“Mbali this is what you have to learn today we will be ironing your bedding when we are done we will go and start cooking lunch I won’t live forever I will die and I don’t want you to be a burden to people I want you to stand up for yourself” that was her daily bread she said it now an then to a point when she sent me for something and I refuse but still do it quoting her words. She taught me to love people but forgot to teach me not to trust them, she educated me to love my family just like dad but forgot to tell me that they poisoners snakes with an untreatable venom. Nonsikelelo’s health was very fragile as she was old, she got sick every now and then but got better; to me her getting sick was a norm for I knew she will be better I no time.

I remember when I was nine years old, she was at work I got back washed my lunch box, went to freshen up and I started cooking. I started with a chicken curry then boiled some pumpkin and waited for her to cook scrambled pap as she said I mustn’t cook rice that day she will make scrambled pap.

Luckily whatever I had prepared turn out well she was happy when she came back though she shouted at me for I was never allowed to make curry if she wasn’t present for, I had recently burned my whole stomach and thighs with oil. She made a few calls to relatives and few friends telling them that her princess made supper that was kind of a jolly moment for her.