Pedigree

“Hate hurts more the hater than the person hated.”

Against all odds I find myself going for Moudy’s burial, I have deliberately avoided social media because I know things are being said about me. At my age I don’t have a job or a man or anything to my name and it hurts like hell but at this point I just want to say my final good byes to the lady who I had grown fond of the past weeks.

I spot VK and Samara in the tent that has been put up for family, he is holding a broken Ernest. Vaughn has sun glasses on so I can’t make of what she is really going through but has Nelson who is holding her.

My eyes dart a little when I see two faces that I recognise, I look at them intensely just to make sure that I am seeing the right people.

‘Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me.’ Is the first thing that comes to my mind and then I remember my conversation with Moudy and everything she had told me.

I don’t need another sign, I get out of my chair as fast as I can and run towards my car but only to find I have been blocked.

‘Going somewhere?’ Uncle Mphatso asks

‘The question should be what are you doing here.’ I say trying to act strong even though I am scared right now

He chuckles

‘Does your father know that you are here?’

I look at him and for the first time I am seeing him in a different light, I don’t know why it has taken me this long to see him for who he is. Or just maybe I was blinded because of the love I have for him.

‘My father?’ I ask raising an eyebrow

‘I see you have grown an extra pair of wings.’

‘You know, I have so much to tell you right now. So much that I want to ask you but then a stronger part of me feels that you will never be totally honest with me.’

He doesn’t say anything, though his face is void of emotions.

‘Why would you do this to your brother? Yes I was a pawn in all this, I understand you needed to use me to get to him but whatever issues you had couldn’t be sorted out whilst you were still young?’

‘The problem with you is that you think you know everything! Chisoni has raised you in this cocoon of perfection that you have no idea the things that your friends have had to endure.’

‘You are so unbelievable Uncle Mphatso, my father has been nothing but kind to you. I have loved you like my own father and for you to show your true colours now? So all along you were just using us weren’t you? All along you were close to us just so you could use us.’

I shouldn’t be screaming but then I can’t control myself either.

‘It’s nothing personal, and I am sorry you have to be caught up in all this. But all this was necessary.’

I laugh, tears falling.

‘That is all you are going to tell me? That I was just caught up in all this?’

I am screaming again

‘I would suggest you keep your voice down.’ He says pointing with his head, Nelson is coming our way.

‘What sort of disrespect is this?’ He asks looking at me

I look down, realising I have made a scene.

‘We are here mourning Moudy, someone that you killed and you have the guts not just to come but disrupt the whole thing?’

‘Nelson.’ I say feeling hurt

‘Leave Kasweka, or I will be the one to call the cops on you.’ Uncle Mphatso says

‘What?’

‘You heard my father, leave.’

‘Wait what?’ I say looking from him to uncle Mphatso

‘I don’t want to repeat myself, you have already caused enough damage to us as a family. Let us mourn.’

‘Nelson you know this is not true, you know there is a mix up somewhere. You know I am not the person you are thinking I am. Nelson both you and I know that I could never hurt a fly, you know that.’

‘Our lawyer will be in touch with you, stay away from us or we will get a restraining order.’

‘This is it right? All of you will just treat me like a common criminal right? You will forget that I am the same lady you dined and wined with, the same one you had countless sexual encounters with.’

I pause, fresh tears starting to fall.

‘And you, you watched me grow, you watched me as a young lady until I transformed into the woman that I am today. There is nothing that I hid from you, nothing that happened to me that you didn’t know of. You were more than my uncle, you were a father to me.’

‘Leave this place Kasweka, we are mourning and your crocodile tears mean nothing.’ Nelson says

I look at uncle Mphatso

‘Leave!’

‘I will leave, I will. But trust that I will get all the answers that I need, I have been kind. I have allowed all of by our to hurt me, but trust that I will come for everything that you are trying to take from me. I will make sure that you pay for everything and I will do it with a vengeance that will make you regret ever hurting me.’

None of them respond as I walk away from them and get into my car.

The car that was parked behind mine has been moved so I am being blocked from the front, I drive out in reverse. Allowing more tears to fall and promise myself that these are the last tears I am shading for everyone trying to hurt me.

I pick up my phone and call Aunty Ivy.

..

I have been waiting for Kasweka’s call, she has even taken longer than I anticipated.

I pick up and put her on speaker

‘Kasweka.’

‘I am on my way, I need the truth.’ She says before cutting the line

I turn to look at the man seated opposite me.

‘You don’t have to do this.’

‘She is collateral damage.’ He responds

‘Please.’

‘Now to the next plan, get Isaac in the country.’ He says before picking up his glass of whisky

..

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Winnie

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