HIM: MR REDELLO

41. I CAN'T MA.

6 HOURS LATER

GIA

We take Q back home, he was heavily intoxicated.

Me: Mama ??
Ma: (gets up) Quinton.

She goes to Q and hugs him. He starts crying.

Ma: she left boy. She said I must give you this.

She gives him the ring.

Ma: She sent her apologies for hurting you.
Njabulo: it was not her intention though, why did you pull the plug ??
Andrè: Baby??...
Njabulo: haii.

She walks away.

Floyd: (sighs) eish.
…: where is Wendy ?? Is Wendy here ?

We look and its Richard.

Me: and then ?
Ma: long story, he cheated on Wendy and she left him
Me: shit.
Quinton: What will I do now ?
Me: Q, you made this decision.
Quinton: (looks down)
Richard: Gia, please tell Wendy to come back to me.
Me: (Looks at Ma) What’s happening mom ?
Tevin: this happens when you hurt someone you love, trust me when I say this, if Wendy doesn’t come back, Richard may start going crazy.
Me: manje with Q ??
Tevin: I don’t know ? I’ve never seen the effects of separating with thy soulmate, but one things for sure, he won’t be happy, at all.
Floyd: so we are gonna be surrounded by thee old Quinton.
Me: the Mean, Grumpy, Hoe Quinton.
Steven: unfortunately Yes. He will have no reason to be happy right ?? So he’ll hoe around and be mean and stuff.

Andrè comes back.

Andrè: she’s not taking any of this well.
Me: I’ll go see her, I too am not okay.

I leave.

TEVIN

Me: Quinton should rest.
Steven: Yeah, (sighs) I just hope HE doesn’t come back.
Andrè: he will and when he comes back, there won’t be any hope.
Me: Drè. Floyd. help me take him to his room.

We carry him and take him upstairs. We take him to the toilet first and get out while he vomits the alcohol out of his system. Floyd helps him on the bed and he sleeps

THE NEXT DAY

NANDI.

9AM

We arrived home safely yesterday and I told my mom everything, both her and Gogo actually. Mom cried and Gogo just sat there, feeling rather unhappy and disappointed. It’s all good though. I wake up and do my morning routine, I make porridge for the kids and family.

Mom: morning?

I look and its my mom. She was ready to go to work.

Me: hi Ma.

She hugs me.

Mom: (sighs) yazi uGogo cried izolo.
Me: why ??
Mom: Your separation, Gogo was rooting for you guys and now you are over.
Me: (sighs) She did, but things are better off like this.
Mom: mhh.

There is silence

Me: we were even trying for a baby (places hands on face)
Mom: why would you do that?
Me: haww, ma ??
Mom: aren’t you on Birth Control for A year

I stare at her and close my eyes.

Me: (sighs) My God, I can’t believe ukuthi I forgot about that..
Mom: mhh, are the twins and Sbahle up ?
Me: No, they slept late yesterday since when we got here, they were asleep.
Mom: (sighs) are you okay though ??
Me: I’m bekezeling (holding on), it hurts but what can I say, what can I do ??
Mom: Nana, Quintons mom wants you to come back.
Me: I can’t ma, it’s over now and I don’t think I have it in me to go back after this.
Mom: (sighs) Nana.
Me: no Ma, I’m done…
…: Kodwa why mntanam. Ngin’thande kangaka for one another.

I look and its Gogo. I get up and help her down the stairs.

Gogo: bengithi nizo shada, ni jabule.
Me: Mama, it happens a lot. People who love each other break up.
Gogo: no. Your mom and Dad didn’t break up, till today.
Me: they have their reasons, I have mine.
Gogo: (places hands on face) oww mara nkosi’yami.

I hug her.

Me: kuzo’lunga.
Gogo: (shakes head) Soze. You and him were meant to be.
Me: maybe back then, not now.

NEFI CRIES

Me: let me go..

I get up and go check on my babies. Sbahle was also awake.

Me: hi boy.
Sbahle: where is Baba ??
Me: he is back home.
Sbahle: is he gonna come ??
Me: I don’t know Nana, maybe.
Sbahle: Okay Mama.

He gets up and hugs me.

Sbahle: I love you mama.

I hug him back and kiss him

Me: I love you too Nana wami. Now let’s go bathe you and The twins so we can go look for a Day care For you guys.
Sbahle: what’s a Day Care ??
Me: while mama works, you will be staying there and learning letters and numbers, you will be colouring and drawing
Sbahle: will Baba be there ??
Me: (sighs) no Nana, He won’t.
Sbahle: kay kay.

