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My Sugar Daddy And I (Chapter 1) / Super Sweetheart Of The CEO Daddy! A Story / Daddy, Where Are You?; A Short Story (2) (3) (4)
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 12:48am On Aug 02, 2018 |
stay tune for the next update |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 12:52am On Aug 02, 2018 |
it seems em ban divenpen1 lalasticlala pls help em ban |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 1:30am On Aug 02, 2018 |
continuation... “Tonight. I’m wearing the skinny jeans he gave me. I can’t wait.” “And you haven’t had sex yet?” Asanda asked again. “No,” Busi shook her head. “I’m not cheap like some girls. And he knows that.” “Be careful,” warned Lettie. But she knew that once you had the love bug there was no cure except for the pain of breaking up. Hadn’t it been like that with Ntombi and Mzi? It was lucky she had escaped. “Yes, I know, Lettie. Wear a condom, safe sex …” “That too,” said Lettie. “But I meant, be careful of your heart.” “What’s wrong with all of you?” Busi said, “Can’t you just be happy for me?” It was English with Mr Ntlanti. The closer they got to exams the stricter he became. No minute should be wasted, he told them. But it was all wasted on Busi. She couldn’t concentrate on anything. And anyway, it was just too hot for Shakespeare today. Her mind drifted to Parks. Unathi was talking rubbish, she thought. And she let herself wonder which hotel Parks would choose for their first night together. Then Mr Ntlanti started asking questions. He pointed to one of the boys and when he didn’t know the answer he put him straight into detention. Busi couldn’t be in detention that afternoon. Parks was coming for her after school. All she had to do was SMS him. She had to tell him now that she wanted to go to the hotel tonight. Before it was too late and before Unathi messed it up. And she had to get out of class before Mr Ntlanti asked her a question she couldn’t answer. She excused herself, saying that she needed the toilet. In the corridor she took her cell phone out of her pocket and quickly started tapping the keys. Pck me up @ Jakes – ur sugar bby. “Texting your sugar daddy?” Busi flew around. “Are you stalking me?” she yelled at Unathi. She had had enough. “Maybe you’re fooling Lettie and Asanda, but you don’t fool me, Busi. You think you’re too cool for school? That you’re better than the rest of us because of Mr Moneybags? The only person you’ll be fooling in the end is yourself.” “You’re just envious.” “Think what you like. I’m just disappointed in you.” “Disappointed!” spat Busi. “Who are you? My father?” “Have you even looked at the notes I gave you?” Busi could hear that Unathi was upset now. He couldn’t hide that with his anger. She had hurt him. He had spent hours writing those notes and she hadn’t even looked at them. “It was kind of you to give me the notes,” she said. She couldn’t look him in the eye. “The exams are two weeks away. Do you really want to repeat Grade 10? Do you really want to see your friends moving on and leaving you behind?” Busi stared at him. What could she say to him that would make him understand? How could she tell him what Parks gave her? How it was so much better than all of this. That school didn’t matter now. Couldn’t he see how happy she was? “I’m happy – so, so happy. Can’t you see it?” “All I can see is an accident waiting to happen,” he said. “I don’t want to go to school any more, Unathi.” “You’re throwing your life away,” he argued. “And I won’t just stand by and watch.” “You don’t understand …” “Do your parents know?” “They’re in Jozi, chasing their own dreams. Why should they care?” Then the siren went and students rushed out into the corridor and Busi could escape. Life was so strange. Unathi’s attention would have meant the world to Busi only a couple of weeks ago. He was her hero back then, with his big, broad shoulders and his talent on the soccer field. She used to think he was such a man. How things had changed. Now he was following her everywhere and she wasn’t interested. She looked down at her SMS for Parks. Pck me up @ Jakes – ur sugar bby. Then she pressed the SEND button. There was no going back now. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:13am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 8
Parks was at Jake’s Tavern at six
sharp. Busi was waiting
anxiously outside in her new
skinny jeansand her silver top.
She knew she looked good. “I
couldn’t wait,” he said, leaning
over and kissing her as she got
in next to him. Then he picked
up a red rose on the dashboard
and handed it to her. “For my
sugar baby. You look gorgeous. I
am the luckiest guy in the
country … in the world.” He
hugged her.
“Which hotel are we going to?”
she asked, excited and nervous
at the same time. What if she
didn’t know what to do in bed
to make him happy? What if she
made him angry, or he got tired
of her?
“That’s a secret,” he said. “Trust
Parks! Has he ever let you
down?”
Busi had never been to a hotel
before and so when Parks
swung off the freeway into the
parking lot of the Formula One
she thought it was the real deal.
She hung back when he checked
them into their room, fearing
the receptionist might ask how
old she was. She didn’t want
anyone stopping them. “Come
on, my baby,” Parks was saying.
He took her by the arm and led
her to the lift. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:19am On Aug 02, 2018 |
CONTINUATION..... Their room was on the third floor. As they got into the lift another couple squashed in. They had a suitcase and two smaller travel bags. Busi suddenly felt awkward. She and Parks didn’t have any luggage. It must be so obvious to the couple why they were coming to the hotel. She was relieved when the man and woman got off on the second floor. Now they were alone, Parks started kissing her passionately. They almost fell out of the lift when the door opened. “Let’s see our room, and then I’ll take you out for supper,” said Parks. He was so confident. He knew exactly what to do, like he’d been to many hotels in his life. The room was small, but the bed looked new with clean white sheets and a nice duvet. They had their own shower, with hot and cold water! Parks laughed as Busi turned the hot tap on and off, excitedly. At home if they wanted hot water they had to heat it on the stove. Here it was flowing from the taps – as much as you wanted. * * * After supper they sat in the hotel lounge and Parks ordered them drinks. He asked her how school had been and she told him about Unathi. He laughed. “The boy’s crazy about you. You shouldn’t be so mean to him. You’ll break his heart. And anyway,” he said, blowing a cloud of smoke from the cigar he was smoking, “Unathi’s right, baby. You’ve got to think of your future. You’ve got to be someone. Look at me. Where would I be without an education? A successful entrepreneur? No! I’d be like that useless gaadjie.” Maybe Parks was right. But Busi didn’t want to think about Unathi now. This was her night. It was just her and Parks. As soon as they got back to the hotel room Parks held Busi close and started kissing her neck. He was gentle at first, but as he began to fumble with her clothes she could sense his urgency. “Wait,” she said, suddenly shy of him seeing her naked. It was all going too fast and the light was on. “I need the toilet.” “Hey, don’t be long…. The bed will get cold without you.” Alone in the bathroom Busi took off her clothes and wrapped a towel around herself. She felt nervous, but she had come this far – she couldn’t go back now. She wouldn’t. When she opened the bathroom door she was relieved to find that Parks had turned the light off. Now only the moonlight shone through the window. It was better in the dark. “Come here, my sugar baby,” he said softly. She unwrapped the towel quickly and slipped under the sheets. Was she doing the right thing, she wondered? What was he expecting? And then their bodies touched and he started kissing her again and she was lost in the moment. When it was over Parks held her naked body against his. She lay with her back to him and looked out into the night. “Why so quiet?” he asked her. “It’s all right, baby. The first time always hurts a bit, then it just gets better and better.” But it wasn’t that. She was in his warm arms, and yet she felt sick with fear. She had brought a condom in her bag – she had wanted to be responsible. But she hadn’t had the courage to insist that they use one. And now it was too late. “What’s wrong?” he whispered. “Didn’t you enjoy it?” “We didn’t use a condom,” she said softly, expecting him to be angry. But he just chuckled. “Is that all?” he said, kissing her forehead. “Don’t worry, baby – I don’t have Aids,” he reassured her. “Relax. I promise you nothing bad is going to happen.” “What if I fall pregnant?” She shouldn’t have said that. Now she was ruining the whole night in the hotel. But he wasn’t cross. He just pulled her closer to him. She turned around in his arms. In that moment the moonlight streaked through the flimsy curtains and picked up the hazel colour of his eyes. He looked honest, sincere. “You worry too much. I know what I’m doing.” “But …” she stammered. Then he laughed, rolled her over, covered her body with soft kisses, tickled her. “You’re a woman now,” he said, lighting up a cigarette and settling back into the pillows. She curled up and hugged herself. He felt so far away, smoking his cigarette like that. She found she was crying. She didn’t know why she was feeling like this. She should have been over the moon. This is what she had wanted – to be a woman for Parks, not a silly child. So why then did she feel so sad? “I don’t know if I’m ready for this,” Busi whispered into the dark. But Parks didn’t hear her. He was lying back, his eyes closed, a smile on his face. Busi listened to the sounds of the night: the creaking beds in the room next door, the hum of traffic in the distance, someone’s shrill, drunken laughter. And suddenly it all felt so cheap. “I’m going to the bathroom,” she said. But she was talking to herself. Sitting on the toilet she wept, longing for the child who had slipped away. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, looked to see what had changed. Where was the young girl? Who was this woman? Then she saw Parks’s reflection come into view. He was standing behind her. “We must go,” he said, “I must take you home now.” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:25am On Aug 02, 2018 |
CONTINUATION.... * * * Parks flirted with the receptionist when he paid the bill and Busi felt hurt and jealous. It was so soon after they had sex. He should have had eyes only for her. And why did the receptionist know his name? Then another man, about Parks’s age, walked into the hotel. He came over and greeted Parks. Busi could smell utywala. On his arm was a woman wearing a wig, very high stilettos, and a dress that showed off more than it covered. It was obvious that she wasn’t his wife, or his girlfriend. The woman looked at Busi and smiled knowingly. And Busi felt cheap again, umthatha lula. * * * When they got back to the taxi Parks took her hand and kissed it. “Thank you, baby. I love you so much.” That was better. It was about love, not just sex, she thought. “Forever?” she asked. Then he laughed. “Nothing is forever, not even love. Soon you’ll get tired of me. You’ll want a younger man.” “Never!” Busi said with certainty. He laughed again. “Even when I’m old and grey?” Why couldn’t he understand that he was all that mattered to her? He owned her, body and soul. He opened the taxi door and was about to get in when he remembered he’d left his wallet at the desk. He ran back to fetch it. Busi turned around to look for him. That’s when she saw the woman. She was sitting in the driver’s seat of a big, shiny black car that was parked in front of the hotel. The car window was rolled down and she was staring at Busi. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:29am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 9
“So, did you do it?” was
Asanda’s first question as Busi
got off the taxi on Monday
morning. Busi nodded. “And?”
