Emma had barely woken up, when she heard Nathan and her sister talking in the living room, on Monday morning. She smiled pushing the comforters back as she got up.
She listened behind the closed door.
"You have to leave. You and my sister will see each other at school."
"Yeah, I'm sorry for showing up so early. I should have been more considerate. Tell her that I'll be waiting on the corner for her,"
"The usual spot then. I'll tell her," Colleen said, opening the door for him.
A few seconds later she was in the tiny bedroom that she and her younger sister shared. Emma greeted her.
"I'm sure that you've heard what Nathan said, get ready for school. I don't want him helping you to get dressed. People can't talk about you as well," Colleen said before picking up her deodorant spray.
"What are people saying?" A curious Emma asked.
"That is none of your business," Colleen said, "Arg! My deodorant is finished. May I borrow some of yours?"
"Mine is finished as well, use some of Mommy's. I am sure that she won't mind."
Colleen sighed as she went to the small room next to theirs, she hoped that her mother would have enough money for their toiletries on Friday, but in the meantime all of them would have to use the same spray. She would have to use just a little, who knew how long it would have to last. She was about to leave the bedroom when something caught her eye.
"Did you find the spray?" Emmerentia asked walking into the room.
"Er, yes let's go," she pushed Emma out of the room. "I'll clean mommy's room today and you do ours, okay?"
"Okay, I'll do the rest of the house too," Emma said.
"We'll see," Colleen said, closing the door behind her.
Colleen waited for Emma to shower before locking her mother's room.
"Emma, come and lock the door, I'm leaving," Colleen called out ten minutes later.
Emmerentia did as her sister said.
Colleen checked to see that her blazer was clean and placed a beanie on her head, before walking out of the gate. She was surprised to see Nathan standing on the corner, it was still to seven and she thought that he would've stayed at home untill it was time to leave for school. All the colour had been drained from his face, his pink lips had turned to a shade of purple, even his fingers were purple.
"Nathan go home before you catch the flu. It's too cold to be on the corner," She told him.
"No, Colleen, I'll wait here for Emma. I don't want her to walk alone. Besides, it's not too cold," Nathan protested.
"You look like a ghost and you're telling me that it's not too cold, but whatever," Colleen said and walked past him.
Half an hour later the freezing Nathan went to the tuckshop - it was just three houses away from Emma's home - he was planning on surprising her with delicious butter chicken, for lunch.
He had just paid for the food when he spotted Emma closing their gate. He hurriedly placed the goods in his backpack, luckily Emma was in her own world, and had not noticed him.
Emma was busy greeting the auntie next door, when she spotted Nathan. She gave him her warmest smile, but he had a frown on his face. Whatever was the matter, Emma was happy to see him.
Nathan waited untill Emma was in front of him before talking, "Why are your legs bare?"
"My black pantyhose leathered," she said, trying to act like it was not a big deal.
"Then wear one in another colour," Nathan said.
"And get expelled? No, thanks, Nathan. Anyway, it's not too cold."
"There's snow on the mountains and you say it's not 'too cold'. Just wear another pair, and I'll explain it to the principal."
Emma gave him a "duh" look.
"I'll make her understand," Nathan insisted.
"Let's just drop this subject," Emma said, "Your lunch smells devine."
"I hope it taste so too," Nathan replied, but inside he was worried sick about Emmerentia freezing.
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It was just during the second period of the day, when Emma felt something trickling down her leg, she wondered where she got wet, but did not give it too much thought at first. The period was almost over when the wetness increased. She could feel that it was coming from between her legs. She got very scared thinking that she urinated, but how could it have happened without her knowledge?
Nathan was seated three rows from her, both of them were sitting in the back ( two people could sit in a desk, and Emma was sitting next to the wall, so she could not get out without the other learner getting up ). She looked at him trying to get his attention, but another boy was sitting next to him, he could not see, unless he was looking at her. Emma decided to rather try and concerntrate on the lesson. Nathan could not do anything anyway.
The class was finally over, but Emma waited untill the other learners left.
Nathan had just left the classroom, when he remembered that he had a question for the teacher. Exams were days away and he wanted to get straight "A"s in every subject. He saw Emma placing her books in her bag, and wondered why she was so slow, the next class were already assembled outside.
After packing her bags Emma noticed that the substance on the desk did not look like water, but blood. She panicked.
"Emmerentia, vacate your seat quicker, 6B are waiting outside," Ms. Cloete said.
Nathan saw the look of panic on Emma's face, as he asked the teacher for a moment. He kept his eyes on the slow walking Emma, noticing the fluid trickling down her legs when she was almost out of the classroom. Her back was turned to him.
"Emma! Come back," He said in a raised voice.
He ran to the door and closed it. By then Ms. Cloete had also noticed the blood. Nathan took off his cardigan under his blazer and handed it to Emma. The teacher took out the emergency kit in a nearby locker and handed a pad to Emma.
"Don't you have any bandages? I don't think that will work," A teary-eyed Emma said.
"Is this your first time?" Ms. Cloete was surprised.
"Teacher, I don't know what will happen next, but I'm scared that I might die."
"You won't die, child. Look, I'll tell 6B to wait in the assembly hall, whilst you go to the restroom and clean up. After that, you come back here and I'll give you a note to hand to the security at the gate. You can come back from your house after interval, or even take the rest of the day off. Okay?"
