EVERYTHING SHE NEVER HAD

15

"I know you were the one that paid for the bills" the silence is broken.

"and you not mad?" He looks a t her and chuckle.

"honestly?" He looks at her and she nods her head yes.

"I wanted to be, but I knew you were doing it from the bottom of your heart, you were only just trying to help, and I aprreciate it"

She held his hand and nudged him a little, something he realised she likes to do.

"thank you" he said.

"it's not a problem, you know I would do anything for you right?"

Smiling, he looked at her and nodded his head "and you also know I would do anything for you too right? I never had a friend like you before"

"a friend? Yeah… me too" she said the last part so low, Tumo thought twice before asking her if she said anything of which she responded with a head shake as a means to say no.

They both know this isn't just friendship only. Or is it? The line hasn't got blurred yet, that's if there ever was a line to begin with.

"so tell me, when do classes begin? Must be nice knowing you got accepted at a university of your choice huh?"

He looked at her and chuckled.

"I don't think I want to go"

Its like time stood frozen for a bit.

"what do you mean?"

Firstly, he shrugged his shoulders before answering. "i can't leave her alone, she's way too old to be staying alone you know?"

She doesn't want to understand, but she does. It's not easy leaving an old woman to fend for herself.

"I understand, but what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. Do something, find some thing to keep me busy and make money at the same time?"

She squeezed his hand.

"I hate this"

"yeah, me too. But there's nothing I can do" he said before a moment of silence filled them and she rested her head on his shoulder and he rested his on top of hers.

After some time Maya spoke.

"would you consider going to school if your grandmother was in a safer place?"

Tumo kept quite, wanting her to finish what she is saying.

"I know a place for older people it-"

"no." that's all he said.

"bu-"

"please Maya, I won't take her to such a place, and you have done enough okay"

She wanted to say something but she decided to say nothing, as comfortable as she was with him, she didn't want to cross the line, she knows she has a habit of doing that.

***

You know connections can get you everything? Katlego didn't pass her matric that well to qualify for drama classes but here she is, packing her bags along with Kagiso going to university. She was over joyed because she was going to a place where she won't be guarded to told what is right or wrong, finally she was going to be free and do as she pleases.

It didn't come as a shock when her father told her she got accepted. With a father like Vusi Mahlangu, you can literally get away with murder, what's a thing as little as school admission?

While everyone was happy and overjoyed that the twins were going to university, Kagiso couldn't help but feel down. He wants to be a chef, it's his passion but now he's forced to go and study business management, sometimes he hates, okay, maybe hate is a big word, but he wanted to go to a culinary school and maybe later look into doing a short business course, but now he can't do any of those because immediately after graduation a position in Mahlangulogistics is waiting for him. It's a transport related company, the transport goods and services all over and now, the business just started rubber production, it's only the second year into it, and already the company is making millions, plus they use their own vehicles to transport them, it's means millions are secured in the bag.

In all honesty, he has nothing against the business course, it's the fact that his father expects him to be a business man only. He takes no mind into Kagiso wanting to be a chef, a pastry chef. He says baking is a woman's job and he's stupid for wanting to go that route.

If only he would allow him to atleast take part time baking classes then he won't have a problem 'growing his legacy' in the words of the oh so mighty vusi Mahlangu. The man wants everyone to follow his word and not question it.

He doesn't have a problem going against his father's wishes, probablem Is that his father is wicked and he knows Kagiso would do just about anything to get everyone to listen to him.

If it were not that he cares for Maya the way he does, he won't be packing and headed to johannesburg right now, he would have been long gone, but Vusi threatened to not pay for Mayas' fees, now he has no choice but to actually do as he's told.

*

It's a bitter sweet moment for Maya, she's happy that his brother is going to university, but sad because no one will be there for her, but it's no big deal she told herself, they will see each other during June and December holidays, and she knows that he will always be there for her whenever she needs him.

All the bags packed and the twins ready to leave, the family gets in the two cars and off they drive to the city of johannesburg, firstly they dropped Katli off at her apartment before they took Kagiso at his place, he put his foot down when they wanted to get him an apartment, he wanted to feel like a normal person so he settled for a commune, it's a five bedroom flat with one kitchen and bathroom.

Despite his father's disapproval, he wanted this, it was either the school or apartment, and well, now we know what the decision was.

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