Hazel dragged her heavy legs to her granny’s house broken hearted. Her uniform was dirty and had an unpleasant smell of a polish. Tears covered her as if a heavy rain fell on her face, and she breathed heavily as if it was time for her to depart the world.

“Cleo!” she wailed, stepping on the compounds of her granny’s house. “How could you do this to me my love?”

MaVilakazi showed up.

Concerned, she asked, “My grandchild, what’s going on?” and went to her.

“Gogo!” she sniffed. “Cleo broke my heart.”

Crestfallen, she said, “Oh Hazel!” and hugged her tightly while wearing a sad face. “I cooked your served in colours today – rice, chicken and different salads, I included your most favourite one, chakalaka.”

MaVilakazi walked Hazel inside the house. She begged her to put something in the stomach. She tried to calm her in anyway but it was like pouring water at back of a duck. The young girl’s heart was in pieces. Cleo was the first and the only guy she loved wholeheartedly, plus, realized that she had a new battle to fight. “Now, I’ll be a joke at school,” she speculated. “It makes sense why I received an awkward look from Cleo classmates,” and mumbled.

MaVilakazi yawned and stretched her arms. “What Hazel?”

“I just want to go and sleep.”

“I wish I could help but I’m exhausted. I was busy with my garden the whole day. The best thing you can do for yourself is to wash your uniform before you think of sleeping.”

She rolled her heavy glassy eyes. “Gogo!”

“Go and wash your uniform heartbroken girl,” she said while going to her room, fuming but pretending to be calm. “But I told her, boys are players.”

“Eh!” she whispered. “Gogo can be out of line sometimes. I had a long day like her. I’m off to bed too,” she headed to her room.

***

“How did I do it?” asked Cleo alone on his queen bed. “No! No! I need to go to Hazel’s house.

“Cleo!” Mrs Makhathini shouted, knocking on his door. “You locked yourself up today since you came back from school. What’s going on?”

Cleo went silence.

“Unlock the door you silly child! Otherwise I’ll call your dad upstairs and you won’t like it.”

With his voice cracking, he said, “I’m opening mama,” and walked lamely to the door. “Enter.”

His mother’s eyes widened. She got untongue. Nonetheless, she entered the room and sat on Cleo’s spongy bed. “You know you can talk to me.”

He sat beside her mother. “I messed up mama. Big time.”

“Is it Hazel?”

“Her appearance is changing from the one I fell in love with.”

“So?”

“Mama she’s now a pig! A pig mama! I feel like the world can swallow me whenever I see her,” he pushed his tears back.

“But?”

“Still mama, there’s something burning about her in my heart, and it frustrates me.”

“You’re a fool my child.”

Startled, he asked, “Huh?”

“Love never dies, unless it wasn’t true,” she took a deep breath. “Let me tell you about your dad and I when we met.”

He smiled and said, “Cheer me up with your love stories.”

“We were doing our second year in University of Cape Town.”

Mr Makhathini woke up from his bed, wore his brown gown, then headed to Cleo’s room. He stood behind the door and listened their journey of love.

“Your father was the most handsome guy in our campus. Your Chinese eyes, light complexion, black curly hair, tall height and all the traits you took from him drove me insane. A week wouldn’t end for me without crushing other girl’s bones, hence I was suspended three times in a year. My marks dropped. I failed my tests. My busary became terminated. I fell into depression. I lost weight. I became darker. Actually, I lost myself. As a result, I became the joke of the world. People rejoice when you’re at your worst, more especially when you’re betrayed by the people you trusted.”

“Oh mama!” he sighed.

“Listen,” she cleared her throat. “However, you father didn’t leave me. He promised to be with me through thick and thin. Although he approached me when I was thick, he didn’t leave me when I was thin. He supported me through the whole situation and advised me to do better. Look now, he’s a businessman and I’m a policewoman. You know why?”

“No.”

“It’s because our love is stronger than everything, including the highs and the lows.”

***