In The Times
of Covid-19
(A Short
Story)
By
Matshidiso P Taleng
1
Dineo
and Thapelo had problems in their marriage for a while now since Thapelo
cheated on her with her best friend. Dineo was seven talking about divorcing
Thapelo, but every time she thought about their twin girls Khwezi and Khany,
she would just rethink the whole thing
The
two of them were even sleeping in separate rooms, though the kids seemed okay
with it; they weren’t it was really tearing them apart and since they were
doing their final year of matric, this divorce thing was really getting to
them.
One
day when The twins came back from school, they found their mother in bed
sleeping in her bedroom, they asked her what was wrong, the weather was blazing
hot for her to be in bed, so clearly something must’ve been wrong, she didn’t
answer them, instead; she just continued to cry.Khwezi tried to call their
father but his phone was off, so then she called the office; they told her that
Thapelo didn’t come to work.
‘’Mom,
where’s Dad? Because I just called him and his phone is off, when I called his
office they say he never came to work today and didn’t even call to say why’’
Said Khwezi
‘’I
know nothing about your dad these days’’ Said Dineo
Khanyi
called Khwezi outside the bedroom.
‘’Let’s
go cook sis’’ said Khanyi
They
stepped outside the bedroom and went to the kitchen.
‘’We
need to do something about Mom and Dad’s situation, this has gone on for too
long now’’ Khanyi whispered
‘’What
can we do?’’ Khwezi asked
‘’I
don’t know yet, but we have to come up with a plan and fast’’ Said Khanyi
‘’We
could plan a getaway for them but you heard there’s going to be a lockdown due
to this coronavirus pandemic, so I don’t know what we’ll do’’ said Khwezi
‘’it’s
okay, a plan will come up’’ Said Khanyi
The
lockdown had now stared, and everybody had to stay indoors. Now things were
even more awkward in the house. Dineo and Thapelo felt like a house with 8
rooms was suddenly way too small for the both of them, there was just not
enough space for them both.When one wanted to make a cup of coffee and found
the other one in the kitchen, one of them had to leave the kitchen, it was bad
and even worse for the kids.
One
night, Thapelo was sitting watching movies in the lounge and Khwezi came to
join him.
‘’Dad,
do you have a minute?’’ She asked
‘’Sure,
come sit here next to me’’ He said
‘’It’s
about you and Mom’’ She said
‘’Baby
girl, there’s nothing you need to worry about, this thing is between me and
your mother’’ He said
‘’That’s
the thing Dad, it’s worrying us, I can’t even sleep at night, wondering if you
guys were to get a divorce then where does that leave us, Me and Khanyi’’ She
said
‘’Your
mother and I just need time to think things through, we’ll be okay’’ He said
‘’If
you really want to fix this, then I think me and Khanyi have a plan that can
help rekindle your love and bring back that spark’’ She said
‘’Okay,
I’m listening’’ He said
‘’Well,
we were thinking a romantic dinner for two, with every pictures of you guys
together, including all the love letters that you used to write to her when you
guys were young’’ she said
‘’Even
cook our meal that we had on our first date’’ He said excitedly
‘’And
play all your favourite songs’’ Said Khanyi walking in on them
‘’Perfect,
just perfect, but wait. Its lockdown, where are going to get everything, the
decorations and stuff?’’ He asked
‘’Relax
Dad, I had figured this a long time ago, leave everything to me, you just worry
about fitting in that suit of yours that she likes’’ Said Khwezi.
It
was on a Sunday night and everybody was sitting in the lounge eating dinner,
there was a loud knock on the door and just before they could open for that
person, she barged. It was Khanyi’s best friend Lulama.
‘’Lulu,
what are you doing here this late and how did you get in?’’ Khanyi asked her
‘’I
jumped over the fence’’ She said
‘’Why
are you crying? Come sit down’’ Said Khanyi
‘’Give
her the sanitizer to sanitize her hands before coming in here’’ Said Dineo
‘’Okay,
you can remove your mask and then first tell us how did you manage to get out
of the house and get here before the police could see you, I mean you do know
that we’re not supposed to be seen on the streets right? Unless you’re an
essential worker with a permit’’ Said Khwezi
‘’I
want to know what she’s doing here this late’’ Said Dineo
‘’Could
you just give the poor girl a chance to breath, you can see she’s been running
so let her calm down first’’ Said Thapelo
‘’Why?’’
Asked Dineo
‘’Lulu,
tell us what’s wrong’’ said Thapelo
‘’It’s,
my brother’’ she cried
‘’What
happened to him? is he okay?’’ Khanyi asked her
‘’He’s
been sleeping with me and Mom hasn’t noticed’’ She continued crying
‘’What?!
