by Nico Verwey
Chapter 9 - Treachery and Forgiveness
Leonard walked off the parade ground with his silver stars gleaming in the sun, “Hey grandpa, how are you?” John was so proud of his boy, “I am doing well my boy, well! Your mom and grandma would have been so proud of you!” Leonard looked around, “Where is Jessica?” John smiled, “Yes, yes my boy in good time. She and Jillian has arranged a party at our house again. Shame, they are so proud of you!”
John opened the boot of the car for Leonard to put his bags and clothes in, “Well Grandpa I am home from tomorrow onwards. I have to report at social services here in camp in the morning to get my orders and then I am off to the hospital and police station for duty. I cannot believe how blessed I am!” “Well my boy you worked hard for it! Determination is something that runs deep in our veins my boy.”
They arrived home with the smell of barbeque in the air. Jillian stormed Leonard, “My boy, well done and welcome home!” Leonard looked around, “Where is Jessica?” Jessica came around the Cornér of the house, “Leonard at last!” She walked up slowly and smiled, “Welcome back big boy! You look awesome in your uniform.” Leonard grabbed her around her waist and picked her up, “Baby girl I love you to bits!”
It was around January 1988 when the government of South Africa announced that military service will be reduced from two years to one and a half years to one year in 1990. Leonard could hardly contain his joy, “Grandpa have you heard? I will be done with my military service in June and not in December as originally called up for! I have already gone to De Beers Mining HR Services to inform them and they have started the process to get me studying in July at the collage here in Kimberley. I am so excited!” John could not believe his ears, “You sure about that Leonard? Wow, now your future can start!” Leonard laughed and grabbed Jessica around her waist and swung her around and around, “Jessie baby, my army days are almost complete!”
Jessica smiled with her heart no longer true to Leonard, “Well that sounds great.” Leonard looked at her, “Jessica something wrong?” “Leonard why must there always be something wrong? I am glad for you; my exams for my Diploma in Beauty will be done at the same time, so I stress a lot. It’s not always all about you, okay!” Leonard was confused but would not let Jessica’s mood spoil his excitement. What Leonard did not know was that Jessica lost her heart to Sam, the man with all the money. She and Liza became good friends and with her visiting Liza every weekend, she started falling for Sam’s charm and wallet full of money.
Sam always took them out for dinner, films and games. He gave her money, lots and lots of it, for new clothes and shoes. Sam himself could not keep his eyes of Jessica, she looked like Annette with only one difference, she had no scars. He had big plans for Jessica and with Leonard in the mix he really could get his cake and eat it.
Leonard finished with his military service on the 30th of June 1988. His care houses worked well and their success where mounting. He started with his studies at Kimberley Technical College that year and worked hard at it. Lucky for him, most of the work was mathematical in nature, with very little spelling.
Jessica completed her Diploma in Beauty and with Liza nagging Sam for money opened a Beauty Salon in Kimberley. Jessica worked hard to build her brand and it was not long till she had a client base that could sustain her lifestyle. Sam came to inspect the salon every now and then, “Wow Jessica! You really have put my money to good use!” Jessica was extremely pleased with herself, “Yes Sam and it is all thanks to you!” Sam walked up to her, he could feel the warmth of her body pressed against him and could hear her breathing faster, “So Jessica, how about saying thank you?”
Jessica could not resist Sam anymore, “Sam I have loved you since the day you bought me my first pair of shoes. Come here...” She pressed herself against him and kissed him. She could not stop herself and just had to have more of him. She ripped his shirt open and started loosening his belt buckle, “Jessica wait, what about your beloved Leonard mmmm?”Jessica looked at him with the fire of her soul burning in her eyes, “What about that loser? You think someone as beautiful as me want a grease monkey like him. I have got style and I deserve you!”
Sam could not agree more; he grabbed her and threw her on the couch in the salon. It did not take long for the fire in them to bring them to the point of eruption, with them both lying on the floor of the salon out of breath and sweaty. “Jessica you will give me a heart attack! Wow girl that was magic!” Jessica smiled, “Well then old man, if you want more, you know where to find me! O yes how was that for a thank you?” Sam just laughed, “Babe if you thank me like this for the small things I do for you, what about the big things! Just one thing baby, don’t tell Leonard just yet about us, okay. I have a special plan for him.”
Jessica looked at Sam, “You mad Sam, tell him? I have a nice little flat he provides for free and when you are ready, you beast, we can make our moves. For now, let’s say we have a mutually beneficial friendship!”
