S E X L E S S

DEPARTURES

If someone told Margot her child would leave her to live with her father and mistress turned official girlfriend, Margot would have kissed her teeth at the person and given them a dark eye like never.

Yet what seemed a fantasy was her reality. Diva was leaving, and there was nothing she could do. What hurt was seeing how detached the child was. Diva didn't even have the decency to hide her joy as she showed Gloria her future bedroom. The puppy, her dad, had already bought her and the ranch where she would take horse riding lessons.

Diva loved the good things in life and didn't want to miss out because of her mom.

"Look, Aunty, isn't he cute? I'm going to call him King."

"Oh, that's a prestigious name," Gloria said while looking at Rashan, who got ready to hit the little girl. Gloria's lowered stare don't-you-dare refrained Rashan from traumatizing Diva before her departure.

Exasperated, Rashan got up to help Margot, who double-checked Diva's suitcase.

"Are you alright, Aunty?"

"Hmm, I'm good. It's all wrapped up. Diva doesn't need much since her dad has already bought everything, but I want to ensure she doesn't look for anything."

Margot's voice was a whisper. The woman stayed up at night wondering what she had done wrong. She felt as though her daughter punished her for leaving Nathan. The woman even asked herself if she had made the right decision by leaving the man. Nathan cheated, but it was her who got karma's baton. Margot felt whipped by destiny. Nothing went the way she hoped. She gained nothing except a few hours of sleep that she lost thanks to Diva.

Her rupture assessment had more red crosses than green noughts. She wasn't happier at work and didn't feel she had grown even if she felt better in her body. Though surrounded by Rashan, Gloria, and others who cared, Margot felt alone, lonelier than ever.

"I know we've said before, but Diva will realize one day."

"I wish that day were now," Margot said before yelling. "Diva, put your shoes on. We're going to the airport."

Where her daughter usually took minutes before executing what Margot said there, Diva almost tumbled off the sofa to fetch her shoes.

Having a child didn't mean one birthed their human nature. Diva was immune to her mother's sorrow. The promise of newness and a puppy had Diva too hyped. Nothing could tire down the child's enthusiasm, and Margot didn't have the heart to weigh Diva down.

"See you later, Margot. I'll try to cook something nice," Gloria said as she hugged Margot as though it was she who went on a journey. Rashan and Margot left for the airport with an ecstatic Diva.

The drive to the airport was quick, to Margot's dismay. She would have wished for there to be traffic for once, never had the road been as empty as the cloudless sky on that day. The only noise one could hear was Rashan kissing her teeth as Diva asked again, "Are we there yet?" like Donkey in Shrek.

"Diva, please, can you just stop with this question? We'll be there soon." so stop it," Margot said and turned up the song that played.

Keep getting funky on the scene

While they jumpin' around ya

They tryna take all of your dreams

But you can't allow it' Cause, baby, whether you're high or low

Whether you're high or low