“I also had a son,” Delilah continues, “but this is where our stories differ. I gave mine up whereas yours was taken from you. I wish that I’d fought as hard as you have, that I’d been as strong as you are.”

Zodwa shakes her head. She’s not strong. She’s the weakest person she knows and she can’t allow Delilah to think otherwise. “No, I—”

“Please don’t sell yourself short. Do you have any idea what strength of character it’s taken you this past year to live with us like this? To be a maid in your son’s home, all so that you could be around him every day?” Delilah shakes her head. “I was up all last night thinking about it, how impossible this situation must have been for you.”

Zodwa shrugs, uncomfortable with the praise. As difficult as it’s been, being away from Mandla would have been infinitely harder.

“Anyway,” Dee says, clearly sensing her discomfort and changing the subject, “I wanted to check if you need a ride to the bus terminal tomorrow?”

“I’m not going anymore.”

“What?”

“How can I leave now when things are like this between me and Ruth? She could take Mandla and—”

“She won’t. I promise you that. I’ll be here to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Delilah says. “Also, Ruth is many things but she isn’t stupid. She knows you could have taken Mandla by now if you’d really wanted to. She knows you aren’t a threat to his safety but she’s feeling backed into a corner. Your going might actually be a good thing. It will give her some space to calm down and think things through. She’ll realize that there’s a way for you both to be a part of his life.”

Zodwa sighs and shakes her head. There’s a lot at stake.

“Look, I know everything’s really messed up. Precious should obviously never have taken Mandla from you and brought him here. That goes without saying. I have absolutely no idea what was going through her mind when she did that, Zodwa, but I can only imagine that she thought she was doing what was best for you after the rape. Believe me, she didn’t do it because she thought you wouldn’t be a good mother or to punish you.”

Zodwa wipes a tear away. It’s so good to hear that absolution.

“You don’t need Ruth’s permission to see Mandla. You realize that? He’s your son. I mean you can’t just take him now, for legal reasons, but after you’ve gone through the right channels legally, you could get him back.”