Chapter 15 'The last testament'

Have you ever met someone new and you spend a day with them and it seems like you have known them forever. Have you ever board a bus and set next to someone so friendly, very much like you and never close to the friends you have at home. But that person drops off the next stop you say goodbye and never to see them again. Your heart is left empty as if there had been in it for a long time.  One of my favourite songs said ‘an old man turned ninety nine he won the lottery and died the next day. You meet the man of your dreams and he introduces you to his beautiful wife. You look for a knife and find a thousand spoons. Isn’t that ironic?’

Everything was set and ready, she was well dressed, her coffin polished and a lot of mourners had gathered to say goodbye to a woman they thought they knew a long time ago. Ruth was there as well, she was now fit enough to walk by herself.  She went to her bedroom and mourned her friend one more time, a friend that sacrificed her life for hers.  Anele followed her daughter to her room and held her close she did not want to lose her again. It was Taka’s last will and testament that brought a new chapter in these women’s lives. Before she died she wrote

Dear girls

It was lovely knowing you.  I am happy to have met you. My life has been on the balance and soon I was going to be sentenced and spend the rest of my life in jail. I grew up a rural girl, got married early and never got an education. All of my life I have lived it on sacrifice and love regardless of  abuse. Therefore as a friend I request you do the following for me; by the time you read this I will be dead. Please Selina take a bus to a small town called Lumbo; there you will find a hospital. Look for a nurse called Nonhlanhla Dube tell her you were sent by Taka. Bring my daughter back with you. When Ruth is awake tell her I said my daughter has to be a lawyer like her. Take my body to the doctors tell them I have a very healthy liver that will suit Ruth. Give Ruth my life however she has to forgive Anele. We all make mistakes.

Goodbye my friends

Father jerkins made his last prayer and Taka was laid to rest. Anele and Ruth with Taka’s daughter made their way back home. Though Anele had lost half of her wealth she had gained most of what she had missed all of her life. Selina went to Father Jerkins and held his hand tight and whispered ‘Father behold your daughter needs a father’.

The end

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written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

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Chapter 14 'the last confession'

He did not wear his robe that day at the alter instead he put on the scotch grey jacket he wore that night. Selina did not waste much time she made her way straight to the church just as Father Jerkins had requested her to do. A lot went through her mind, she was not sure why Father Jerkins had called her.  She arrived at the church and headed to the confession chamber just as instructed by Father Jerkins.

‘Father you requested my presence’ spoke Selina in a humble voice. ‘Yes my daughter’ spoke the Priest. The burden was heavy for him to carry he had to bring it down however it was heavier to put it down. Nonetheless he had to confess. ‘I have never judge anyone in my life as a Priest. All I have done is to forgive sins just as instructed. I hope you will not judge me but forgive me of my sins’ spoke Father Jerkins. Selina’s heart beat slowly and she was scared. He spoke slowly and left no detail. ‘Remember the night you were raped. I was there. I promised to drive you home. I took the wrong way, made you fall asleep and I raped you. I am sorry and I am asking for your forgiveness'.  She kept quiet for a while then asked him ‘why Father? Why did you rape me? He answered ‘we are all made of flesh. I was weak and I succumbed to temptations. Every day I listen to people confess their sins to me i know how it feels like when your flesh rules you. So when I forgive their sins my heart is at peace because I have been there myself. All I am asking is for you to forgive me’. she did not speak further she stood up and walked away.

As she approached the door she met Anele. ‘Where is Father Jerkins? He has to come to Ruth’s house Taka has killed herself’.

Chapter 15 to follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

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Chapter 14 the last confession

He did not wear his robe that day at the alter instead he put on the scotch grey jacket he wore that night. Selina did not waste much time she made her way straight to the church just as Father Jerkins had requested her to do. A lot went in her mind about why Father Jerkin had asked her to come to the church.  She arrived at the church and headed to the confession chamber just as instructed by Father Jerkins.

