Her Summer Holidays

Her Summer Holidays

Chapter 1

Second Visit

The dazzling summer sun must have been the reason she was up early than usual, She was excited thinking about the journey she must take today, Gwendolyn got out of bed and took a quick cold shower.

She already pack her bags and everything last night, she rushed to the kitchen after dressing up where her mother Imani, was shouting her name to come and have breakfast before she leave to Transfield. Imani is a single independent mother with only one child.

Gwendolyn live with her mom and Joyce the maid, but she was off and went back home to her family to spend the Christmas holidays, Gwendolyn went back to her room after eating to get her bags downstairs, she took a seat to fix her hair before leaving."Gwen do you really need to go again this year", Imani said leaning against Gwendolyn's bedroom door, "you were there just last summer, stay home this summer, I promise you will have my undivided attention, we'll do anything you want you won't get bored..."

"Mom come on", said Gwendolyn starring at her mother from the mirror."I'm serious the house get really lonely and quiet without you and Joyce here, that means I will have to be alone for six weeks again this summer", said Iman folding her arms. "mom you have plenty of planned trips you never have time to go to, this is the right time to do all that. I'm all set and done now, are you going to drive me to the bus station or I will have to request a taxi", said Gwendolyn.

"No, no need for that I will gladly drive you is not like I have anything better to do here", said Imani entering Gwendolyn's room and picking up one big travelling bag."Why don't you come with me and see your aunt Mary, you haven't gone to Transfield for eighteen years now, just to greet them you won't stay long if you don't want to" said Gwendolyn grabbing the other bag and followed Imani down the stairs ."No I don't think that is a good idea, I will have to inform them in advance when I visit, just greet them for me, and let's go before you miss your bus" said Imani.

Imani bought the bus ticket yesterday and some snacks for the road, they arrived at the bus station just on time the bus engine was already on and ready to go, they said their goodbyes before Gwendolyn ran into the bus, like it was waiting for her, It left the minute she took a seat, Imani stared at the moving bus until it disappeared in the high way.

She is worried Gwendolyn might want to keep visiting her grandparents and she didn't like that idea of her daughter to keeping going to Transfield, Mr Lekhale and Mrs Lekhale are really good people they cared for Imani when she was still pregnant, and Gwendolyn's father has been an absent since pregnancy somehow Mrs Lekhale was trying to fill her son's void during Imani's pregnancy, Imani felt like she was a burden to the Lekhales and to ther Aunt Mary, she ran away with a four months pregnancy, and she never kept in contact with anyone from Transfield. Imani's father passed away while she was still young and since then Mary has been the one taking care of her.

She never knew who her mother was, people from the village would always say that she is her mother's daughter, they say her mother Beverly was a dark curvy women with a very slim weist even after giving birth, Indeed Imani had Beverly's body and some of her features on her face. Beverly ran off leaving Imani while still a year old, Imani's father tried so hard to stay strong for her, but eventually his heart couldn't bare the pain he passed away, and Beverly never set a foot at Transfield again. And was left alone with Mary, after falling pregnant at seventeen year Imani left Transfield too, with no money or food but only pregnant, leaving behind everyone she has ever known, Mary was devastated for years, she thought maybe Imani have aborted the pregnancy that is why she went away. But Imani kept the baby, knowing the feeling of being rejected by your own mother, she didn't wish that on anyone most especially her own child, she ran away the same day she got her matric results after finding out that she passed, she never return home to Mary to even tell her she made it.

And the previous years Gwendolyn started asking too much questions about why she never met her father and her father's family and Imani's family, Joyce the maide adviced her not not let Gwendolyn suffer from her past that she has no part from and last year Imani searched for Ken Gwendolyn's biological father, being a lawyer that she is finding information is her job, she found Ken and told him that he has a seventeen year daughter called Gwendolyn and she would like to meet him and his parents

Ken was shocked after hearing the news but Imani could not keep the secret anymore and for many years Ken never heard from Imani after she disappeared, he tried finding her but fail until he gave up, he thought she aborted the pregnancy, but Ken didn't protest to Imani's request. And when Gwendolyn went to Transfield last year for the first time to meet her family and spend the December holidays with them. Imani informed Mary too that her daughter will be in Transfield and after eighteen years of no contact with them or knowing if she was alive she suddenly decided to tell Mary that she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl called Gwendolyn and she will be at the Lekhale's residents for visit and they can meet each other there.

