Unscripted love Chapter 64

#64
[Seeing as this isn’t a ‘proper book’ and it’s all about having fun I want to break all the rules. I like trying out different writing styles and nerdy stuff like that…. I wanted to have a stab at telling a story as a third party looking in to sort of get all perspectives in one. Let me know what you think of it (be kind lol, at the end of the day I aint a writer.) It was a little hard to switch but hey it’s something].

Many people are in relationships that are over…. but haven’t ended. Unknown.

The sunlight streaming through the clerestory window landed on Thando where she lay reading the bible on the bed. Levi sat drinking green tea, pretending to read as well, but in reality he was studying her naked form. He delighted in the fact that she was comfortable enough with her own body to remain nude, although she complained about a thickening waistline. He could not yet perceive a change in her body.

Thando lay on her belly, knees bent, feet in the air crossed at the ankle, while Levi allowed his eyes to move slowly over her chocolate skin, feeling like a voyeur as he took so much pleasure in through his eyes without her knowledge. She was up on her elbows, and her feet gently rocked back and forth, and he adored her rounded bottom and the two dimples above her butt cheeks. Dimples of Venu' had always been a favourite part of the female body and Thando's were pronounced.

He thought about how he loved to dig his two thumbs into those indentations when it occurred to him that she would not be able to lie on her belly much longer if he did. His mind shifted to the baby growing inside of this beautiful woman on his bed and he smiled at remembering his aunt, Amelia’s, reaction to the news; after the initial shock, she was thrilled and she took it upon herself to ensure that Levi and his mother called mended their broken relationship.

Levi felt he was wronged and his mother owed him an apology for cleaning out his bank account while he was on foreign soil and he was not prepared to be the first to wave the white flag. He had a change of heart when Futhi disappeared the previous night. The Khoza family laboured under the assumption that Futhi was badly injured or lying in a ditch somewhere when all her friends confirmed that they hadn’t seen nor heard from her all night. Relief washed over Thando and Levi when they received a call early that morning, informing them that Futhi was home. The incident made Levi realise that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and his mother could die at any moment. With that in mind he reached out to his mother, apologised and took all the blame for the sake of peace.

His mother in turn apologised for the way she reacted to the news about the pregnancy. Emily always wanted Levi to have children once he’d settled down, sorted out his finances, tied the knot and retired from professional football. She was guttered when Levi got a girlfriend of four months pregnant when there were a million ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies but this was happening, she was going to be a grandmother and her little cuddly bear was going to be a father. Levi didn’t know much about parenting and all the pregnancy magazines that he’d read highlighted this fact which left him feeling overwhelmed.

"What are you thinking about?" Thando asked, looking up from her bible.
"Being a father."
Thando rolled on to her side, giving Levi a frontal view. She wanted to ask how he was feeling about being a dad, but was afraid to hear his answer when he looked so bleak. She was still getting used to the idea herself and had contradictory emotions about having a baby all alone in another country, so instead she asked, "Are you nervous about seeing my parents later? I wonder what they want to talk to us about."
"They are willing to talk so that’s a start. Maybe your mom and dad kissed and made up, maybe they are getting a divorce and they want to tell all interested parties at the same time. We will see when we get there."

Thando nodded in agreement. They were booked on a flight to Thando’s hometown that afternoon and Thando’s grandparents had also been invited to this impromptu meeting. That gave Thando a false sense of comfort but she knew that Forgiveness was going to be high up on the agenda. She didn’t want her dad to take a second wife, according to Thando Forgiveness wasn’t could never be seen as part of her family, she was just a slut that got her father pussy whipped.

"Do you ever get nervous about flying?" Thando asked.
"Not at all. Do you?"
"I prefer driving lately. I just can’t wrap my head jets disappearing with over two hundred people."
"The flight is just over an hour so it’s convenient. I don’t want you being uncomfortable in a car for six hours. I’m all about comfort, hence we are flying business class."
"Really?" Thando asked, "What’s wrong with economy? I thought we were cutting down costs."
"We are. But I just want to make sure you are comfortable. Especially in your condition." Levi answered.
Thando replied, "Come here, sweetheart."
“Are you done reading your book?” He asked which made her giggle.
“Yes, I’m don’t with my book for today.”

