Insert 5 John:(staring at his wife) Kele please stop giving me hard time. Am trying to help this little girl what happened to my lovely wife who cared more about people than herself. Kele: mxm one thing I know is that you will be sleeping with her…(looked at Kelone) whats your name girl? Kelone:(low voice) Kelone. Kele:(loudly) wa re mang? Buela ko godimo I cant hear you. Kelone: Kelone! Kele: where are your parents? Kelone: they- John:(interrupted) Kelone take your bag and go to the sitting room. I will find you there if you are hungry there is a kitchen in the house its not that difficult to find it. you will see it when you get there. Kelone: Okay thank you. She took her bag and went to the big house she opened the door and walked in then put her bag on the sofa she sat down looking at the TV she then took the remote and changed the channel someone came out of the bathroom whistling and then stopped looking at her. Tefo: Hey who are you and why did you change the channel. Kelone: Am sorry I didn’t know you were watching here is the remote. She put it down and shifted to another sofa. Tefo:(reddish eyes) who are you? Kelone: Kelone. Tefo: aren’t you supposed to be at school or you are Lucia’s friend? Kelone: Your father said I should come and sit here. Tefo: You skipped school? Kelone: No am not a student. Tefo:(lit a cigarette) Why? Kelone:(kept quiet) Tefo: You are shy? (took the remote) If you are here to see Lucia she is at school. I thought you are her classmate that girl is playing and she is not serious with school. You know what I saw last night (chuckled) she was with a guy and when they saw me entering at the gate they ran to the backyard garden I don’t know whats wrong with you young girls its hard when you are not schooling or working. So you better go back to school. Kelone:(nodded) Okay. Tefo: So where are you from? The door opened immediately John walked in and put the keys on the table and sat on his sofa. Tefo stood up hiding the cigarette on his back and walked towards the door… John: What did I tell you about smoking inside the house? Tefo: Am sorry. John: Sit down. Tefo: Am going to throw this away. John: Sit down first…(looked at Kelone) that’s my son I was telling you about. Kelone: I knew it was him when he came from the bathroom. Tefo:(glared at her ) what do you mean you knew it was me? Dad you were talking about me? John: Yeah I was giving her an advice and I gave example of people she should not look up to So Tefo this is Kelone and she is here to stay with us. Am going out to try to meet with social workers and see if we can help her but for now she will be staying with us. Tefo: What happened to where she was staying before? John: I will tell you later when Lucia comes back from school…show her Lucia’s room. Am sure Lucia wont mind sleeping with her they seem to be age mates so they will talk about topics that affects them at night. Tefo: Lets go. He took her small backpack and headed to the room Tefo opened the door and threw the bag on the bed and stood at the door staring at her. Tefo:(closed the door) what happened to your parents? Kelone:(looked down) I don’t want to talk about it. Tefo: Okay

look you don’t have to be scared when am around. Am not an asshole as you might think but I don’t think a young girl like you should be at home while your mates are at school its really dangerous when you are young like this and not having anything to do. you end up becoming miserable or resorting to drugs as an escape of the harsh reality of life. He then walked out of the room and closed the door behind Kelone sat on the bed and didn’t know what to do at the moment. She looked at Lucia’s closet and there were so many clothes and there were so many different types of shoes better than her’s. . Later that afternoon… Kelone helped Kele with the backyard garden as student passed by the yard from school Kelone looked at them and some of them she knew them from school she looked away trying to avoid eye contact with them. Meanwhile a group of school girls stood at the gate with Lucia. Girl 1: Kamoso tsalu. Girl 2: hle mma don’t forget to bring the chips and yoghurts akere waitse gore last time le ntimile. So bring for me please. Lucia:(laughed) Lets do this all of us bring something and during tea break or lunch everyone present their home lunch and we starting eating together. Girl 3: I will bring phane (mophane worm) or sour milk how about that? Lucia:(rolled her eyes) I eat more often at the cattle post I want something exotic. Gape don’t bring that to school you want to embarrass us. Don’t tell me your parents don’t give you money. Girl 1: Lucia is right. Girl 2: Akere. Girl 3: mxm am leaving bye. Lucia: (Laughing) Tsamaya. Girl 1: ha swabe. Meanwhile Lucia opened the gate and paused looking at them guys don’t forget to do the math homework I will copy from you guys tomorrow. Girl 1:(curiously) who is that girl at the garden you have a cousin? Lucia:(looked at the garden) no…(sighed) guys I will see you tomorrow at school but don’t forget to communicate with me on whatsapp later. Both: Sure. They walked away Lucia held her backpack on her hand and then went to the garden she leaned by the gate and looked at her mother. Lucia: Mama jaanong yoo ke mang? Kele:(sighed) you didn’t even greet me how was school?Lucia:(walked to Kelone) hi I think I know this face…aren’t you the same girl who was in the next class when we were doing form 1? Kelone: next class whats the meaning of that? Lucia: form 1A? Kelone: I was in that class I dropped out when we were doing form 2. Lucia: I know you…(laughed) you were brilliant at school what happened you fell pregnant again? (laughed and clapped) fall from grace now you are working in our garden how much are they paying you? you look like you really need the money because ngng (with attitude) how is the baby? Kelone: I don’t have a baby. Lucia: waaka (you are lying) …don’t tell me that you threw the baby in the toilet kana lona banyana. Kelone: Can you please leave? Lucia scanned her from the toes to the head making her uncomfortable…Kelone dropped the digging fork on her leg and it left a hole on it and she started bleeding. Kelone:(covered her mouth) am sorry I didn’t mean- Kele:(hastily) what happened? Go and call John lets take her to the hospital. Lucia cried so hard as the pain became extreme…

To be continued.