She had many reasons why she never went back to Transfield, Imani's teenage year was hard, and a lot has happened that she was not ready to talk about or share with everyone else, Imani thought running away was the best idea and leaving things the way they were and not to return back again, she was homeless the first two weeks when she arrived in Furgersburg and an old lady, who use to work as a janitor at the health centre that she went to for healthy check ups during her pregnancy decided to took her in, she worked two jobs while pregnant and registered to study part time for law degree.

She knew as time goes time, Imani will grow and would want to know her father and Imani's parents. Gwendolyn was just a child, It would have been wrong to keep her from her family, and she decided to tell her the truth that she's original from Transfield and arrange everything for her to go to Transfield, even though Imani was not yet ready to return to Transfield and face her past, deep down she knew soon she will need to go to there.

Imani pour her self a glass of Martini took a seat and called Gwendolyn to check if she was okay, the phone rang and no answer and after Gwendolyn texted, " I'm still okay ma'am, please text me, I prefer texts than phone calls and used a 'smiley emoji'".

Imani didn't respond she took a single gulp of the Martini and went to take a cold shower to calm her mind from overthinking. She didn't last long after the shower she fell asleep, Imani was very hard on her self, she hardly make friendly or go out she has never been with a man ever since she felt pregnant, plenty of man tried their luck but no one even got close to take her out for dinner, her life revolve around her job, working out hours at the gym and spending time with her one person family and joyce.

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Chapter 2

Transfield

Gwendolyn's trip was long and chill, the bus was comfortable she was asleep most of the time, most passengers were asleep too only few teenagers her age were busy talking, she was listening to music with her headphones on, she couldn't wait to get to Transfield and see all her family and her sisters, her father only came back to Transfield for a weekend to see her, he is not staying at Transfield anymore his now married and living with his wife, they have no children yet, and the Asha, Ayaan and Akeem chose to stay with Mrs Lekhale after their mother and Ken separated. Gwendolyn does not really care alot about bonding with her father, and he seem to be a distant father to the three as well, she just enjoy the embracement Mr and Mrs Lekhale gave her, and the friendship she has build with her siblings.

The bus arrived at Transfield during day light the sun was still dazzling and Gwendolyn she was glad as she took a glimpse outside the windows, she loves the sun, Mrs Lekhale called her and assured her that her aunt Hasani and the girls with be the station to fetch her home, she was already on her feet when the bus engine stop, the crowd was moving too slowly she was impatiently moving at the same pace as everyone trying not to step on anyone, when she finally manage to get out of the bus, her eyes search for any familiar face to the to the moving crowd but she was pulled out of her focused gaze by a familiar voice shouting her name somewhere behind her.

"Gwen, here she is, Gwendolyn over here" Ayaan shouting approaching Gwen with a joyful face. "Oh Aya I couldn't see you, you alone where is Asha?" Said Gwen. "I'm right here Gwen" Asha said."It is so nice to see you both again, still stunning as ever, or you got all dressed up to meet your big sister" Gwendolyn said with a smirk. "We should be asking you, let's go Hasani she's waiting for us in a car" Ayaan said.

They went to get in a car still laughing and talking non stop until Hasani cleared her throat just to remind them of her presence, "How are you Gwendolyn, I must be one invisible person you couldn't even see I was here" Hasani said playfully . "Asha and her forever questions she is to blame, few minutes here and she has already drained the little energy I was left me from that long trip" Gwendolyn said winking at Asha. "Oh and how was your trip, you got here early I was expecting you around four pm or five pm", said Hasani with her eyes on the road. "Yeah took the first bus in the morning didn't want to get here late, and how are you my only aunt", said Gwendolyn.

