The next couple of days are hectic for Tanya’s home. Dylan has gone back to work and is working overtime. Tanya knows he wants to make as much money as he can. She is coping as well as she can with the kids back at school. Kupa takes the kombi in the mornings but Tanya insists on getting her after school even though she’s already picked up Tadiwa earlier from kindergarten. It’s not that she doesn’t trust her daughter, but ever since she gave birth to the twins she’s been trusting her intuition more. Right now it’s telling her she needs to do this. It is a little draining to be doing the school run; she’ll have to adjust.
Kupa doesn’t look happy about her mother’s decision the first day. She’ll have to adjust accordingly. She supposes it’s also the best way to not deal with the marijuana smoking girls who are always teasing her nowadays or the boy who now looks at her with hate and disgust. Kupa longs to tell her mother about that encounter but she keeps waiting for the right time. She meant to after Annie started coming to the house for counselling but she didn’t. Then Sekuru dies and she decided to give her mother time to grieve. She would tell her, just not yet.
Dylan comes home late as usual,exhausted too. He finds Tanya waiting up for him.
“Hey, you know you didn’t have to wait up for me.”
“ I know..but I needed to talk to you..”
Dylan looks at her expectantly.
“I’ve been offered my old job back. And before you say no please know that I love staying with the kids. But we need the money and it won’t hurt for me to help out here whilst doing something I love.”
She waits for the bomb to explode. Dylan simply nods.
She goes on,
“My old boss says I can start part time since I’m still breastfeeding. I’ve worked out my schedule naRudo and I still have afternoons off to pick up Tadiwa and Kupa. The money’s good though, twice what they used to pay me plus benefits.”
Dylan looks to be mulling it over then says,
“I can provide for my family Tanya…”
“And I don’t dispute that Baba Kupa,let me help. It’s my fault we’re out of savings anyway. I should have told you I was pregnant so we could plan for it.”
“Very well. We’ll look through your schedule and see if this actually works, try this thing for a month. If it proves stressful for you Tanya I want you back home and resting. Money making can wait.”
Tanya sighs in relief. She has to make it work. She will…
She can’t resist hugging her husband in delight. That seems to light Dylan up. Things have been tight and seeing some semblance of joy on Tanya’s face is a good way to end the day.
Tanya calls her boss early morning and tells her she’ll be ready to start on Monday. Kupa senses her mother’s joy that afternoon as they’redriving home from school.
“Why are you so happy Mama?”
Tanya looks at her daughter, “Is it that obvious?”
They both giggle.
“Well I’m going back to work on Monday..”
Kupa can’t believe it. She was disappointed that her mother had quit her job. The news sounds great to her. Boss Lady Mum might have been busy but she had the focus, success and tenacity Kupa yearned for. She’d hoped to walk in those shoes. Now it seems she can.
“How do you feel about that?”
“Honestly, I’m glad you are going back to work. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a stay at home mom. But you were a fierce boss lady when you were at work. And you showed me I can be what I want to be.”
Tanya is touched by her daughter’s honesty. She didn’t realize how much of an influence she’d become when she chose to be a mother.
She takes Kupa’s hand.. something they are now both used to.
“Well now that I know you approve, I promise to be more of a good role model than before. And we’ll have to schedule some girl time too “
They get home still talking about all the things they’ll do together, just the two if them. And it feels like everything is working out for once.
Tanya walks and Mbuya Kupa is waiting on her.
“We must talk Mai 2…..”
