The wedding was nothing short of amazing and perfect. Serenity truly outdone herself. Emerald was very much impressed with everything and so was everyone else.
Everyone was requesting Serenity's number and wanted to hire her to plan their events. They were kmpressed that she was able to plan a wedding in such a short period of time while she was a stranger to ghe city. Yes, Serenity was that good.
Serenity was very proud of her work and she had a smile on her face everytime someone asked her for her business card to help plan an event or something. She still wanted to be an actress but she has also discovered something that she loved as much as she did acting.
Besides no one in New York wanted to hire a mixed race actress like her. They said that she would confuse their audience because she had a black woman with brown skin and a huge natural pitch black afro but with clear Chinese features like her facial features.
I say it's their loss. Serenity is an amazing actress and I know one day someone will give her the opportunity and she will shine like the star that she is. I will personally make sure of it but meanwhile she is wanted by popular demand for event planning.
She is even thinking of going back to varsity for event planning. She is the perfect example of when love gives you lemons make some lemonade.
It was now the day after the wedding and Tumi and Emerald were leaving for their honeymoon with baby Blue. Yep, they didn't want to leave him behind. I was also leaving with my whole family back to South Africa. I didn't tell Justin that I'm leaving but I did let him know that I was serious about the divorce after we woke up the next morning.
I think it's a good idea and it will give us the new beginning we need. This to no secrets or hiding our relationship from prying us. All will be as it should be.
I can't wait to get back home. I can't wait to breathe the air which feels so different from the air in New York. We were all in the JFK airport waiting for our flights to be called. Tumi and Emerald already left half an hour ago while the rest of my family was waiting for our flight.
"How did you like the wedding Gogo? I wouldn't be surprised if you missed air since you were hogging baby Blue all the time." I giggled.
"Christopher looks just like my late husband. He has his blue eyes that I love so much. You know I asked God to let me see my husband Christopher one last time before I go and he answered my prayers." She said with a smile on her face.
I gave her a sad smile in return. Gogo's memory was getting worse. We didn't know what she was talking about half the time. Only my two older uncles understood her, while my mother looked confused like she was deep in thought.
"Gogo your husband was Raymond and had hazel eyes like mine." I told her.
"Raymond was my best friend. Your eyes are just like you my mother in law's eyes. She was always the sweetest. She was a doctor, you know?" I frowned it was like she was talking about totally different people. I remember she told me that Grandpa's mother died before she could meet her and that she worked as a domestic worker. So who could she be talking about now?
Before I could question her our flight was called. I helped her to stand and we walked to where we were directed.
• • •
"Does that mean I'm going back to my old room?" Naledi asked as I rolled my luggage bags down the hallway.
"You can have my old room. I will take your old one." I told her and she cheered before she ran into my old room. I shook my head. She peeked her head out of the room again.
"Good to have you back, Lerato." She said and then shut her door.
"Good to be back." I whispered to myself and entered the room. I slept during the whole flight here so I didn't have any sleep left plus it was the middle of the day. I can't sleep during the day unless I'm sick or something. So I lay on the bed starring at the spots of neon yellow paint which was supposed to look like stars. I remember Tumi and I painted this room when my mother was six months pregnant with Naledi. We were so excited and wanted to give her a dream nursery. We spent at least a month painting it and although it didn't look so great you could see it in the dark and Naledi as a baby loved it. That is where we got her name actually because Naledi means star.
Tumi and I spent hours in this room watching her giggle at the ceiling. We were proud of our work. I smiled at the memory.
Having nothing to do, I decided to catch up on some sleep on the comfortable bed. The airplane seat was not very comfortable which explains the soreness in my bones. Then I was out like a light.
I woke up to find that it was dark outside. At first I was confused until I remembered that I wasn't in New York anymore. I quickly texted Serenity to tell her that I arrived safely and I'm good. I got off the bed and slipped on my shoes. According to my phone it was 7pm. The rest of the house was eerily quiet. They must be tired from the flight. I went to the kitchen and gulped down two glasses of water. I rinsed the glass and poured a glass and walked towards the spare bedroom. I quietly opened the door and placed the glass of water next to Gogo's sleeping form.
"Lerato my dear is that you?" She asked, her voice a bit scratchy.
"Yes Gogo, you can go back to sleep. I just bought you water to drink at midnight when you get thirsty." I told her.
"Come here, my girl." She said and struggled to sit up. I came next to her and helped her sit up. I lay my head on her lap as she gently played wit my hair.
"Why are you here my girl?" She asked. I starred at the covers.
"I missed you." I answered almost immediately.
"I know you do but what is your other reason?" She asked. I sighed and looked at the covers.
"I don't know if you remember Justin. The guy I got into a secret relationship with. I married him but he cheated and I'm filing for divorce but I still love him and I want us to start over. I feel like me filing for divorce is the beginning of the end." I told her. I heard her chuckle. She sounded like the Gogo I knew just showed a bit more affection than usual. She was always such a tough cookie with the right amount of kindness and affection. Such a perfect combination.
"I remember when I met the beginning of my ending. You don't know this but I was married before I met Raymond. I was married to a white man called Christopher. We were so in love we didn't care about the laws that forbid us from being a relationship back then. We kept our relationship secret for years. We had three children. Two boys and a girl. Your uncles were fifteen and the other ten, your mother was only seven when we planned our escape from this country. I was pregnant with your aunt and your grandfather only found out on the way of us crossing the border. We got caught and he was killed while I ran with my children. He sacrificed his life for us. That was the beginning of the end. Raymond took us in and had us get married so people wouldn't be suspicious. It was pure luck that Raymond was light skinned so people didn't question my children's skin color but your uncles had to wear dim glasses all the time because they had Christopher's eyes. Then Raymond and I had two kids together and took in my friend's four kids who had died. So that my girl is how I met the beginning of my end. The beginning of the end wasn't all bad without Christopher. Sure it was had but I had all of you and
R
aymond too. I might have not loved Raymond like I did with Christopher but I still loved him as a friend. The friend I had two beautiful children with." I looked up at her my mouth agape.
"I think Christopher's brother still lives. He has done a lot to help me and I'm truly grateful. I would love to see him again." She said as she gestured at the drawer. I opened the drawer and she took out a photo album.
It was a photo album I had never been shown before. The first picture was of a lady and a man smiling at each other. The picture was in black and white and you could see the contrast between the two but they seem to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Like Justin and I.
"This is him, your grandfather. He was very tall and very handsome." She said and I could sense her blushing. Even after so long she is still in love with Christopher who I have to know is my grandfather. It doesn't change anything though, Raymond will always be my grandfather and Christopher too I guess.
We looked through the album as she showed me more pictures and the story behind each one. I laughed at some of them and smiled at others. It was truly great to be bonding with Gogo. She helped me forget all my problems.
"Maybe the beginning of the end is not so bad after all. Is it?"
"No it isn't." I answered with a smile on my face as I snuggled into her arms. She had that old people that most old people have but it wasn't assaulting to the nose.
"Thank you Gogo." I muttered.
"I love you Lerato."
"I love you too Gogo."
*****
Double update, I kind of owe you guys right?
Hope you enjoy the chapter.
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XOXO
Khanya.