“It was the best,” Busi said, and
hoped she sounded convincing.
All weekend she had thought
about it. She had gone over it in
her mind. She had felt Parks’s
hands, his kiss. That was nice.
But she had also felt lonely and
cheap. She had tried to push
that part away and only
remember the good things. And
then there was the woman
waiting in the black car at the
hotel. Who was she waiting for?
And why did she stare at Busi?
Part of Busi wanted to tell
Asanda these disturbing
thoughts. But she couldn’t. She
needed them to think she was
still flying high from her night
with Parks …
“So, you’re bringing Mr Parks to
the school dance on Friday?”
Lettie asked. Busi had forgotten
all about the school dance. She
thought how different her life
was now from her friends’. They
wouldn’t understand how small
and childish a school dance
seemed. But she didn’t want to
disappoint them. And she could
see that some of them didn’t
believe that Parks existed. She
would show them.
“Of course,” she said. “He’ll add a
bit of class.”
“That’s if Mr Khumalo lets him
in,” said Lettie.
“He’s old enough to be your
father,” Unathi added. “And
you’re still a minor – until next
week, is it?”
Busi wished he would stop
saying Parks was old enough to
be her father. She didn’t want to
think of him like that. Nobody
wants to think of their father
like that. It made it all wrong! It
wasn’t like that. Parks was her
boyfriend.
“It won’t be a problem,” Busi
told Unathi. “Wait and see.” But
she wasn’t so sure. She hadn’t
even asked Parks if he would go
to the dance with her. He hadn’t
met any of her friends, and she
didn’t know if he would want to.
Besides, they might embarrass
her in front of him with their
stupid girlish talk.
* * *
“She definitely has the love bug,”
joked Asanda quietly in
Chemistry. Busi had caused a
minor explosion at the back of
the class because she wasn’t
concentrating. When the air
cleared of smoke, the teacher
went with Busi to get a brush
and pan to clean up the mess.
Left alone, the class could talk
more freely.
“More like the Parks bug. It’s
incurable, so I’m told,” said
Xoliswa.
“What do you mean?” asked
Asanda.
“Xoliswa means she isn’t the
first schoolgirl Parks has taken
for a drive,” Vuyo chipped in.
“He took a friend of mine’s sister
from Brookland High for a drive
one day. Luckily she jumped out
of the taxi before he got his
dirty hands on her. That’s why
he’s moved on to cruising by
Harmony High. The principal at
Brooklyn found out about him
and threatened to have him
arrested.”
“They should have arrested
him,” said Unathi. “That’s why
this shit keeps happening.
People turn a blind eye. We have
to do something.” He looked at
Asanda.
“Busi is our friend and she
needs us now.” He sounded
worried and angry.
“Busi only wants one person in
her life now,” Lettie said sadly.
“Mr Parks.” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:34am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 10
So Busi was in trouble – that’s
what everyone thought. Her
friends had warned her, had
grown tired of covering for her.
There was not much they could
do or say to save her any more.
But Busi didn’t care. The love
bug had bitten her and Parks
was all she could think about.
When she thought of him it
made her pulse race. The next
day she missed school, and the
next. It was a joke between
them – how she left the house
every day dressed for school, her
hair tied up and her books in
her school bag. Her granny
would call after her, “Your lunch,
child, you’ve forgotten your
lunch!” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:37am On Aug 02, 2018 |
She didn’t need the lunch, but
she would run back and take it
from her grandmother’s
trembling hands. She’d give her
a peck on her hollow cheeks to
show her gratitude. And she’d
give the lunch to some hungry
child along the way. These days
she feasted regularly on the
most expensive KFC on the
menu, or Steersburgers with
extra cheese that she downed
with a lime milkshake – double
thick, of course. And every
Friday, as a special treat, she and
Parks would try out a new fancy
restaurant. Money was no
consideration at all.
“Order what you want,” Parks
would say to her. And it didn’t
end there. He was generous.
“And get yourself more airtime.”
Life was so good. She had
almost forgotten how alone she
had felt at the hotel. But at night
in her bed darker thoughts
would creep back in and she
would feel lost and lonely. And
sometimes, just as she was
going to sleep, she would see
the woman’s face staring at her
from the window of that smart
black car.
* * *
“Busi, is that you?” her
grandmother called from the
back yard as Busi came in from
another lunch with Parks. She
had changed back into her
school clothes in his taxi.
“Yes,” she called, as she pulled
off her grey skirt and white
shirt. Should she wear the new
dress he had bought her to the
dance? The dance!
In the taxi on the way home she
had plucked up the courage to
ask Parks. It had taken guts.
What if he said no? What if he
didn’t want to hang out with
schoolgirls and schoolboys?
“Parks, there’s a school dance on
Friday and I’ve told my friends
you’re coming,” she said as they
approached her street. Silence.
Then he laughed and she could
breathe again.
“So, you’ve been telling your
friends all about me.”
“Well, I’m so proud and happy to
be with you. And you’re so good
to me. I wanted them all to
know.”
“Of course I’ll come to your
dance. Friday, you say? Just SMS
me the address. I’ll meet you
there. I’m sure you’ll want to go
along with your friends. I know
you girls – you like to get ready
together.”
“Are you sure? That’s so kind of
you, Parks. I knew you’d
understand. I’ll see you there,”
she’d said, and kissed him
goodbye.
“Sure thing,” he replied, winking
at her. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:42am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 11
“Orange!” Lettie shrieked
excitedly. “I want the orange!”
“Orange nail polish?” Busi
laughed. “Where did you get it?”
“It belongs to my mum,” said
Zinzi. “She has many other
colours …” Ntombi had brought
her sister Zinzi along to help
them dress at Asanda’s house.
They were primping and
preening, doing one another’s
hair and nails and trying on each
other’s clothes.
“Busi! Where’s your head, girl?”
Lettie exclaimed, blowing on her
freshly painted orange nails.
“Get done, or we’ll be late.”
“I can’t wait to meet your
mystery man,” laughed Asanda.
But Busi was worried. She had
SMSed Parks the directions five
times and he hadn’t replied.
“Trust me, I’ll be there. And I’ll
never let those girls laugh at you.
I’ll charm them all. Just wait and
see.” He would be there. Of
course he would.
“Why are you so quiet?” Ntombi
asked in the taxi on the way to
the school hall. “Is anything
wrong?” She too had noticed
Busi withdrawing from their
group of friends. Ntombi knew
that Busi was in trouble with
Parks. She recognised the signs.
It had been the same with Mzi –
the lies you told yourself and
others, the promises that were
broken.
* * *
When they got to the hall there
was a bustle of activity. Everyone
was commenting on everyone
else’s choice of clothes and how
this one and that one looked.
“Ujongeka kakuhle!”
“Kwenzeke ntoni ezinweleni
zakho.”
“Is that really …”
“Oh my god, what is Selwyn
wearing!”
* * *
Busi waited outside. It was
getting cold and the rest of the
girls and boys had gone in. She
could hear the music starting. It
was Malibongwe– one of her
favourites. It used to get her
onto the dance floor, no matter
what. But not tonight.
“Are you okay?” Mr Khumalo
asked Busi. “Are you waiting for
your date?” He had come to
check that all the students were
in the hall.
“Yes, he’s been caught in traffic,”
she lied.
“You can wait for five minutes
more. Then you’ll have to come
in,” he warned. “There are quite
a few girls and boys who have
come on their own. It doesn’t
matter at all. We can all dance
together. You don’t have to have
a partner.” It was kind of Mr
Khumalo. But it didmatter to
Busi. She had told all her friends
that Parks would come. She had
boasted about her smart, rich
boyfriend who was a man, not a
boy.
Eventually she was forced to go
inside the hall, but she didn’t
dance. She waited by the door,
nervously checking her cell
phone for messages. When she
could, she ran out to check the
parking lot. “Of course I’ll come,
baby. I’ll be there after ten,” he
had promised.So, where was
he?Her friends were losing
patience with her.
“Come on, Busi, you haven’t
danced all night – come and join
us,” Asanda pleaded with her.
Then Unathi came up and held
out his hand. “May I have the
pleasure?” he asked her. She
hovered between going with
him and running outside again.
He looked very handsome in his
suit and she knew what a good
dancer he was. But if she went
with him she might miss Parks. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:48am On Aug 02, 2018 |
“The night is young, Unathi.
You’ll see – I’ll dance with you
later.”
So he too stopped asking her,
dancing instead with all the girls
who wanted to dance with him.
There were many of them, as he
had long legs and good moves.
But still he kept watching Busi
out of the corner of his eye. Why
couldn’t he talk some sense into
her?
* * *
It was midnight when Busi tried
Parks’s phone for the last time.
This time it went onto voicemail.
The number you have dialled is
unavailable. Please try again
later.
Busi was close to tears. Where
was he?
“What if something happened to
him?” she asked Lettie.
“Something like what?” Lettie
wanted to know.
“Something bad, like an accident
…”
“Or something like, maybe he’s
married. Or maybe he’s too old
to come and dance with a lot of
teenagers.”
