Weeks have passed since Xolani started working. They have taught him more then just picking up heavy loads. Sometimes he runs the teller, other times he does stock taking but the job he enjoys the most is packing and counting. He gets to meet people when packing, hearing stories, meeting different people from different ethnicities and races. He enjoyed seeing people with his skin colour the most because of his past. He felt stupid for those who used to bully him. If they could see him now.

They knocked off early and Lindiwe offered Xolani a ride home. When they got home, Hlengiwe had already began cooking, but Bab Mabezela was not around. By now it was no secret that Hlengiwe had a crush on Xolani, but she knew Baba would never accept it. When Bab Mabezela arrived, dinner was served. But a thought crept upon Xolani. He then asked, “Baba, I’ve been meaning to ask. How do we relate”. Bab Mabezela looked Xolani straight in the eye and a glimpse of fear was present. “Your grandfather won’t approve of me telling you this, but you’re a man now and you deserve the truth. My wife was your Mother’s aunt. We raised your mother after her father died and her mother became irresponsible. When you were born and your father was shunned from the village, we wanted to help your father, but he felt responsible for her death. He vanished and never came back. As for why your grandfather told you that you have no other family members, he must have been protecting you or himself”. With all of that said, Xolani left the table and went outside. His heart ached, he could not believe his ears. His grandfather, Baba Mbete has been lying to him all this time. He left the yard to take a walk. Hlengiwe tried to talk to him but he wasn’t listening. He felt his life was staged. This pain was too much to bare. He zoned out and kept walking. He didn’t realise the figures following him, then one pulled a knife on him. He just threw a punch. He didn’t care what they wanted, as long as the pain within vanished. He kept hitting the robbers until one of them stabbed him multiple times in the stomach. From far ahead a couple saw what was happening and the guy came running. He saw the poor guy was losing blood. He recognised the stabbed guy was Xolani..
He called Bab Mabezela, “Baba, it’s Theo. Xolani just got stabbed”. Bab Mabezela raced to the address Theo gave him. Theo and his girlfriend were trying to contain the bleeding, as Bab Mabezela rushed to the hospital, the very same hospital Nokthula was in..

Nokthula was surrounded by doctors and nurses. They had to contain her blood from the stitches, and since she’s giving premature birth, they’ll have to do a C-section. One of the doctors main worry was that the pain was going to be too unbearable for her, and she might end up dead or traumatized.

As the doctors began cutting for the C-section, her screams echoed the hall way. Bongani tried going into the room “What the hell are you doing! You’re going to kill her!” Bongani screamed as 2 Nurses kept him at bay. The screaming went on for an hour, then Nokthula just collapsed from exhaustion. She couldn’t feel her body. She saw many people around her, some with blood splatter but she couldn’t tell what they were doing to her. Then suddenly they all left. She heard them celebrating. She was too tired to raise her head. Then one of the nurses and Bongani came to her. Bongani held her hand, and said something, she couldn’t make out what he said. The doctors handed the baby over the Bongani. He hesitated. Over the celebrations, Bongani remembered that this child is not his. This child is from someone he hates. This child is an abomination. He handed a nurse the baby and left the room. He began walking to a different floor, he then felt his heart beat. It beat out of hate. He knew only the presence of 1 man could do that to him. He kept walking until he saw a familiar face in the beds. He said to himself “Its good to see you so helpless.. I just wish it was by my hand”. He was looking down at an unconscious Xolani. He then stated “ now you have a child, I’ll make sure she hates you like I do!”. After that he left the room.

As Xolani laid in the hospital bed unconscious, he dreamt of having kids with a beautiful, vivacious woman who’s face wasn’t quite visible. The nurses who came into the room couldn’t help but notice his smile. They took comfort in the fact that he’s fantasies were much nicer then his reality. When Bab Mabezela and the girls came to visit, Xolani was beginning to come out of comatose state, he over heard the doctor saying “He has been like this for days. He lost lots of blood but he’ll be fine. This young man is a fighter”. Everyone in the room was startled when Xolani began to move his arm. The smile of reassurance on the sisters was more then enough to show their worries were melting away. Xolani just laid there with his eyes open, but without the ability to talk. Bab Mabezela kept apologizing for what happened that night he was stabbed. With tears in he’s eyes and his daughters holding him up, Bab Mabezela kept on speaking and Xolani couldn’t reply. He just stared away, as if he was not interested. Bab Mabezela and Lindiwe had to leave and Hlengiwe asked to stay. She sat beside the quiet Xolani and said “I know you’re in pain. You’ve been through alot, but you have to be forgiving. Bab and your grandpa meant well hiding this from you. But don’t ever think you’re alone. You have me, and I want to be yours”. Xolani looked over into her eyes and he really wanted to say something, but he’s will to speak was nothing but short. His eyes betrayed by his thoughts, because Hlengiwe began to seem a lot like Nokthula, and thinking of breaking her heart because of forbidden romance was something he didn’t want to bare. A tear passed his eyes, and she wiped it off, kissed him on the cheek and wished him well. She left him.