‘Father you requested my presence’ spoke Selina in a humble voice. ‘Yes my daughter’ spoke the Priest. The burden was heavy for him to carry he had to bring it down however it was heavier to put it down. Nonetheless he had to confess.  ‘I have never judge anyone in my life as a Priest. All I have done is to forgive sins just as instructed. I hope you wil not judge me but forgive me of my sins’ spoke Father Jerkins. Selina’s heart beat slowly and she was scared. Of all holy people why the Priest would chose her to confess his sins to. He spoke slowly and left no detail. ‘Remember the night you were raped. I was there. I promised to drive you home. I took the wrong way, made you fall asleep and I raped you. I am sorry and I am asking for your forgiveness.  She kept quiet for a while then asked him ‘why Father? Why would you rape? He answered ‘we are all made of flesh. I was weak and I succumbed to temptations. Every day I listen to people confess their sins to me i know how it feels like when your flesh rules you. So when I forgive their sins my heart is at peace because I have been there myself. All I am asking is for you to forgive me’. she did not speak further she stood up and walked away.

As she approached the door she met Anele. ‘Where is Father Jerkins? He has to come to Ruth’s house Taka has killed herself’.

Chapter 15 to follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

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Chapter 13 ‘dying child, young girl and the Priest’s robe’

 They all stood by her death bed and father Jerkins made a very long prayer. There was little hope that she would come to life again. Two people had lost the will to live, Taka and Anele. Taka and recently found a friend and lawyer someone who had believed in her innocence despite the fact that her hands were soaked in blood while for Anele her joy of reuniting with her long lost child had faded.

Anele was so much in pain, she had made many mistakes and kept secrets; she could not keep them anymore.  She poured out her heart to Father Jerkins, Selina and Taka and once again asked for forgiveness from Father Jerkins. 

They left the hospital and drove back to Anele’s home for a cup of coffee. On the way Father Jerkins had a lot to think about.  He had never confessed his sins to anyone. All of his life he has listened to sinners come in to the alter and confess. Some murderers some adulteress while others like him were rapist. He had a congregation of more than two hundred looking up to him. He was recently nominated to be the Arch Bishop and he was the longest serving Priest in town. Everyone knew Father Jerkins as ever smiling and always forgiving sins. If he confess to Selina he would lose being the Priest if he doesn’t he will die with guilty and bitterness. What profit does it make for a man to forgive the whole world and not forgive himself? He comforted himself and said God has forgiven him he will take his secret to the grave.

On arrival at Anele’s house the guest were met by the ever smiling Tami. The Priest looked at her and remembered that fateful night. His heart beat fast and his conscious spoke to him, he had to let go of the secret. He looked at the little girl then looked back at his robe, he looked again at the young girl then looked at his robe then he called Selina.

chapter 14 to follow #keep reading 

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Chapter 12 ‘poetic justice’

She found her lying on her bed cold and with no sign of life. Her blankets were straight a sign that she had been like that most of the night. ‘Ruth, Ruth wake up’ spoke Taka in a very scared voice.  She had no pulse and her skin was white.  For the past week they have been together Ruth never spoke about her family to Taka. She never heard her on the phone talking to her brothers or sisters. She was alone seemed happy but always hid her loneliness. There were no pictures of family on her wall just one picture of an old lady in her bedroom. Only one thing came to Taka’s mind she had to run to the church and call the Priest.

She had made up her mind. She was going to tell Ruth the truth and ask for forgiveness.  She remembered that night thirty nine years ago, alone, scared and cold. ‘I was young and I made the wrong decisions, I do not deserve your forgiveness but I thought I tell you the truth. I am sorry for the years you had to grow without me however I am grateful of what pain and hardships has brought out of you’ spoke Anele as she rehearsed her forgiveness speech. She took her diary and headed to Ruth’s house. Ruth had given her the address and directions.

She arrived at Ruth’s house to find Father Jerkins and Taka about to make their way to the hospital. ‘What is wrong?’ asked Anele. ‘It’s Ruth she did not wake up from her sleep, the ambulance has taken her to the Hospital, we need to rush there and here what the doctors have to say’.