When did this happen, how?’’ Khanyi asked
‘’Since
the lockdown started and we stopped going to school, and things have been so
hectic at the hospital with new cases that Mom practically lived there, so
every single day and night, my brother would force himself on me’’ she said
‘’My
God! Lulu, this is bad, did you report him?’’ Asked Khwezi
‘’Whenever
I went to the police station, they’d tell me that someone in the building
tested positive for covid-19 so now the station would be closed, so I’d go back
home to being raped again by my brother, till he found out that I’ve been going
to the police, that’s when he locked me in his room, whenever mom came back
home and asked where I was, he’d just say I’m here with you’’ She said
‘’So
your mom didn’t notice anything?’’ Khanyi asked
‘’Nothing
at all, so now she has tested positive for covid-19 and she’s bad, she’s now in
hospital to get quarantined, my brother now became worse, all he’d do is rape
me, go smoke drugs, come back and do it again, I haven’t had anything to eat or
drink in five days’’ she said
‘’Now
how did you manage to escape from there?’’Khanyi asked
‘’Normally
he’d come back, rape me then lock me in his bedroom while he go sit in the
lounge to eat and watch TV, till he comes back in the room to sleep, he’d do
all of this with my hands tied to my back and my mouth stuffed with a cloth and
closed with a duct tape, so now this time he made a mistake of leaving the door
unlocked and then passed out on the couch, that’s when I managed to untie
myself but cutting the cloth he tied my hands with by using the scissors he had
put on the table then ran to you guys and to ask that you accommodate me for a
day or two till I find money to go to my grandmother’s house in Qwaqwa’’ she
said
‘’You’re
not staying here’’ Said Dineo
‘’What?
Mom, did you just hear what happened to Lulu?’’ Khanyi asked
‘’I’m
not deaf, I heard everything, this girl’s mother was my husband’s mistress for
three years and now I have to help her daughter? No’’ said Dineo
‘’But
she apologized’’ Said Thapelo
‘’Because
I caught you guys’’ Said Dineo
Khanyi
pleaded with her Mom to let Lulama stay a couple of days until eventually Dineo
calmed down and realized that Lulama wasn’t the one that betrayed her, so she
should have a problem with her former best friend and Thapelo.
So
Lulu stayed with them, though it was hard, but she managed to let it all go and
managed to love Lulu again as she had always loved her, since Lulama was just
like her own daughter
Chapter 4
The
day finally arrived, of the surprise dinner for Dineo. During the day everybody acted all normal, playing games in the house and having fun. Dineo and Thapelo
were now easing up to each other, not all the way perfect but more civil with
each other, Lulama was still there and she also knew about the surprise. Later
that night she decided that she’ll be the one keeping Dineo busy in her room.
‘’So
since it’s been this lockdown, I haven’t seen you in all your pretty dresses
and make up’’ Said Lulama
‘’The
way this lockdown has been going on for so long, I think by the time is over,
I’ll be fat as a pig and won’t be able to fit in them anymore’’ Dineo laughed
‘’Don’t
worry, they won’t go to waste, I’ll be here to take them off your hands’’
Lulama giggled
‘’Wouldn’t
you just love that’’ Dineo smiled
‘’You
know me, I’ve always wanted to look and dress just like you when I’m older’’
Lulama smiled back
‘’That
is so sweet, thank you baby girl’’ Dineo hugged her with a smile
‘’I
have an idea, you can wear some of your clothes now before they get too small
for you’’ She said
‘’Wait,
tell how have you been so far? Have you decided to go for counselling yet and
pressing charges against your brother?’’ Dineo asked
‘’Honestly,
I have you to thank, I can only imagine how difficult all this must’ve been for
you with me being here, but thank you for helping me, and yes, I’m just waiting
for my mom to get better and out of hospital then I can fist tell her
everything, then go press charges, after that I can go for counselling’’ she
said
‘’I’m
really sorry of how I treated you in the beginning, you honestly didn’t deserve
any of that’’ said Dineo
‘’Don’t
mention it, you were still hurt and angry. Anyway enough with the emotional
stuff this is your day’’ She said
‘’My
day? What do you mean?’’ Dineo asked
‘’Yes,
your day to play dress up’’ She smiled; realizing she
almost let the cat out of the bag.