Leonard could not believe the coldness he experienced from Jessica. She could not wait to visit Liza and Sam every weekend, leaving him alone to study or go to hospital. When he wanted to take her to the road house for a film and dinner, she declined, just saying she feels sick. It took him six months just to get her to go with him to a decent restaurant and that was after she made him dress in a tuxedo, insisting that if he has any grease under his nails that she would not go. Leonard was extremely confused, but kept his eye on his N6 Mechanical Engineering Certificate which would secure Jessica and his future. On the other side of the coin were Jessica and Sam who could not leave one another alone for a day. They arranged to see one another in the field next to the road, or in the Halfway House Motel and her Salon. Jessica was like a drug to Sam and he would get mad if Leonard came close to her.
Leonard finished his Engineering Certificate with distinction in 1993 and he got promoted to full engineering assistant in 1994. Sam could not wait for this, “Hey Leonard so you are now a big boy. Time to get the rest of your contract going.” Leonard smiled, “Jip, its time Sam. I have saved another fifty thousand rand which I have instructed my bank to transfer to you. My debt to you is now six hundred and fifty thousand rand.” Sam just laughed, “Leonard, Leonard what about the interest my boy? Okay given, we have not worked out an interest rate, so let me make you a deal.” Leonard frowned, “Interest, deal?” “Yes big boy read the contract! Well because you are Liza’s big brow I will fix the amount you owe me. The main debt is six hundred and fifty thousand rand still to be paid and I will add one hundred and fifty thousand as interest, bringing your total to eight hundred thousand rand. You then pay it at five thousand a month till it is finished!”
Leonard made the calculation in his head, “Okay that gives me 160 months still to pay or thirteen years and three months. We are now in 1994, that will get me paid up in 2007. Wow that is a huge commitment. What if I pay more?” Sam smiled, “Well it would mean you finish quicker. The amount is set and if you agree we will start from this month on.” Leonard could not believe this mountain of money he still had to pay off, “Okay Sam, I will decide and say yes or no by tomorrow. I need to discuss this with my directors.” Sam now became impatient, “Don’t take too long! If I don’t have an answer by tomorrow I will ask you 25% interest per year and if you don’t pay I will break your legs and take away the flats!” Leonard had to laugh, “Sam maybe in your dreams you can break my legs sir and even there I will whip your ass!”
Leonard called the directors of his charity together, “Thank you for coming at such short notice. Sam has now invoked the second part of his contract with me. He wants payment for the outstanding amount.” “Okay Leonard, what does he want?” asked Doctor Mustard. “Well doc he wants eight hundred and fifty thousand rand! That is a full and final settlement amount and all the interest is included. If we don’t except, he will start charging 25% interest back dated and that will kill us in the water. I have decided that I will take on the five thousand rand a month payment or ask hi
m for a yearly payment of sixty thousand rand. That will give us time to do some fundraisers that will reduce the financial burden on me.” John got up and paced the room, “So that criminal wants to tap you dry for thirteen years? That bastard!”
Leonard laughed, “Grandpa as you said, determination runs in our veins! I am going to settle with Sam long before that time. This charity is my mission in life and you gents have helped me a lot. The debt is against me and you grandpa and with this deal I will transfer the debt to myself, making our critical care unit safe from Sam. Now with this said gents, I will need your help with the fundraising part and the payments I will do even if we can’t raise the money in a specific year. That okay with you guys?”
Judge le Roux was first to speak, “Okay Leonard that is fine, but this time I will draw up the loan documents. He will not have the pleasure to screw you over again.” Judge le Roux drew up the documents and sent it as an addendum to the old contract. Sam did not like this interference but could not afford to anger a judge he may have to face in the future.
“Okay Leonard here is the contract. Sam agreed to transfer all the debt to you and with that clear your grandpa. He also accepted the sixty thousand rand per year payment over the next thirteen years and three months period with the proviso that in 2006 you pay the final seventy five thousand rand thus making the agreement a twelve year fixed term contract. I have also put in a proviso that we can pay off the amount quicker. The only thing he added was that if you should pass away before the amount is paid off in full, that the building will revert back to him and that he will only be liable to pay back fifty percent of the already paid money. If you don’t have any further question and are satisfied with the terms, you can sign each page.”Leonard signed the contract, “Well Judge, now the big work starts.”