He rose from his chair and went over to lie next to her, both on their sides looking at each other. "You are really good to me, but economy would be just fine. I'm not a princess," she said as she lightly tickled his chest.
"You are not only my princess, but precious cargo. In fact, precious cargo carrying precious cargo," Levi's hand stroked her slightly bulging belly. "Everything that matters to me is right here on this bed right now," he said, and rolled on to his back and pulled Thando on top of him as his hands found their way to the Dimples of Venus.

“Dude, did you guys ask your sister where slept was last night?” Levi asked.
“No, I’m sure she was at church or something. Why?” Thando responded, nonchalant.
“Your dad drove to church and she wasn’t there. What if she was with a boy? Have your parents sat her down and given her ‘the talk’ about sex?”
His question was met with resounding laughter from Thando. “Baby, we are not white people. Black parents do not talk to their kids about sex. Besides, lightning would strike a guy for even thinking about kissing Futhi.”
“I am pretty sure giving your kids the talk is not a white thing. If your parents don’t talk to her about it, maybe you should as her older sister. You don’t want her learning about these things in the streets.” Levi insisted.
Thando hesitated before answering, “Trust me, Futhi is not even thinking about having sex. Maybe she will change when she goes to varsity.”
“You will never know. Did your parents know that you were swinging from the chandeliers when you were in varsity? Better yet, did you think your dad was capable of cheating? No and no.” Levi asked and answered his own questions. “Men are persuasive, natural born hunters that will say anything for pussy. If she is disappearing all night then you have to talk to her. The problem with the innocent ones and the quiet ones is that they aren’t street smart. Fine, don’t talk about sex but you have to ask her where she was.”

"How much time do we have?" Thando asked, changing the subject.
"At least an hour before we even need to get ready. Why?"
"Good," Thando laughed, "Enough time to swing from the chandeliers." She kissed and licked his lips, inviting his tongue to play with hers as she stradled him.
“I am married to a sex addict. But then again I don’t blame you, just look at me.” Levi clowned. Thando threw her head back and laughed a big open-mouthed laugh. Their laughter filled the room and bounced off the walls.

Levi rolled them over and asked, "When is my wife moving in? I am tired of sneaking around during lunch time and only having you sleep over on weekends when your mom is away."
"Well...I'm still not sure. I’ve told my mother that I want to move but I can’t move if she doesn’t have anywhere else to go. This thing with my dad is hard on her and I can’t abandon her. I sometimes find her pacing up and down the apartment, crying so deeply she can’t even breathe. I just don’t know why my dad is doing this." Thando said. “I actually don’t want to think or talk about it. How are things with your mom?”

"Hmmm she is fine. I think my favourite women will get along in the near future."
"Really? I'm not so sure. She thinks I trapped you by getting pregnant."
Levi laughed, although Thando didn't know what was funny, so she looked at him expectantly.
"Maybe I trapped you by getting you pregnant?" He countered.
Thando laughed and said, "I don't feel trapped. I love you."
Levi stroked her hair with a flat palm and said, "And I love you."

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"Do you really think your mom and I will get along like we used to? I think the pregnancy threw her off and changed her opinion of who I am as a person. I don’t really blame her, I had an abortion just the other day and I’m pregnant again."
"Don’t say stuff like that babe. It’s not like you willy nilly gave every boyfriend a kid. My mother can see that I am happy and that makes her happy."
"Yes...you seem happy. You seem...to have accepted being a father?" Thando brought Levi's hand to her mouth and began nibbling his fingertips, taking his first two fingers into her mouth one at a time and sucking firmly.

"Accepted? That is an understatement. I am very pleased with this package deal, especially since it comes with a sweet sexy woman who happens to have an oral fixation." Thando smiled between sucking Levi's fingertips, then took his forefinger deeper into her mouth. "I've read that pregnancy hormones can increase a woman's sex drive," he added.