“But he could have said so …”
Asanda laughed. “I can just
imagine the look on Mr
Khumalo’s face if he pitches up
and wants to come in.”
“Yes,” Unathi added, “Mr
Khumalo said admittance strictly
for schoolchildren.”
“He’s not coming to dance,” Busi
argued now, changing her tune.
“He’s coming to fetch me.” Her
friends looked at one another
and rolled their eyes.
“How well do you know him?”
Lettie wanted to know. “Did you
meet his family? Do you know
where he lives?”
“He lives in Milnerton,” Busi
answered proudly and, as an
afterthought, “His family lives in
the Eastern Cape.”
“Conveniently!” Lettie snapped.
“You know what, Busi? You
hardly know this man. I only
hope you use condoms.”
“I know what I’m doing, Lettie,”
said Busi. “Mind your own
business. Besides, he isn’t HIV-
positive. He said so.”
“Hmm, yes, and he’s so reliable,
Busi!” retorted Lettie.
Busi decided to ignore this
hurtful remark. Anyway, she had
something more urgent to think
about. Where was Parks?
The music had stopped. Happy
young teenagers came tumbling
out of the hall while the team
who had organised the dance
stayed behind to clean up and
pack away the plastic chairs.
Busi saw this as her opportunity
to get away from her friends.
She took off and ran all the way
home. She wanted to go and
look for Parks, but where would
she begin?
* * *
“Is that you, Busi?” her
grandmother called as she
entered their shack.
“It’s me, Gogo!” She was cold
and out of breath. She had taken
off her shoes to run through the
dark streets – too frightened to
slow down or stop.
“I thought you were all sleeping
over at Asanda’s tonight,” her
grandmother said, smiling, as
Busi bent down to kiss her on
her cheek. “You’re exhausted.”
“All that dancing,” Busi lied. “I
left before the end. Asanda’s
being such a show-off, I decided
not to spend the night there.”
Her grandmother smiled. “Girls! I
remember all the fights we had
at school. Then we would hug
and make up.”
* * *
Busi sat up all night – watching,
waiting, listening to the sounds
of the night. Part of her still
expected Parks to come and
knock at her window, armed
with a big smile and a sound
explanation, a can of Coke and a
whole-nut chocolate. His phone
was still on voicemail and she
couldn’t think of a single person
who might be able to tell her
what had happened to him. She
was angry and worried.
She didn’t know what to think.
Where was he?
As the night grew still around
her, a million possibilities raced
around her head. Did he owe
her anything? Did he really love
her? What did she know about
him and his life? In giving her
money and buying her things,
Parks didn’t have to explain
anything to her. And suddenly
she felt like that prostitute in the
hotel. He had bought her sex
with pretty lockets and meals in
fancy restaurants. She wasn’t
sure what to wish for – that he
would come for her or that she
could forget him forever.
As the sun rose she could no
longer fight the tiredness, and
she drifted off to sleep. But
Parks wouldn’t leave her alone.
There he was in her dreams,
opening the door of his taxi.
And there she was getting in,
looking back. But in her dreams
the gaadjiehad gone. In her
dreams a woman sat on the
back seat. It was the woman
from the smart black car, staring
at her. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:53am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 12
Busi woke up late in the
morning, with a headache. She
felt nauseous. Her granny said it
was because she hadn’t eaten
properly and cooked her some
porridge. But Busi didn’t feel
hungry. She had to force the
porridge down. Parks still hadn’t
called and there was nothing
she could do. She told herself to
try to forget him, but she
couldn’t. And when there was a
knock on the door she rushed
through to see who it was. She
hoped that it wasn’t him and
that it was him – all at the same
time. She would be so relieved to
see him, but she didn’t want her
granny to meet him. It wasn’t
Parks – it was Unathi, looking
tired but still handsome.
“I came to see if you got home
okay?” he smiled.
“What do you care? I saw you
dancing with Felicia last night.”
Busi couldn’t look at him.
“What was I supposed to do? Sit
on the wall? I asked you to
dance, remember, and you said
no – too busy waiting for Mr No-
Show.”
“Actually he phoned,” she lied.
“He was in an accident.” Unathi
raised his eyebrows in disbelief. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 8:59am On Aug 02, 2018 |
“So, why aren’t you at the
hospital at his bedside then?
Why aren’t you with him in his
hour of need?”
“I can’t leave my grandmother.”
It was a stupid excuse, she
knew. But he didn’t question her
further and his expression
softened.
“I was worried about you, Busi.”
His voice was quiet now, and full
of concern. “It’s dangerous, Busi.
What you are doing is
dangerous.”
She didn’t have the energy to
fight back. What could she say?
And when there was another
knock at the door and the sound
of girls giggling, she was so
relieved, she laughed. Her
friends burst in looking a bit
worse for wear from the night
before. Asanda still had some
make-up on. “Hey, Unathi
sprinted to get here ahead of us,
Busi. He must really like you,” she
teased. Unathi rolled his eyes.
“I just came to tell her that what
she’s doing is dangerous,” he
told the girls.
“Well, we’ve come to take her
clothes shopping at Wynberg
station. Xoli got such a nice top
there for only R5,” said Lettie.
“And it’s girls only, boyfriend.”
“I get the message,” said Unathi.
“Loud and clear.”
* * *
“I don’t care about clothes any
more,” Busi complained as they
got into a taxi to Wynberg. She
didn’t care about anything –
except what had happened to
Parks. They sat in a row at the
back – Asanda, Lettie, Busi,
Ntombi, and Zinzi squashed in
between them.
“So he didn’t show?” said Lettie,
“It’s not the end of the world,
chommie. Forget about him.
Move on.”
“Yes, forget him,” agreed
Asanda. “I’m a one-chance girl. If
a boy says he’s going to call and
he doesn’t, I give him one more
chance. If he does it again, he’s
out. If boys get to know that you
won’t take shit, they won’t give
you shit! Or if they do, they’re
not for you.” But whatever they
said, Busi couldn’t forget about
Parks. How could she?
They got out at the taxi rank in
Wynberg and walked over to the
street stalls, where they started
looking through the piles of
pretty tops on sale. It was then
that she saw Parks’s taxi
stopping on the other side of
the road. She watched as the
gaadjie helped an old lady off,
nearly falling in the gutter
himself as he handed over her
plastic shopping bags. She
strained to get a glimpse of
Parks. She wanted to run across
the road, but a Golden Arrow
bus pulled up in front of the taxi.
And when she finally got there,
the taxi sped off. But not before
she had caught sight of the
gaadjie grinning stupidly and
waving at her – the idiot. Busi’s
mouth was dry with shock.
“It’s not him,” Zinzi said, taking
Busi’s hand.
“What?”
“Parks isn’t driving,” Zinzi said.
“How do you know? How do
you know it wasn’t him?”
“Because it was a woman
driving,” said Zinzi firmly. “I
went over there to get some
chips. I saw everything.”
“A woman?”
Busi thought of that black car
and the woman staring at her.
She checked her phone again.
Nothing. No SMS, no missed call –
nothing. She sat in silence all the
way back in the taxi, feeling like
she wanted to throw up. And
when the taxi lurched to a halt
near Asanda’s house, she got
out just in time to run to the
side of the road and retch. It
was like her whole body was
turning itself inside out. She was
a mess. And she started to cry.
“Come inside,” said Asanda,
putting her arm around her
friend. “You can wash, and we’ll
make you some tea. Then we’ll
have a fashion show. It will
make you feel much better.” But
Busi just wanted to get to her
bed where she could curl up in
the dark and work out how she
could find Parks.
* * *
“Busi,” her grandmother called
her when she came in, “I’ve
made you something special for
lunch – hot scones. Oh, and
there’s fresh sweetmilk cheese. I
got my pension today.”
“Thank you, Gogo, but I’m not
hungry.”
“You must eat, child,” her granny
said, wiping her hands on her
apron.
“I said I’m not hungry!” Busi
snapped, and flung herself on
her bed. Her grandmother stood
in the doorway.
“What’s the matter, child?”
“Nothing’s the matter! Now can
you leave me alone, please?”
She had shouted and she felt
terrible when she saw the look
of shock on her granny’s face.
And then the tears came, deep
sobs wracking her body. Where
was he?
When she woke up she could
hear her grandmother listening
to Isidingo. Did she have to have
the TV on so loud? The light was
fading outside and there was a
cold cup of tea on her bedside
table. She pulled off her clothes
and climbed into her pyjamas.
“Is that you, Busi?” her
grandmother wanted to know
when she crept past her into the
tiny kitchen. Who else could it
be?
“It’s me,” she answered meekly.
Her grandmother switched off
the TV, and turned right around.
“What is the matter, child? Is
something worrying you? You
can tell me.”
“It’s nothing, Gogo – really, it’s
nothing.”
“I want you to understand
something, Busi, mtwanam. I
don’t have money to give you,
but whatever it is that is
worrying you – whatever it is
that you did or didn’t do – I will
always be on your side. That is
what love is all about, and I do
love you so, even if at times it’s
hard to believe.” Busi bit back
the tears.
“I’m not feeling so good, Gogo,
that’s all – it’s nothing to do with
money.” Her granny came over
to her and lay her cool hand on
her forehead. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 9:06am On Aug 02, 2018 |
“You’re a little warm – a bit of a
fever. I’ll give you somepills.
You’ll soon feel better.”
Busi ate a cooled scone with
thinly spread apricot jam and
sipped at a scalding cup of fresh
tea. Then she took the two
Panados her granny had given
her and went back to lie on her
bed, where she watched the
evening shadows darken and
turn to night. Where was he?
“I was young once,” she heard
her grandmother say as she
shuffled about preparing for
bed.