I place him down

Me: Titi !!

He looks at me. Quinton’s 2nd Image. I close my eyes

Me: (wipes tears) lets go get you cleaned up.

I take them and go bathe them, I dress them up in jeans and a t-shirt whilst nefi wears a dress. I head downstairs where Mama and Gogo are eating whilst watching TV, Dad was at work.

Sbahle: Gogo.

He hugs both of them.

Gogo: Sbahle wami, kunjani ?
Sbahle: phila.
Mom: Waze wafana no baba wakho Nana.

I look away, they really had to say that.

Me: lets go eat

I dish them up and fed them. Mom fed nefi whilst I fed Titi, sbahle fed himself. We finish and I wipe their mouths.

Me: ma I gave to find a day-care for them.
Mom: I’ll speak to londiwe.

Londiwe was the lady next door, she owned a day-care. Mom leaves for work. Gogo stays with the kids, whilst I get changed.

10 MINUTES LATER

I get dressed, also wearing a dress and finish off by making the baby’s bed. We then leave and head next door. Gogo stayed behind

Me: hi Londi
Londi: Hey, 3 babies.
Me: yes, 2 are 1 year and the big brother is 6 years.
Londi: oh, let me give you the forms to fill in and we’ll get started.

She gets them and I fill them in. The twins play whilst sbahle sits next to me. I finish off and she shows us around. The Day care with really big. There were so many babies and the ladies looking after them, there were 11 ladies, Londi Excluded.

Me: okay, I’m impressed.

Sbahle was already playing and had found friends.

Londi: when are they starting?
Me: is today fine ?
Londi: sure, any time Is tea time.
Me: I’ll get their stuff back home.

She attempts to take nefi and she cries.

Me: aww Nana.

Thingo was so unbothered

Me: Sbahle ??

He come to me.

Me: take nefi and go play with her and titi.
Sbahle: Kay Kay.

His friends come and go with the twins. I look at them and Thingo turns to me and waves.

Me: (cries) Bye Baby.

I wipe them and leave. I grab their bags and place spare clothes, diapers, underwear and wipes, their bottles and snacks. I take them to the day care and go back home.

…: Hi ?

I look and its some deliver man

Me: yes?
D.M: Are you Ms Nandipha Mabuza.
Me: yes.

He gives me some envelope and I sign

D.M: you’ve been served.
Me: thank you.

I get inside the house and open the envelope. It was some Documents. I sit down and read them.

… this document states that I, Quinton Bahle Redello Give you full custody of our children, Sbahle, Thingolenkosi and Nefertiti Redello plus an additional amount of money that amounts to R20 000 every month as child support. This means that I won’t be getting or receiving anything that involves our kids, hence I am giving them to you…

Any other Questions  an be discussed with Ms Gianna Simphiwe Redello/Zulu regarding anything In this document.

Gianna Redello/Zulu: 0** *** ****

Me: (sighs)
Gogo: what’s that ??
Me: (Looks up) a document. I’m getting full custody of the kids and some child support money every month.
Gogo: (shakes head) naze nay’phula I nhliziyo yam bantwana bam’.

She gets up and leaves me.

PHONE RINGS

I answer

…: hey gyal, my mom tells me your mom said you are back.
Me: mxo, hi babes.
Mxo: yini ??
Me: where are you ?
Mxo: at work, funa ngize ?
Me: please ?
Mxo: I’ll come after work ke.

I hang up and sit there, looking at the document.

Me: you said you love me Q, why would you pull the plug on our family, on me. (Wipes tears) I’ll never forgive you for this. Leaving me with all this responsibility alone whilst you figure yourself out. Quinton… (cries). You promised to love us.

I sit there, just feeling unhappy

PHONE BEEPING

I Look and its Gia

HE STILL LOVES & MISSES YOU, A LOT

She shares an image of Q sitting on the kitchen floor, with one hand holding my ring and the other holding a bottle of whiskey.

Me: If he loved us, he would have never pulled the plug on our family. I could give 0 fucks about how he is doing. (read)

She starts typing

Gia💗: what I know is that, you and him are meant to be. I hope you are okay. I hope you found the documents he sent to you.
Me: I want nothing to do with your brother. He must stay away from me and my kids and not come anywhere near us. He can’t keep his promises and he deserves to be alone. I got the documents, thanks. I guess me and the Redello’s are done for good. Enjoy your day Gia and stop texting me.

