Afrika Read Online Free PDF

meticulousness she never had back home, she checked the windows, and carefully locked the doors and security gates. Once in the car, Riana immediately rolled up each window and locked each door. Last night, when Kim had felt better, they went out after dark to rent a video. Kim was shocked to see that her mother slowed down at a red light, but after carefully checking from left to right, continued on before the light changed to green. Her mother would never go through a red light in Canada. Riana explained that gangs hijacked cars at red lights and it made no difference if windows were up or doors were locked.
    Kim knew without a doubt that her mother would be angry if she left the school and walked home alone. But Riana was working late and would never know. Kim fingered the key in her pocket. It was a bright sunny afternoon. No big deal. Shewould walk faster than usual and be home in twelve minutes. The light changed and Kim crossed the street.
    On the pavement directly ahead of her was a group of street hawkers. Some sold vegetables; others stood by a trolley of old clothes and passed a bottle between them. The men chatted together in their language, but as she approached, they stopped talking and stared at her. One looked directly at her watch. Panic gripped her. She froze.
    “Where are you going?” Themba yelled as he sprinted up to her side. He pointed across the street. “Ma is frantic.”
    Kim turned and saw Lettie and another black woman near the school parking lot. Lettie was striding up the hill and she was obviously angry.
    “What's the problem?” Kim asked.
    Themba scrunched up his face. “My ma is mad at me that you ran off like that. She made me promise to protect you like a little rare bird in a cage.”
    “That's ridiculous.”
    At that moment Lettie, out of breath, reached them. “Kim, you can't walk home alone,” she told her between gulps of air. “You must wait for us.” As soon as she was able, she introduced Kim to the other woman. “Ntombi is my sister-in-law.”
    Ntombi was slim and attractive and, unlike Lettie, she wore nothing on her head so her manytight braids hung loose. She gave Kim the onceover, then turned to Lettie. “Hey, she's not so tall. She is not as tall as you make her out to be.”
    “Why would I exaggerate?” Lettie and her sister-in-law broke into a nervous laugh and a look of relief passed between them. Kim felt badly that she had worried them.“Ntombi and I will walk you home,” Lettie said. “We will go first to the dry cleaners to fetch your mom's blazer.”
    In her sick bed Kim had heard the story from Lettie of her young sister-in-law, Ntombi, who was twenty-five years younger than Lettie. Ntombi refused to spend the rest of her life in a township slum. Since apartheid had ended, and she could live anywhere she wanted, she was looking for a room somewhere in town. According to Lettie, she enjoyed clubbing and pubbing on the waterfront of Cape Town. “Not a day passes where I don't fear for her future,” Lettie had said more than once.
    Themba shifted his weight from side to side. His face lit up. “Ma, go home and rest,” he said. “Let Ntombi come with us. We'll fetch the blazer and then take the bus straight back to Kim's house.”
    Ntombi rubbed her fingertips through Themba's tight hair and smiled mischievously at Kim. “Quick, give me the laundry ticket,” she said. “I have to be somewhere else now-now.” Kim liked the warmthin Ntombi's face and she could tell that Themba's young aunt would be less strict with them.
    “Okay, off you go,” said Lettie nodding at Ntombi. She turned in the direction of the mountain and slowly walked away.
    On the way to the dry cleaners, Kim, Themba, and Ntombi strolled through the Botanical Gardens. It was filled with exotic trees, impressive fountains, and large cages of birds. Themba wanted to show Kim the gray squirrels, which were supposed to have been brought from North America in the first place.
    “How