“Goodnight, Gogo.”
“Goodnight, my child. Are you
feeling a little better?”
“Aha, a little.”
“Good. Have a nice rest. Lala
kakuhle…”
Her grandmother shuffled along
to her bed on the other side of
the room. As usual she bumped
her leg on the edge of the bed
and instead of cursing, sang
praises to Sweet Jesus. Busi
couldn’t help smiling. She
listened to the creaking
bedsprings as her granny
climbed under the blankets and
turned this way and that until
she got comfortable. Soon the
old lady was snoring away
peacefully.
If only Busi could fall asleep so
easily.
Where was he? Why didn’t he
phone at least – tell her
something, anything? She
needed to know that he was
alive – explanations could follow.
She thought of that disgusting,
grinning gaadjie. Would he tell
Parks that he’d seen her?
“What goes on in his head?” she
had asked Parks once.
“Fog, baby,” he had answered,
“just fog. But he’s good with a
gun. You see, he doesn’t think.”
“Not enough of a brain to have a
thought,” Busi had added. Parks
had thought that was so funny,
he had laughed out loud.
How she longed for him. It had
been days. And still no word. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 9:12am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 13
Busi was up early. Today would
be different, she decided, as she
pulled her hair into shape. Today
she’d start with a new attitude,
beginning by being nice to her
grandmother. How could she
have been so mean? “What do
you want, Busi?” her
grandmother asked as she
placed the hot cup of tea on the
table in front of her. “I don’t
have money to give you.”
“Want? I don’t want anything,
Gogo.”
“Yes, you want something. I
know you. Why are you being so
nice to me?”
“I made myself a cup, Gogo, so I
made you a cup too. That’s all.”
“Thank you, my child. Now, are
you feeling better?” the old lady
wanted to know, still frowning
at her.
“I’m feeling a whole lot better,
thank you, Gogo.”
“I’m sure it’s your period that’s
on its way.”
Busi kissed her grandmother on
her soft, wrinkled cheek and
rushed off out of the house. She
would be on time for school
today, instead of running into
Harmony High just as the
prefects were about to lock the
gates. This new attitude was
helping her to cope with not
knowing what had happened to
Parks. Today she wouldn’t worry
about him. She had left her cell
phone at home. It wouldn’t
bother her that he didn’t phone.
She would get through this day
– without him and without
thinking of him.
* * *
But life has its own plans.
“It’s him! Come quickly!” Zinzi
came running towards Busi
during first break. “Khawuleza!”
“What are you talking about,
Zinzi?”
“It’s him – Parks. He’s waiting
outside in a big, black car.”
“What?”
There were wolf whistles as she
rushed to the school fence.
Everyone knew about her and
Parks by now. Everyone was
talking. She felt their eyes
following her. So what? Soon
they’ll find someone else to talk
about. That’s what Unathi had
told her once. “People talk, Busi.
It’s human nature. Soon they’ll
get tired of talking about you
and find someone else to gossip
about.”
Zinzi was right. There he was,
sitting behind the wheel of his
fancy car: big sunglasses, big
smile, blowing big smoke rings
into the chilly autumn air.
* * *
Busi was so pleased to see Parks
again she didn’t notice that the
car was identical to the one she
had seen at the hotel – the same
car that appeared in her
nightmares. The prefect
stationed at the gate couldn’t
stop Busi as she pushed past
her. “I thought you were dead,
Parks,” she gasped, when she
was in the car and in his arms.
“Dead, baby? Why dead?” he
laughed, throwing his head
back. They both heard the siren.
Break was over. “You better go
back,” he said.
“No. I’m coming with you.” She
couldn’t just let him disappear
again. Not now. She couldn’t go
through the torture of waiting
again. She looked out to see the
prefect writing her name in the
detention book. “Will you write
me a doctor’s letter?” she asked
Parks as he pulled away from
the kerb. “To get me out of
detention.”
“Of course I’ll write you a letter,”
he replied, with that impish,
irresistible smile of his. At the
stop sign he leaned over and
hugged her so tight, she cried.
“Why the tears, baby?”
“I’ve missed you so much. Where
were you?”
“Taking care of business …”
“You could have phoned. Why
didn’t you answer my calls?”
“I phoned you this morning.
Your cell was on voicemail.
That’s why I came to look for
you.” A car hooted behind them
and he pulled away again.
“Where were you?” she asked
again.
“I told you, I had business.” She
could hear that he was angry
now. She shouldn’t be asking so
many questions. But she needed
to know.
“I’m sorry, Parks. I was just
worried.” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 9:18am On Aug 02, 2018 |
“Well, you shouldn’t worry. I’ve
got enough of my own stuff to
worry about. I can’t be worrying
about you too,” he snapped.
“I thought something had
happened to you …”
“You don’t have to worry about
me. You’re not my mother, or my
wife!” He was shouting.
That was it. She wasn’t his
mother. She wasn’t his wife.
What was she to him?
“You are a big, juicy secret in his
life,” Asanda had told her. “I bet
you he’s married with a bunch
of kids.” They had all laughed
out loud, Busi probably the
loudest. It had seemed so
absurd at the time, but it wasn’t
funny any more.
“Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere.” She stared out of
the window. It didn’t matter.
“Do you want to go back to
school? Do you want to go
home? What do you want?”
“You’re the driver!” It was going
horribly wrong, thought Busi. It
wasn’t meant to be like this.
“Come, I’ll take you to eat
somewhere. Are you hungry?”
His voice was softer. He wasn’t
so angry any more.
She really wanted to talk – to tell
him how frightened and alone
she had felt. But the words were
caught in her throat.
He took her to the Spur at Fish
Hoek and held her hand across
the table. “I’ve missed you,
baby,” he said, looking deep into
her eyes. But this time it would
take more than those words to
make it okay. He could just turn
on the charm – she knew that
now. But Parks knew how to
bring someone around. And
when he started talking about
his childhood, he had her in the
palm of his hand all over again.
“When I was a little kid …,” he
said, looking out at the rolling
waves washing up on Fish Hoek
beach down below, on the other
side of the railway tracks, “my
dad used to go off for long
periods of time. I missed him so
much. But when he came back I
was so happy to see him, and he
spoiled me.” Busi listened to
Parks and imagined him as that
little boy. “We would take a train
ride to the beach, just us two,
and he’d teach me to catch fish.
But then, one day, he left
without a word to me. I used to
stand by our gate every day
waiting for him to come back,
but he never did …”
He had hooked her again –
drawn her back to him with his
sorry story. She imagined him as
a little boy waiting for his dad to
return. She put her head on his
shoulder. His story was so sad.
After their meal Parks lit up a
cigarette. He pointed towards
the sea.
“Is that a whale?” he asked.
“Maybe it’s a shark,” Busi
laughed. He was back and she
was happy.
* * *
As he dropped her off, he said,
“You wanted to meet my friends.
I’ll introduce you to them
tomorrow. I’ll meet you outside
Jake’s.”
“Sure,” she said. Isn’t this what
she had wanted? But when
Parks had gone she panicked.
What would his friends think of
her – a schoolgirl? |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 9:43am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 14
Parks’s friend’s house was in
Mandalay. It was a double-storey
– so grand. It had windows and
balconies all over the show. And
it was set in a big property with
trees and a huge, enclosed yard.
It reminded Busi of the house in
Romeo and Juliet – the way Mr
Ntlanti had described it, with
Juliet calling Romeo from the
balcony. Their English teacher
had a way of making you see
things in your mind. Yes, it was
just like this.
Parks’s friends seemed nice
enough, but she was the
youngest there by far. They
ignored her mostly, and so did
he. She sat and watched as they
played pool and drank beer. She
watched Parks as he laughed
with them, burped with them,
cheered for Swallows. There was
an enormous flat-screen TV in
the lounge. From time to time he
came over to her in the old
armchair where she sat, trying
to look relaxed. “Are you all
right?” he asked her, and when
she nodded he went back to the
pool game, laughing and joking
nechommies. She realised that
she didn’t know a great deal
about Parks at all.
The women were braaing
sheeps’ heads outside on an
open fire. She knew they were
talking about her, but what did
she expect? She felt alone and
out of place and wished her
friends were there with her.
They could chat and laugh about
the older women who thought
they were so smart. And the
men, with their beer bellies. But
her friends were far away. All
she had was Parks. He was her
lifeline, and he was ignoring her.
* * *
By ten o’clock Parks was already
way over the limit. Busi was
worried because she knew the
cops were cracking down on
drunken driving. Parks had told
her that one of his friends once
spent the night locked up and
he’d had only four beers. “Sleep
here – it’s not a problem,” said
his friend’s wife, putting her arm
around him. “The girl can sleep
here too.” She flashed Busi a
fake smile.
“Yes, you can’t drive, Parks!” The
woman’s husband staggered
over.
“Enkosi,” slurredParks, crashing
into the table as he went for
another beer.
Busi sneaked out and around
the side of the house to phone
her granny. “I’m sleeping over at
Asanda’s, Gogo,” she lied.
“I’ve just seen Asanda. She came
here looking for you. Busi,
where are you?” Oh no, thought
Busi. She had been caught out.
“Gogo, you didn’t hear me right.
I said I’m sleeping over at
Lettie’s. I’m tired. It’s been a long
day.” She knew that her granny
didn’t believe her. She could tell
by the silence on the other end
of the line. But all her
grandmother said was, “Be
careful … Will there be an adult
there?” And suddenly Busi
wanted to laugh. There were |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 9:49am On Aug 02, 2018 |
only adults where she was.
“Take care, my child,” her granny
said.
