Chapter 4

MY LITTLE LOVE STORY .

04

At Maphosa Attorneys .

She takes a deep breath before jumping off the car and fixing her dress , she walks inside ..

Mpho : hey girl .

Naledi : hi ..

She rushes to her office and closes the door . She sits down on her table and sighs heavily ..

Naledi : why did you have to pull that stunt Kutlwano .. damn .

She bites her lip in nervousness and opens her laptop .. there's a sudden knock on her door .

Naledi : come in ..

A woman and a teenager walk in along with Mpho , the receptionist .

Mpho : they are here .

Naledi : thank you , please bring me three coffees .

Mpho : okay .

Mpho closes the door .

Naledi : please come and sit down .

MaRadebe : hello dear , I am MaRadebe and this is Ntombi , my daughter .

Naledi : it's great to meet you .

She glances at Ntombi who's looking down shaking .

Naledi : this is the safest place you'll ever be in , feel free baby .

She clears her throat and glances at her mother .

MaRadebe : lets sit .

They sit down opposite to Naledi ..

MaRadebe : thank you for helping us with this case .

Naledi : you're more than welcome , shall we start ?

MaRadebe : Ntombi ?

She keeps quiet ...

Naledi : if you speak up then the man that raped you will be locked up in jail for alot of years .

Ntombi : what if he comes out and comes after me ?

Naledi : he wouldn't ... because he'll never come out .

Ntombi : I'm scared ..

Naledi : some of the girls I've helped were scared like you the first time we met . But when they finally got to speak up , they never kept quiet .

Ntombi sighs .

Naledi : I hate rapists with all my life , I'd like to help you lock up the person who has traumatized you forever .

MaRadebe : Ntombi please agree ..

Ntombi nods .

Ntombi : please promise me you'll help me get him arrested ?

Naledi : I promise .

Ntombi : I'm ready ..

Naledi takes her recording device and turns it on , she also takes a pen and a paper .

Naledi : you can start talking .

Ntombi starts narrating the story from start to finish , by the time she was finished , Naledi already had tears in her eyes .

Naledi : what ?

Ntombi : he threatened to shoot me if I ever spoke up to someone ..

Naledi wipes off her tears and glances at MaRadebe .

MaRadebe : I know it's heartbreaking .. I've never been hurt like this .

Naledi : some people are not meant to live in our world .

Ntombi : can i use the bathroom ?

Naledi : sure ..

She stands up and walks to the bathroom , Naledi sighs and reaches out for the box of tissues , she wipes off her tears .

MaRadebe : you're crying dear ..

Naledi : it's just...it's just a bit emotional .

MaRadebe : because you've went through the same experience .

Naledi glances at her .

Naledi : what ?

MaRadebe : I can see a broken person from afar .

Naledi : I don't know what you're talking about .

MaRadebe : my dear ...

Naledi : lets discuss the case .

MaRadebe sighs ..

Naledi : I'm going to need Ntombi's DNA results from the doctor .

MaRadebe : we'll give you the results .

Naledi : the trial is tomorrow , I'm gonna work all night tonight so I can gather up evidence I'll use against Luyolo Dlamini.

MaRadebe : thank you dear .

Ntombi walks out of the bathroom and sits back at the table ..

Naledi : so .. you may be asked to stand in the witness box and you're going to be asked questions that you're going to have to answer honestly .

Ntombi : (nods)

Naledi : I think that's it for now ... i'll see you tomorrow before court .

Ntombi : okay .

MaRadebe : God bless you my dear .

Naledi nods and smiles lightly , MaRhadebe and Ntombi stand up and walk out of the office .

Naledi : God ...

She sighs heavily trying to block her tears from coming out , the flashbacks come back in one go as she sits back with tears rolling down .

" if you ever tell anyone about what happened here today then I swear im going to make you fail grade 10"

She shakes her head with more tears rolling down , a 16 year old girl that was forced to sleep with her own Maths teacher because he threatened to make her fail ? Why her ? was it the beauty ? the body ? the attitude or the intelligence ? why did he choose her ? She wasn't asking to be raped , she just wanted to study and pass so she could make her parents proud . He took advantage of that !

Kutlwano : Naledi !

She gasps returning back to reality as she realizes that Kutlwano is standing right there .

Kutlwano : hey .. why are you crying ?

Naledi : no , no reason I'm fine .

She says wiping off her tears .

Naledi : I'm okay .

Kutlwano : did you have the flashbacks ?

Naledi : Kutlwano I'm fine , leave me alone .

Kutlwano : you're not fine .

Naledi : I'm fine okay !

Kutlwano : all these cases are making you face your own reality .

Naledi : what reality ? the reality of my own Maths teacher raping me multiple times so he can give me those "A"s on my exam papers . What reality Kutlwano ?!

Kutlwano : Naledi ...

Naledi : get out ! Get out Kutlwano !

He sighs and walks out , Naledi cries silently ... she hates crying but when a traumatic past returns continously , she can't help but break down because it hurts her deeply . No matter how strong she acts , inside .. she's just a light weight . Anything can break her down but she has never allowed herself to break down infront of people .. who else would Keitumetse lean on when she's all broken and weak ? no one .

She sighs and wipes off her tears , she then stands up and walks out ..

Mpho : are you going somewhere ?

Naledi : I'll be back .

Mpho : Ms Thahane ..

Naledi : I said I'll be back okay !

Mpho keeps quiet , Naledi walks out and jumps in her car . She drives off taking deep breaths trying to calm herself down .

About 45 minutes later , she reaches the place and parks the car . She jumps off the car and walks to the tombstone .

Naledi : hey baby ...

She sits down and sighs ..

Naledi : Lesego ..

She sighs once more .

Naledi : are you still okay ? I'm not ... the memories are coming back once again . I've tried forgetting them but they just keep on coming back .

She breathes heavily .

Naledi : my child , my baby .. (sighs) everything is just hard . I can't put it into words how I'm trying but failing yet no one sees that im failing . I know I can't fail because Keitumetse needs me . The only thing I regret is letting you see me fail and break down each and everyday . Perhaps that's the reason you didn't even get to see your 1st birthday .

Tears stream down her cheeks..

Naledi :  some people would call you a product of rape but that's something I'll never say because you were a constant sauce of happiness in my life . You touched my life in such a way ... I almost forgot what your father , who was once my maths teacher did to me .

She wipes off her tears as her phone rings and picks it up .

Naledi : Kutlwano ..

Kutlwano : where did you go ?

Naledi : can I help you with something ?

Kutlwano : you have to come work .. you can't knock off yet .

Naledi : I didn't knock off , I'm coming ..

She hangs up her phone .

Naledi : I have to go , but ... always know that I love you okay ? I miss you each and everyday .

To be continued.