Thando laughed, "I'm pretty sure I'd be sucking your fingers if I wasn't pregnant."
"And I'd be getting just as hard," he answered as he pressed his member into her thigh emphasizing his point. “I cannot wait for the day when you pack your life and move into our home. But your mother needs you now more than ever so I will be patient and understanding.” Levi s removed his fingers from her mouth to kiss her.

Thando pulled back and grinned before slithering down his abdomen. Feeling Levi's two hands in her hair, she took his cock firmly in her hand and lowered her mouth deftly over him and heard him groan. No licking, no teasing, this time. Thando went straight to deep thrusts, using her hand to squeeze him tightly.

"Fuck," he whispered. Was it an expletive or a command? Her other hand dug into his firm thigh and she was being unusually belligerent, taking him deep and fast into her mouth, time and time again. Then she suddenly stopped, loosened her grip, and lightly twirled her tongue around the tip of his cock, tasting the salty precum that she milked out of him. Then she covered her teeth with her lips, made a big "O" before lowering her mouth back down on him again. Her tongue applied extra pressure along the underside of his shaft over and over with each dip of her mouth.

"Come here," Levi reached under her arms and pulled her back up, "I want to taste your mouth."
"What?" Thando asked, but offered up her mouth. "You'd rather have my mouth way up here?"
"I'm lacking my usual patience," Levi whispered. "I've been craving your pussy all morning."
"Oh my," Thando purred as Levi rolled on top of her and kissed her neck while exploring between her legs with his hand. "What about Kagiso? Will he hear us?" She asked.

"I'll muffle your screams," Levi whispered, causing Thando to laugh at his unusual playfulness. She felt him position his cock at her entrance and felt the head part her lips as he rubbed it back and forth along her slit. Thando wiggled from below, her own craving reaching torturous levels, until she felt him press into her fully, filling her completely with his cock and she muttered without thinking, "I love your cock inside me."
"Mmmmm, not as much as I do," Levi whispered as he ground his hips side to side without pulling back.

Thando gulped and began sucking the skin on his collarbone so she wouldn't cry out, for he was doing that thing that he did, rubbing her in just the right spot, seeming more mindful of making her feel good than worrying about himself. That is when she realized that her pleasure actually was his pleasure and that this thrilled him. She sucked on his skin, tasting the saltiness. She wanted to let him know how amazing he felt, but was mindful that only a thin wall separated them from his best friend. Levi began deep thrusts and she felt a little light headed, "Levi? Can we move to the floor?"

Levi let out a low laugh and whispered, "If you'd be more comfortable." And he tossed the pillows on the floor and pulled out long enough for her to relocate, then mounted her again and slid back to the warm void where he was sorely missed after a momentary absence. His cock made such a satisfying return that an involuntary moan escaped her lips.

Levi's hand found its way to her breast and the massaging interspersed with intense pressure on her pubic bone triggered a trembling deep within her. She had to bite and suck his shoulder to keep from crying out. Her hips bucked and she wrapped her legs around his for leverage. Her hips lifted slightly off the ground as she rubbed herself into him, enjoying the motion of the circular grinding that was rubbing her so sweetly. She raised a foot even higher, bringing it behind his butt and holding her own ankle, giving him even greater access to grind himself deep inside her.

Thando continued to suck his skin, as the rubbing on her clit and intermittent pulsating pinch of a nipple was more than enough to spark the spasms that would lead to orgasmic bliss. Levi responded by mumbling in her ear, at times incoherently, but she heard mutterings of "love, so good...mmmm...ah...my, love, baby...mmm...yes, ...ahh." His moans of endearment overwhelmed her, as did the taste of his skin, and the rotating plunging motion - she was seeing flashes of colour through her eyes closed. Suddenly he was triggered and exploded in a sweet, long, orgasm that crashed like waves over and over, leaving him panting with ecstasy while Thando was left unfulfilled.