* * *
They slept under a thin blanket
on a foam mattress on the floor
of the garage. It was cold and
she was thankful for Parks’s
body pressed up against her,
although he stank of liquor and
sheep fat from the braai. She
turned her head away, but he
pulled her closer. “Mmm … you’re
so warm. Come here.” He was
handling her under the blanket,
fumbling drunkenly. “Now you
have me all to yourself. Are you
satisfied?” But he didn’t wait for
a reply. He started kissing her.
This time she told herself he
would wear a condom. She had
brought one, and he would use
it. “Wait,” she said pulling away.
She started scrabbling through
her bag. But by the time she had
found it Parks was fast asleep,
snoring drunkenly. It seemed so
unfair.
Busi couldn’t sleep, not in this
strange place with these people
who didn’t care about her. She
thought of her grandmother
alone at home, worrying about
her. How long could she go on
lying to her? She thought of
what Unathi had said. And the
doubt crept in again. What was
she doing?
But she was like a thin branch
blowing in the wind. All Parks
had to do was sweet talk her
and the doubt blew away. Then
all she wanted was to be held by
him and treated like a princess.
She was his sugar baby. And so
when he wrapped his arms
around her in the morning and
said, “Good morning, beautiful,”
she smiled. No one else made
her feel as special as he did. He
leaned up on one elbow. “Hey,
I’m glad it’s just the two of us,”
he said. “Did you call your
grandmother? She must be so
worried.”
“When will you meet her, Parks?
When can we tell her about us?”
“You’re joking, of course.” He
looked at her like she was
having him on.
“I hate lying to her,” Busi told
him.
When he realised she was
serious, he jumped up from the
mattress and pulled on his jeans.
“I need a smoke,” he said. He
was angry now. But she was so
sick of keeping him a secret. She
wanted to be able to walk in
public with him. If her granny
met him and saw that he was
serious about her, she would
come around. She was sure of it.
“Wait here,” Parks said, feeling
in his jeans pockets. “I must
have left my cigarettes in the
house.”
Busi got up too, folded the
blanket that had been covering
them, and waited for him to
come back. She listened to the
stirrings around her, the
morning sounds. There were
voices coming from the big
house, a dog barking. Why was
he taking so long? Maybe he had
gone to the shop nearby. He
could have told her, invited her
along. She waited some more,
but now she needed to use the
bathroom badly. Finally she
could not keep it in and went
over to the big house.
The women stopped talking as
she entered. They looked at one
another, smiling smugly
amongst themselves. “Where’s …
where’s … Parks?” she asked
them.
“He’s gone,” the younger of the
two said.
“Didn’t he tell you?” the other
wanted to know.
She didn’t believe them, but they
went on talking to each other
and ignored her standing there
in the doorway. When she had
been to the bathroom she went
outside to see if his car was still
parked in the road. She froze
when she realised it was gone.
She called him on his cell phone,
but it went onto voicemail. So
she went to sit on an old car
seat in the yard and started to
play with a scrawny dog and her
mangy litter. The dog looked like
an overgrown rat: grey and
matted with her brood hanging
from her worn, dried-out
nipples. “You poor thing,” she
said to the dog. “Some people
shouldn’t be allowed to keep
animals.”
Slowly the rest of the people
living in outbuildings on the
property started to wake and
come out into the yard. But they
all ignored her, except for one
who asked for a cigarette. The
little children with their runny
noses stared at her and giggled.
“Do you perhaps know where
Parks is?” she asked them, but
they just stared at her and ran
away.
* * *
She was feeling hungry and
thirsty, so she decided to walk to
the shop herself and get
something to eat – a packet of
crisps and maybe a juice. Maybe
she would find him along the
way.
Where was he? As she started
walking along the strange
streets she felt anger rising up
inside her. How dare he treat
her this way? And soon she was
in tears. She wouldn’t go back to
the house. She couldn’t. So she
kept walking.
Eventually she found a petrol
station and a little café next to it.
When she emerged from the
messy staff bathroom behind
the building, a taxi was filling up
at the petrol pump. She walked
over to the driver and asked him
if he was going in the direction
of Khayelitsha.
“On a Sunday morning I can
make a plan for you, sisi, if you
have twenty rand? I’m just
coming off my shift, so you must
talk quickly, sisi.” She thrust the
twenty rand into his hands and
climbed in next to him. It was
the last of the cash Parks had
given her.
As they swung out onto the
tarred road, she asked him, “Do
you know a taxi driver called
Parks? His real name is Thando,
but I’ve forgotten his surname.”
The driver smiled at her.
“Everyone knows Parks, my
sister,” he said. “Why do you
want to know?” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 9:59am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 15
When Busi got home she was
cold, tired and miserable, and
she was dreading having to
confront her granny. She just
wanted to run away. But this
was the only home she had. She
was also nauseous from the taxi
ride and she felt like throwing
up. She must look terrible, she
thought, as she opened the door
of their shack. She was horrified
to find that her grandmother
was not alone. The ladies from
church had come around for tea.
Their noisy chatter died down as
soon as she came in. They just
stared at her. She had disgraced
her family – she saw it on her
granny’s face in that moment.
“Come here, ntombi,” said her
grandmother.
“Gogo ...,” she stammered.
“Look at you, Busi,” one of the
other ladies said.
“Where did you sleep last
night?” asked her granny,
sternly. “Why was your phone
on voicemail? I phoned all your
friends. I was so worried, and
none of them knew where you
were. What is going on, Busi?”
“My battery died, Gogo,” she lied,
avoiding the accusing eyes of all
her grandmother’s friends.
“Your granny has sacrificed her
life for you …,” one of the other
members of the church group
said, “and look at the thanks she
gets.”
“Since when do you lie to the
woman who raised you?”
She couldn’t look at them. They
were all staring. She was being
shamed. “Go and wash yourself
and change your clothes,” her
granny said. As she walked out
of the kitchen she heard one of
the ladies say, “Today’s young
people – they would never be
able to live through what we
had to live through. You must
watch her. Does she still get her
period regularly?”
* * *
Busi went to the lean-to in the
yard where they washed. She
stared at herself in the small
mirror balanced on a piece of
wood. When last did she get her
period? She panicked. Parks had
always said he knew what he
was doing. Since that first time
in the hotel, they’d had sex
several times: in the back of his
taxi, on a blanket in the forest,
sometimes with a condom,
sometimes without. She rubbed
her hands over her stomach and
felt ill. The Coke and chips she
had eaten in the taxi came
rushing up and splashed all over
the floor. This couldn’t be
happening to her. No, not to her,
please no!
Back in her room she looked in
the box next to her bed. There
was a packet of unused sanitary
pads. Her granny always bought
one for her each month. She
could hear them talking. She felt
that they were watching her.
How had she not noticed that
she missed a period?
She didn’t think. She just typed
the words and sent the
message.
Hlp me. I thnk I’m preg.
He had left her alone in that
strange house. Was this it, had
he disappeared again? But then
her screen lit up.
Dnt panic bby, will c u l8er.
No mention of why he had left
her, or where he was. She
looked in the mirror again. Did
she know this person staring
back at her? “What am I going
to do with a baby?” she asked
herself. She mouthed the word
“baby”, afraid to say it out loud.
She waited until she had heard
her grandmother’s friends leave
before she ventured out of her
room. “What is going on, Busi?”
her grandmother asked her
again.
She didn’t know what to say.
“Are you going to have a baby,
Busi?” This time her
grandmother was direct.
“I don’t know, Gogo,” said Busi,
barely audible.
“Uthandana nendoda?”
Busi swallowed. How could she
admit this to her grandmother?
But her silence was all the
answer her granny needed.
“Tomorrow we are going to the
clinic,” she said coldly. “I can’t
believe you, Busi – you, of all
people! What is going on in your
head? Why are you playing with
your life? And your mother and
father trusted me! What am I
going to tell them?” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:07am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 16
In the cold morning light Busi
shivered in bed. She had already
had to run across the yard twice
to throw up in the toilet, and it
was freezing outside. She felt
like she was going to die and
still Parks hadn’t called. Chill, he
had texted. How could she not
panic? And when was he going
to see her? She was on her own
and she was going to the clinic
with her granny. Everyone
would know by now, if those
church ladies had anything to do
with it.
There was still a chance she
wasn’t pregnant, she told
herself. It could be stomach
trouble or stress. She had been
under enough of that lately. But
underneath that voice was the
voice that said, of course you’re
pregnant, you stupid, stupid girl.
It was so unfair! It wasn’t that
she hadn’t wanted to use a
condom every time. She had
always had one in her bag. But
Parks had convinced her it
would be okay. She had nothing
to worry about. And now, a
baby!
Busi felt guilty and angry. She
knew how bad her
grandmother would feel. Her
mom had trusted Busi to her
care. But it wasn’t her granny’s
fault Busi had lied to her. She
wanted to curl up and
disappear. What would they do
when they found out she was
pregnant? “It’s nearly time to
go,” her granny said, handing
her a cup of sweet black tea.
“Drink this. If you are pregnant,
Busi, your mother will have to
look after the baby.” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:17am On Aug 02, 2018 |
They walked to the clinic in
silence. What was there to say
until they knew for sure? In the
clinic her granny greeted one of
the women in the queue who
was there with her daughter.
Soon they would all know about
Busi. Only fifteen and pregnant –
and with a taxi driver!
* * *
They had to wait for a long time
in the queue. But when the clinic
sister finally saw them, she was
friendly. Busi was relieved – they
weren’t always so sympathetic.
She told Busi that there was only
one thing to do right now and
that was to take a pregnancy
test. She sent her into the toilet
with a small cup for her urine.
Then she dipped the test stick in
and they all waited. Those were
the longest minutes of Busi’s life.
There was one line and then,
faintly at first, but getting
stronger, a second line appeared
in the window of the pregnancy
stick. There it was. Two lines:
pregnant.
