The Widow's Helper

11

Upon arriving at Fourways Mall, we descended to the bustling food court where various restaurants lined up. Eager to hear everyone's preferences, I asked, "So, where do we eat?" Akhanani and Liyema shared their choices, but my attention was already claimed by the one person I wanted to hear – Nelisa, who promptly led me to McDonald's, his regular spot. Truthfully, it was more about the playfulness with other kids for him than the meal. Despite protests from his siblings, we sat down, and I fetched our food.

While Liyema enjoyed the atmosphere, Akhanani voiced her desire to try something different, specifically a shawarma restaurant. To be honest, the idea of something meaty appealed to me as well. After finishing our meal, with Liyema occupied watching other kids play, I excused myself. I ordered takeaways from the shawarma place and swung by Checkers to grab samp and beans. As I wandered, Anele unexpectedly called, expressing surprise at our outing. "You guys didn't tell me you'd be out; I would have transferred some money," Anele began, but I interjected, "We still have some money on the card you gave me. I only use it for a few things, so we are safe." Initially, he used to deposit money weekly, but I switched to fortnightly since it covered our needs for groceries and cosmetics.

Anele acknowledged the kids having fun and remarked, "They didn't even want to talk on the phone." Attempting casual conversation, I said, "I'll be with them soon; I wanted to buy something, but I'm almost done." There was a moment of silence before he unexpectedly offered, "I'm about to drive to Pretoria, but I forgot something from the house. Do you want me to give you a lift back?" Surprised, I wondered if Liyema discussed the car situation with him. Tentatively, I responded, "If that won't take you out of your way, yes, I'll just have to inform the kids."

However, Anele halted me, saying, "No, it's okay. I'll come and get you guys. I'd like to surprise them." Understanding his desire to spend time with the kids, I realized it had nothing to do with the car predicament.

I returned to McDonald's, telling Liyema to explore the arcade games. About thirty minutes later, Anele arrived, and we waited for Liyema. When he joined us, sharing his enjoyment and newfound friends, Akhanani questioned why he made friends when we were leaving soon. Liyema responded cryptically, "One day, you'll understand," surprising both me and Anele.

As we gathered in the car, I scooped up Nelisa, who questioned why he couldn't sit on a car seat. Trying to avoid the questions, I finally explained that it was for his safety, emphasizing the need for a baby seat. The rest of the journey was filled with conversation, with Nelisa on my lap, trying to grasp the importance of his safety in the car.

Once inside, I shed my jacket and felt the warmth of the house. After stowing away the takeaways in the fridge, I observed the lively scene in the living room. The kids were embroiled in a remote control battle while their older brother vied for his turn to watch something. Anele returned without the presumed forgotten file, bidding farewell to the kids and leaving them to resolve their disputes.

Deciding to share the Shawarma surprise, I handed him a bag along with a bottle of water. He graciously accepted, interrupting my attempt to explain, "I didn't know if you already had lunch or not, but—" His response was a simple, "Thank you," accompanied by a warm smile. As he left, his gaze locked with mine, momentarily weakening me both physically and emotionally. Unresponsive, I watched him go, resolving not to succumb to the allure of his eyes – a perilous temptation.

Shaking off the trance, I commenced cooking samp, realizing it was already past two. Joining the kids in the living area, we settled into an action movie of Liyema's choice. Akhanani and Nelisa succumbed to slumber. Around three thirty, I attended to the laundry, placing the clothes in the designated area for ironing the next morning. Returning to check on my pot, I found it progressing well.

Calling out to Liyema, I shared, "I bought Shawarmas; you can grab yours and enjoy. Dinner might be a bit late today." As he expressed gratitude and headed for his meal, I noticed his snack of choice during the movie – a packet of chips, a testament to his growing appetite.

Upon Akhanani and Nelisa's awakening, I handed them their Shawarmas and accompanied the meal with a cup of warm milk. Taking half of Nelisa's Shawarma since I'd given mine to Anele, we continued our movie marathon. Once they finished eating, the kids headed upstairs to engage in toy-filled play.

Liyema suggested I pick a movie, opting for a Christian one. We watched it for a while before I decided to take a break and prepare chicken hearts gravy for the samp.

After finishing my conversation with my sisters on the phone and returning to the kitchen, I noticed Anele coming in past seven, carrying his work bag and jacket. After greeting us, he headed upstairs. I began warming the food and set Anele's plate aside, but when he didn't return, I served the kids and myself. We gathered on the couch, prayed for the meal, and commenced eating.

Liyema finished first, and after him, we all joined in cleaning up. Liyema, instilled with the value of helping, took charge of washing the dishes – a lesson passed down from his grandmother. Once the kitchen was tidy, I retired to my room to make the bed, placing a plastic bag for Nelisa, who was sleeping with me.

After a refreshing hot shower, I enlisted Liyema's help to assist Nelisa in brushing his teeth and change. As I was in my pyjamas, I hurried back to my room upon hearing someone descending the stairs.

Sitting on the rug with my diary and Bible, I recorded a few events of the day before opening the Bible to read. Engaging in prayer, I utilized my phone speaker, playing a recording of my pastor's prayer. The tranquility of my prayer was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

Liyema brought Nelisa in, bid us good night, and left. After placing Nelisa in bed, I joined him, and we started talking. He shared that his dad was drinking "cophy," and I couldn't help but laugh at his pronunciation. Being close to him, I felt a sense of fulfillment, as if he were my own child. I prayed silently that nothing would take this away, even though I knew that eventually, I would have to let go. Anele was destined to build a new life with someone else, creating a new family.

Deep inside, a feeling whispered that this was my family, my life. Lying in bed, I pondered whether the person Anele might love would cherish his children as I did, supporting and helping them. Would the focus be solely on Anele, or would his new partner embrace the entire family? An overwhelming emotion welled up, tears silently streaming down my cheeks. Thankfully, Nelisa remained peacefully asleep.

Lost in my thoughts, I questioned what I would do if Anele were to ask me to be his girlfriend. How would his children feel? Would everyone around us accept it? As the tears flowed, the reality of potential challenges emerged, including the significant age difference. Society might frown upon a man with three kids pursuing a relationship, and even my own family might have reservations. I remembered my younger sister's caution when I left, "You're not going there to fall in love and never come back to us, are you?" My response then had been a hesitant, "Not likely."