Levi leaned up on his elbows to kiss her face and was surprised to see a sullen expression on her face. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" He panicked.
"No, no, I'm not hurt. Just feeling a little nauseous."
Levi sighed in relief and kissed her cheeks.
"Do you still have your pills? Haven’t seen you take them since we got back from Moz."
Levi stopped kissing her to look in her eyes and answered, “I have to go for a full medical check-up and fitness test so I can’t pump my body with obscene amounts of Viagra all the time. I thought we were doing fine without the pills for the past three weeks? Did you cum?”
“Um, yeah, we are…. It was just an observation.” She lied, not wanting to make him feel emasculated but she couldn’t possibly cum within five minutes. “The past three weeks have actually been brutal emotionally and I don’t know how I would have coped with my parent’s situation without you. It’s almost like you are my emotional crutch and I need you to get back up and keep moving forward.” She focused on the things that really worked in their relationship.
"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. I want to feel needed."
"Really? I thought guys were repulsed by needy women?"

"You are far from needy, Our Love. In fact, you are incredibly independent, which attracts me, but also keeps me at a distance. I want to be your solace, your safe haven, the person you don't need to be strong in front of. I've tasted your vulnerability before and it's beautiful. I love that you to trust me and love me with reckless abandon."
"That scares me. Sometimes I second guess my decision to trade in everything I have to be a housewife, essentially having to rely on you for everything. I never saw myself as that woman that calls her man to ask for money to do her hair or buy roll on and tempos. Giving someone that much power scares me."
"I will not abuse that power. Let’s get a joint account. I know I initially said that I would deposit money in your account every month but I don’t want you to feel like a child getting an allowance or feel like you have to ask me for money for roll on. I want you to feel like an equal." Levi answered and kissed her lips, then leaned up to look at her face. Her eyes were half closed and a contented smile rested on her lips, then her eyes widened and she looked horrified.

"Oh crap. Levi!" she whispered, still mindful of Kagiso in the other room. "I gave you a hickey! Oh my god, I am so sorry!"
Levi laughed and assured her he didn't mind, that he enjoyed getting it.
"But my parents! Get up. We need to do the cold spoon trick."
Levi reluctantly crawled off Thando and the pile of pillows on the floor and helped Thando up. They both dressed and tip toed into the kitchen, where Thando found a spoon, put it in the freezer, then turned to assess the damage. It was near the collar, probably possible to hide with makeup if he allowed her.

"Hey," Kagiso stood in the doorway looking dishevelled in a t-shirt and boxer shorts.
"Oh, sorry. Did we wake you?" Levi asked.
"Nah, hunger woke me up." Kagiso said, reaching up to a high shelf in the cabinet and withdrew a pack of cookies.
"Would you like me to make you breakfast?" Thando asked.

"Cookies will do," Kagiso answered. “Don’t want to overwork a pregnant lady. Pregnancy is treating you well by the way, you are glowing. Let’s hope your nose wont explode.”
Levi and Thando both shook their heads and Levi said, "We are trying to minimize the hickey this dude left on my neck."

Kagiso looked at Thando and said, "What, are you in high school?" But he was smiling and Thando knew that he liked to joke around, so Thando teased back.
"If I were, he'd have a whole necklace in addition to my initials on his butt cheeks. This little mark is just the result of trying to stay quiet during the throes of passion so you don’t have to feel single."

Kagiso laughed, then glanced at Levi and said, "Lucky him," while shaking his head. "Sure you don't want to join me?" Kagiso gestured to the pack of cookies and milk on the table.
"I'll have a cookie," Thando offered and Levi did too.
"Good, I hate eating alone."
Thando stood to get the spoon out of the freezer and told Levi to hold it as she placed the flat part on the hickey.
"I hope this thing isn’t as prominent when we get home. I don't want my parents to think I'm a freak."
"Aren't you? If you don’t give him asthma attacks, you leave marks on his body." Kagiso laughed.

Thando glared at Kagiso with mock-anger, but couldn't help laughing. She liked a guy who had the confidence to make fun of her. "Yeah. I must own it."