Jessica and Sam could not believe how gullible Leonard was and how much money they were about to make from him. Leonard worked hard and it was easy with the fundraisers to get in money to help with the payment and up keep of the flats. It was in 1996 that Jessica became extremely sick with the flue. It took Doctor Mustard several prescriptions of antibiotics to get Jessica healthy. It was in that time that Jessica became ill again after a few weeks of Sam in her salon. Jessica went to the chemist to get n pregnancy test, “Please, please don’t let me be pregnant!” Unfortunately for her, the test came back positive, “Sammy baby, I need to tell you something...” Sam knew that he had heard those words somewhere, “Don’t, just don’t tell me you are pregnant Jessica!”
“Sam I was sick and it looks like the pill did not work! You yourself gave me those pills to drink baby. What did you think Sam, sex makes babies and is not just fun all the time! I think it is a good thing because now...” for the first time Sam looked at Jessica with disgust, “You thought what? That I will marry you? Or that I will let you move in with me? Girl my plan for you was to keep close to Leonard, what am I going to do now?” Jessica was shocked, “But you said...” “What did I say Jessica? Our plan was to break Leonard and take everything he has, that was the plan!” Jessica started crying, “What am I going to do now Sam?” Sam looked into the blackness of the night, “I know!” He looked at Jessica as if he was about to sell a piece of meat, “It will all be okay my baby it is 1996 and this year is a leap year, which has big potential. Now let me tell you my plan...”
Leonard was sitting behind his computer looking at the budget of the Annette Botha Charity when Jessica walked in, “Hey Leonard you busy?” Leonard looked up at this beautiful young woman, “Just checking the books baby. What can I do for you?” Jessica walked up to him, “I need to apologise to you. I have been working very hard and the stress to pay the bills is killing me. Sam now has also come to me for pay back of the money he borrowed me and if I can’t pay, well the suggestions he made is horrific!” Leonard could not believe his ears, “Say what?” He picked up the phone, “Hello Sam what the hell? You stay away from Jessica you understand!” Sam laughed, “Well as long as she pays me, all will be well!” Leonard threw the phone down, “Okay Jessica how much? Well Leonard with the interest worked in two hundred thousand rand. I can pay it, but if I go short it will become a big problem.” Leonards blood was boiling, “That bastard! Okay it is no use screaming! If you are short let me know and I will try and help, okay?” Jessica smiled with n twinkle in her eye, “Thank you baby! You know I love you so much!”
It was Jessica’s birthday that weekend and Leonard and Jillian arranged a small get together for Jessica. Liza and Sam were also invited with all the members of the charity. The party was for six and everybody arrived on time, “Okay Jessica now it is our time to put our plan in motion, don’t mess it up. We are going to make lots of money out of this idiot, Leonard, my girl!” whispered Sam. Jessica gave Sam a quick kiss before walking out, “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Jessica, Happy birthday to you! Hip hip hurray!” Jessica enjoyed the attention and all the presents especially the one that Sam bought her, a two carat diamond ring.
Jessica walked to the front to thank everybody for the party and presents and called Leonard forward, “Leonard you saved me in hospital and took me into your home without any problems or complaining. You loved me just because you wanted to. I want to say this in front of everybody that I love you so, so much!” Leonard could hardly breathe as Jessica continued; “Now seeing that this is 1996 and a leap year...” as she went down on her knee, “Please would you do me the honour off becoming my husband?” Sam at that moment nearly lost it but kept his cool and remembered the bigger picture and plan.
Leonard could not believe his ears, “Wow my baby! I love you so much and just encase anybody wondered, the answer is yes!” Their friends cheered and started dancing! Leonard put the ring that Sam gave on Jessica’s finger, “Where did you get this ring?” Jessica smiled and lied, “It's my mom’s ring she never used. It’s beautiful don’t you think?” Leonard smiled, “Jip babe that it is!” That evening Jessica was sitting in Leonard’s arms while holding her tummy, “Leonard can we get married as soon as possible? I don’t want to wait any longer. We have known one another now for a few years, please?” Leonard frowned, “Why the haste babe? I would like to give you a wedding you deserve and that said, we have a lifetime ahead of us.” Jessica looked deep into his eyes, “I cannot wait one day longer to be Miss Botha. Please think about it, promise!”
The next day John walked into Leonard’s room, “Wow my boy what an eventful night. Your engagement and the party! Jessica is a real sweetie pie! Well done on the choice!” Leonard looked up, “Well grandpa here is the thing; we want to get married as soon as possible. We decided to ask Judge le Roux to preside. We don’t have lots of money for church and meals so the court thing will be good for us. One day we will have enough money and then we will do it properly!” John nearly fainted, “Why the haste my boy, is she pregnant?” Leonard laughed, “No grandpa not at all. We just feel it is time.” John was not satisfied with the answer but agreed reluctantly.