It did not take long before the doctor came back to Taka, Father Jerkins and Anele with feedback on what was wrong with Ruth. ‘I am afraid I have bad news, her liver is badly damaged and she won’t be waking up again. She only has a few days to live if not a week’

Anele fell face down and cried. Her baby the one she dumped thirty nine years ago and found yesterday was dying. She never had the chance to ask for forgiveness, tell her the truth and at least from the bottom of her heart tell her that despite what she did she loves her. The gods were punishing her for the sins she had committed, it was poetic justice.

Chapter 13 to follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

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Chapter 10 ‘flying kites and coffees’

Remember the first time you met your wife, lover or friend. Some testimonies are odd; some are weird while some are just normal like at church after the service when the pastor says, shake a hand and make a friend.

Three boys are flying kites on the street close to the church. Yesterday was a very fun day for the three musketeers Themba, Mandla and John. Mandla came out victorious because his kite flew the furthest and stayed the longest time floating. Themba is a very smart boy and always refuses to be beaten. He spent the whole night fixing his beloved kite ‘kit’. He put a few adjustments here and there which included and very light wire to control the kite. 

Two days ago, three naked electrical cables where put to connect power to the church. There were connected via poles that stood up above the same street where Themba and his friends were flying kites. More than forty thousand volts of electricity passed through those wires. If Themba’s kite with a light wire touched any of those, electricity would be transmitted into Themba’s body and he would die.

Four women were coming out of church after a confession service when a big bang was heard. Three boys are lying on the ground unconscious. A lot of panic, screams, people crying and then three cars make their way to the hospital with the three boys, hoping that the sooner they get the better the chances for the boys surviving.

The boys are in a stable condition the doctors are very thankful of the work that was done by those that brought them to the hospital. 

Five people stand at the door; one of them is Father Jerkins. ‘Hello Father, my name is Anele and this is my friend Selina’. Then one of the other two spoke, ‘hello father my name is Ruth and this is my friend Taka’. Father Jerkins knows all of them, they all confessed their sins to him however he did not confess his to them. ‘How about I invite all of you for a cup of coffee at my house’ spoke Anele, everyone agrees and they head there.

Four women and a Priest are having coffee in the living room. One of the women is a murderer; the other a prostitute, the owner of the house is a liar and the other one is a cancer victim waiting to die while the Priest is a rapist. For we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God….

Chapter 11 to follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

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Chapter 11 ‘scotched secrets’

A story was told long time ago of a King who had everything but happiness. He called all the wizards and wise men to the palace and asked them to find a solution to his lack of happiness. A spell was made to make him happy however it was short of one very important ingredient, the shirt of the happiest man on earth. A search was made and reward put forward for the man who will bring the shirt of the happiest man on earth. After a very long time of searching, two men came back to the King with some news. ‘Your majesty we have found the happiest man on earth however there is one problem, he does not have a shirt'.

Four women and a Priest were having coffee when one of them, Ruth asked for the bathroom. ‘Come let me show you where it is’ spoke Anele. ‘Mama screamed Tami as she rushed to her mother Selina’ She had just arrived from a road trip at school. ‘Tami, say hello to Father Jerkins and Aunty Taka’ spoke Selina as she introduced Tami to the guest. ‘Ok you can go and change now’. ‘She is a grown woman now’ spoke Taka. ‘Yes she is especially growing without a Father’. ‘Oh that is so sad’ spoke the Priest. ‘Where is the father?’ asked Taka.  It’s a sad story and I have never been ashamed to share it.