Kagiso laughed and called Levi 'lucky' for the second time, while Thando pulled the spoon away to assess the damage and shook her head, mad at herself for leaving a mark on him, but the smile on Levi's face told her he couldn't care less.

***
Levi looked up from his car magazine, as he heard the announcement to fasten seat belts. They were about to land and Thando was asleep with her head on his shoulder. "Buckle up, bun. We are close to landing."
Thando smiled with her eyes still closed and said, "I dreamt we had a little boy, and he kept saying 'look mommy, look at me!' as he was running around on a grassy field."
Levi rubbed her cheek with his thumb. The thought of having a son with a healthy mom momentarily eclipsed the anxiety he was feeling about seeing Thando’s parents.

After a pleasantly uneventful landing and car rental, they were on the road. "It feels wonderful to drive an SUV again, makes me feel like a responsible old man," Levi said as soon as they were on the road. "We should take a road trip, sometime." Levi added.
“Another holiday?” Thando was sceptical.
"Yes. Maybe next summer we can drive across the country?"
Thando hesitated. She hated to be a killjoy, but she felt frustrated that he seemed to forget at times that she was pregnant and we were supposed to be cutting down costs. "Um, well...there will be three of us next summer and we won’t be in South Africa."

Levi nodded in agreement, silently considering that this would be his last winter not being a parent. Thando went on, "Maybe we could do something before the baby comes? Something shorter? Driving across the country seems like too much with a new-born."
Levi remained silent for several minutes, and then asked Thando the date the baby was expected.
"Sometime in April."

"Wow." Levi was quiet again, which Thando interpreted as disappointment. After a few minutes he broke the silence with, "What do you think of taking a short vacation on a random weekend before we leave? Perhaps you will not be comfortable enough for a long road trip, but we could fly somewhere. I really want to visit that ghost town you are writing about. Isn't Barberton in Mpumalanga? Now that I think of it, do you still write?"

Thando looked at Levi and felt overcome with love for him at that moment. She had erroneously assumed he was feeling negatively about how his life was changing without his control but he was thinking about a silly short story she told him a few weeks after they met.
"You remember that, Levi?" She asked as tears brimmed her eyes.
Levi glanced at her with surprise, not knowing what he had said to make her cry, but glad it seemed to be happy tears.
"Yes, the story is based in a small town called Barberton," Thando said, "I didn’t finish the story though."
"That’s a pity. Maybe if we go there you will be inspired to finish the story. Why didn’t you finish it, writers block?"
Thando shook her head.
"Distracting new husband?"
Thando laughed, "Yes, well there is that and everything that has been going on in my life. But the truth is I hit a major hurdle with my story line and I lost interest."

Levi waited for her to go on.

"Well, I guess you figured something is going on with Scelo and his stealing, right? Well, I wanted to write that he gets arrested for forgery and goes to prison. I wanted Velile to visit and have conjugal visits, but as I was doing my research, I learned that they don't have conjugal visits in South African prisons."

"So, have Scelo bribe prison warders to see Velile? I heard Jub Jub was caught having sex in his prison cell. One can do anything in South Africa if they pay the right price."
"I can't! You see I wrote the whole story based on the premise that Scelo is kind of this...nice guy. Passive guy, you know? He might be pushed to do a white collar crime because he would justify it, but he can't bribe prison warders! That doesn’t seem like something a nice guy would do."

Levi rubbed his chin and thought for a moment.
Thando went on. "I really wanted to tell a different story about prisoners, gangs and gangsters. Not all of them are hardened criminals that nobody cares about, some are were forced into a life of crime to make ends meet. I didn’t want Scelo getting butt raped or beaten or any of these things we see on TV."
Levi laughed, "You are concerned about the ass of a fictional character?"
"I was," Thando admitted. "I didn't write him to get butt-raped."
"Well baby, I do not think that readers will know that prisons don't allow conjugal visits so you can throw it in there."
"I know now and I just can't pretend that I don't. If I had made a mistake and did it unknowingly, that would be different, but now I know. I’m not even writing that story anymore. I’m just not in the same headspace."
"Well, I sincerely admire your integrity and fortitude. And I am touched by your ferocious protectiveness of your character's anus," He laughed.
"Levi, Scelo’s character was loosely based on Sandiso’s life. I don’t really care if he gets butt raped and beaten anymore." She looked at Levi with such intense candour that it overwhelmed him. Her bold and confident appearance housed the sweetest soul he could imagine.