The date was set fourteen days later with Judge le Roux doing the honours. Judge le Roux drew up a contract as part of a prenuptial agreement. Jessica did not even read it, “Leonard I sign this without reading it. This is to show how much I love you baby!” Leonard signed the contract as well, “Well babe that makes two of us. Never read it so we can concentrate on our life!” Judge le Roux finalised their marriage licence and introduced Leonard and Jessica as Mr and Miss Botha to the group of people gathered there.
Doctor Mustard offered his guest house in Hermanus to the honeymooners as well as a car with petrol. They left that afternoon on their week vacation in paradise. They arrived in Hermanus late the next day and unpacked. Jessica could not keep her hands of Leonard. His body was firm and carved from stone. After the army Leonard started running with Judas to keep fit and used the police gym to keep toned. That night Leonard would never forget. Eventually Leonard had to ask Jessica to go to sleep because he was so tired.
Jessica kis
sed him and put her head on his chest smiling. She knew that her job was done and that her and the baby’s future was secure in the knowledge that Leonard would never even know that the child she was carrying was Sam’s. Jessica could not wait to get back home to Sam’s arms to tell him about their success. They arrived home one day earlier because of an emergency at the hospital with one of Sam’s ladies of the night recruited from Leonard’s home.
Leonard left for the hospital, “Babe I will be back in about an hour. Commander Venter wants to see me at the hospital.” Jessica could not wait for Leonard to leave, “Okay baby I will be at the salon if you need me!” Jessica waved Leonard goodbye and phoned Sam, “Sammy baby we are all set! Please can we meet at our hideout please, please! I need to feel a real man and get this grease monkey out of my system!” Sam agreed and they met at the hotel, “Well done Jessie! Now the future starts and when we are done with him my angel, you and I will have our future!”
Leonard walked into the hospital, “Commander Venter what can I do for you?” Commander Venter looked concerned, “Leonard, you and me may have a problem!” Leonard was totally confused, “Why commander?” “Well things are like this, I have to arrest you on suspicion of running a whore house from your flats.” Leonard could not believe his ears, “Commander? Wait on minute here, says who?” Commander Venter walked closer with the hand cuffs, “Leonard, do you remember Leone? She told us everything!” Leonard looked at commander Venter, “Commander why would I do something like that? Tell me what she told you?” Commander Venter looked at Leonard with contempt, “Don’t tell me you don’t know! She told us how they got recruited by a young man. He told them that you knew about it and that it was an opportunity to make money. She said that when she could not bring in the money anymore he beat her. So what do you think?” Leonard could not understand why Leone would do something like this, “Commander my whole life I have fought against this scourge now I am accused of this! Before we go, can I make a call to a friend that may know what is going on?” Commander Venter agreed, “Okay but if he cannot help we must go!”
Leonard phoned Judas, “Judas could you meet me at the hospital in ten minutes?” Judas agreed and arrived with Leonard in Leone’s room, “Hey my brother what can I help you with?” Leonard and Commander Venter waved him in, “Judas I need you to be honest with me, do you know this lady?” Judas looked at Leone, “Yes boss I know her, but I can explain...” Commander Venter took out his cuffs, “Judas you better start talking to me because you may just end up in jail today!”
Judas sat down on a chair in the room. The tears were flowing down his cheeks, “My boss it all started when you bought the flats from Sam. He started recruiting the ladies from your house and Leone was one of the first recruits. My boss you must believe me, I tried to stop him, you must believe me! He one night abducted my daughter Tendeka and my wife and told me he is going to kill them. I begged him not to kill them. You remember the scar on Tendeka's back you asked me about? Well Sam gave it to her with the promise if I tell you he would finish the job. My wife is working in his house and he uses her as insurance! I don’t know my boss, I am so afraid. Commander, Sam moved me to his good businesses so I don’t know much of the drugs or prostitution business he does anymore, but I can talk in court if you need me. Please, please boss, just help my family!”
Commander Venter was smiling and if it was not for his ears he would most probably have halved his head, “Well, well Leonard at last I have someone in Sam’s inner ring that will help! Think we will do a raid on his house!” Judas looked at Commander Venter with fear, “Commander he has nothing in the books and his house is clean. He has many front companies to hide the drug and prostitution money.” Leonard smiled, “Commander, let us raid his house! We have the get Judas’s wife and Tendeka. We then put them in protective custody and then use Judas to feed us the intel. Once we have enough evidence we then arrest the bastard. What do you think? Judas are you in?” Judas all excited hugged Commander Venter and Leonard, “My boss, my brother lets catch him as long as my family is okay!”
