Solely Mine

Chapter. 2__Storms

Lerato’s POV:

The first night in the house was as cold and distant as the drive had been. Lerato layed in bed, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, the city noises faintly seeping through the walls. The room was nothing like the cozy beachfront cottage she had left behind. as if untouched by life. The polished floors gleamed under the dim light, the furniture was arranged in a way that felt forced, It was as though the space itself was waiting to be filled, but not by her.

She hadn’t seen much of her mother after arriving, which was no surprise. Her mother had always been more interested in appearances than people. But her father had lingered, trying to make conversation over dinner.

He had asked about her grandmother again, his tone too casual for the urgency in his eyes. Lerato had brushed off his questions with short responses. She didn’t trust whatever interest he was suddenly showing.As she tossed and turned, her thoughts kept returning to her grandmother.

The way she held tightly before they said their goodbyes, her whispered encouragements about this "new chapter." But even then, there had been something unsaid, a tension between them. What had her grandmother meant when she told her to stay strong and “remember who you are”? The words felt heavier now, like they were meant to carry her through more than just homesickness.

The following morning, Lerato woke early, the pale light of dawn creeping through the curtains. She had hoped for some clarity in the night, but the uncertainty only deepened. She wasn’t here just to reunite with her family; she could feel it in her bones.

She found her father sitting at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee. He looked up as she entered, offering a strained smile.“Morning,” he greeted, gesturing to a cup already set out for her.

“I didn’t want to wake you. Thought you might be tired from the trip.”“Thanks,” Lerato mumbled, sitting down and wrapping her hands around the cup, the warmth grounding her for a moment.

She could feel his eyes on her, but he remained silent, as though waiting for her to speak first.Finally, the silence broke.

“Dad, why am I really here?” she asked bluntly, looking up to meet his gaze. “It’s not like you and Mom care much about my life at home.”

Her father’s face tightened for a moment, a flash of something unreadable crossing his features before he composed himself. He set his coffee down and sighed, leaning forward on the table.“Lerato, it’s...complicated,” he began slowly, choosing his words carefully. “Your mother and I, we’ve been...going through some changes. Things at work, the move, it’s all been a lot. We thought it would be best for you to be closer to us. To help with family... matters.”“Matters?” Lerato’s eyebrow arched, her patience thinning. “What kind of ‘matters’? Because I don’t buy this sudden concern for my well-being.”

Before her father could answer, her mother came into the room, her presence commanding as always. Dressed impeccably in a sharp, red suit—the very color she had criticized Lerato for not wearing—her mother looked like she was ready to take on the world, or at least control every aspect of it.“Oh, don’t be dramatic, Lerato,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“We simply missed you. Isn’t it nice to have a family together again?”Lerato stared at her, biting back the retort she wanted to hurl. She knew better than to argue with her mother—there was never any winning. The truth would only come out when they were ready, but Lerato had no intention of waiting quietly.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of awkward conversation and forced pleasantries. Her parents acted as though everything was normal, as though she hadn’t been torn from the one place she called home. But underneath their polished exterior, something simmered.

Lerato could sense the tension, the way they avoided certain topics, the way her father always seemed on the verge of saying something but held back.That evening, Lerato slipped out of the house. She needed space, air, anything to clear her mind from the strangeness of it all. She found herself walking through the quiet streets of the neighborhood, her feet moving without direction.

The city was loud, even in its stillness. Cars hummed in the distance, lights flickered from towering buildings, and people moved with purpose, It was so different from the soft, rhythmic noise of the ocean.

Eventually, she found a park with a small pond, the water reflecting the lights of the city like a poor imitation of the sea. Lerato sat down on a bench, staring out at the water, her thoughts once again drifting to her grandmother. She wished she could talk to her, to ask her what was really happening, because deep down, Lerato knew her grandmother would understand.

Just as she was about to leave, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, expecting another text from her father or mother. But it wasn’t. It was a message from an unknown number. Her heart skipped a beat as she opened it.” They’re not telling you everything.”Lerato stared at the screen, her pulse quickening. She glanced around, as if someone might be watching her.

Who sent this? And what weren’t they telling her?The storm she felt brewing had finally arrived, and Lerato knew she was about to be caught in the middle of it.

She slowly walked home ,with unease and a troubled mind, asking herself “why did I even agree to be here? “ what is really going on ? Why is nobody telling me anything?.