“Have you been tested for HIV?”
the sister asked her.
“No,” Busi said, shaking her
head. This was a nightmare.
“You will need to go to the
counsellor for that. She will tell
you what you need to know.
Then she will do a test. You will
have the result in ten minutes.
It’s quick,” said the sister. “It’s
not like it used to be, when you
had to wait. That was terrible –
the waiting.”
“What if I am positive?” Busi
asked, her voice trembling.
“What then?”
“Then we will take things one
day at a time,” the sister said.
“Many young women like you
are HIV-positive and they give
birth to babies who are just fine.
If you are positive we will put
you onto the right medicine to
protect your baby.” She was
calm as she said this and it made
Busi feel better. Like it might be
all right. Like this nightmare
might end.
“Do you know if your partner is
HIV-positive?”
“No, he isn’t,” said Busi quickly.
“It is better that we test
anyway.”
“Yes,” her granny said quickly.
“People will tell you all kinds of
things.”
“Does he know that you’re
pregnant?” The sister looked at
her.
“Not yet,” Busi lied.
“When did you have
unprotected sex?”
Busi thought back to the first
time. It was six weeks ago. Six
whole weeks since she had
gone to the Formula One with
Parks. But surely she couldn’t
have fallen pregnant so quickly?
“I want you to come back after
the HIV test,” the sister said. “I
want to talk to you about the
options you have.”
“Options?” asked Busi. What
options were there? She was
pregnant. To get rid of the baby
would be unthinkable for her
granny, for her family. They
would say that she was killing
the baby. That it would bring
shame on all of them. And now
the sister was talking about
options?
“I know what people say about
terminating your pregnancy,
Busi. I know what you will have
heard. People say such things all
the time,” said the sister gently.
“But it is your choice. You are
the one who is going to have to
take care of a baby.”
Busi thought of Prudence. She
was in Matric at Harmony High.
When she had fallen pregnant
and had a termination her
mother had said she would go
to hell. But Prudence was strong.
She had decided and she had
gone to the hospital on her own.
Busi had admired her. And now
Prudence was doing fine. She
had a boyfriend who loved her
and one day she would have
children.
“Think about it carefully,” the
sister said. But Busi’s granny
was shaking her head.
“There is nothing to think about.
She will have the baby. And her
mother will take care of it. And
she will go back to school.”
The sister kept looking at Busi.
“Come back tomorrow,” she
said. Then, taking her arm, she
added, “After twelve weeks it is
very difficult to get a
termination, Busi. After that you
can’t change your mind. Do you
understand?”
Busi nodded.
At home she dissolved into
floods of tears. Pregnant, and
before hersixteenth birthday!
Her life had ended. She lay on
the bed unable to move. If Parks
didn’t marry her now, nobody
would. Who would want a
sixteen-year-old girl with a
baby? But if Parks wanted her
and the baby? Thatwas the
answer. That was the only way.
She started to imagine them in a
house together and Parks
laughing and bouncing the baby
on his knee. But what if Parks
didn’t want it? What then? She
would be trapped. She was too
young to have a child. What
about her dreams, her
education, her bright future? Six
weeks, the sister had said. Six
weeks to decide whether she
wanted this baby. After that it
would be too late.
That afternoon her friends came
to see her. The news had spread
fast. Unathi came too. “Have you
come to gloat?” Busi hissed as
they came into the house.
“I’ve just come to tell you,”
Unathi said gently with a slight,
sad smile, “I’m here for you if
you need me.”
“So sweet, Unathi,” said Zinzi,
who had come with the older
girls.
“Where is Parks now? Have you
told him?” Lettie asked.
“He’s coming later,” Busi said,
hoping this was true. “He’s been
very supportive.”
“I don’t see him here,” said
Lettie. “Did he come to the clinic
with you?”
Busi shook her head.
“What will you do now?” Asanda
wanted to know. “Will you have
the baby?”
“I don’t know,” Busi answered.
“I don’t know yet.”
“What does being pregnant feel
like?” Zinzi wanted to know. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:24am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Busi told them about her visit to
the clinic.
“I had to wee in a little glass jar
and give it to them. I was so
nervous, I spilled the wee on the
sister’s desk.”
“Sies man!” Lettie laughed.
“And I had to have blood taken.
Look at my bruised arm.” She
showed them the bluish mark
where the sister had taken
blood.
“And?”
“I’m negative.”
“Well, that’s good,” said Lettie
hopefully.
“But I have to go back in three
months, to make sure.”
“I hope it’s a girl,” Zinzi said
dreamily.
“Yes, I love baby girls,” added
Lettie.
“Shh! Busi doesn’t even know if
she’s going to go through with
the pregnancy,” said Asanda.
“Remember Prudence. And she’s
fine now. She’s doing well.”
“Unathi can be the daddy,”
piped up Zinzi. She didn’t
understand what they were
talking about. “I can see him
pushing a pram! Better still,
Unathi changing nappies. Yuck!”
She laughed.
As they talked, Busi found she
was holding her belly. There was
a baby in there, growing. Ten
fingers and ten toes. She was
suddenly filled with such strong,
tender emotions, it frightened
her. It would be a very difficult
decision. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:29am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 17
It was after ten that night when
he tapped on her window.
“Parks, what are you doing
here?” she whispered sleepily.
“We must talk,” he said. “Come,
come with me.” Quickly she
pulled her tracksuit on over her
pyjamas and crept out past her
sleeping granny into the cold
night. He was standing hunched
up, smoking a cigarette. “Quick,
baby – get in my taxi.” It was
warm inside the taxi. He gave
her a quick hug, but he was
distracted and on edge.
“Parks, you said you’d see me
later. But you never said when. I
thought …”
“And here I am. Would I forget
about you? Never.” He started
the engine and drove left, then
right and right again. They were
heading away from the
township towards the freeway.
She recognised his route – they
had taken it many times.
“I can’t believe I’m pregnant,”
she whispered.
“I know, baby, I know. Don’t
worry, I’m here.” He took her
hand and squeezed it. And
suddenly she felt safe. It was
going to be all right. In that
moment she wanted the baby so
badly. It would be hers and
Parks’s.
“What are we going to do?” she
asked, staring out of the
window into the dark. Lights
flashed past.
“I’ll take care of you, baby, don’t
worry. I promise.”
“Will we get married? If my
granny meets you and you tell
her you want to marry me, she
may feel better. She feels
responsible, you know, like she’s
let my mother down …”
He laughed. “You’re too young
to be married.”
“But I’m not too young to be a
mother …”
“You are too young …”
“But …”
“I told you not to worry – I’ll take
care of it …”
They drove to Muizenberg,
where he had to meet someone
to talk about a business venture.
While they waited in a pub
outside the station, he downed
a beer and she ordered a plate
of hot chips and a Coke. The
man he had arranged to meet
arrived with a cigarette in a
cigarette holder and a rasping
voice. “Cash up front … cash up
front …,” was all that Busi heard.
Eventually the man left. Parks
turned to her and smiled, “Are
you still hungry?” She shook her
head. “We should have used
condoms,” he sighed.
“It’s too late now,” Busi said.
How could he be so casual? Now
he was saying they should have
used condoms. What about then,
when it had been “Don’t worry –
I know what I’m doing”. She felt
her heart clench tightly inside
her.
“Never mind – I’ll take care of
you,” he said crushing out his
cigarette in his polystyrene
coffee cup. It made a hissing
sound. It was late and the
manager approached them,
saying he wanted to close the
place.
He would take care of her. It
would be all right. At least they
would be together.
Parks held her hand as they
drove back along the sea. “I love
you, baby – please trust me. I
want you to be happy and
successful.” His voice was a little
slurred and she realised that he
had drunk too much while they
were waiting in the café. “I’m
taking you to the doctor in the
morning,” he said.
“I’ve been to the clinic already,”
Busi told him. “My granny took
me. You weren’t there. I tried to
call when the test said I was
pregnant. They took an HIV test
too.”
“And?”
“It was negative.”
“You see? I told you I was fine,”
said Parks.
“They told me I have to have
another test after three months.
They said sometimes the HIV
doesn’t show so early, Parks.
They said I must go back to talk
about what to do with the
baby.”
“You don’t need to see a
counsellor, baby. Parks knows
best. I’ll give you the best
advice.”
Maybe he was right? He was the
father after all. It wasn’t just her
baby, she thought.
The wind came up and blew
white sea sand over the road, so
the tar wasn’t visible any more.
Fine sand stung at the windows.
He changed gear, but still the car
swerved across the road. Busi
was scared.
She was grateful to finally reach
her house. “Can I come in?” he
asked. He must be crazy, she
thought, or drunk.
“Shh!” Busi whispered. “No, no,
you can’t. You’ll wake my
granny.”
“I thought she wanted to meet
me.”
“Not now! Now go, go!” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:35am On Aug 02, 2018 |
She lay still on her bed and
listened to his car pulling off into
the night, tyres screeching. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:38am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 18
Parks’s call woke her up in the
morning. “Don’t you sleep?” she
wanted to know.
“Meet me at the bus stop after
nine. We need to talk.” He spoke
above the impatient noises in
the taxi.
When Busi got up, her
grandmother was already busy
in the kitchen. “I’m going to see
Mr Khumalo,” the old lady said.
“Maybe it would be better if I
saw him on my own first. So you
stay here until I return. Do you
hear me, Busi?”
“Gogo, please don’t tell him
about Parks. Mr Khumalo will be
angry with him. He might report
him to the police.”
“He should report this Parks. He
is a danger to schoolgirls. But
for now I will only tell him that
you are pregnant. He needs to
know why you have been
missing so much school.”