"I'm alright Gwen, it's good to see you again you should come here even during the year" Hasani said, "Yeah, I'll definitely make time during the year to visit" said Gwendolyn. It was only a twenty minutes drive to get home where Mrs and Mr Lekhale were impatiently waiting for them. Gwendolyn suddenly felt nostalgic staring at the streets she had lot of fun walking on last year. The late night walks, having fun with her sisters, something she never had in Furgersburg, here she could play all night with her sisters and Mrs Lekhale didn't really mind them staying up all night on tv or laughing and making noises in their rooms, but in Furgersburg Imani wanted her inside the house before Four and she was supposed to be in bed by nine pm unless if she's studying, Imani wouldn't let her sleep over at her friends or host friends at home, she would only let her go out on saturday only for four hours, she wasn't participating in any sport at school, her life in Furgersburg was different from the life she got live here.

They arrrived at the Lekhale's residence, they lived in a big white house at the far end of the Transfield village, they was green grass all over around the house. Mrs Lekhale and Mr Lekhale seems to love children's company around their home, they were really friendly. "Where's grandma and grandpa?" Gwen ask getting out of the car, ran and burst into the front door open, to her surprise Mr Lekhale was seated on his single sofa and Mrs Lekhale was standing next to him both smilling at Gwendolyn entrance, "Oh child, come give grandmother a big hug" said Mrs Lekhale. Gwen ran to her and hug her as she requested. "I missed you gran" Gwen said. "We missed you too Gwendolyn, we were thrilled when we heard the news that you coming again this December" said Mrs Lekhale." come on sit, tell us how have you been" .

Hasani and the girls followed after few minutes with the bags, and Gwendolyn and Mrs Lekhale and Mr Lekhale's conversation went on for about thirty minutes winding about how they missed each other. Mrs Lekhale finally released her after some time to go be with the girls. Asha was in Ayaan's room both shouting and making silly noises about something, "Is not fair how Mrs Lekhale never complains about how you wear, make ups, huge earing and short skirts and dresses while she forbid me and Ayaan from wearing all that" Asha said when she saw Gwendolyn enters the room. "But she does let you wear nail polish, you ungrateful little brat" Gwendolyn said with a chuckles. "Nail polish seriously, why won't she let us do manicures, like you" Asha said.

"Well I think we should just break Mrs Lekhale rules and go out for shopping, what do you think?" Said Gwen, "No Gwen I think it'll be wise if we just ask her why won't she let us wear whatever we want to wear" said Ayaan, "Not a bad idea, but You'll do the asking", Gwendolyn said with a smirk. "Oh and Mrs Lekhale prepared you a room for your self alone this holiday, let's go check it out" said Ayaan. "A room for me, this should be nice, oh maybe I can sleep at night without Asha talking non stop in my ears all night", Gwendolyn said with laughter.

They went to Gwendolyn her room, it was just next to Asha's room, the room was filled with sunlight, the walls were painted in yellow, It had a double bed in the middle with two living green plants on each end of the big window and a single yellow sofa and cupboard and the window brings out the forest green trees view, it wasn't enough compared to her bedroom in Furgersburg but still she loves it. "I love it, it looks like heaven did Mrs Lekhale made all this for me" Gwendolyn said with excitement in her face, "Apparently yes she made all this for you, hope you will enjoy your stay ma'am" Ayaan said bowing her head.

"Did you tell Mike you are here" Asha asked, "Oh Asha no, Mike and I haven't been in contact since I left" Gwendolyn said starring outside the window. Ayaan and Asha glanced at each other from behind her, "What are you saying Gwendolyn, we thought Mike and you are a thing" said Ayaan, "Well we don't do the things that a 'thing ' people do", Gwendolyn said. "Gwendolyn what happened last time you left here you were in love with the guy" Ayaan said. "Yeah Aya but..." , "he cheated on you?" , asked Asha, "No Asha, things was just different see I went back to Furgersburg and I had to concentrate on my studies and I had to make sure my grades will qualify for University, and mom didn't support the relationship at all, she thought it will be a distraction and Mike too he had studies to focus on, so the relationship couldn't survive, we agreed to go our separated ways". Gwendolyn said now seated on her bed.

"Oh Gwendolyn, that is heartbreaking, but do you still love him like before?", ask Ayaan. "I do Ayaan but what if he is a different person now, a year is a long time for someone to change how they feel about you" said Gwendolyn. "That is true, I heard his friend that he will be returning back home too from Pretoria today, I was thinking that is the reason you decided to come down here too today." said Asha ."Today, oh no i haven't spoken to him since January it must have been a coincident" said Gwen. " And what are you going to do now since he is now home?", ask Asha. "I don't know, Ash I'll just let things be and not force anything besides I'm here to be with my family and enjoy the rest of the summer" Gwendolyn said with a forced smile.