I block her number whilst she is typing.

Me: (sighs) I’m sorry Gia, but I can’t associate myself with your family anymore.

QUINTON

Ever made a good decision but it hurts so much, it breaks your heart so much you can’t even cope at all.

Gia: she blocked me.
Me: (sighs) Why ? (eyes filled with tears) why does it hurt so much sisi?
Gia: Q…
Me: I wanna go to her. She is mine.
Gia: (sighs) Q, only you know why you did that. Only you know.
Me: (low tone) I miss my sons, and my beautiful Daughter. I miss my fiancé
…: you shouldn’t have done that. Now that she is gone you regret your decision

I look and its Njabulo.

Me: Jules…
Njabulo: you and Richard, niyafana. You are both the same. How could you hurt women who you claim to love.
Gia: Jules calm d…
Njabulo: hai fokof. Niyanya nonke pha ku lendlu, ngeke ngi hlale la and let you stupid people hurt my sisters. You were happy yesterday, all of a Monday? You are separating njani ?? Njani ??
Andrè: Baby…
Njabulo: hai Hlukana nami Lethu, labo bud’ bakho baya dika man.

I get up and Andrè’s Iris flashes red.

Me: mxm.

I walk away and enter my room. It still smelled like her. I open the wardrobe and all her clothes are gone. The only thing left as a reminder is her ring.

****FLASHBACK***.

Me: promise you’ll never leave me?
Nandi: I’ll never leave you (pinkie promise)
Me: kiss me.
Nandi: you kiss me ??

Me: (cries) I broke my promise.

Nandi: (giggles) Okay okay…

Me: (cries)
…: I’m so sorry Boy.

She hugs me whilst I cry.

HOURS LATER

NANDI

I fetch the kids and Mxo arrives.

Mxo: Mnge.

I hug him.

Mxo: ya, sawbona ?
Me: hi mnge unjani ?
Mxo: wena unjani ngoba mina ngiryt ?
Me: ithi ngi’lalise abantwana ngiyeza.

I place the babies and sbahle down since they were exhausted and I go to mxo

Me: (sighs) yho I don’t know how to tell you this mnge, kodwa si hlukene.
Mxo: why manje ?? Did he repeat I GBV futhi.
Me: no, not at all. He…

I Tell him everything.

MINUTES LATER

Mxo: Mnge, M.A.T shem.
Me: M.A.T ??
Mxo: Men Are Trash shem.
Me: left me with 3 kids.
Mxo: you know what ?? Wena no Gwen need to bounce back from this, you two deserve better. Especially u Gwen, kunini bam’cheatela mnge. Hlez’ akhala u’Sis wami…

Mxo and Gwen are siblings.

Me: ukuphi yena ??
Mxo: e Khaya, ukhala Everyday. Phela u Mithi ngapha u heartbroken.
Me: M’tchele I’ll come visit her soon neh..
Mxo: she would appreciate it, she needs someone she is close with. I’m just busy shem.
Me: (nods)

My mom enters

Mom: wuu, san’bona.
Mxo: Yeba Ntando My love.
Mom: wuu, wena where have you been ?
Mxo: around, beng’khona nje Last.
Mom: last week, ohh konje. (Chuckles)

She hugs him

Me: Ma, uGogo said she will cook neh.
Mom: uShilo vele. U sale njani ??
Me: kahle, I got I document from the Redello's.
Mom: ohh ??

She takes it and walks away.

Mxo: are you planning on working ??
Me: yes? Soon.
Mxo: where ??
Me: (shrugs) I’ll see.
Mxo: my mom works at Avon, they are looking for People. Can I ask her to faka you ?
Me: please do.
Mxo: okay ke mnge, she will call you soon, so get your CV and cover letter ready.
Me: (nods)

We chill for sometime and he leaves.

Mom: full Custody (places the files down)
Me: (sighs) yeah.
Mom: it’s fine. Right ?
Me: mom, I don’t know. How will I raise them without him if I’m getting full custody whilst he is still alive and around. It’s like he is neglecting the kids, I have to be the father and Mother figure to them ??
Mom: find them a father (shrugs)
Me: (cries)

She hugs me. Everything just felt so fake. He betrayed me, my babies and my trust. He can’t keep his promises

Me: I hate him Ma, I hate him.
Mom: I understand nana.