Levi took his hand off the wheel to place it on Thando's bare knee. They were getting close to the house Thando grew up in and Thando had received a text stating that her grandparents were at the house.

Not wanting to dwell on the memory of Sandiso, Thando told Levi more about her grandparents, her cousins, and about her uncles. They tried to keep calm, but admittedly they didn't know what her dad would say or how he would act. When they reached the house, Thando asked, "Are you nervous?"

“Yes.”
“Me too.” Thando echoed and rested her hand on his leg reassuringly. Levi tried to relax as he parked the car, turned off the ignition, and opened the door for Thando.
As Thando hopped out of the car they spotted Thando’s grandparents walking towards them. "Hello, Granma and Granpa." Levi watched as Thando hugged first her grandmother then grandfather, and then turned to introduce them. “This is Levi Cohan," and then gesturing to her grandparents, "my grandparents from my father’s side."

"How nice to meet you mkhwenyana [son in-law]," Thando’s grandmother said, and immediately embraced Levi in a bear hug. When she released him, Levi turned to her grandfather who held out his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Cohan.” Thando’s Grandfather told him as he shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you both.”
When they made it in the house they greeted everyone and settled in the living room. Thando and Levi were surprised by how friendly her parents were; they hadn't expected that. They certainly didn’t expect the apology that came from Thando’s parents for the way they reacted to the news about the pregnancy and the way they’d misjudged Levi. Thando and Levi wondered what brought on the sudden change of heart.

When the room fell silent again Levi sat upright on the couch trying not to let his eyes wander around too much, feeling like he was in a museum of freakish clutter. There was barely room to sit on the old couch due an abundance of throw pillows. Stacks of books, boxes, an easel, a sewing machine, an ironing board, a cabinet of Thando and Futhi’s trophies, and all the pots and dishes wrapped in newspaper were caught by his discreet visual sweep of the room.

Thando sat very erect at his side and periodically took deep breaths. Her nausea had returned and there was an unusual smell she could not name, coupled with an empty stomach.

Maria was seated on the one seater couch which was reserved for Mayihlome, wore fitted pants and she wasn’t wearing a doek on her head like she should have been. This was a clear sign of her cheekiness but nobody brought it up. Maria behaved friendly and cheerful, despite the chaotic surroundings that sent a clear message to everyone sitting in awkward silence.

"Do you paint?" Levi asked randomly when his eyes landed on paintbrushes sticking out of one of the boxes.
"I haven't in years, but I like to be prepared when the muse hits." Maria answered.
"And you sew too?"
"Yes, when I have time."
Grandpa smiled with his teeth slightly parted. He seemed eager in a friendly, canine manner and Levi finally seemed to relax and sat back on the couch.
"Can I show you Thandolwethu’s trophies?" Maria offered.
"Sure," Levi answered, and heard an audible groan from Thando.
"Thando used to enter writing competitions and she always won. Did you know she’s also a poet?"
"Yes, I do actually." Levi looked into the box full of trophies etched with the name Thandolwethu Khoza. He was trying to ignore the thick tension hanging in the room and asked Maria, "Are you a writer?"
Maria smiled widely, looking delighted as she answered, "I used to! But I was never as good as Thando. She has more of a creative mind and I expected her to aspire to be a poet or a professional singer but she wasn’t interested."

"Thandolwethu gets nervous when people watch her," Granma spoke up. "It's best not to let her know you are there when she starts singing or she will stop."
“I don’t know why she is so shy, she sounds like an angel.” Mayihlome chirped in.
"Levi plays the piano," Thando smiled towards Levi, who did not look horribly uncomfortable any longer.
“That’s nice. A piano is that big black keyboard, right?” Grandpa asked.
“You could say that,” Futhi spoke up as she walked into the living room with a tray.