"Alright then, but still Gwen that is like torturing your self if you know your still in love with the Mike just go and talk to him maybe now that you have completed your matric dating him is not going to be a bad thing after all, " said Ayaan, "Aya I can't, I love him but he also agreed to break up so this was an agreement and then he knew how I felt about him, and he just agreed to break up with me without even asking why, or begging me not to, so if he really love me, I think he would have reach out even to call and say 'hi' but he never, and I'll do the same thing, maybe mom was right all that was not love it was just a fever, it faded as time goes by I have been doing okay since then, and forgotten about him and I'm not going back then to thinking about him again, no Aya, " said Gwendolyn.

Gwendolyn was not sure herself about what she was saying, Mike was the only reason she return to Transfield again, she wanted to see Mike again she was not ready to let him go not now, her mom was against the relationship and she had to convince her that she was really over Mike just to let her visit Transfield again. But still all her feelings and love for Mike are still as before she still feels the same way, but all the love she has for him wouldn't get her anywhere if Mike has already moved on, she was afraid Mike might not feel the same way too about her.

Gwendolyn woke up the next day to her text from Imani, she was tired and overslept last night and forgot to text her mom and tell her that she was fine and safe. Imani on text, "Don't get me worried Gwen, respond to my text immediately you get it". Imani was worried she couldn't sleep last night thinking about what could have happened to Gwendolyn she wasn't answering her phone or responding to texts. Gwendolyn text,"I'm okay mom, I'm sorry I got tired yesterday and sleep, I'll be going to see Mary today" . Imani text, "Alright don't forget to pass my greetings to her, and text me everyday, enjoy your day and take care of your self". Gwendolyn get up and left her phone and went to the kitchen where Mrs Lekhale and Ayaan was.

"Good morning Gwendolyn, how was your sleep" said Mrs Lekhale, "It was okay gran and thanks for the room it looks wonderful I love it" said Gwendolyn. "Oh you welcome child, Ayaan told me that you want them to accompany you to Mary", Mrs Lekhale ask, "Yes ma'am want to greet her and inform her that I'm around, and I forget to ask where is Akeem I haven't seen him since I got here yesterday", Gwendolyn ask. "That is good Gwendolyn I'm sure she misses you, Oh Akeem went out early in the morning he said they have a soccer match today, he must have return home late last night, should wash up and go before the sun starts to get too hot", said Mr Lekhale.

They were all dressed up ready to go, Gwendolyn put on her sky blue shorts with pink floral croptop and tied her big curly hair in two space buns, with sunglasses on and dash on red lip gloss the melanin in her was probably the reason she always had the gold looking complexion under the sun, Ayaan and Asha both wore white dresses and Asha comb her hair in afro while Ayaan decided to cornbraid her hair, they all looked pretty, they took a walk to Mary's place it was bit far but they decided to walk and catch up.

On their way Gwendolyn's body suddenly froze like she just saw a ghost, but Ayaan and Asha understood her reaction, in front of them they were two guys approaching them, the one Gwendolyn tried really hard to avoid to glance not even once, was a tall looking man with short dreadlocks that slighty falls on his forehead, he was wearing a white shirt with blue shorts trousers and white tekkies, his body was firmly built you could see it from his chest, they walk past each other and Mike the tall guy, grab Gwendolyn's hand so hard she had to stop, her heart was racing so fast she didn't know what to do or say, Mike approached her, his face was now just few inches from her face.

"Were you really going to walk pass me without saying hello Mike said, "Umm I don't know Mike, was I supposed to say anything to you" , Gwendolyn said. "Saying 'hi' to your old pal is not a crime, or I'm nothing to you now that you can be able to walk passed me and not say anything" Mike said. " Hello, Mike" Gwendolyn said. "Come on Gwen, can't we just talk like before, am I not your only love anymore" Mike said. "Mike i really need to go please let go of my hand" said Gwendolyn. "Okay, but can I see you later" said Mike. " No Mike you can't", said Gwen . "I will text you then that should be fine" Mike said. "Alright its fine", Gwendolyn said uncertain of her approval.

