Unmasked

My day has been crazy so when I got home I decided to switch off my phone. Whoever needs to talk to me will need to find a way of reaching me because I feel so tired from everything happening around my body hurts in all the places it’s not supposed to.

After taking a bath, I settle into comfortable pajamas and walk to the kitchen where I make myself a cup of green tea. The house help has just knocked off and lucky for me she prepared dinner in advance I don’t have to worry my head about what to cook.

I settle in a single seater couch and wrap a fleece blanket on my feet. I have been avoiding all these thoughts but I keep wondering where I went wrong. The odds seem to be working against me no matter what I am not sure I can trust anyone anymore. Of course Zac is someone that I would have proudly proclaimed any day that he had my back but after my conversation with Celine today I have questions. I know she didn’t say all those things from a good place but she did have some valid points, but then why would my own brother pretend all this while like he will always have my back meanwhile he has a hidden agenda?

I am still lost in my thoughts when I hear a car drive in. I wasn’t expecting Thando home so soon so this comes off as a surprise. When he enters the house and spots me, he wears this huge smile and walks towards me.

‘I missed you so much.’ He says kissing my forehead

‘I missed you.’ I tell him

He pulls a stool and sits in front of me.

‘How did your date with mum go?’

I want to look him in the face and tell him that everything went just fine but I am tired of all these lies. I am tired of pretending that I am in good books with people when I am not.

‘It wasn’t good.’

He looks worried.

‘What happened?’

‘Thando I think it’s high time you and I stopped playing these games, I am tired.’

‘What?’

‘I am exhausted Thando. I actually thought me opening up would put us in a good place but then you are just here using that information against me.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘I know about my phone being hacked. I know about the GPS on my phone, I know everything. So let us drop this act and just come out in the open. It would really help if we both said what we want than pretending to be nice to each other.’

He sighs deeply. Wearing this face that I can’t recognise.

‘The alibi is Zac.’

‘You have to be kidding me.’

He shakes his head.

‘Your brother wants out, he is sacrificing you for a fewer years in prison.’

‘All this doesn’t make sense. Why would Zac do that?’

‘He is tired I guess. He wants a better life, away from the lies and the hiding.’

‘And who is going to back him up?’

‘Musonda. Celine. Sasha.’

My eyes open widely like they are about to come out of their sockets.

‘These are my friends. My family. My circle.’

‘I know. But you committed crimes. I don’t want to know who did what but as long as Zac is willing to get an innocent woman out of prison and bring the true criminals to book I have no problem with that.’

I swallow hard.

‘So all this? What has it been?’

‘I have never lied about my love for you. But I have a commitment to my Country and to it’s people. Whilst you and your brother take lives, I make sure to preserve them. You, your brother, your circle, all of you are going to jail.’

‘Thando.’

‘Zara I love you. But that doesn’t make me blind to your actions. I will stall this case until our child is born. I am taking full custody because I will make sure you do life.’

‘But I confessed to you! I told you the truth.’

‘As my partner yes.’

‘What does that even mean?’

He removes cuffs from his laptop bag.

‘Right now, tell me to take you to the station and you can confess all your crimes and we can put a stop to this madness that you started. Right now Zara.’

My eyes fill with tears as the realisation hits me. There is no coming out of this for me, it’s over. There is no going back. I made this bed and now I will have to lay in it.

‘How many years is Zac getting?’

‘They are all getting five whilst you do life.’

‘Wow.’ I say with a chuckle the tears falling.

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️