Chapter seven

The moment Weruche got to her street, she knew her suspicions were not wrong. She could see her house clearly from ten feet away, and people were trooping in and out, wearing long faces. They looked like people in mourning. You did not mourn the sick, you mourned the dead.

   She broke into a run, her back pack that contained most of her possessions wearing her down, and stealing the little strength she had, yet she did not stop.

   ''Justin, where is Mama? She's not dead, is she?'' She asked grabbing her brother immediately she got into the house.

   ''Relax Weruche.'' He said in a flash of irritation. ''She's not dead, I told you she was sick now, or did I say she's dead. She's in the room, go and see her. She probably won't be alive for long.'' 

   Weruche let go of her brothers arm as his words stung. Relieved as she was that her mother was still alive, she hated how unconcerned about their mother's health Justin sounded, he also mentioned that she wouldn't be alive for long.

  Her mother was sleeping almost peacefully in the section used as her bedroom. Brenda, was holding her hand, she got up immediately she saw Weruche.

   ''Weruche! I didn't want Justin to call you, there's really nothing you can do, and it would be very painful for you to watch her go''

   Weruche came forward and hugged her best friend. ''What did the doctors say is wrong with her?''

   ''Doctors?" Brenda laughed bitterly. ''No one has the money to take her to see doctors - at least so they say.''

   ''But what of Justin? He makes money off gambling sometimes..'' Weruche fired back, fighting despair.

   ''Yes, he makes sometimes, and sometimes he looses, then he comes home and takes your mother's money to gamble some more, and when she objects, he hits her -''

   ''It's not true, you're lying'' Weruche objected feebly as tears started forming in her eyes again.

   ''Lying about what? The fact that Justin looses, or that he takes money from your mother, or that he hits her-''

   ''Justin would never do that?''

   ''Do you even believe the lies you tell yourself?'' Brenda asked, her eyes a little kinder, but her voice no less harsh.

   ''Why are you doing this?'' Weruche burst out, no longer able to control her tears. ''You're supposed to be here for me-''

   ''This is me being here for you Weruche, you're way too naive to the things that go on in your life. Should you mother die-''

   ''My mother is not going to die!'' Weruche screamed, then repeated more calmly. ''My mother is not going to die.''

   ''Well, she's very sick now, and we don't even have money to get a doctor, not to mention she has a very high BP, has suffered partial stroke twice, and she has that heart issue that was never probably diagnosed.''

   ''My mother has some money.... money she was keeping away for my education -''

   ''Which part of Justin taking all her money don't you understand? Your mother has nothing.''

   Weruche lifted up her tear-streaked face to pierce her friend with her eyes. ''How come you know so much about my family?''

   ''Because I'm you neighbor silly... and because I don't pretend to be what I'm not.'' She added, her voice barely a whisper.

  ''Karis can help'' Weruche said out out of the blue, and Brenda looked up momentarily thrown.

  ''Help w..with what, I don't understand.'' Brenda stammered.

   ''Karis can help a friend who needs financial assistance.'' Weruche said, and the two friends smiled at each other for the first time since their meeting that day.

  Brenda shook her head. ''But you didn't continue the friendship did you, you didn't even get his number that night, or give him yours, and I told you he could come in handy.... see what I mean. To even think that you had him all to yourself in that garden, and yet you -''

   ''Relax Brenda, one thing at a time'' Weruche said deep in thought.

  ''You know he's a titled chief.... I mean Karis Dad, and people with titles don't fraternize with commoners, let alone people from the slums like us. If anything happens between you and Karis, it's going to be just that, casual sex. If you're smart, you can get as much money from him as you can while it lasts.''

   ''I'm not going to have sex with Karis.''

   Brenda looked surprised. ''How then do you plan to get money from him?''

   ''I would find a way. There has to be a way.'' Weruche said as she finally put down her backpack. ''I'm going to Karis house this evening.... I'm going to need something from your wardrobe Brenda''

    Brenda nodded. She had the perfect little dress for Weruche if she was going to succeed in anything she planned that evening, and she had to succeed.