‘’Okay,
help me pic which one I should put on first’’ Dineo asked
The
twins had already showed her the dress that Thapelo really like of hers, so she
went straight to it, took it out and said ‘’This is GORGEOUS, I love this one’’
she said
‘’Do
you mind picking another one?’’ Dineo asked her
‘’But
why, I really love this one’’ She said
‘’This
is a dress that Thapelo bought me for our first anniversary and took me out, it
has been his favourite dress for all these years’’ Said Dineo
‘’So
what’s the problem, you guys have been kind of good together now’’ She said
‘’I
know but I don’t want him thinking I’m trying to seduce him or something, I
mean look at this dress, it’s so tight’’ Said Dineo
‘’And
sexy’’ Lulu smiled
‘’But
still’’ Said Dineo
‘’But
nothing, it’s lockdown, we’re not allowed to go to the malls, movies, parties,
so best we put this time for good use’’ Lulu smiled
‘’Okay
fine, but after dressing up, I get right out of it’’ Said Dineo
‘’I
first help you out with your make up then we take a few pictures and then you
can get out of it, promise’’ She said
‘’Fine,
let’s get it started already’’ Said Dineo
She
changed what she was wearing and got dressed into that beautiful black cocktail
dress, Lulama helped with her make-up and right as she was done, she secretly
sent a text to Khanyi telling her that they were done. So as they were busy
taking pictures, Dineo heard music in the lounge.
‘’Wait,
what’s that?’’ Dineo asked
‘’What’s
what?’’ Lulu asked
‘’This
song, the song that’s playing, that’s Me and Thapelo’s song, Lulama, what’s
going on?’’ she asked
‘’Not
guilty’’ Said Lulama while raising her hands and smiling
Dineo
got out of the room and the whole table was set and there were pictures on a
slideshow of her and Thapelo since they were in high school up until they got
married, as she was still trying to catch her breath from all that beautiful
set up, Thapelo came from behind her and whispered in her ear ‘’You look
gorgeous’’
She
turned around and then Thapelo went down on his knees.
‘’Words
can’t even begin to describe how broken I am that I have lost my best friend,
my twin soul, my ride or die, my ying and yang, the air that I breathe, all
because of my stupidity. I let my feelings take control of me, get the better
of me and slightly forgot about what we shared, I can’t bring back the time nor
undo what I did to you but I would like for us to start over, because my life has been nothing without
you, I know you didn’t go anywhere but your silence spoke volumes, please
forgive me, you are all I have and all I want in my life, you and our two
beautiful daughters are my life. I am so sorry for hurting you’’ cried Thapelo
as he poured out his heart
‘’This
lockdown, has given me enough thought, seeing you around the house day in and
day out, has made me realize that I don’t want to lose you, I have loved you
ever since we were young and I still love you to this day’’Dineo cried too
Before
you knew it, everybody was in tears and then in a few minutes they were now
seated on the table all happy and having dinner, Thapelo couldn’t let go of
Dineo’s hand throughout the time.
But their happiness was cut short as Lulama received a call from the hospital saying that her mother had just passed on. It was now a painful night for all of them, but they stuck with her through everything, helped with the funeral arrangements, though there wasn’t that much work because of all the rules of covid-19 and people keeping their social distance, it was a very sad funeral with just a few people that had attended.
But after the funeral, Dineo and
Thapelo helped Lulama to go open a case against her brother, and he was found
guilty, from there onwards, she was taken for counselling.
* Matshidiso Taleng is the author of books like SECRETS (poetry) and UNFOLDING THE DOCUMENTARY (novel)
Intriguing narration. Kudos.
ReplyDeleteBlood brother sleeping with blood sister... how revolting.
ReplyDeleteSometimes one feels it is a crime to be born a woman, despite the fact we are in the modern world with women seemingly protected. The sad truth is that in countless places around the world, a woman s life is very precarious. So vulnerable and hapless
ReplyDeleteA refreshing short story weaved around the current nightmare of covid-19 that is ravaging the modern world, affecting everything, religion, education, sports, even intimate relationships. That is the beauty of literature, and its craftsmen (writers); every topic is grist to their mill, as it were.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting and sad narrative at the same time. It is very heart breaking of the part that brother rape her blood sister and definitely will blame drugs and booze.
ReplyDeleteAnd for Thapelo to apologize to his wife Dineo was a good thing and as he has mentioned, what he can't undo what he has done to hear and to apologize it takes courage to do that and is to maintain to peace and love. I'm happy Thapelo came to his sense to fix things between between his wife and kids.
And for Lulama she went through lot and justice must just prevail and find her peace, though her mother is no more.
Always a perceptive reader and analyst, Dr. THIBA
DeleteAlways a perceptive reader and analyst, Dr. THIBA
DeleteI read her profile on Google. An exciting young African female writer
ReplyDeletePoor Lulama. It's bad enough a woman being violated by outsiders; but one's own brother...Sick...sick...
ReplyDeleteThe author writes well. Not surprising that she is already a novelist. As for the dreaded Covid-19...hmmmm
ReplyDelete'lost my ying and yang, the very air I breathe...' hmmm
ReplyDeleteWell written, undulates well. Journey of discovery of sorts, even if sombre
ReplyDelete