Chosen

Untitled

APHELELE - CHAPTER 2

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BRIDGE CITY CLINIC - SAME ROOM - 2:20 PM - CONTINUED

[ Father stands up immediately, fists still clenched. Mother holding Aphelele face, stands up. ]

FATHER: You! You are the boys? You are the Dlamini boys who did this to my daughter?

VICTOR: [stepping forward] Baba, please. It was an accident. Micheal didn't mean—

FATHER: Accident? My daughter was walking from church! From CHURCH! And 24-year-old man hits her with wheelbarrow full of bricks? What kind of accident is that? Is he a child?[cutting]

MICHEAL: [looking up, eyes red, voice cracking] Baba, I'm sorry. I swear, I didn't mean to hurt her. I was just... I was playing... I thought girls were far...

FATHER: You thought? My daughter could have died today, boy! Died! And you say 'you thought'?

MOTHER: [soft, calm, tired Christian voice] Thulani... Thulani, enough.

[ Looks at Baba Dlamini, then at Micheal. ]

MOTHER: Baba Dlamini, we are all from same church. We are family in Christ.

MICHEAL: [kneels down right there in clinic, in front of everyone, tears running] Ma, please forgive me. I will never... I will never touch anything that is not mine again. Please, Ma, tell Aphelele to forgive me. I didn't know it would go that fast...

MOTHER: [touches shoulder, heart breaks] Stand up, my child. Stand up. I forgive you. We forgive you. It was an accident. Devil tried to use that downhill today, but God saved my daughter. She is alive. That's what matters. We forgive you.

[ Micheal stands up, wiping face, looks at Aphelele hopeful. Victor smiles small relieved. ]

VICTOR: Thank you, Ma. Thank you so much. We will pay for clinic—

MOTHER: I forgive you too. Go home. Pray about it. And Micheal, next time, be careful. You are grown now.

BABA DLAMINI: [holding hat tight, nodding] Thank you, Ma. Thank you for your heart. We will go. Aphelele, sorry my child.

[ They start to turn to leave. ]

APHELELE: Wait.

[ Everyone turns. Aphelele tries to sit up, ChommieyY holds her. ]

APHELELE: [hoarse voice, white bloody dress on chair next to her] Micheal.

MICHEAL: [turning back, hopeful]

APHELELE: My mother forgave you. But I didn't.

[ Silence whole clinic. ]

MOTHER: Aphelele—

APHELELE: [cutting mother, tears coming angry] No, Ma. No. You can forgive him. You were not the one on tar. You were not the one with brick on chest. I was.

[ Looks at Micheal. ]

APHELELE: You are 24, Micheal. 24! I am 20. You are older than me. But you play with wheelbarrow on steep road where girls are walking? Where your own choir sisters are walking? What if it was your sister? What if that brick hit my head harder and I died today? What would your 'sorry' do for me then? Would sorry bring me back?

MICHEAL: [crying again] Aphelele, I—

APHELELE: I don't want your sorry! [voice cracking loud, nurse comes closer ChommieyY waves her away] I don't want it! You almost killed me, Micheal! Do you understand? Almost KILLED me! Three stitches! My leg! My dress! And you say sorry like I spilled water!

VICTOR: [stepping forward] Aphelele, please, he—

APHELELE: And you! [looking at Victor] Don't think because you gave me your bloody shirt you are hero! I told you I didn't want your help! I told you to leave me alone on that hill and you followed me here!

VICTOR: [face falling] Aphelele, I was worried—

APHELELE: I don't care! Both of you, leave! Leave my clinic room! NOW!

[ Victor grabs Micheal arm, pulls him out. Baba Dlamini follows. Door closes. ]

FATHER: [after silence] You did right, my child. You did right.

MOTHER: Thulani...

APHELELE: [crying now, collapsing back] Ma, it hurts...

MOTHER: [holding her] I know, my child. I know.

[ Visiting hours over. Mother and Father went home to fetch clean clothes for tomorrow discharge. ChommieyY went home too. Aphelele alone in small room. White wall, beeping machine next door, bandaged head, leg wrapped. ]

_APHELELE [POV THINKING]: _Doctor said 8am tomorrow I'm discharged. Mama clapped. Baba said "God is good". Now it's night. I can't sleep. When I close eyes I see wheelbarrow coming. I have a couple friends from different countries but some don't last. You know how online friends are - you talk every day for one month, then disappear. Kelsey and Joe have lasted almost 3 years now. My best friends. Me and Kelsey have been through a lot and I'm surprised we are still friends because we always tell big secrets only when we're in situation where we have to tell reason why we are angry or acting weird. Not gonna lie that's positive and negative cause why do we wait till that point when we could just tell on normal conversation... it's also good because we get so emotional and forget that we were mad. What I like about her is she's not so good to be true. Like Joe. He's good guy but he's just so good to believe._

[ Picks up phone, screen light hurts stitches. Opens w******p. Kelsey online. ]

_APHELELE_: Hey ChommieyY

_KELSEY_: Hey how was your Day

_APHELELE_: it's was not so good I almost died because of Victor's brother today

_KELSEY_: what did he do.. i hope that you're okay ChommieyY

_APHELELE_: yeah yeah am okay now am at the hospital

_KELSEY_: is it that serious

_APHELELE_: no no it's not, it's just a small injury...