‘Eight years ago, late at night, alone, coming from work I got a lift from a stranger. He looked so innocent and he wore a scotch grey jacket. I told him where I was going and he said that was his way home. On the way we spoke little until I asked him where he was taking me when I noticed he had made the wrong turn. He said he wanted to pick up his suitcase he had left at a friend’s house which was located ten minutes away. I quickly fell asleep I was tired. I was woken by a two young boys on their way to school the following morning, I had no idea of last night’s happenings. I still had my bag, money and other valuables. I lacked bruises or any signs of pain. I convinced myself that I had seen a ghost.  I kept it a secret, I was afraid of being ridiculed. It was not until five months later that I discovered I was pregnant. As far as I remembered I had not been with a man for a very long time. I sat and thought hard, I remembered the man with a scotch jacket. When I broke the news to my family, no one believed me. I was made a fool, liar and a disgrace. I was told to abort the child but deep down inside of me I knew that this little life growing inside me deserved a life regardless of how it was made. I lost friends, family and a lover but look what I have gained, my diamond in the sky.’ She stopped talking.

‘That is a very nice towel where did you get it from?’ asked Anele as Ruth was unpacking her bag to get some make up. ‘Oh I got it from my mother’. ‘She must have loved you a lot’. ‘I do not think so’ replied Ruth. ‘Why’ asked Anele. ‘Because this blanket you see is the only thing she left me with when she dumped me in front of another woman’s door. I was left to be raised by a poor widow who gave up everything good for me to be what I am today. So I made a choice in my heart that where ever I go I will carry this blanket in hope that I find my mother , when I find her I will not ask her many questions I just want to give her, her scotch towel.

The two ladies and the priest bid farewell and went to their homes and promised to come back again. Anele went straight to her room and cried like a child. She knew that Ruth was her little baby she dumped that cold lonely night. When Father Jerkins arrived at his home, he also went straight to his bedroom opened the closet and held the scotch grey jacket he wore eight years ago.

Chapter 12 to follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

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Chapter 9 'confessions part 1'

‘Hello father, my name is Taka and I have sinned’. ‘What have you done my daughter?’ ‘I killed a man; I stabbed him many times until he was dead. This man was my husband he abused me all of his life but he did not deserve to die. In three weeks’ time I will be getting my sentence. Therefore I am asking for your forgiveness.’ ‘The lord has heard your cry and your sins are forgiven go child and sin no more.’

‘Hello father, my name is Anele and I have sinned’. ‘What have you done my daughter?’ ‘Thirty nine years ago I gave birth to a child alone in the bush. I went on to dump the baby in a deserted home. I do not know if the child lives or died. A month ago my husband died, and I found out that he had a son. My self and him never had a child. Maybe it’s because of the sin I committed I do not know. Now this woman and my husband son want to take everything away from me. In three weeks’ time the court will decide. I am here to make things right with my past. No one not even my late husband knows about my secret. My sins have caught up with me. I am hereby asking for your forgiveness’. ‘The lord has heard your cry and your sins are forgiven go child and sin no more.’

‘Hello father, my name is Ruth and I have sinned.’ ‘What have you done my daughter?’ ‘I do not know what I have done to deserve death. I have been diagnosed with cancer and doctors say I have three weeks to live. I have neither children nor family. All of my life I have lived it to myself. I was so busy I forgot to smile and fall in love. I became so successful and I forgot that there is little things in life that money cannot buy. Now I will die and no one will carry or remember my name. I therefore ask for your forgiveness.’ ‘The lord has heard your cry and your sins are forgiven go child and sin no more.’

‘Hello Father, my name is Selina and I have sinned.’ ‘What have you done my daughter? I am prostitute; I have slept with many men including the husband of a woman who has shown kindness to me and my daughter.  I have not told her the truth, therefore I am asking for your forgiveness.’ ‘The lord has heard your cry and your sins are forgiven go child and sin no more’.

 It was a very cold night eight years ago when a man picked up a woman. He promised to drop her off at home however it did not happen. The man took a long way around the farms, stopped the car and raped the woman. He drove away in  his car never to be caught. After all confessions were done Father Jerkins stood at the confession box to confess his sins. For years he has kept this in his heart secret.

Chapter 10 to follow #keep reading

written by Hawulethu Patrice Dube

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