"He is your brother for god's sake. How could you be so heartless?"
"It is time he grew up mother." Tebogo said coldly.
"What did he say? Was he too upset? Will this affect his recovery?"
Tebogo stared at her for a moment before answering. "Not as upset as you are." He said. "We had a heart to heart and he understands how unacceptable his behavior has been and he is willing to make amends. Now I can't say for sure that he is ready to be a man but the first step is divorcing Sindi and giving her full custody of Joy."
Rose sat in silence looking at her hands. How had everything gone so wrong? She had been so certain of victory. She was Rose Motsepe and she always got what she wanted.
"What about Mandisa?" She had to ask.
"What about her?" Tebogo asked his face still unreadable. He seemed so different, so removed from her and it was all Mandisa's fault.
Rose stood up, holding on to her last dignity. There was no way in hell she was a going to accept that woman as her daughter in law. Not after everything.
"Are you going to marry her?" Tebogo didn't even think about his response.
"In a perfect world, yes. I would want nothing more than to marry her. But we don't live in a perfect world, mother and knowing how mean and cruel you can be, I wouldn't love her if I married her. So the answer is no. I'm not going to marry Mandisa."
"So you do love her." Rose said, surprised that he had said it out loud but not surprised that he wouldn't want Mandisa in the same situation that Sindi had been. He knew the meaning of love after all.
Tebogo didn't answer her but went on staring at her with his unpredictable strange eyes. Rose didn't mind. She could live with him hating her but she refused to be Mandisa's mother in law.
"Very well then. I guess there is nothing left for us here. Shall I book us on the first flight from here?"
"I've already done that. You leave tomorrow morning to Durban and I leave in the afternoon to New York."
"You are not coming back to Durban with me?"
"No, mother. I think you and I have spent enough time together. Besides, I have a lot of work waiting for me in New York."
He headed for the door. "Why don't you start packing?" He said walking out. Rose stared at the door for a minute frowning. Tebogo was her son. She loved him and in her strange way, she loved him and wanted him to be happy. New York was full of wonderful women and she was sure that he could find one whom Rose could learn to tolerate. She couldn't allow him to marry Mandisa. She just couldn't. Mandisa reminded her of herself and that was not good. Rose didn't have long to live but while she was still alive, she wouldn't let another woman take her place. It didn't matter if that was wrong or cruel. She just couldn't and she wouldn't.