Tanya starts work and realises how much she has missed being in the office. Rue is always in her office now, catching her up on office gossip. All her other colleagues take turns to ogle at the twins’ pictures at tea break. Thank God Tadiwa is at kindergarten everyday otherwise she would be getting calls from Rudo every hour.
She does miss the twins now and again and wonders if she made the right choice. Will her kids miss her and blame her someday for choosing to work? But she knows she’s being ridiculous; over thinking because of her own childhood experience.
Mhamha has not mentioned anything about therapy since their conversation. Tanya’s not pushing; she has a lot on her plate anyway. The days go by so quickly and she and Dylan barely have time to really talk except in the evenings. She makes a mental note not to forget her husband in all this chaos.
On Sunday they decide to go to church. Tanya notices that Kupa is a bit reluctant to go, she’s the last one out of the house. Her daughter is not given to being late. She means to address it but doesn’t think much of it.
The service is good. Tanya had missed the choir’s singing. Pastor Ben is not back yet, but that’s the only unusual thing about church. After the service so many people she hasn’t seen in a while come over to pass their condolences for her father’s death. Some want to know what happened to Annie. How the news travelled this far she doesn’t know, but she makes sure to shut them down.
Kupa has been uncomfortable the whole service. She spotted Tapiwa the moment she entered the church. She’s a little shaky but she’s mostly angry. What that ill excuse of a boy tried to do to her that one night months ago is inexcusable. He hasn’t looked in her direction but she knows if he does all he’ll see is a girl prepared to claw his eyes out. Kupa notices that her mother keeps looking in her direction, so maintains her composure during the service.
After the service a few girls from the youth group approach her. They hug her and tell her how much they missed seeing her at church. One of the girls she had grown fond of, Tendai, walks her to the car.
“Kupa you missed out, shamwari. And this isn’t a story I could text you.”
“What story? ” Kupa asks.
“Tapiwa now has a girlfriend! Her name is Pretty. She’s Gogo Gambiza’s granddaughter, she just moved in with her. All the girls from the choir are so jealous. We actually thought you guys were dating or something.”
Just then, as Tendai rambles on, Kupa sees Tapiwa put a hand around a girl’s shoulder just like he used to do with her during those first days at youth group. She’s pretty, yes she is, but she doesn’t look comfortable with him. Kupa wonders if Tapiwa has succeeded with this girl.
“I hate to be the one to tell you Kupa but Tapiwa told all the guys that you guys kissed and that you…” Tendai looks away.
“That I what?”
Tendai looks flustered.
“Tendai, just say it!”
“He says you stopped coming to church because he found out that you were messing around with other guys and he confronted you about it.”
Kupa is blinded for a moment by a hot intense surge of anger. She knew he was capable of some horrid things but to lie about her! That was taking things too far. He was ruining her reputation when he was the monster! She had to do something about it. What if he’s doing the same to this Pretty girl? What if she’s too ashamed to tell anyone too?
Kupa has learnt enough about abuse from the experiences of her grandmother and her mother. No one had told her about it but she saw what happened to Annie as well. She wouldn’t stand for it.
Before Tendai can stop her, Kupa is walking towards Tapiwa. He’s surrounded by a bunch of guys from the youth group. There’s an outburst of laughter as she approaches, and whether they are laughing at her or at something else it doesn’t matter, it just fuels her anger more.
She stops just a foot from Tapiwa and says, “Tapiwa, we need to talk.”
Tapiwa turns and Kupa swears she can see gloating in his eyes.
“Oh Kupa, welcome back. We were so sorry to hear about your grandfather.”
What has he to gloat about? Kupa is trying to rein herself in so much that she can feel her nails digging into her palms.
“I’m sure you remember all the guys.” He points to the youths around him. She’s too angry to see the discomfort radiating from the people around her.
“Oh, and this is my girlfriend, Pretty.”
Kupa barely acknowledges her and speaks again in a measured tone, “Great. Can I speak to you for a moment?”
Tapiwa, moves with her from the crowd, a cocky smile still on his face.
“Why so sour Kupa? You thought I’d be waiting on you? You think you’re so fancy-”
That triggers something in Kupa and she gives him are sounding slap.
In the same moment she hears her father’s voice,
“Kupakwashe!”
