BROKEN PROMISES CHAPTER 1

Chapter 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.
* * *
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.