My Son

Pushing through

Palpitation, increased heart-beat, stress, worry, fear, migraine and a threatening anxiety attack all descended in my body in a nanosecond.

I have definitely seen this woman naked.

T

Ella approved the purchase of a cell phone for Asanda's tenth birthday. It's his first for me and I want to make it memorable. Unsurprisingly, mom went ahead and organised a baptism for my son without my consent on the very same Sunday.
I was having a splendid day at work after being informed that my advertisement idea for a water brand triumphed over all 36 competing ideas. I'm meeting the production team who have also invited me to the audition process for the television ad. My usual wage will be topped with a beautiful sum of commission come month end and I'm walking on sunshine. Not that I need the money.

Between Asanda's birthday celebration planning and mom's annoying holy plan, I get on a mission of buying my child his first smart phone and tablet. I'll be surprising him with the gifts the night before his actual birthday since I won't stay longer than an hour for the party. Undesirable guests are obviously invited. Best we avoid that topic.

Ella doesn't need an invitation, she's my guest and the mother. I promised her a meet and greet with my equal and she's looking forward to that more than the actual celebration. I prematurely professed my feelings for her so we're a lil' awkward right now. She thinks I have concubines occupying my bachelor life.
In reality, I have two ladies waiting for me to 'call them when I've decided to do right'. I swear that's exactly what they both said after failing to make me commit to an exclusive love relationship with a wedding date deadline. And no, they've never even met. There's also Samantha...boody call, I think it's called. We're on the same page and she never just shows up. Besides all that, I'm a free agent up until Ella avails herself for me.

We have a child and it makes sense to make up for our already existing family structure. I think Asanda will like that too although I feel it would be better for him to continue living with his gran. Mom's clearly enjoying having company after years of living alone. Warms my heart to think she has someone to send around and brag about. With all the shenanigans of our past buried, mom finally has a chance to be a mother she should've been with us.

But then again, old habits refuse to die when it comes to her, seeing as she spent a lil' over six thousand on all kinds of alcohol brands for the birthday celebration. Same way she catered for her 'friends' when she threw Zanda and I unnecessarily big birthday parties that were more fun for the accompanying adults than us. For days to follow, people who had come to our party would praise how much fun they had at 'Catherine's' party then say absolutely nothing about Zanda and I. I don't know about my brother but this never bothered me growing up so I find it a lil' disturbing that I'm recalling it and feeling mildly angry.

I don't like getting emotional so to avoid digging up stuff, I call my business partner to ensure the cake order was made and that she'll assist with setting up the décor and the four screens with X Boxes. Asanda insisted on TV games with his friends and that's exactly what he'll get. He's my son and will with no doubt be the coolest, most popular kid in his school.

"Oh, thank heavens you called. I'm at the shop with the police. Three men broke in and took cash registers and all our phones" - Cookie's opening statement to my call.

I know I'm not too invested in the baked goodie business but someone messing with a business I'm part owner of, pisses me off. Worse, this will surely affect a part of my newly discovered son's birthday celebration so I waste no time rushing to Cookie's.

Z

Instead of attending the robbery meeting with mom, Cookie, Tendai and 'father', I reached out to Kelly's sister, Khomo. Before Cookie's bakery shop idea was born, Khomo would bake Notho a small chocolate or vanilla cake for her birthdays.
Asa's will have to be bigger since mom's church friends and neighbours will be coming on top of the birthday boy's guests. With only a week to go, I know it's an inconvenience but Kelly and I pushed ahead and made it to Khomo's house just before 6pm. Thanks to Notho, she was happy to see us and only asked an hour later why we were visiting so late.