The chatter was disrupted by Futhi serving tea and biscuits. As she was about to go back to the kitchen Maria asked her to take a seat on the armrest. "Well, as everyone can see. I am moving out. Mayihlome and I are getting a divorce." She let out in a rush.

Mayihlome's face morphed into wonderment as he looked back and forth from Futhi to Thando then to his estranged wife, his bloodshot eyes filling with tears.
Grandpa stared at his son. “You’re…” and that’s the farthest he could go with that sentence.
Futhi’s brain felt numb, unable to wrap itself around the idea of her parents splitting up. Maria covered one of Futhi’s shaking hands with hers, and watched a look of complete sadness cover the faces of everyone in the room.

“Why?” Futhi finally asked, voice cracking. “Why can’t you fix it?”
“Well…” Maria started. “Sometimes things just don’t work out the way people want them to.”
Thando didn’t realize she was crying until a sob slipped through her lips and Levi pulled her into a hug. Though he wasn’t supposed to touch her in front of her parents, she let him hold her, burying her face in her shoulder.
“What happens now? Who would I live with?” Futhi asked through quivering lips.
"I'm going to throw up," Thando warned.
"This way!" Maria gestured to the hallway and a closed door. Thando had to crawl over boxes and a stack of books and squeeze by a chair in the hallway to get to the bathroom and barely raised the lid on the toilet in time, and then sank down and sat on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Grandma asked from the open doorway.
"Nausea," Thando answered. "There was a funny smell and...." She gave up on explaining and figured she would know the feeling.
Her grandmother came and sat on the floor next to her and looked up at Maria and Futhi who were now in the door way, "Ntombifuthi pop a slice of lemon into a mug of hot water for your sister."
While Futhi scooped tears off her face and scrambled to the kitchen to boil water, Thando’s grandmother urged Thando to rinse her mouth before she grasped Thando’s tongue using a dry, clean cloth and pulled it straight out, until it felt quite strained and uncomfortable, then held it for 30 seconds. “This helps with morning sickness.”
Thando and her mother were certain that it wouldn’t help but it didn’t hurt to try that and the hot lemon water.

“Are you okay babe?" Levi asked when she sank into the chair next to him, her grandmother and mother following closely behind.
“As okay as I can be.” Thando sniffled.
She watched her mother look at her dad again, then she spoke. “We have to get some things sorted out, still…”
“Like what things?” Futhi interrupted. She pulled away from Maria’s chest, sat up almost straight and forced herself to stop crying.
“Lawyers, custody, estate agents…”
“Estate agents?” Futhi interrupted again.
“We have to put this house up for sale as soon as your dad gets an apartment. Maybe he might want to move in with Forgiveness, who knows? Neither of us can afford to keep the house without both our incomes.”
“Maria, my love, please don’t do this to us. Don’t do this to this family. I will leave her. I will do anything to fix things.” Mayihlome pleaded. “If you want me to choose between you and her then I choose you.”
“It’s too late to choose me. You should have chosen me when you first realised that you had feelings for her. You cannot fuck another woman over and over again then expect me to turn the other cheek. You chose her every time you drilled your penis into her while I was at home cooking, washing and taking care of your kids. If there is one thing I have learnt from my daughter is that heartbreak won’t kill me, staying in a toxic relationship will.”

Thando could feel tears threatening again; she looked at her lap and blinked them away as she tried to sort through all the thoughts swirling around in her head.
“So all of this is happening because of Forgiveness? Can’t we just agree to cut her out of the picture and go back to normal?” It was a desperate plea from the youngest member of the family. If only things were as simple as Futhi imagined.
“Levi please take Thando and Futhi to the mall. This is a matter that needs to be discussed with the elders.” Grandpa requested. “I know it’s hard, but it’ll be okay,” grandpa assured Thando and Futhi, before they left the room, though they both didn’t see how it could be.
No one even noticed Levi’s hickey or maybe they did but his prominent red mark paled in comparison to a family falling apart.