Agnes takes off her doek and ties it around her neck, to hide her bruises. She sits there, trying to gather her thoughts. After a few moments she absent mindedly walks to the living room and sits down on the couch. She begins to cry. Lebo walks in moments later, talking softly with Thuli. They notice Agnes. Lebo sits down and holds her, soothing her until she calms down. As they converse, Thuli meanwhile notices Palesa’s toy on a chair, and goes over to pick it up. She becomes engrossed with it.

LEBO: Aggie what’s wrong? Sweetie please stop crying and tell me what’s wrong.

AGNES: I am fine, really. (sobbing) James and I just got into a huge argument and I am upset … and embarrassed that Dumi had to witness it.

LEBO: Oh Aggie I’m so sorry. But you know every couple goes through rough patches, and that is normal. Just let him calm down. Talk to him later. I mean, take me and Dumi for instance. I feel like he would like it better if I would stay home all day and be a housewife and take care of his babies.

AGNES: At least he is interested in having children. James won’t even entertain the thought. You know, he makes sure I am on a contraceptive. All I want for us is to have a big family. Maybe that would strengthen our marriage.

LEBO: I don’t think a baby is the answer to your problems, which is what I keep telling Dumi. He begged me to stop taking the pill so we could let nature take its course. He refuses to respect the fact that I want to wait until I am where I want to be, in terms of my career. Anyway, to make him happy I stopped, but now I keep avoiding having sex cos I don’t want to take any chances!

AGNES: Maybe he doesn’t want to wait for too long? I mean you’re not getting any younger. Lebo, maybe you should try meet him half way … that’s what I would do.

LEBO: I am not ready to have a baby right now. In fact, I doubt that I have a maternal bone in my body.

Thuli starts singing to the toy and walks over to the dining table searching for something.

THULI: I just want to find your bottle. I know I made one earlier today. (Talking to the toy, lifting it in the air as though carrying a baby.) You must be very hungry. (Sniffing the toy) Oh! Baby made a doo doo. Come let’s go clean you up.

Agnes and Lebo watch her and when she turns to leave Lebo gets up to stop her. Lebo takes the toy. Thuli protests, but once Lebo has the toy Thuli is calmer and more present.

LEBO: Thuli sweetie, are you okay? Come sit down.

AGNES: Yeah, come, let’s have a little chat. How have you been doing lately?

THULI: (Putting her face in her hands for a moment.) Honestly, I feel like I’m losing my mind. Sometimes I can’t remember where I am … or why I’m doing something. I don’t know what to do. I’m sad all the time. I just … (breaks off)

AGNES: (Pulling Thuli into an embrace.) I know that you are still working through your feelings and grief. It must be hard!

THULI: (With a pained look on her face.) Some days are better than others. Sometimes it’s like it never happened and I wait for hours for my little girl to walk into the room begging me to come outside and play with her. Other days it’s like I am reliving that day all over again … and the emotions overwhelm me.

LEBO: How does Eric deal with all of this? Have you spoken to him … told him how you feel?

THULI: We don’t really talk about what happened … except when he is trying to get me to go back to work, or to see a doctor. I can’t face going back to my life at this point! I feel like it would be like betraying …

Trailing off, as if seeing something, she gets up and walks forward, staring at the floor.

THULI: You know I can still see her lying in the street in my head sometimes … she was so still … not moving. All I could do was shout and scream until the ambulance arrived. I didn’t even get the chance to say that I love her or that I was there for her. All I could do was cry. That is all I still do: cry.

AGNES: (Standing up to hold Thuli as she cries.) I am so sorry. You know, maybe getting professional counselling isn’t a bad idea? It could help.

LEBO: Yes Thuli, you could take it slow and work your way back into a normal routine, rather than sit here all day, torturing yourself.

THULI: You know, I think I’m ready. Yes, I’ll look into doing that. I should also call Thami. So I can discuss with him what to do about the agency, while I work though all of this.

AGNES: Yooh that gay guy makes me laugh, he is so dramatic. Although it would be nice if he didn’t treat me like a maid in my own house! (Rolling her eyes; they all laugh together.)

LEBO: (checking her watch) Speaking of which, I have to get going. I have so much work. Bye ladies.

***

Tell us: Do you agree that Thuli is stuck in grief and needs a professional to help her? Or should time just take its course?