It took Commander Venter only a day to get the court order in place for the raid. They stormed into Sam’s house that Sunday morning at six o’ clock, just missing Jessica getting into her car and driving home. They arrested Sam on charges of human- and drug trafficking. They took Judas’s wife Lettie, his daughter Tenteka and Sam into custody transporting them to the police station. As they expected they found nothing, but the ultimate aim was to remove Lettie and Tendeka.
Sam was released two days later with a smile and a sorry for the inconvenience, bad lead. Sam was furious, “Judas what happened? Where are your wife and daughter?” Judas was couched well and fell to his knees, “My boss you must have them! They are with you! What have you done with them my boss! I kept my side of the deal, what have you done with them my boss! Please don’t kill them!” Sam was totally taken aback by this passionate plea, “Judas the police arrested me and now you tell me your wife and daughter is gone? What the hell is going on? You know what, it’s those Nigerians! I bet they know what is going on! They have started a turf war! Okay so that’s the game! Okay Judas get my guns together, I think it is time to clean my streets!”
That night Sam was in Jessica’s salon when the first shots wrung out over Kimberley. Leonard and Commander Venter just could not keep up with the body count and the innocent people that got hurt in the fight. By the next morning 35 Nigerians were killed and ten bystanders were in hospital. Judas phoned Leonard, “My boss, how do you like this? Sam does not even think we are on to him and on the upside, he has cleaned the streets a bit.”
Leonard and Commander Venter laughed at Judas, “My friend you have been in the streets way to long if you think a body count of 35 is a good thing!” Leonard arrived home and slumped down on his bed. Jessica came walking in with a cup of coffee, “Hey my big man rough night?” Jessica was still sticky from the night before with Sam, “Yes Jessie baby, I have never ever seen so much blood in one night! Lucky for me it is Sunday, so instead of church baby, I am going to sleep!” Jessica saw her opportunity, “Well daddy hope you enjoy your nap!” Leonard turned around, “Jessie what did you say?” Jessica smiled as she turned around to walk out, “Yes baby, you’re going to become a daddy!” Leonard could not believe his ears, “When? How? But you are on the pill!” Jessica smiled, “Yes but remember when I was so sick, looks like the antibiotics cancelled out the pill. Baby, you and me will be mommy and daddy soon!” Leonard could not believe his ears, he jumped up and ran to Grandpa John and Jillian screaming and shouting, “We are going to have a baby grandpa!”
John and Jillian was shocked, “Say what? But your honeymoon was only 2 weeks ago, how?” Leonard would not listen to their concerns and ran up and down in the street shouting, “I am going to be a dad! I am going to be a dad!” Leonard phoned Liza, “Sis you’re going to become an aunt, can you believe it?” Liza looked at her dad and just knew there was more to this, “Congratulation Leonard! When will the baby come?” “Don’t know sis, but we will see Jessica’s doctor tomorrow! We will let you know!” Jessica and Leonard saw Doctor Langer the next day. Doctor Langer was on Sam’s payroll, “Well you two, seems like the baby is a honeymoon baby and it will come in November or December.”
Leonard was a proud father to be and worked hard at building their new house for his family. He managed to keep the payments up to Sam, which irritated Sam, “Jessica how does Leonard do it? He paid your salon money fifty thousand rand this year plus the sixty thousand for the flats! He is building a house, how does he do it?”
Jessica could not answer her lover, “I don’t know Sam! The fundraisers bring in the money for the flat and my money he saves each month. The house, well I recon his grandpa is helping with that.” Sam looked at Jessica in anger, “You tell me, what is the use of having you there, or shall I say sharing you with that loser, if you can’t give me any details?” Jessica stared at him in disbelieve, “Sam this is all you, lover boy! Your p
lan, your baby and your money! Remember the bigger picture?” Sam just looked at her, “You know in my younger days you would have been in hospital like I did to Leonard’s mom but now I am older and wiser and not as stupid to give Leonard the chance to lock me up! Bloody Rose Angel!”
