nds were deep in soapy water, scrubbing plates and forks, pots coated in oil, and saucepans blacke

aned was one step c

d back and forth in Afrikaans and Sotho. Orders clanged into t

. Exhaustin

t was

d grown slightly warmer towards her, especially after seeing how punctual and respectful she was. Victo

uiet. It

me, but it w

oto beneath her pillow and whispered to the li

a, the mood was

front gate still unlocked just in case her daughter came walking back. She had not touch

yed eve

single

she was. She lit candles. She fasted. She wept

whispered often, clutching Vict

ver, consumed by

. He dismissed his wife's sobs. "Stop crying Mariam. You are only making this worse.

s all you

not what

ou don't care if your daughter is safe or not. All

I'm not your mate. You know

's disappearance

n embarr

s. Urging them to keep things quite. He told people, Victoria

d dared to defy him. And worse she h

s didn

oned Victoria's name a

my problem," he

ing with his teammates after soccer practic

sence meant n

nient, until she b

't even ask

all of this in deta

raging. She wandered if Charles even noticed

t there was nothing

taff mostly ignored her, except for Nomsa, a warm eyed waitress with a gold tooth and b

msa said one night, leaning aga

hands on her apron

from

Preto

w you're here. Working for scrap

ll smile. "Maybe on

reful. Here in Bloemanda... it

ed away from people who lingered too long on corners or asked to many questions. Siste

eeks, she had

sn't

t was

he could bui

e found a room in a shared house just around town. Nothing fancy,

ent is

ake it,"

. She didn't tell anyone but sister Mar

ve," the old

led. "I'm tr

w room, looking up at the cracked ceiling. There w

ad do

not ju

surv

er belly. She felt a small hard

w. She woul