally three metres away. And why are you making her sign documents when you know she is unstable?

THAMI: Relax Boo, she can’t see anything. And here is a tip. See that toy she has in her hand? Just take it away – and your wife is fully functional again. Anyway, I’ve got to jet so see you later at my place. (Kisses him swiftly, smacks Eric on the backside, then leaves him blushing, gazing longingly at his lover.)

Remembering where he is, Eric snaps out of his reverie. He walks over to Thuli and slowly takes the toy from her tight grip, and sits next to her. Thuli stares at her husband, crying, but not breaking eye contact.

ERIC: (softly) Oh baby, what’s wrong?

Thuli hastily dries her eyes. Eric pulls his wife into a warm embrace, kisses her hair lovingly.

THULI: What are you doing here?

ERIC: I’m here to see my beautiful wife. It’s so sad seeing you like this. I know you’re still grieving, still upset, but it will get easier with time.

THULI: I wish people would stop saying that. I don’t want it to get easier! What I want is my baby back!

ERIC: (shifting uncomfortably) I understand how you feel sweetheart. I just wish you would get out more often … maybe think about going back to work. And moving back into our new house.

THULI: (Shrugging out of Eric’s arms, eyeing him angrily.) You ‘understand’? No, I don’t think you do cos you act like nothing happened, like she was never here, like we never had a daughter!

ERIC: (upset) I resent that! It’s been almost two years now.

THULI: She was my baby! You don’t get to tell me how long to grieve for my child damn it! And anyway, she is still here … in this house. I feel her everywhere, all around me. If you stayed here, you’d feel her too. You’d know that she isn’t really gone. She comes back sometimes and I see her. (hugging herself)

ERIC: (Standing up to pace, wounded by Thuli’s words.) Our child Thuli. She was my child too. I was right there with you from the moment we found her laying in the street after the hit-and-run. I was there, holding your hand in the emergency room as we waited to hear news about her injuries. I was at our three-year-old baby girl’s funeral, the same day that you shut me out of your life. (pauses) And honey, it’s time you made peace with the fact she is gone.

THULI: (Standing and walking to her husband) I am sorry if I have made you feel alienated. (Struggling to say what is on her mind) I … I blame myself for what happened. Had I been watching her like I was supposed to, she would not … I feel like I lose her every single day! It still hurts like it happened just yesterday. It isn’t fair for you to put a time frame on my grief! (tears streaming) I don’t know if I can ever … ‘make peace’ with it.

ERIC: I don’t blame you for what happened; nobody blames you! You need to let this go. (Pulling his wife into his arms.)

THULI: (Holding him close.) Maybe … but for now I need to deal with this my way. So please, (pulling out of his embrace) back off! (She turns on her heel and walks out, leaving Eric exasperated and concerned.)

Dumi enters as Thuli leaves, and notices that he has walked into a tense situation. He looks around for his wife, then makes his way over to Eric.

DUMI: Hey Eric (they shake hands) Have you seen Lebo?

ERIC: No, I haven’t seen her since I got here.

They look at each other and shake their heads and speak at the same time.

DUMI & ERIC: Women!

***

Tell us: What would you say to Thuli if she asked your advice? And Eric?