The 01 January 1997 Sam and Jessica’s boy was born with the names Leonard Samuel Botha. Leonard was very impressed with his little boy, “Grandpa, look at my boy! The red hear and gray eyes! He looks like his mommy but will pee like his daddy. Leonard popped a cigar into all his friends’ mouths and lit them. With coughing all around he laughed, “To my son!” Jessica could not stand all the celebration for her and Sam’s son. Sam arrived with Liza, “Well congratulation Leonard!” Liza walked into Jessica’s room, “Well done Jessica! Or should I say liar .....” Jessica looked up at her, “What you mean?” Liza looked at Jessica, “That little boy is my father’s boy! He has the same birth mark! How could you do this to my brother?” Jessica smiled at Liza, “O so you know? Well bitch, if I was you I would stay quiet! How would brother dearest feel if he knew that you knew about me and your dad? So keep it for yourself or your daddy may not be so nice to you anymore!”
Liza looked at her, “Jessica, you and my dad’s day will come and when it is here, payback will be a bitch!” Liza walked out and hugged her brother, “Congratulation Leonard, beautiful little boy! Look at that heart shaped birth mark, looks just like mine!” Leonard looked at Liza’s mark and then at the baby’s, “He is a Botha that’s for sure!” Life with the new baby in the house was fast and drained Leonard’s energy. Leonard junior would only sleep on Leonard’s chest and when he woke up he got Leonard’s attention by trying to suckle on his nipple. Leonard would feed him and do the nappies at night and in the day Jillian would take over from him.
All Jessica was interested in was to get to Sam. It was about three months later when Jessica came home one night after working late as usual, “O Leonard where are you?” Leonard just put junior to bed and walked out the room, “Here I am baby and junior is sleeping!” Jessica smiled, “well I have healed nicely now and I would like my husband in bed with me for a change!” Leonard could not understand the sudden interest from Jessica again, but as the old saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers. It was like on their honeymoon and Leonard just could not get enough off Jessica. Eventually they fell asleep as Sam came into the house to visit his little boy. He sat with him and gave him his soother and was almost caught when Leonard walked in to come and give him his bottle.
Three weeks later Jessica announced that she was pregnant again. Leonard nearly fainted and Grandpa John could not believe how stupid Leonard could be, “Leonard my boy, what the hell are you doing? Have you not heard about condoms or the pill? Two kids in two years? Come on my boy!” Leonard looked at John in amazement, “Grandpa you said it! I used condoms when we did it and she was on the pill or so she said. The condom must have broken so after this one I am going to go for a vasectomy and it is not as if we have the sex life of rabbits. Jessica is normally extremely cold towards me and if we have sex it is normally a big issue with her to the point that I had to go and sleep in the spare room once or twice. I have written it down to her teen years in the house, but this is ridiculous and you are right, two kids this close, wow! We cannot afford to have this one but next baby is coming, so we have to make do!” John could not believe it, he taught Leonard everything he knew and even Jillian would warn him.
What they did not know was that Sam and Jessica decided to have another child. This would fit into Sam’s plan to make it financially impossible for Leonard to keep up the payments to him and his new house. Fortunately Leonard’s management team at is place of work was very impressed with Leonard and his charity work in the community and promoted him to head of Social Grants and Support. This position took Leonard up to director assistant and more than doubled his pay.
A little girl was born to the Botha family on 6 December 1997 and was called Annette Jillian Botha. Jessica did not like the Jillian part, but had to put up with the name so that Leonard would not become suspicious, “Sam I have been married to Leonard for two years and before that put up with him for even more, I need to get away from him! Every time I touch him it is as if my very soul turns to ice! I can’t stand him even looking at me, please can I get a divorce now? He has two kids now and nobody even knows they are actually yours. Please Sam I need to be with you, I cannot live, nor want to live, without you!”
Sam could not believe this woman before him, “Jessica, you think I like you being with that bastard? You think I like him looking after my kids? Every time you go back to that house I want to go with and kill him! Every time I have to remember the plan and say to myself when he has finished paying then we make our move. Just hang in there for a few more months, baby, then we will see where he is going and if we need to change the plan, then we will!” Unfortunately for Jessica this was just more lies from Sam and would go on for a few years and not months as he promised.
O but Leonard loved the kids. He would take the stroller on his evening runs and take the kids, as he would call it, for a spin. John and Jillian’s concern grew with every passing day and months, because they could see how Jessica became more and more destructive with Leonard. The kids grew up fast and eventually went to school. Leonard now in a director’s position at the mine paid of Jessica’s salon with time to spare. He bought more houses to expand his social support network and started new Annette Botha houses of protection in all the major cities in South Africa.