Busi didn’t like the idea of her
grandmother talking to Mr
Khumalo. But she also felt
relieved: now that her granny
was going out she had the gap
she was looking for. Great! She
helped her granny clear the
kitchen. “Go on, Gogo, I’ll finish
up here,” she said. “I’ll be fine.” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:43am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Parks wasn’t at the bus stop at
nine – it was more like half past.
“We’re late!” he said as she
climbed into the taxi, its engine
still roaring. The gaadjie grinned
at her as they swerved in and
out of the traffic. He laughed out
loud as she fell against Parks
when he mounted a pavement,
annoying the other frustrated
road-users. “We’ve got to be in
Mitchells Plain by ten,” Parks said
when he saw the look on her
face. “We’ve got to move it!”
She thought that he wanted to
see her again to talk about the
baby. To work out how they
would tell her granny that he
was the father. But here he was
saying they were going to
Mitchells Plain – and with the
gaadjie in the back. Busi couldn’t
hold her tongue any more. She
wanted to be sick and her head
pounded.
“Slow down, Parks. You’re going
too fast. I’m feeling ill. Where are
we going?”
“I told you – Mitchells Plain. I’m
taking you to a doctor who will
take care of you.”
“But I’ve already seen a sister at
the clinic … You know that. I
don’t understand.”
“Shh! You talk too much,” Parks
snapped.
* * *
They stopped in a parking lot
outside a brick building. Medical
Centre, it said on the sign. There
were a lot of people going in
and out. “Take this,” said Parks,
pressing a wad of notes into her
hands. “I’ll fetch you later. Just
SMS me when you’re done. Then
we can go and eat somewhere
nice.”
“Done with what? Parks, I don’t
understand.”
“Dr Bester is on the third floor.
He’s expecting you. Go now, you
can’t be late.”
Busi got out and closed the
passenger door. “Aren’t you
coming with me?” she asked.
“Who is this Dr Bester?” But
Parks was already speeding
away.
* * *
Busi stood in the parking lot
outside the Medical Centre and
watched Parks drive off in his
taxi without a backward glance.
She was all alone. She felt like
dying, there and then. It seemed
the only way she could escape
the terrible things that were
happening to her.
“Are you lost?” a man asked her.
“I’m looking for Dr Bester,” she
said. She didn’t like the way the
man was looking at her.
“In there,” he said, pointing to
the building. “Come with me – I’ll
show you.”
She could have turned and run,
but she followed him inside and
into the doctor’s waiting room.
No one smiled. Not the
receptionist, not one of the
other patients sitting sullenly in
the posh armchairs lining the
wall. They shuffled up to make
room for her and then went
back to the glossy magazines
they were reading. Others just
stared at the wall. The
receptionist had been expecting
her. She ticked Busi’s name on
the list and gave her a form to fill
in.
“Have you had counselling?”
“Counselling?”
“For the termination,” the
receptionist went on. She looked
at Busi like she was stupid and
slow.
“I’m going for counselling later,”
Busi said. “At the clinic.” But the
woman didn’t hear her clearly.
She just pointed to where Busi
needed to fill in her details on
the form.
“Okay,” she said. “Just write that
down.” She pointed with her
pen.
“What is this?” asked Busi,
looking at the form.
“You have to fill it in for the
termination,” the receptionist
said coolly, as if she was talking
about the weather. “Abortion,”
she said. “Do you understand
why you’re here?”
“Abor–?” Is this what Parks
wanted?
Busi sat down amongst the
other patients and stared at the
form on the clipboard in front of
her. “I’ll take care of it,” he said.
And now she realised what he
meant. He made the decision
without her. She wanted to get
up and run, but she couldn’t.
Then the door of the doctor’s
room opened and his assistant
came out and called Busi by her
full name. “Are you alone?” she
asked, as Busi walked down the
corridor towards her.
“My boyfriend dropped me
here,” said Busi.
“You’re very young,” the woman
said. “It must be a difficult time
for you.” Busi nodded. “Please
take your clothes off in the
bathroom and put this gown
on,” she continued, handing her
a blue cotton gown. “Then come
back to Dr Bester’s room. He’ll be
with you in a few minutes.”
Busi did as she was told, then
sat on an uncomfortable plastic
chair and waited for the doctor.
She couldn’t help but notice the
hospital bed in the corner, with
its paper sheet and stainless-
steel instruments in a dish next
to it. When Dr Bester came in he
didn’t greet her, or ask how she
was, or even ask her name. And
when he saw that she was still
wearing her panties under the
gown he reminded her that she
needed to take everything off.
When she returned from the
bathroom, naked except for the
cotton gown, she couldn’t bring
herself to look at the strange
steel instruments. They seemed
so cold and frightening. The
doctor turned his back for a
moment to wash his hands and
put his latex gloves on. Suddenly
Busi knew that she had to
escape. Without a word she
rushed out of the door and back
to the bathroom, where she
pulled on her clothes. Then she
ran – down the corridor and
past Dr Bester’s room, through
Reception, into the lift and out
onto the street. It was only then
that she realised she was still
clutching the blue cotton gown.
She stuffed it into a bin at the
hospital entrance. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:53am On Aug 02, 2018 |
She dialled Parks’s number, but
then switched the phone off
before he could answer. She had
nothing to say to him. She had
nothing but a terrible pain in her
heart. But she knew one thing
for certain. She would decide
whether she had this baby or
not – not Parks, not her granny,
not her parents or her friends. It
was her decision. It was her
body. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 10:57am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 19
Busi didn’t know how she’d got
home. It was a blur. She just
knew that she’d run away from
the doctor’s surgery where
Parks had abandoned her and
nobody knew her, to
somewhere safe where people
cared about her. She had found
her way home like those homing
pigeons. However far away you
let them go, they would always
find their way back home to
safety.
The next day she returned to the
clinic. Sitting in the sister’s room
she felt pain for what Parks had
done, but she also felt stronger.
It felt good keeping her word
and coming back to see the
sister. It made her feel in control
again.
The sister was smiling at her.
And when she reached across
the desk and took her hand, all
Busi’s held-in tears came
pouring out. The sister handed
her a tissue. “There, you let it all
out,” she said. And when Busi
had stopped crying and had
taken a deep breath, the sister
said, “Have you thought about it,
Busi?”
“Yes,” she answered. “But I
haven’t decided yet. It’s so hard.”
“You know, termination isn’t the
only option. You could also have
the baby adopted.”
Busi had thought about it all
night. She had thought about
school, about her baby not
having a dad. She had thought
about what her family would
say, and her friends, and how
she would feel if she had a
termination. She had thought
about being stuck at home with
a baby while her friends went
out. She had thought so much it
had felt like her brain was
bursting. And she had felt so
many different emotions it was
like her heart was splitting open.
“Well, whatever you decide, we
must take good care of you,”
said the sister, kindly. She gave
her vitamins to take, then added,
“The earlier you decide, the
better. Come back in a few days
when you’ve had some more
time to think. But remember, the
later you leave it the more
difficult it will be to get a
termination.”
“Thank you,” Busi said as she
left. She was still in a daze. She
just wanted to be alone. But
when she got home her granny
couldn’t wait to tell her the
news.
“Your mother wants to raise the
baby.”
“My mother, Gogo?”
“Yes! She wants to come down
in December when you will be
giving birth and she wants to
take him with her, back to
Johannesburg.”
“Him?”
“She’s sure it’s a boy,” said her
granny. Busi was stunned. Her
mother hadn’t raised her. Why
should she want this baby?” She
was angry. Her granny didn’t
even know if she had decided to
have the baby, and she was
making decisions for her. “Gogo,
what about what Iwant?” But it
was like her granny hadn’t
heard her.
“It’s a good idea, Busi,” she was
saying. “Where will we find
money to support a little baby?
Babies are expensive! You have
to buy nappies, you need money
when they get sick – and they
get sick. And we’re not giving
your baby to a stranger.”
“Who says I am having the
baby?” Busi shouted, and she
ran through to her bed. She lay
there, her hands over her
stomach. Her mother wanted to
take this baby away. She hadn’t
even spoken to her about it. Did
she mean so little to them? And
Parks, he had just wanted to get
rid of it. They had no right.
“Busi?”
“I need to be alone,” Busi
shouted. It felt good, this small
thing of saying what she
needed.
But they wouldn’t leave her
alone. No sooner had she laid
down on her bed than her
phone rang. It was Parks.
Perhaps he had phoned to say
he was sorry for not coming
with her to the doctor. Perhaps
he had changed his mind. And
she felt so alone. So she
answered it. But all he said was,
“So did you do it? Is it finished?
I’ve been trying to call you.”
“How could you leave me there
alone?” She drew on all the
courage she had.
“Did you want me to stay with
you? I had things to do …”
And then, when she was silent,
his tone changed. “Baby, I need
you. It doesn’t matter … I just
need to talk. We’ll get through
this. I’ll call you later. I need to
see you.”
She switched the phone off.
“We’ll get through this,” he had
said. She was so confused and
tired, she just needed to sleep.
Tomorrow was another day.
Tomorrow she would decide
what to do.
* * *
In the dark another call came.
Not from her friends, not from
Parks. An unknown number
shone on the screen. And when
she said hello, a woman greeted
her. Her voice sounded cold and
far away. It wasn’t her mother,
whom she had hoped would call
her. This was a stranger.
“Who is this?” Busi asked. “You
must have the wrong number.”
“Is this Busi?” the woman asked.
“Yes,” Busi said, uncertainly.
“Then I have the right number.
What I want to know is what
you want from my husband?”
“There must be some mistake,”
said Busi. There was silence.
Busi’s heart started pounding.
“No mistake,” the woman said.
“I am married to Parks. Do you
understand? I am his wife.” |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 11:07am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Busi’s mouth went dry.