Chapter 3

Last Summer

"Gwendolyn, you shouldn't be worried about the distance between us, I promise I will call you every single day and check up on you, If we want to make this work, It can work even on a distance, we just have to be there for each other and be committed to loving and showing affection to one another, it's just going to be a year and when you come back here again next summer, we will be together again. And if maybe I have time I can also come to Furgersburg to see you is not that much from Pretoria, I really love you Gwendolyn, I promise you this is not a temporary thing like you saying it is, for once in my life I want to be committed to dating someone I love and that is you" said Mike last summer when he was saying goodbye to Gwendolyn.

Gwendolyn was now more angry at her self than how she is angry at Mike, "why did I ever believed anything that guy said to me, if he love me like he said he does why does he only want to see me now or call me now, why didn't he call the past eleven months, he probably think that I'm just some city stupid girl blinded by his fake love, well I'm not that girl anymore, I may love him and some part of me may really want to see him, to hug him and be next to him again, but I know better than to let someone make a puppet out of me, just because he thinks his all handsome, he thinks he can just come and leave my life as he pleases, I won't let anyone do that to me, and definitely wont let hls image over crowd my thoughts, his clearly up to no good and I'm not falling for any lies again" Gwendolyn thoughts to her self.

Gwendolyn was completely mute the entire way until they get to Mary's place, she tried so hard to pretend like nothing happened ealier and even though Ayaan and Asha were aware of the incident, and they were now worried about her but they knew it very well that she was not in the mood to talk about Mike or anything that has to do about what happened earlier, Gwendolyn she suddenly started smiling and she was now all cheerful in Mary presence like nothing really happened to her, Ayaan and Asha were even more confused but they too play along. Mary was now in her late eighties, she stayed with her son and his wife and two kids. Luckily she was not staying alone she had people that were looking after her.

"I don't understand why you only have to come to Transfield once a year, while Imani hidden you from us for many years she must really dispice Transfield wholeheartedly I wonder we did to her" Mary said, "I don't think she dispice the place granny, she's just always busy at work, she hardly have time to be at home herself, I promise you next time I come to Transfield I will drag her with me", said Gwendolyn with chuckles. "Please do child, at my age God could just decide to call me home anytime, I just want to see my little Imani again, she still doesn't have a husband or other children" Mary said. "Other

children, oh no how can she have other children that woman is always at work if not at home sleeping, I have never seen mom with a man in my life", said Gwendolyn with chuckles.

"Oh Imani dear, she must be lonely you left her alone with no one", Mary said. "I think aunt Imani should visit us this year before we all take a bus as a family and go to Furgersburg to see her, because even I, I have never seen her before and Mary and Mrs Lekhale they say they have years without seeing her", said Ayaan. "Yeah I will tell her to come visit" said Gwendolyn.

They didn't stay long at Mary's place she wanted to nap and they left right after she slept, Gwendolyn was not okay, even though she seems to be okay, she was not as quiet as she was when they were on their way to Mary, now she was talking and laughing and Ayaan and Asha didn't want to ruin her mood by asking too much questions, they too enjoy their walk home, the streets of Transfield was filled with children playing and everyone in the neighborhood they ware sitting on their house porches, the air was filled with great and cool breeze as the sun was setting, no one wanted to miss that experience by locking themselves indoors, they were many new fresh faces in the streets, seems Gwendolyn wasn't the only relative that enjoyed to visit during this time of a year.

They walked home and had dinner with the rest of the family and they all showered. Ayaan's boyfriend Nico invited her and her sisters to the street party that they were having, it was past ten and Mrs Lekhale wouldn't let them go, especially to a party with guys, Ayaan ran to Asha's room and told her, And Gwendolyn too, and they were all bored and they decided to sneak out and go to the party, and someone couldn't sleep thinking about Mike which she promise herself not to think about, Gwendolyn needed to go out to clear her head. "I really can't go out in a party wearing these dull Mrs Lekhale floral dresses, Gwen can you borrow me something to wear", Asha said. "Oh My God, you want an outfit from my clothes, Mrs Lekhale she's going to murder you" Gwen said with a whisper laughter.