The Ones with Purpose. Nozizwe Cynthia Jele

are silent for a moment.

      “What?” Ma asks.

      “Everyone is talking about it.”

      “What, Maria?” Ma asks again with suppressed irritation.

      “That Thiza has moved in with the widow of Cele’s eldest son, his name is not coming to me now, the one who worked at Home Affairs. He died in that horrible car accident by the bridge some years back. A good young man. You know the widow, Margaret. Nolwazi, that’s her name.”

      Ma shakes her head.

      “A tragic and sad time in our community. It didn’t end well at all for the poor child; her husband’s family made her life miserable. They said she killed him for insurance. Me, I didn’t believe them. They took everything he left for her and their children. Everything. Anele, you must know them?” Auntie Maria turns to me for affirmation.

      “I do.”

      “But God is great. That child refused to let her spirit be broken, she went after them like fire. I hear she hired a good lawyer, a woman, who helped her get the two cars, house and all the furniture back. Oh, she is comfortable now. Very comfortable. I hear Thiza can be seen driving at high speed in one of her cars.”

      “You know people always have something to say, Maria,” Auntie Betty says.

      “People are talking, Betty.” Auntie Maria leans back onto the sofa, arms tightly folded across her chest as if suddenly distancing herself from the rumour, then adds: “Are they lying though? I don’t know. But I do know that the children’s father is not here, and is not home either because Sizwe went looking for him. Don’t hear me wrong, I’m not saying anything; I’m only pointing out the obvious.”

      “Ewu, Maria.” It is not often that Auntie Betty runs out of words.

      I focus my gaze on Ma who remains stoic as if Maria’s unloading of the township gossip is not for her benefit. I struggle to read how much she is absorbing, how much grazes her ears like wind. She does not utter a word, her eyes are closed, she appears to be drifting in and out of grey sleep. Sizwe and I know the rumour, in fact everyone but Ma knows about Thiza and his other wife, Nolwazi.