“That’s right,” the woman went
on, when Busi didn’t speak. “You
have seen me. I was the woman
in the black car at the Formula
One. I watched you and my
husband go in and come out. I
know everything. My husband
told me … You see, he’s not good
at hiding things.”
The woman in the black car – it
was the woman she had seen in
her dreams.
“You’re not the only girl Parks
has had,” the woman said. Busi
felt a pain in her stomach like
someone had stabbed her with
a knife. “But you’re the first to
get pregnant. And we can’t have
that. Uyayazi? I won’t have
Parks’s bastard child running
around. I won’t have it, do you
hear? So do as Parks says – get
rid of it. And leave him alone. Do
you understand?”
But before she could reply the
phone went dead.
He was married. And he hadn’t
told her. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 11:11am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 20
Busi had strange, disturbing
dreams that night. She dreamed
that she was standing at the
school gate and Parks and his
wife were sitting outside in that
big black car. She couldn’t move.
She just watched as they held up
a baby. It was hers and she
heard it crying, but she couldn’t
move. She couldn’t reach it. And
then they were driving off.
She woke up crying. It was light
outside and her phone was
ringing. She saw Parks’s name
on the screen. She would tell him
to get out of her life, to leave her
alone. It would be the last time
she spoke to him. But when he
answered so softly, so
concerned, she wasn’t so sure
any more. And she wanted an
explanation. She wanted to
know why?
“Why didn’t you tell me you were
married, Parks?”
“Me, married? Who told you that,
baby?” So he didn’t know that
his wife had called her in the
middle of the night. And now he
was lying to her again,
pretending that everything was
fine.
“You are, Parks!” she said, “Your
wife phoned me. Why didn’t you
tell me?” There was silence on
the other end. She could sense
him struggling with what to say
now that his secret was out.
“You never asked me, baby!” He
said it so casually, she couldn’t
believe it. “I love you, baby –
that’s all that matters. We’ll work
something out.” He tried to
sound reassuring.
How could he talk of love? How
could he switch so quickly to
saying they’d work something
out, when he had left her alone
to have an abortion. There was
only one thing he wanted to
work out – how to get rid of her
baby.
Busi heard her grandmother
shuffling about in the kitchen,
she heard her pouring water
from the tap.
“Shall I fetch you, baby? Shall I
come through now?”
“No, Parks,” she whispered.
When they had made love, he
had been married. When they
had taken that romantic stroll
and he had given her a locket,
he had been married. He had
betrayed her, and his wife. She
was aware of her heart slowly
turning around, turning inside
out, shedding every memory of
the love she had had for him.
She felt like a trespasser and a
fraud. And it hurt so much. She
had wanted to believe that their
child was conceived in love. She
had clung onto that. But now
even that had been ripped away
from her.
“I need to see you,” he said. And
then he said the words that
found the chink in her armour:
“You owe me that. Just once
more, Busi, for the child. I am the
father … You owe me that.”
“Yeka, Parks.”
“Please. For all we had together
… I’ll meet you in ten minutes. I’ll
be waiting at the end of your
road. Say yes.”
He wasthe father. He would
always be the father. She did
owe him that, she thought.
“Busi! Yeka!”
As she walked towards Parks’s
taxi, she heard Unathi. She heard
him shouting from the other
end of the street. But she was
five steps away from Parks’s taxi
and she didn’t turn around.
“Remember you are strong,
Busi!” Unathi shouted, as he ran
down the street towards her.
“You are strong!” But he was
too late. The taxi took off,
leaving dust in his face. Had she
heard him?
* * *
Parks took Busi to the sea. But
there was no picnic this time,
and the sky was overcast. She
wanted to huddle next to him
for warmth. But she would not
let herself. She would not touch
him, even though she was
freezing. “Womelele!” That’s
what Unathi had called after her.
She had heard him.
Parks sat up straight and looked
out over the ocean. She followed
his gaze, watching the
squawking seagulls scavenging
around a group of fishermen
down on the rocks below.
“The baby, Busi. You can’t have
the baby – not now, not this
one. It will hurt her too much.”
“Hurt her? What about me,
Parks?” She turned to him.
“What about me?”
“You can’t have this baby, Busi. It
will kill her if I have a baby with
someone else.”
“You should have thought of
that!” she spat.
He tried to put his arm around
her. He tried to use those old,
sweet, flattering words.
“You are strong, Busi!” She
heard Unathi’s voice in her head.
“Busi, my darling, if I could I
would leave her and marry you.
Please understand that. But we
can still be together. We just
have to be careful. I really love
you, that’s for sure.” He pulled
her towards him again. She
pushed him away and looked
him straight in the eye.
“Uyamthanda yena?” she asked.
He fumbled in the pockets of his
leather jacket. “I said, |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 11:17am On Aug 02, 2018 |
do you love her?” She was
shouting now.
“Ndinithanda nobabini. Really I
do. We can work something
out.” He lit a cigarette.
“Forget about me!” Busi said.
“I’m never going to be a secret
in anyone’s life, least of all
yours!” She stood up.
“This will be the end of me,” he
said feebly. “This will be the end
of my marriage. What are we
going to do? What will I do if
she throws me out?”
“Can’t you live without her?”
asked Busi.
But Parks wasn’t listening to her.
“Can’t you go to Jozi, give the
child up? I can arrange
everything for you.” Then when
he saw that she wasn’t
necessarily going to do as he
wished any more, he stood up
and crushed his cigarette in the
sand. “I’m bleeped!” he screamed.
He was striding back to the taxi.
She followed him two steps
behind. Suddenly she feared for
herself … and the baby. “I’m
nothing without my wife!” he
said. “Don’t you understand
that?” He punched his fist
against the taxi. “She owns this
bloody taxi. She owns
everything!”
Busi stared at him. Is that all he
could think about? Did he feel
nothing for the baby? For his
own baby?
“We should have used condoms,
Parks. You should at least have
done that, knowing you were
married.”
“Shut up!” he shouted at her.
Busi was scared of him now,
scared of his anger erupting at
everything she said. She had to
get away from him.
“Okay, Parks,” she said, “I’ll meet
you to talk about it later. But I
have to go to school now. I have
an appointment with Mr
Khumalo.”
He looked relieved, like he had
won. “I’ll fetch you afterwards,”
he said. “You’ll be there?”
“Yes,” she lied and he believed
her.
But she knew that it wouldn’t be
her waiting for him outside the
school. It would be Mr Khumalo.
Because now she was going to
tell him everything about Parks.
Yonke into. |
Re: Sugar Daddy by NaijaTushboy(m): 11:23am On Aug 02, 2018 |
Chapter 21
When Busi got home she was
cold and exhausted. She felt ill.
“Where have you been?” asked
her granny. “You should be
looking after yourself.”
That’s what she was doing,
thought Busi. She was looking
after herself. She wouldn’t let
Parks hurt her any more.
“Did you see him? Were you
with him?” asked her
grandmother.
“It’s okay, Gogo. It’s over,” she
said. “This time for good.” Her
granny hugged her close.
“I’m proud of you.”
“I’ve made such a mess of
things,” Busi said.
“Yes, you have. Things would
have been very different if you
hadn’t fallen pregnant. It is
going to be very difficult. And
you are going to have to be
strong, and you are going to
have to make a lot of sacrifices.
You are lucky you have good
friends, and you have me. Not
every pregnant girl has family or
friends she can count on.
Sometimes it breaks them. You
are going to have to grow up
fast, my girl. Now go and sleep.
You need it.”
There were tears on Busi’s
cheeks as she closed her eyes,
but for the first time in days she
slept deeply.
* * *
She woke to a chatter of familiar
voices – her friends had come to
visit. “We were waiting for you
to wake up,” said Lettie. “Your
granny told us everything.” They
all hugged Busi.
“Are you okay?” asked Lettie.
Busi nodded.
“It’s over with Parks,” she said.
And she started to cry. Lettie
hugged her.
“We’ll be there for you,” she said.
“Now that it’s over with Parks,
maybe you can think more
clearly about the baby,” said
Asanda. It was true, thought
Busi. But then her granny put
her head around the blanket
that hung between the bedroom
and the kitchen. She sounded
excited.
“Your mother phoned while you
were sleeping,” she said. “She’s
bought a ticket, and she’s
coming down to see you.”
“Thank you, Gogo,” said Busi as
her grandmother returned to
the kitchen, leaving the girls to
talk. But really Busi didn’t know
how she felt about her mother
coming. They would fight – she
knew it. If she decided to keep
the baby, she wanted to look
after it. She wouldn’t let her
mom take it. What kind of a
mother would Ibe, thought
Busi? Would I cope? Would I
leave my baby with someone
else and run away?
“I don’t even know how I would
raise a child on my own. I have
no income. Besides, I have to go
to school …”
“Sizakunceda,” said Ntombi, “…
whatever you decide.”
Busi smiled. She had good
friends. But it would be tough.
Whatever she decided, it would
be tough. She looked around the
small room. There was someone
missing.
“Where’s Unathi?” she asked.
“He’s coming,” said Asanda,
“don’t worry.”
“You have a real talent for
reading people’s minds,”
laughed Lettie.
“And I have a real talent for
falling pregnant,” said Busi.
“You have lots of talents,” said
Unathi. He had come in quietly.
“You don’t know half of them
yet.”
* * *
When the girls had left, Unathi
stayed behind. Busi turned to
him. What could she say?
“I’m sorry, for everything.”
“It’s okay,” he said, putting his
arm around her. She felt his
warmth against her. She felt
safe. “It’s going to be okay.
Whatever happens, I’ll be there.”
“Unathi?”
“Yes?”
“I heard what you said when
you ran after the taxi. You said I
was strong.”
“It’s true, Busi,” he smiled.
“Never forget it!”
THE END. |
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