Jenny was seated in the lounge reading a book when her daughter approached her.
“Uhm Mom…” Lerato said looking at the floor trying to read the words she was looking for on it but nothing. Her throat became dry and she couldn’t utter any word further.
“Hmm?” Jen said but didn’t look up from the book she was reading.
“Mom!” Lerato said more sternly. “Attention please…” she copied the words her mom used to say when she herself was not paying attention, attentively.
“Yes hunny?” Jen finally said and closed the book on her lab, smiling sideways.
“I need to tell you something important. But promise me you won’t get angry at me.” Lerato said looking down from her mother’s, now serious, gaze.
“You know I can’t promise that hun,” Jen replied.
“Uhmm…” Lerato begins but stopped and looked around nervously.
“Talk child,” Jen said when she saw Lerato dragging.
“Uhm yes… Do you remember that night I snuck out to go to Amanda’s party!?” Lerato asked her mother to try and bring the memory back.
“Yeah…” Jen said leaning forward to listen carefully to what would follow. She scanned her daughter to try and figure out what she was trying to say before she even said it. “Go on…” Jen said making a hand gesture instructing her daughter to keep on talking.
“I uhm…well it’s… It’s complicated to say in words, maybe I shouldn’t have said anything…” Lerato said standing up ready to walk away.
“Lerato Cassandra Moore, sit your butt down and spit out whatever is chocking you, Now!” Jen said with wide eyes and instructed Lerato to sit back down with her index finger.
“Mom you wouldn’t understand anyway, you never do,” Lerato said while taking a seat again.
“Try me…” Jen said and leaned in again.
“Mom I am not who you think I am. I am not the perfect daughter you set out for me to be. Society already hates me, and If I tell you this. you would have a change of heart and hate me too…” Lerato said looking down again sadly.
“I am your mother, why would I hate my only daughter?” Jen said, shocked.
“What is it child, talk, you’re making me restless now.” Jen continued moving around a little bit. “Should we wait for your Dad?” Jenny asked trying to find Lerato’s eyes.
“No, No, No… Please not Mom!” Lerato said looking scared. “That’s why I approached you first…”
“Than talk child, you know he is on his way home already, right…” Jenny said.
“Yes that’s why, after I tell you I want you, Mother, to tell your husband…” Lerato said and when her mother said nothing she continued, “Mom that night we didn’t go to the party…” Lerato said looking at her mom to find an expression, but still nothing. Her Mother was looking at her with big marble eyes and no expression. This could turn out badly. “We…” Lerato continued.
“We, who is we?” Jenny interrupted Lerato.
“Me, Paul, Quinn and Amanda rode 10km out of town and parked on the side of the road and they… I smoked weed with them. We got high and…” Lerato said stuttered all over the words.
Jenny stood up and threw her book on the coffe table holding her forehead.
“You did what!?” she asked with a calm voice at first. “Let me guess than you had sex with one of the boys and now you are pregnant wanting to keep the child because you think it is love. How stupid could you have been Lerato!? How stupid are you! We practically educate you about having intercourse with a man without protecting yourself!” Jenny started screaming at Lerato.
“Nah Ma, it isn’t like that…!” Lerato stood up raising her voice a little.
“What? You think you are grown now and can shout at me? Or do you want to terminate the pregnancy? What am I supposed to do now Lerato!?” Jenny said near Lerato’s face.
“Mom would you just listen!?” Lerato screamed back.
“Don’t you raise your voice young lady! I have told you so many times how cruel this world is out there.” Jenny said pointing an index finger at Lerato she was red with anger now. “Why don’t you just listen for once, huh Lerato, just once?” Jenny asked.
“Says the one who’s not listening now,” Lerato said to her mother in a irritating way causing Jenny to get more angrily.
“Don’t you get cheeky with me missy!” Jenny said and slapped Lerato’s shoulder.
Lerato burst out in tears and sat down. Jenny looked at her tantrums and just took a seat next to her.
“They body-shamed me. Amanda and them forcefully undressed me and while Amanda was making a video of me, the boys urinated on me. They made me walk home barefoot while they mocked me from inside the truck. The videos leaked and now everyone lables me as “The Duff” I am the mocking stock of the whole world,” Lerato said and ran out of the house leaving Jenny with tears and a broken heart. She had jumped to conclusion witch lead to add to her daughter’s pain and suffering.