Broken Promises
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Story by Ros haden
Episode 1
“Ntombi, I’m going out.”
“Mama, you can’t. It’s the third
time this week and I’ve got …” But
before Ntombi could finish her
sentence her mother was already
giving her a list of things to do
while she was at Thabiso’s Tavern.
“There’s some money left for you
and Zinzi. Make sure Zinzi does her
homework – and don’t let her stay
up too late! How do I look?” She
did a twirl in the middle of the
living room. Ntombi looked at the
silver top and new jeans her
mother was wearing and her heart
sank. They were yet another gift
from her mother’s new boyfriend,
Zakes. Every time he went out with
her mother he gave her
something – but there was never
enough money left over to buy
something for her or her sister. He
never had anything for them
except for his unwanted ‘words of
advice’. Words that made Ntombi
want to throw something at him.
Cruel, mean, words.
“You girls will never get boyfriends
looking like that. Why don’t you do
something to your hair? You look
like village moegoes. No, what you
need is to go to the hairdresser,
get some braids.”
With what money? thought
Ntombi, but she knew if she
questioned him out loud, he would
get angry and her mother would
only take his side. She was forever
saying, “Now don’t upset Zakes,” or
“He’s only teasing; don’t be so
sensitive,” or, even worse: “Maybe
you should take his advice. You
know he’s a very successful
businessman.” And once when she
was really mad, she shouted at
Ntombi: “He is my boyfriend and
you must respect him. His word is
law!” Their mother had become a
stranger. Ntombi wanted her old
mother back.
Even when it was just the three of
them it wasn’t the same. Zakes still
messed things up between them.
“What does he do?” Ntombi asked
her mother on one of the few
nights that her mother was home
these days.
But her mother had looked unsure
and started picking at her nail
polish. “He’s in business…” she said
uncertainly.
“What kind of business?” Ntombi
wasn’t going to let her mother off
the hook so easily.
“I don’t know. He’s a car dealer, a
sales rep.” Her mother sat up on
the bed, where they had been
lying. “Anyway why all the
questions? Are you the police?” Her
mood had changed and she was
glaring at Ntombi. “All I care about
is that he treats me good, and that
he’s got a good job. You’ve seen
the way he dresses, and the car he
drives.”
“Mama, you used to tell me those
things didn’t matter. You used to
tell me it was what was inside that
mattered. You told me you
married Dad for love…”
“And look where that got me!” her
mother interrupted. “I don’t see
him in this room. Do you?” That
was the end of the conversation.
Her mother had got up and gone
through to watch a soapie on TV.
To be continue…Episode 2
Ntombi didn’t trust Zakes one bit.
He was a fake through and
through. And what was worse, she
didn’t like the way her mother
acted when he was around. Like
she was their older sister,
competing over guys, rather than
their mother who should be
looking after them, giving them
good advice, and protecting them
from men like Zakes.
When her dad left a year ago, just
after her fourteenth birthday, her
mother was very sad, but at least
they still felt like a family. They
cuddled up on the couch together
and watched Bold, and laughed
and cried together. And then, one
day, Mama came home from the
rich private school where she
worked cooking lunches, and told
them she was going out that
evening. The kitchen staff at the
school had persuaded her to join
them at Thabiso’s Tavern and she
thought it might be good for her.
Ntombi had helped her choose an
outfit: a nice denim skirt, just
below the knee, a tight black
wraparound top with a white
denim jacket. And to top it off,
some gold earrings. Mama looked
great. She had kissed her mother
goodbye and wished her luck.
Little did she guess that that night
her mother would meet Zakes and
their lives would be turned upside
down again.
Ntombi knew the first time she
saw Zakes, with his gold chains
and flash smile that didn’t reach
his eyes, that he would bring
nothing but trouble. Even his car
looked like a fake. It had been
resprayed and that could mean
one of two things: he had been in
an accident, or the car was stolen.
Things felt wrong when Zakes was
in the house. He seemed too big
for their small couch, sitting there
with his beer, interrupting their
conversations with his loud voice.
He loved to say things like, “Girls,
you are my daughters now. Go
fetch another beer for your father.”
“Do as he says,” their mother
would add if they hesitated, as she
cuddled closer to her new
boyfriend. There was no time for
Ntombi or Zinzi when Zakes was
around.
“Here.” Her mother handed Ntombi
a five rand coin from her new gold
bag. She smelled of some strong
perfume Zakes had bought her.
“Buy yourself some sweets at the
shop,” she said as she rushed out,
putting on lipstick as she went.
“Mama, I’m meant to be at singing
practice. The competition is next
week and…” But her mother was
already out of the door and in the
seat of Zakes’ resprayed BMW with
its fluffy dice bouncing from the
rearview mirror and couldn’t hear
her. All she could do was watch as
Zakes reversed with a squeal of
tyres, and then they were gone.
