Meanwhile Nokthula had her baby girl in her arms. She was happy and sad at the same time. She was happy that the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy is over, and her baby girl is born, but what saddened her was that her angels daddy was not around. She began to cry. She cried out of relief and heartache. She almost lost her baby, because she loves her father. The nurse asked “Ma’am what are you going to name the baby? We have to register her soon”. Nokthula looked puzzled. A lot happened to her during the time she was pregnant. She lost her lover, and is now a Makoti to a man she once hated and she almost lost the baby twice. She thought her baby signified the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. She has lost some, she’s been through hell with a man she loved, who’s nowhere near now, but she has to move on and move forward. “Luphumlo. Her name is Luphumlo Nguni”. Nokthula looked at her baby. She held her small tiny hands and rubbed her chubby cute cheeks and said silently “you are my new beginning”.

Back at the Mabezela residence, Bab Mabezela felt a lot of guilt for Xolani’s current state. He felt letting him know the truth Baba Mbete hid for so long actually harmed the young man. He knew Baba Mbete deserved to know the truth. He called Hlengiwe to help him pen down a letter. The letter read..…..

Dearest Greetings from the Mabezela household

I write this letter with a heavy heart, baring good and bad news. The young man you left in my care has come a long way. He has found a new home with us. We have tried by all means to make him feel welcome in our little home. He has found employment under our care and Is doing quite well. I regret to inform Baba Mbete that the past has caught up with us. The young man knows and I believe everyone else deserves to know too. And this secret of ours is the main reason he now lays in a hospital bed. After I told him, he took a stroll that led to him getting stabbed in the streets. I’m sorry I broke my promise. I couldn’t take care of Xolani. I pray that you and uMama can forgive me.

Humbly Yours
Bab Mabezela.

Hlengiwe had more questions after Penning down Baba’s words. Then Baba said “I suggest you call down your sister”. Hlengiwe called her sister down and they sat around the dinning table. “My babies, you both learnt the other night that I am Xolani’s grandpa. I honestly did not want you both to find out like this. I’ve kept this secret long and it has been killing me. I and my wife raised Xolani’s mother from a young age. I treated her very much like my own daughter. She told me she met a man in the streets and very much loved him. All I ever wanted was her happiness. I never realized that she’d end up dying after giving birth. It hurt me to the core and now her son is in hospital because of me. I have failed as a man, as a guardian but most of all, as a father. I taught you not to keep secrets, while I carried one myself”. For the first time in their lives, Hlengiwe and Lindiwe saw uBaba crying. They knew Baba never kept secrets from them. They knew very well they were abandoned by their parents, and after Baba did some investigating, they knew why it happened. But they could not understand why Bab Mabezela could hide this from them. A cousin they never knew existed. Then Hlengiwe asked, “Where is she, your wife?”. Baba looked up, trying to wipe off his tears and said “We never legally divorced. One day she said she is not happy with me. I was angry but I understood. She left me for someone else. I haven’t heard from her since Xolani’s birth”. The room was quiet. Bab Mabezela felt a heavy load drop off his shoulders and the girls, for once saw Baba’s face without his serious demeanour.

Days have passed. Hlengiwe visited Xolani almost daily to check up on him. She told him everything Baba has unveiled. Xolani finally knew he has family out there, somewhere. That void in him closed up a little. It was not the closure he looked for, but it’s what he needed. After 2 weeks since Xolani was admitted into the hospital, the doctors told him that if he can walk without collapsing, they would discharge him. He tried and tried but could not spend too much time on his feet. One morning he was determined to move. He felt his heart beat like he ran a Marathon. He felt heavy. But he was focused. He walked out of his room. With 2 nurses walking closely next to him, he then began thinking about Nokthula. He said to himself “Nokthula must have my child now. I wish I could have been there to support her during the difficult time”. He then asked the nurses to accompany him to the baby ward. As they arrived outside the room full of new borns. Xolani’s eyes welled up with tears. He looked at one of the children. He felt a special connection towards this young child. The nurses asked and asked what’s wrong, but all he could say was “take me back to my room”. Thoughts of him and Nokthula flooded back. The way she cared for him, her soft touch, beautiful lips and sexy mind. Xolani looked at this child and said before leaving “I hope our child is as beautiful as her mother”. He limped back to his room and laid in bed.

Nokthula was not discharged from the hospital. Her wound was not healing properly, and her daughter began having complications. She could not digest any foods without help and struggled breathing. Doctors said they would have to perform surgery on little Luphumlo so she can grow up with little to no problems. The stress was clearly getting to Nokthula. Bongani reluctantly returned back to the village with the risk of losing his employment, and Nokthula’s family visited her once. But Nokthula secretly fantasize the Xolani would come and swoop her off her feet, heal her and Luphumlo and claim them as his own, but she had to stop the thought. She knew her reality was a much bitter pill to swallow. Her pillow contained tears filled of wishes of happiness. Her heart yearned for the love she once felt. She thought to herself “since I’ve accepted my fate with Bongani, I haven’t had the time to think about Xolani. I haven’t wondered where he has gone or how he is. I hope he still thinks of me, of how it could have been …..” her trail of thought was interrupted by a nurse who held Luphumlo with great care. She then said “Mrs Nguni, you have an hour with your baby. The surgery will begin soon. Let’s all pray everything goes swimmingly”. With that the nurse left, leaving Nokthula with her adorable baby. She looked closely into Luphumlo’s face and said “You have your father’s smile”. She sat there in silence as Luphumlo rested peacefully in her arms.