It was on a director’s visit to Cape Town that John, Liza and Jillian got talking, “Grandpa I need to talk to you and Jillian. I just can’t keep this in me anymore and I don’t know how to handle it.” John and Jillian looked at Liza, “Liza? What is your problem?” Liza sat in front of them with big teary eyes, “I have a suspicion that Leonard’s kids are not Leonard’s kids, if you catch my drift!” John and Jillian grew pail in their faces, “What do you mean my girl?” Liza unpacked the story, “You see grandpa, all Leonard’s kids have the same heart shaped birth mark.” John smiled, “Yes we also thought it funny, but it is so brother and sister like! We think it makes them special with a mark shared between them.” Liza was distraught, “Grandpa I have the same mark and my dad Sam has the same mark as well. I think dad and Jessica has been a couple behind Leonard’s back for years now. I think Leonard junior and Annette is my brother and sister!”
You could have dropped a needle on the floor and it would have sounded like a big bell ringing on a Sunday morning, “Liza are you sure?” Liza picked up her shirt and in the small of her back was the same mark as both Leonard Junior and Annette. John, Jillian and Liza first cried and then they got angry, “How much more could people hurt Leonard?” John walked over to the window and looked out over the beach where Leonard was playing with the kids, “He loves those kids so much, but if we keep this lie going and he finds out he will be devastated if we did not tell him. How are we going to know the facts?” Liza who was studying to become a nurse answered, “Grandpa it is easy, there is a test called DNA Profiling that they do these days. They look at the DNA Markers and can tell with 98% accuracy. Below 95% is an absolute no above 98% is an absolute yes. All we need is hair samples from everybody and my buddy in the lab will run the tests.”
They agreed to get the tests going and send in the hair samples, it took the lab about six weeks to get the results, “Grandpa I have the results!” John and Jillian could not wait to hear it, “Okay Liza let’s see!” John read the results and gave it to Jillian to confirm, “It is positive! The kids are not Leonard’s. How the hell did we miss it! How will we tell Leonard? He is preparing for the Comrades Marathon with Judas! How do I tell him?” John could not hold his anger back. He called Leonard, “Hey my boy how about you and I go fishing for a day. No kids, no women, just you and me like in the olden days?” Leonard agreed and Jessica was just too glad to get rid of Leonard for the weekend. Her plan was to go to Sam and then Liza would baby
sit the kids. Leonard did not know this little fact though and Jillian made as if she was going to visit a sick aunt.
The evening before the fishing trip Commander Venter came to visit Leonard and Judas as they were busy barbequing, “Okay boys, we have now for nine long years put Sam under surveillance and investigated him. We are at this point of arresting him for murder, drug trafficking and the list just grows longer. We should be ready in about two months’ time so watch out!” Leonard gave Commander Venter a Coke and invited him to stay for the barbeque to celebrate.
John and Leonard drove out to their fishing spot early the next morning. Their lines were in and they enjoyed a morning coffee from the flask, “Leonard my boy, we need to talk and I need to tell you something.”Leonard looked concerned, “Grandpa you okay? How did your medical go. Please tell me you are okay!” John looked at Leonard with so much love and compassion it could have filled the earth at that moment, “Leonard I am okay but you my boy have a problem!” Leonard now very concerned, “Grandpa what’s up? The charity is okay and if we have a problem we can fix it. Financially we only owe Sam one hundred and forty five thousand rand and we have enough funds to cover that. What problems do I have? My family is doing well, what is this about?”
John gave Leonard the results, “Read this my boy. We did not want you to get hurt, but we have to try and protect you!” Leonard read the results and as he read it, he felt his heart break into a million pieces, “Grandpa my kids are actually Sam’s kids? How can this be, how could Jessie lie to me? My heart feels like a bloody mess!” John walked over to Leonard and grabbed this man, his little boy, and just held him, “My boy I am so sorry! I think she is with Sam right now living it up on his plot just outside of town. Liza has got the kids and her friend has text me to say the party is going.” Leonard looked at John, “Grandpa I am so disgusted right now! For nine years I put up with her crap and for nine years had to beg for the slightest bit of attention. I gave her everything I had; I loved her without condition, now this!”
John should have seen it coming, Leonard turned around and ran to the car, “Leonard don’t my boy, we can go later, just calm down first!” Leonard did not listen to John and drove away. John phoned Commander Venter to warn him that Leonard was on his way to Sam’s plot.