To be continue…
Fast Links To Available Episodes
Scroll Down For Episode Three And Four
okay. get on with it. @eliboy do your thang!
Episode 3
Ntombi looked at the five rand
coin in her hand. “What does she
think I can buy with five rand?”
she thought. One small bag of
chips at the spaza, and a small
packet of sweets, which she’d have
to share with Zinzi. It wouldn’t buy
her what she really needed – just
ten minutes of time with her
mother, when they could sit down
and watch TV together, or talk, like
they used to.
Just then Zinzi came in. She had
been playing soccer in the street
and her knee was grazed and
bleeding. “Where’s Mama?” she
asked Ntombi.
“Guess,” said Ntombi. “It’s not that
hard.”
“Zakes?”
“Where else?”
“I thought you had singing practice
this evening?’ said Zinzi as she
slumped on the couch and dabbed
at her cut with a tissue.
“Not any more. Mama said I’ve got
to stay home and look after you.”
“I can look after myself.”
“You’re twelve,” said Ntombi,
fetching the Dettol from the
bathroom and dabbing it on Zinzi’s
cut.
“Ouch!” Zinzi complained. “Stop it.
You’re hurting me.”
“Don’t act like a baby. You don’t
want it to get worse, do you? Do
you want to go to hospital with an
infected cut?”
“Why are you in such a bad
mood?”
“Wouldn’t you be if you were
missing a chance to go to the
national finals of South Africa’s
Teen Voice Competition?”
“I thought the judges were only
coming next week?”
“They are. But every practice is
really important. Mr Masondo says
that we have to work hard and
make Harmony High proud.
Otherwise he won’t let us
compete.”
Ntombi had been chosen, along
with ten others at Harmony High,
to perform for a panel of talent
scouts that was travelling around
the country auditioning high
school students for the Teen Voice
singing competition. If she was
chosen out of the ten students
from her school then she would go
on to the national finals in Jozi. The
prize was R10 000 and a recording
contract. Ntombi had promised
herself that she would work as
hard as she could, attend every
practice, and go to the nationals.
Sometimes she even let herself
dream of winning the competition.
It would change her life – she
would work really hard and
produce an album. She’d buy a
proper house for her family, and
make sure her sister finished
school. With the money she could
go to university and study to
become…
to be continue…Episode 4
Just then there was the sound of
girls laughing outside in the street.
“It’s the giraffes,” Zinzi said from
the couch where she was watching
Days on TV. She called Ntombi’s
three girlfriends the giraffes
because they were taller than
other girls. In turn, they called
Ntombi “shortie”, although she
was average height. Ntombi
opened the door and hugged her
friends Busi, Asanda and Lettie. At
least she could rely on them for
support. Asanda and Lettie had
also been chosen to compete in
the singing competition and
Ntombi could see that they were
on their way to the practice. Busi
was going along to watch in the
hope of attracting the attention of
Unathi, who was also competing.
At the last practice she sat in the
front row seats in the hall, blowing
kisses to Unathi and holding up a
big piece of paper with “I love
Unathi” painted in lipstick. Unathi
had just smiled and waved.
Ntombi had told Busi that Unathi
had a girlfriend back in Jozi, where
he was from, but Busi wouldn’t
listen. She didn’t want to hear.
“Come on, lazy girl,” Asanda
laughed. “We’ll be late.” The
practice was in the school hall, a
taxi-ride away.
“I can’t go,” Ntombi told them.
“You must be joking!” Lettie said.
“What’s wrong with you? I
thought this was your dream?”
“Mama went out and I have to
look after Zinzi.”
“You know what this means. Mr
Masondo is not going to be
pleased.”
“I know.” Ntombi was close to
tears and her friends could see it.
Mr Masondo was their singing
coach and he was strict. Two
missed rehearsals and you were
out of the competition.
Asanda gave her a big hug. “Listen,
we’ll bring you the lyrics back and
help you practise. Cheer up. I’ll tell
Mr Masondo that you got food
poisoning.” Asanda was the queen
of excuses, and with her charm the
teachers always believed her.
“Thanks chommies. You’re the
best.” Ntombi tried to smile
bravely, but she felt terrible.
“By the way, there’s a party on
Saturday at Thabiso’s Tavern.
We’re going,” Busi said. “Why don’t
you come? It should be fun.
Unathi’s going to be there with his
cousin from Jozi.”
“How many times do I have to tell
you Unathi has a girlfriend?”
Ntombi despaired of Busi. She
really lost her head over boys and
forgot who she was – the
intelligent and charismatic girl
who had a great future if she could
just stay focused.
“He’s never mentioned her,” said
Busi. “And anyway evidently his
cousin is even better looking, and
I’ve always wanted to go to Jozi.
They say the men are hot up
there.”
“You’re going to burn yourself one
day,” joked Ntombi. “Just be
careful.”
“Yes, Mama,” the girls laughed.
To be continue.ride on, @eliboy ur list here o.
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