Papa finally gets home at 4. Mama managed to reach him and he came home as soon as possible. He is startled to find the situation we are in. Mama has changed her dirty gown.

He scratches his beard and shakes his head. I wonder why he took us from Zimbabwe and brought us here. This is worse than the situation back home. Atleast in Zimbabwe, we had our own brick house. We had 4 bedrooms, each of us slept in their own bed. Papa worked as a security guard, and mama worked as a nurse. We were happy, mama never had to pretend she was full. We came here when Lizo was a few months old.

“Why did you have to bring us here?” I shout at my dad.

He is startled, I’ve never looked him in the eye, let alone raised my voice to him.

“Mbuso! Sit down.” Mama scolds me.

“No Mama! This is his fault! I hate this country, I’ve never been happy since we came here. Mama, if papa didn’t uproot us from our homeland, we wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be called a makwerekwere everyday at school. I would have friends. I would sleep in my own bedroom.” I shout, tears streaming down my face.

Papa is speechless. This is his fault.

“Come.” Nhlanhla drags me away, and we walk.

**

“I know you blame Papa, but he thought the grass was greener this side.” Nhlanhla says to me.

“But..but..look now! This is worse!” I cry

“Shh..it’ll be okay. Papa thought he was making a sane decision, for us to get better education.” Nhlanhla hugs me.

“I hate this place.”

“Me too. But, I have to bear it, for our parents. They already have alot on their plate, they don’t need us behaving like little brats.” Nhlanhla scolds me.

I nod. Now, I feel guilty.

“And mama, had lost her nursing job, as she was sued for negligence, we were in debt. Her license was taken away, just for one mistake. Papa couldn’t afford to take care of us and the house on his own, and mama couldn’t find another job anywhere else.” Nhlanhla says.

This is the first time I’m hearing this.

I need to apologize to Papa.