_KELSEY_: ohh okay how did this happen

_APHELELE_: he trying to act cool infront of the girls by taking a wheelbarrow but the he lost control of it Damn hit me I feel and some of the blocks feel on my Head

_KELSEY_: Ohww ChommieyY am so sorry

_APHELELE_: don't be

_KELSEY_: well that was so immature of him

_APHELELE_: I know right

_KELSEY_: yes I just hope this won't ruin things for you and V

_APHELELE [POV]: _I stare at that message. Things for me and V. She always calls him V. That makes me angry a little. He almost killed you but he didn't. That's what everyone says._

_APHELELE_: naaah I just decided that I will stay on my Ress now and only see Family on holiday but from today am going to attend another circuit until I heal from this.. this guy almost killed me

_KELSEY_: am not judging but you're right he almost killed you but he didn't

_APHELELE_: argh to be honest this is the only excuse that can make me forget about victor.. It's so wrong to have feeling for him...I mean he's unlike Joe.. Joe is far far away from my country so there's no way I could Date him but victor...I think God is testing me

_KELSEY_: Ammm ChommieyY

_APHELELE_: yes

_KELSEY_: I have to tell you something

_APHELELE_: go on

[ Typing... Typing... long pause. ]

_APHELELE [POV]: _I was wondering what is she typing. What is taking so long. Is she also... Noo it's better be not what I think it is._

_KELSEY_: ChommieyY I have feeling for Joe too..and i don't know if I should say yes to him or no.. because it's feels so wrong

_APHELELE [POV]: _My heart drops. So we're both in love with same guy._

_APHELELE_: so we're both in love with the same guy

_KELSEY_: yes but it's okay if you say no I mean you confessed first

_APHELELE [POV]: _Confessed first. I told her last year I liked Joe. I thought she forgot. I look at white clinic wall. Joe is far away in Zimbabwe. Victor is here. Both are wrong for me. But Joe never made me bleed._

_APHELELE_: ChommieyY relax it's okay you can have him.. I've started praying these past Day and I think it's working because we haven't talked for about 2 days, which is good because I was the one who texted him first so yeah..if you love him tell him..I don't have a problem with it

_KELSEY_: are you sure

_APHELELE_: [pressing record, voice hoarse] ChommieyY I am sure.

_KELSEY_: thank you

[ Then call popped in. Video call. Joe smiling in blue shirt. ]

_APHELELE [POV]: _I can't let see me like this. Bandaged head, hospital gown._

[ Drops call then calls on voice call. ]

_JOE_: [answers right away] Why did you dropped the call

_APHELELE_: I can't do a video call

_JOE_: why

_APHELELE_: because there no electricity

_JOE_: you're lying again

_APHELELE_: am not

_JOE_: yes you are

_APHELELE_: well then it's off no use convincing someone whose already made up thier mind

_JOE_: see

_APHELELE_: Joe

_JOE_: why are lying to me do you have a boyfriend now

_APHELELE_: no I don't have a boyfriend you know that, Geez

_JOE_: it video call now

_APHELELE_: well I don't want a video

_JOE_: but I want it,so let me see your face before I sleep

_APHELELE_: and why should I do that

_JOE_: because I said so

_APHELELE_: okay fine

[ Turns into video call. Joe face appears, lamp on, sees bandage immediately. ]

_JOE_: I knew you were lying!

_APHELELE_: you've seen my face now bye

[ Ends call. Seeing his face and realizing he is now going to be Kelsey's boyfriend makes her feel little bit hurt. ]

_APHELELE [POV]: _He calls again and again but I didn't answer. I just want to sleep. Tomorrow I go home with three stitches and two boys in my heart._

[ Phone lights up - Joe... Joe... Joe... She puts phone face down on bedside table, silent. Pulls thin clinic blanket over her, closes eyes. ]

_APHELELE_: [whispering to ceiling] God, I broke your laws today. I lied. I was angry. Please forgive me...

[ Phone still vibrating under pillow. ]