Minutes later Nathan carried his and Emma's backpacks to the girls lavatory, he waited outside. Emma freaked out more in the toilet thinking that she would die, but did as the teacher directed. Nathan handed his P.E shorts to her, he always carried it with him,even when they did not have P.E, just out of habit.
"Let's go home," Nathan said, when Emma stepped out of the bathroom.
"I thought that you were staying," Emma replied.
"Ms. Cloete said that I should go with you, that way you can come back sooner. Do you want to come back?"
"I have to, we only have today and tomorrow, before the exams start."
"Then, let's go."
Emma gave him a smile. She would have been embarrassed had he not noticed the blood.
On their way to Emma's home, they took a detour to a nearby convience store, where Nathan bought two packs of pads. He had asked help from a female shop assistant, who looked at him like he had grown another head, but still helped him. Emma who was clueless and too shy waited outside.
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That evening Miena arrived home after seven. Her eldest had already made dinner and they were only waiting for her.
"Good evening, my babies," Miena said, planting a kiss on each of their foreheads.
"Mommy, I missed you," Emma said whilst hugging her mother.
"I missed you too, my love."
Colleen stayed rooted in the tiny kitchen area, dishing up their dinner. She had made beef mince, and pea curry with plain white rice. They ate a lot of curry, it was flavourful and budget friendly, even for people with very little money. Colleen waited for her mother to settle in before serving the food.
"Mommy, I got sick today," Emma said, "Ms. Cloete told me that I became a young woman."
Miena choked on a ball of mince. Emma watched worriedly, whilst her sister brought her mother a glass of water.
"Did I do something wrong, Mommy," Emma asked, her eyebrows knitted together.
"No, not at all. I...I was supposed to have that talk with you. I didn't even leave extra pads for you. It must have been terrible for you. Tell me everything," Miena said.
Emma filled in all the blanks for her audience, having no idea that her words were upsetting her mother and sister. Her mother felt like a failure, because she forgot to explain those things to her, especially about the pads. She was grateful to Nathan, but felt that it was supposed to have been done by her. Colleen blamed her father for Emma's embarrassment, if they had been a "normal" family, maybe her mother would have had free time on her hands to talk about those matters.
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At the Adams house, the dinner table had been filled with roast chicken and all sorts of side dishes. You would not know that starving people lived on the other side of the road, if you were wearing blindolds prior to entering the Adams household.
"How was school?" Jolene asked her son.
"We were doing revision the whole day," Nathan replied.
"Was that all?" Jolene asked.
"Yes, mom," Nathan kept his eyes on his plate.
"Mrs. Arendse told me that you were walking the streets during school hours. Was she telling the truth?"
"I had to help a sick classmate. We went back to school afterwards," Nathan replied.
"The Malgas girl?," Jolene asked, Nathan nodded his head, "I have no idea why you can't leave that girl alone."
"What kind of person leaves their friends alone?"Nathan asked, rhetorically.
"At this age you can't just be friends with girls anymore, Nathan. People are already talking and I'm starting to think that there is some truth to it," Jolene sighed.
"I won't stop my friendship with Emma because of gossip," Nathan responded clutching his fork tighter in his hand.
"Nathan, anyone with eyes can see that you and that girl share more than friendship, or atleast that is what people are saying. You are too young for such nonsense. The only thing that girl will ever get from us is charity. She's not fit for more."
"I'm done eating," Nathan said, leaving the table with most of his food left untouched.
Jolene sighed, staring at her son's retreating form. She hoped that he would grow out of his "friendship" with that girl.
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"Mommy, what is this?" Colleen inquired, holding up the items that she saw that morning in her Miena's room.
Miena was busy undressing. She glanced at her eldest.
"Oh, that is my new uniform."
"You got a new job?"
"Yes, but I'll only be working there at night, during the day I'll be going to my usual job," A smiling Miena replied.
"You'll be working two jobs?"
"Yes, and we'll have double the money. My prayers have been answered.
"Mommy, we won't be seeing much of you. You don't have time for us as it is. I can't believe this!"
"Colleen, trust me this is for the best. I will be able to buy more clothes for the two of you, better still, I'll be in a better position to send Emma to university. I just hope that you get a bursary, because it's too late to save money for your education. I'm sorry, my child."
"No, mommy, you're not the one who ruined our lives."
"Then allow me to fix it."
"By working yourself to death? No, mommy, it's not fair. Atleast, think about your health."
"It won't be that bad. I'll only work from Monday night to Friday night. I won't even work the whole night, only from 19:00 untill 23:00."
They stopped talking when Emma started moaning. Colleen checked in on her and found her in the same position, that she had been in when she left their room, asleep. She returned to her mother's room.
"Mom, we can survive on very little, but we can't lose you."
"Nothing will happen to me. I will take this job and that's final. Do you even realise how I feel when I can't buy you the things that other kids have?"
"I understand, Mommy, but...Argh! I wish you all the best for this job," Colleen replied and gave her mom a hug.
"Mommy?"
Both mother and daughter turned to see Emma standing in the doorway.
"Child, why are you not asleep?" Miena asked.
"Mommy, my head is constantly itching."
"I'll take a look," Miena said, whilst her youngest walked to her and sat on the bed.
Colleen gave one look at her sister's head, and almost woke the whole neighbourhood, with her screams.