FOUND HIM WITH MY SISTER

MY SISTER IS PREGNANT

*CHAPTER 7: MY SISTER IS PREGNANT*

Pregnant. The word kept ringing in my head the whole drive back to the hotel. Pregnant. Pregnant. Lindiwe is pregnant. Sipho's baby? Or maybe another man's baby? My head was spinning.

When we arrived at the hotel, the reception area was quiet. All the guests were sleeping. But there, sitting on the floor near my desk, was Lindiwe.

She looked terrible. Not the slay queen who stole my boyfriend wearing my clothes. Her hair was not done. Her eyes were swollen from crying. She was wearing my old leggings, the ones I gave to Mama. She was holding her small stomach with both hands.

When she saw me, she crawled to my feet. Like a dog.

"Nandi! Nandi, my sister! Forgive me! Please!"

I stepped back. I could smell she had not bathed. This was not the Lindiwe I knew.

Liam stood behind me, his hand on my shoulder. He told the night manager, "Give us space."

Lindiwe cried louder. "Sipho left me! He said the child is not his! He said I trapped him! Mama chased me out of the house! She said I brought shame to the family! I slept at the taxi rank yesterday! Nandi, I have nowhere to go! I am your blood!"

Blood. That word hit me.

I remembered growing up with Lindiwe. Sharing one plate of rice. Sharing one school uniform because Mama could not afford two. I used to carry her on my back to school when her shoes were broken. And now she is here, pregnant, homeless.

I am 24, but in that moment, I felt like I was 50 years old. I am supposed to be the big sister.

"Lindiwe, stand up. Don't sit on the floor," I said coldly, but my voice was shaking.

She stood up. Her stomach - it was small, maybe 2 or 3 months. You could only see if you looked properly.

"How far?" I asked.

"3 months," she whispered.

"And Sipho is the father?"

She nodded, crying. "Yes. The time you found us... that was not the first time. We were seeing each other for 2 months behind your back. I thought if I got pregnant, he would leave you and marry me. But now he says he doesn't want it. He blocked me."

My heart wanted to break again, but there were no more pieces to break. It was already broken.

Liam looked at me. He whispered, "Nandi, it's your decision. This is your family. I will support whatever you decide. But if she hurts you again, I will make sure she never comes near you."

I took a deep breath. The whole hotel was silent, only the aircon humming.

"Lindiwe, you slept with my boyfriend. You broke my heart into a million pieces. You laughed at me. But you are still my sister. And that baby inside you... that baby did nothing wrong. That baby didn't choose Sipho to be its father."

Lindiwe fell to her knees again, crying.

"Thank you! Thank you, Nandi! I knew you had a good heart!"

I said, "I will help you, but not because you deserve it. Because that baby deserves it. You will stay in the staff hostel tonight. Tomorrow, I will talk to Mama. But Lindiwe, if you ever, EVER betray me again, I swear I will forget you are my blood. Do you understand?"

She nodded fast. "I swear! I swear I changed!"

We took her to the staff room. The cleaners gave her food and a blanket. I went home with Liam to his mansion again because it was too late to go to Umlazi.

That night, I could not sleep in that big soft guest bed. I was worried about Lindiwe. So at 2am, I took Liam's car keys quietly and drove back to the hotel to check on her.

The staff hostel light was on. I looked through the window.

And what I saw made my blood freeze for the second time that night.

Lindiwe was not sleeping. She was on the phone, laughing, smiling, her stomach not even looking pregnant anymore - she had stuffed a pillow! She was saying, "Yes baby, my plan is working. That stupid Nandi took me back. Soon, we will get the rich man's money. That G-Wagon will be ours. Just wait, Sipho, my love."

Sipho. She was talking to Sipho.

My sister's pregnancy was FAKE.

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