Philani decided to drive me home on Tuesday Although he couldn't stay he insisted on driving us since apparently pregnant women aren't allowed to drive. I decided to take Theo with me. Five days without him will drive me nuts.

I woke up when I heard the door open and my aunt Norah walked in with breakfast she is my dads younger sister. I sat up on the bed and she sat next to me and handed me the breakfast.

Norah: "Hi babygirl did you sleep okay?" I smiled.
Me: "I did thank you although the pampering is sweet it's not really necessary." She laughs and moves to sit with her head on the headboard like me.
Norah: "Of course it is. We never got a chance to spoil you when you were little so now we are going to make up for it."
Me: "Thank you."
Norah: "No need to thank me."
Me: "So where is Theo last time I checked he was sleeping next to me next thing he is nowhere to be found." She laughed out loud.
Norah: "That one is being paraded all over the community by Siyanda. She thinks he is a toy but he seems to be enjoying it."

We sat on the bed as she told me all the latest gossip. She is really funny. When I was done eating she took the tray to the kitchen and I decided to take a shower before joining everyone. When I was done I decided to call Gugu to find out if she told her principal that she has to come home they have extra classes during the first half of the holidays and she decided to join them. I think it's less about the classes and more about her squad. They seem tight.

Her phone went straight to voicemail so I decided to call Philani. His phone went unanswered so I decided to call the office. His PA answered and put me through to him.

Philani: "Hi wifey miss me already?"
Me: "I do come back." He laughed.
Philani: "I will be there tomorrow." Tomorrow is Thursday I thought they were coming on Friday.
Me: "What happened to Friday?"
Philani: "Friday is too far I miss you."
Me: "You know for someone who was ready to pay me off you really do this husbanding thing very well. I am impressed." He laughs.
Philani: "Well that's because you wife very well. So what's happening wheres my boy?"
Me: "Winning hearts all over the community. Listen can you please try and call Gugu i have been trying to call her but her phone keeps going straight to voicemail. I am getting worried."
Philani: "Relax I will call her school I am sure she is just busy with school work."
Me: "Thank you. I love you."
Philani: "I love you too I have to go okay my next meeting is in two minutes. I will call you later about Gugu."
Me: "Ok. Bye." I hung up.

I got dressed and went to the kitchen but there was no one I looked around the house and I was alone. I went back to the kitchen and made myself a cup of tea. I sat down at the table sipping on the hot beverage since it was a bit chilly outside. Aunt Norah came in and took me to the outside kitchen which had a blazing hot coal stove. Siyanda and Theo were back from their little trip.

I sat down and Theo crawled to me and I picked him up. Siyanda put her hands in her pockets and put some notes on the table in front of me. I looked at her waiting for an explanation.

Siyanda: "That is Theo's money to buy sweets."
Me: "Where did it come from?"
Siyanda: "From most of the people we met. He is way too cute for his own good and people love cute babies." We all laughed. There was almost four hundred rand on the table. "Oh and even gogo Sigwane gave him the two hundred." I was busy smiling I didn't notice the mood went from ten to zero real quick.
Gogo: "Why would you let that woman anywhere near my grandbaby?" Ok I am confused. What is going on right now? As i was busy trying to digest that aunt Norah just took the two hundred rand note and opened the stove before throwing it inside and letting it burn.

I was in so much shock i didnt know what to think. Aunt Norah clicked her tongue and took the rest of the money and threw it in the fire too. Siyanda and I looked at each other in shock I mean I have never in my life thought of ever burning money not even the old one cent coins. Siyanda just clapped her hands once and walked out.

Me: "Ok what was that about?"
Gogo: "Nothing for you to worry about dear but whatever happens stay away from that woman she is Satans twin sister." Ok.

I decide to let go of whatever this is and just enjoy myself.


●●●●●●●●●●●●●●



PHILANI


After Lando's call I went into my meeting a bit distracted. Gugu never switches her phone off no matter what. She is supposed to come back tomorrow so we can drive down together. I tried calling her but I got her voicemail too.

After the meeting I decided to call the school to find out what happened and where she might be. The Secretary put me through to the principal's office.

Principal: "Mr Biyela what can I do for you?"
Me: "Hi I am trying to get a hold of Gugu but her phone is off it's been off for a while now do you perhaps know where she might be?"
Principal: "Oh Gugu left already her uncle came to pick her up."
Me: "I am sorry what uncle?"
Principal: "A man came here looking for her I asked Gugu if she knows the man and she said yes it's her uncle. He said her mother was not feeling well so she had to go with him."
Me: "And when did all this happen?"
Principal: "Yesterday afternoon."
Me: "I know you have security cameras so please send me a picture of the man ASAP we will come back to why you allowed a child to go with a stranger when you have the names of her guardians. For now I need to find her so please send me that photo as in yesterday."
Principal: "Mr Biyela I.............. "
Me: "I need that photo Now!" I hung up.

I dont know any of Gugu's uncles but I know not a single one of them knows where she goes to school so how did that man get to her? I decided to cancel the rest of my meetings and go to the lounge. Hopefully by the time I get there I will have a photo of this uncle so Sbu can run his face through the face recognition system he uses.

