A Beautiful Mess.

45.

Saturday.

"That's if I'm not expelled" I said while sitting on the counter talking to Senzo who called to tell me about a history test we were having next week.

"Melo could you stop being so negative" he said from the other side of the line.

"I'm just being realistic. Hey have you heard anything from lost and found about my watch yet?"

"Nothing yet" he said and my mood dampened. I felt really bad for losing my mother's watch and anxiety was sitting on my chest. I needed to find it. It was one of the last things she left for me so I needed to find it ASAP because of the amount of value it held to me.

"Don't worry I'll keep looking" he said after he saw my mood change. He then went on to further explain the topics that we needed to cover for the test and then we spoke about other things.

"How are things going with your parents?" I asked and he sighed.

"Not good. This custody thing is getting pretty heated"

"Have you tried talking to them"

"And saying what"

"What you told me the other day, about them being selfish"

"Melo I get you're trying to help but my parents won't listen to me. They're too self centered to care about how I feel"

"Just try Senzo. You never know, maybe you trying could bring about a change of heart. Some sort of compromise you know"

"I guess you're right" he sighed.

"Just try it, if it doesn't work then they really must be that self centered" I said. We then spoke a little while longer before he hung up to go to practice.

I then went on to watch tv for some time till I got bored and decided to head out for some fresh air.

It had been a week since my suspension and it has been the longest week ever. I was alone most of the time and slowly felt like I was going insane. It was ridiculous. My suspension would be ending on Wednesday since the disciplinary hearing would be then and I was both glad and nervous at the same time. Glad that I wouldn't have to spend another week at home but nervous because it's like my fate was about to be decided for me.

I left the house and headed straight to the cafe for a coffee and a muffin to help relieve the nerves and just to be in a different environment around people instead of being stuck at home alone. I also brought a book with me to keep myself occupied with while at the cafe.

I walked in and took a seat at the window so that I could also stare at people outside. I sat and read my book for a bit while I waited for my coffee when I was approached by Loyiso who sat across from me.

"Hey" He said and I greeted him back with a smile. He asked me how I was doing and even though I've been tired of being asked that question by everyone this entire week I still managed to answer him with a smile.

"Hey Melo listen, I don't know, maybe I'm being delusional or something but that gentle brother over there, the lawyer guy you usually serve is here. He's been here everyday this entire week. I'm assuming he wants to see you because he keeps asking about you. Should I be worried?"

"No, not exactly. He's the father of some girl I'm in debate with, don't worry about it, I'll handle it" I said

"Okay but I'll be watching just to make sure you're okay"

"Okay" I said and stood up from my seat walking towards him.

"Mr Ndamase? How can I help you?" I said.

"Oh Melo, great to see you here" he said looking a bit nervous. "I've been waiting for you. There's something I wanted to discuss with you. Please, have a seat" he said and I did as he said. I spotted Loyiso at the corner of my eye at the counter and I knew he was watching.

"Okay, what did you want to discuss"

"Firstly, I wanted to apologize for Nonhle's actions. I don't think she was thinking straight in that moment and it was just so heated and I wanted to let you know that she's really sorry for what she did. It's all she's been think about this week"

Shouldn't she be the one doing this?

"Okay?" I said, still confused.

"She didn't realize how much trouble she's put both you and herself in and she deeply regrets it"

"What's done is done Mr Ndamase, all we can do now is hope for the best at the disciplinary hearing"

"I'll be definitely crossing my fingers and toes." He nervously chuckled.

"Mr Ndamase are you okay?" I asked and he let out a deep breath.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a little worried about something"

"Do you need water? I can get you sugar water"

"No don't worry about it. To think I'm an advocate that's presented a series of high profile cases across the country, you'd think I wouldn't have any nerves" he chuckled and I looked at him weirdly. "Okay let me get to the point. Melo I found something that I believe belongs to you"

"Okay? What is it?"

"This watch" he said putting my mother watch on the table. I grabbed it and held it close to me.

"Where did you find it?" I let out a sigh of relief.

"Nonhle found it where you guys had your fight" he replied. "I was very surprised to see this kind of a watch. I hadn't seen one of its kind in years and this one just blew me away. Its details absolutely blew my mind away, especially the initials at the back"

Okay, where is this going.

"There was once this woman I used to know. We met back in varsity. I was doing law at the time and she was studying to become a nurse and we formed a bond, a very strong connection. There were so many things I had admired about her like how intelligent she was, the way she carried herself and of course her beauty. She was really something else. We were really close, you know?...A few years later when I was just a junior lawyer and after she had just graduated I thought it was time I married her so I proposed to her with a watch like this one and I had our initials engraved at the back. Oh I was so happy, I was over the moon when she agreed to marry me. Life was just perfect but then after we experienced issues from external factors and she just left...just disappeared into mid air."

Wh..wha...what's happening? This cannot be happening, this is not real, no it's not.

"I searched everywhere for her but nothing. She ignored my calls, everything. *sigh* and then a few years later I received mail from her. An envelope that had both a letter and a picture of an ultrasound with the letter saying 'Meet your baby girl'"

No!!! Please don't let this be what I think it is. Please no, not yet.

"I didn't know how to feel. I was delighted and upset at the same time. I was a father to a baby girl all these years and I didn't even know it. At that time I was already married to another woman who had a daughter of her own already but it was astonishing to know that I had a daughter out there somewhere."

"Please stop" I said while sniffling as my tears ran down my cheeks.

"I looked everywhere for you, Melokuhle. I hired private investigators, I looked and looked and looked and couldn't find you and I felt bad and this strong urge to find you" he said then placed a paper and an ultrasound in front of me. "I never stopped trying to find you Melo, not once did I stop. Little did I know that my baby girl was in front of me the whole time. I knew there was something about you but I couldn't quite put my finger on it." He sniffled.

"Please...stop" I said between breaths as the tears continued to run down my cheeks.

"Hi, my name is Ntsika Aaron Ndamase and I believe I'm your father" he said and I couldn't take it anymore. I just grabbed the watch and ran out leaving everything else that I came with there. I didn't want to believe it. Everything seemed to be moving too fast.

Did I really just meet my father?????????