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THE BRACELET 1ABIGAIL
I've turned my room upside down searching for my bracelet and it's been over an hour with no luck. My husband walks in from work and stops on his tracks to the sight of our rearranged room
Mandla: What's the meaning of this, Abigail?
Me: I can't find the bracelet
Mandla: Oh stop wasting your time it's not here
Me: What do you mean it's not here?
Mandla: I took it out
Me: Took it out?
Mandla: I threw it away, Aby
Me: You did not
I point at him as I approach, grabbing on his collar
Mandla: I had to do it. I'll not live with an evil snake in my house that I have no business with
Me: It was mine. You had no right to do that and you don't know how much trouble you've gotten us into. I never asked you to be part of this but you insisted now you're making me a bad person
Mandla: I don't care. All the riches can vanish if that's the case but I'll not let you drift away from me because of it. The obsession was too much for me to bare and I had to do something to save you. To save our marriage
Me: Where did you dispose of it?
Mandla: At the river
Me: Dammit, Mandla. We could both die for all this and just know it'll be your fault
Mandla: I'd rather die than let you sleep with it under my watch. Are you that desperate for money and power?
Me: Wasn't it your idea to get a solution?
Mandla: I never said bring a snake into our bedroom to sexually assault us
Me: Are you hearing yourself? It wasn't that bad and you got a promotion because of that
Mandla: I'm ready to die if that's the punishment but I'll not torture myself anymore. Who knows what other sacrifices we would have had to make in the future? Clearly our bodies would not have sustained it for long
I put on my shoes and sweater
Mandla: Where the hell are you going?
Me: To find it
Mandla: You're wasting your time it rained last night so it's gone. The burden is out of our hands now
[PRESENT DAY]
TUMELO
I snap out of whatever spell I was under and I have no idea where I am or what I'm doing here. I get off the bed and check my surroundings, this bedroom is decent but I don't remember ever being here. In fact, I don't remember anything at all. The door opens and a woman walks in, she's only in her towel so I face the other way, avoiding her nakedness
Her: Finally you're awake. Come lotion my back
I face her, surprised by the fact that she knows me.
Her: You've been out for a while. Is the fever better?
Me: Fever?
Her: What's wrong with you, Tumelo? You've been acting weird for the whole week and I don't know what's going on? Are things going well at work?
Me: Work?
Her: Yoh! I'm going out with the girls. Amo is in his room sulking I don't know what's wrong with him. He won't say so maybe he'll talk to you since you two are close and keep each other's secrets
My head hurts and I don't want to show her how confused I am. I find my way to Amo's bedroom and I don't know who Amo is to begin with. I come across a room that looks like it belongs to a kid so I make my way in. He's sitting on the floor, playing with his phone. He lifts his eyes to me and puts the phone away
Amo: I'm sorry daddy I know it's past the curfew. I just got carried away with my new game
Me: Umm... sure
Amo: Daddy are you okay?
Me: I'm fine
I've never been confused in my life like I am now. Here I am in a strange house with a strange woman and a boy who claims to be my son. I'm trying to piece everything together but there's not a single thing that I remember.
Amo: I had a fight at school today
Me: What kind of fight?
Amo: A physical fight, dad. I hurt another kid and I'm scared that mommy will hit me if she finds out.
Me: So why didn't your teacher call?
Amo: I don't know. I'm sorry daddy but he started me first and I might have overdone what you told me
Me: What did I tell you?
Amo: To do whatever it takes to protect myself from the bullies
Me: I said that?
Amo: Yes. You always say that, dad
Me: Listen I'll talk to you later
I leave his room to familiarize myself with the house that's possibly mine. There are pictures of me with the woman and the boy hanging on the walls and I can't understand what exactly is going on. How long have I been out for?
Her: Are you going to order in or you'll cook?
Her voice startles me, almost making my heart stop
Her: Tumelo!!
Me: Yeah?
Her: What's wrong with you?
She steps closer to me and runs her hands on my bare chest, pecking my cheek.
Her: You're still heating up. Maybe you should see the doctor. Did you take your meds?
Me: No
Her: Alright let me make you a sandwich so you can take them. I don't want you collapsing on me once again papa Amo
Collapsing? I suddenly have flashbacks on the day I collapsed after I saw the giant snake on my bed that my parents couldn't see. That's the only thing I seem to remember at this moment and it scares me that I don't remember growing up at all.
Me: How long have I been sleeping for?
Her: 6 hours maybe
Me: How was I before that?
Her: Weird. Tumelo if there's anything stressing you then I deserve to know. Amo is picking up the tension between us and I don't want him to be disturbed during school hours. We'll talk about this when I return but please promise me that you'll take the meds
I nod. She places the plate with a sandwich on the table and kisses me. How did I get here? I check my wrist and the bracelet is still there. Did I skip time?
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