I get into my car and drive off. I cant tell Lando about Gugu because she will be worried sick and I cant have her stressing herself

especially right now. I get to the lounge and go straight to the office luckily its midday so it's not too busy just the lunch crowd. I find Sbu in the office.

Sbu: "Bafo this is a surprise are you here to check up on us?"
Me: "No man I need your help. I cant find Gugu and her principal says some man claiming to be her uncle picked her up from school yesterday."
Sbu: "Ok let me try and trace her phone."
Me: "Her phone is off."
Sbu: "Her phone has a tracker. It will work for about 72 hours after the phone has been switched off."
Me: "Ok then." He fires up his laptop and starts working. My phone beeps and I check it's an email from the principal with a pdf attached to it. I immediately forward it to Sbu.

He does what he needs to do while I pour myself a glass of whiskey and sip it slowly trying to figure out how I will tell Lando about this.



●●●●●●●●●●●●●●


NARRATED


In White River Nelspruit Gugu is sitting in a bedroom looking outside the window when her uncle walks in with a tray of food and places it on the small table on the side of the bed and he takes a seat on the bed.

Uncle: "You have to eat."
Gugu: "I need my phone." She says without even looking at him.
Uncle: "Not until you tell me where my brother is."
Gugu: "I dont know where he is but I do know that if Lando cant get a hold of me she will get worried." He chuckles.
Uncle: "You really think I am afraid of her? Sorry to disappoint you." She turns to look at him.
Gugu: "Its not her you should be afraid of."
Uncle: "You and Lando made up some bullshit story about Vusi raping you and then all of a sudden he dissapeared without a trace. Now theres a letter supposedly written by him as a confession. I may be a lot of things but stupid is not one of them. I know Lando had something to do with his disappearance and you also know what happened to him."
Gugu: "What do you mean theres a confession letter?"
Uncle: "Oh Lando didn't tell you?"
Gugu: "So he has admitted to all that he did to us yet you still dont believe us."
Uncle: "Vusi is my brother we grew up together and I know he can never do that to anyone let alone his own child."
Gugu: "Clearly you didnt know the man as well as you think you do. He told me what he did to Lando and he also told me about Gogo's death he might not have said much about that but I know he killed her." He gets up from the bed and walks over to her.
Uncle: "This little smear campaign you are on will not work. My brother is a respected man and no one will believe the lies you are busy spewing. Now you will tell me where my brother is or I will get my friends to do to you what you are busy accusing my brother of and then you will cry for something real." He walks out and Gugu let's the tears fall.

She sits down on the bed with her knees on her chest. She says a prayer as her knees get wetter from her falling tears. She cries herself to sleep. When she wakes up the room is dark and the sun has set. She takes the cold food and tries to eat but she cant.

Meanwhile in Mbuzini Philani Nate and Sbu knock on Nelsiwe's door after driving down from Joburg while Lindani and Sizwe drove to Nelspruit since that's where Gugu's phone was last located at before it went dead.

Ntombi opens the door and she is surprised to see them there.

Ntombi: "Bhuti Philani what are you doing here?"
Philani: "Is your mother in?"
Ntombi: "Yeah she is inside come in." They follow her in and find Nelsiwe sitting on the couch watching TV. "Ma you have visitors." She turns around and gets up from the couch when she sees the trio.
Nelsiwe: "What do you want?"
Philani: "Do you know this man?" He shows them a picture of the man.
Ntombi: "That's uncle Sipho he's my dads younger brother."
Philani: "Do you know where he lives or where I can find him?"
Ntombi: "He stays at............"
Nelsiwe: "Ntombi shut up. Nine what do you want from him? Do you want to make him disappear like you made Vusi disappear?"
Nate: "If he even touches a hair on Gugu's head disappearing will be the last of his worries."
Ntombi: "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sbu: "Your uncle went to Gugu's school and took her we dont know where they are and we need to find her."
Ntombi: "I will grab my jacket and I'll take you to his house." She says walking to her room.
Nelsiwe: "Ntombi if you walk out that door dont bother coming back." Ntombi stops and looks back at her mother.
Ntombi: "You are not serious right now."
Nelsiwe: "All your uncle is trying to do is find your father and if Gugu can help him then we should let him do what he needs to do."
Ntombi: "I really cant believe this papa is gone he left us the letter he wrote is proof enough that he is too much of a coward to come back and face his demons. He's probably sipping on cocktails in Zanzibar. You know how short tempered uncle Sipho is if anything happens to Gugu again I will never forgive you." She leaves and comes back with a jacket. They leave with Ntombi but Nate stays behind.

Nelsiwe: "Your friends are leaving you. You should go."
Nate: "Not yet. You and I need to have a very serious conversation." He takes Nelsiwe's phone from the coffee table before walking to the kitchen and comes back with a butcher knife. He sits down on the coffee table facing a shaking Nelsiwe.

Nate: "How many fingers do you need to do your daily chores Nelz."
Nelsiwe: "Please dont do this."
Nate: "I bet that's how Lando and Gugu begged your husband when he violated them. But dont worry we have the whole night. We are going to get to know each other better tonight."