Leonard arrived at Sam’s house forty five minutes later with Jessica and Sam sitting in the jacuzzi enjoying their little party, “Jessica, what the hell are you doing here? How could you do this to me and lie to our kids? Explain yourself you whore!” Sam jumped out of the jacuzzi, “You called her what?” Jessica sat there with a smirk on her face, “No Sam let me answer him! You Leonard are no man in my eyes. You can’t even keep up with me or my spending. Who do you think bought me my new clothes and my wedding ring? You can’t even afford proper clothes for the kids. O yes and the kids are Sam’s kids. You see you stupid grease monkey, me and Sam played you like a fiddle and abused you and your goodness. You see Leonard, the good guy always loses and that makes you the biggest loser of them all! I just wanted to tell you while you are here that I will be divorcing you, me and Sam decided that it was time our family got together. Now my dear grease monkey, you can get lost!”
Leonard could feel the anger erupting in him, “I paid off your salon! I gave you a home when not even Sam wanted you! I gave you everything I had...” Sam stepped in front of Leonard, “Boy it was clearly not enough! You were not enough of a man for a whole lot of woman like Jessica. Thank you for the extra money boy, it financed a lot of drugs and made me millions. Bruno take this fool away and show him what will happen to him if he comes back.”
What happened next was savage and brutal. Leonard was beaten up to where he was within an inch of his life. Bruno and his thugs broke Leonard’s legs and nearly crushed his knees. Lucky for Leonard Commander Venter arrived in time to save him. Leonard was airlifted to Kimberley hospital where Doctor Mustard put him back together. John and Judas where waiting when Doctor Mustard came out of surgery, “John, Leonard’s leg’s are not looking good. We saved one leg, the other one will never be hundred percent again. He also suffered some internal damage to his heart muscle and we hope he will survive the surgery.”
John was so angry, “Lucky for that bustard Sam the police arrested him. I have had it with people hurting my family! He would not have survived it if I only could get hold of him.” Doctor Mustard took John by his shoulder, “John now is not the time to be hateful. I think that God is the one that will explain all these things to us one day, but for now Leonard needs us to look after his kids and his homes.”Pastor Pieter arrived as John was walking out of the hospital, “John?” John looked at Pastor Pieter with empty eyes as Liza told Pastor Pieter what happened, “Liza I know this does not help you guys now, but God will come through for your brother.” It took only a few minutes for everybody in Kimberley that knew Leonard to arrive at the hospital. From Leonard’s window in the hospital Doctor Mustard could see the cars stopping and people getting out with candles lit and all of them standing and praying for Leonard. Doctor Mustard could not help but cry for this great show of love and affection, “God if you are really there, please hear our prayers. If not for me then for all of those people outside that love this young man, please spare him one more time!”
Leonard was still in dream land when it became dark around him and he could feel his body give up, “O Leonard it’s me again, your favourite dark angel! I told you I will destroy you and everything you worked for! Thank you to old faithful Sammy boy. You are mine boy, as your dad promised! So make it easy on yourself boy and just give up!” Leonard looked up at Lucifer, “You are a destroyer and deceiver and to you I will not bow! I may be dying but I will not negotiate with you!” Lucifer grinned at Leonard with his yellow teeth shining like the sun, “My boy you will not die now because I want to show you my last play. You always choose the hard way, so you want to play, let’s play boy!”
Leonard woke up as Doctor Mustard came to check on him at three o’ clock that morning, “Well welcome back my boy, you gave us a big scare! Your heart stopped last night and we had to revive you, but you’re back, THANK GOD!” Leonard was still confused but glad to smell the hospital and see all his friends that he worked with over the years.
Sam was released on bail the next morning and just wanted to relax after a night where he was jailed with a few Nigerians that got arrested for drug dealing. Jessica and the kids knocked on the door, “Sam we are here honey!” Sam opened the door and slapped Jessica so hard that she could taste the blood in her mouth, “You slut! I was in jail with a bunch of Nigerians and you are packed to move into my house! Go back to your grease monkey, you served your purpose! Leonard is beaten and I will get his block flat back, so get!” Jessica was stunned, “But Sam you said...” Sam picked up his hand, “Now get away from me, you good for nothing bitch. You think that I would trust you after playing around with you behind Leonard’s back for so many years? You were an expensive good time and I even thought we could make it, but after thinking about it last night, I have only contempt for you! Now get out of my face!” Sam slammed the door in Jessica’s face with so much force that the door cracked at the hinges.
Jessica could not believe what happened and got in her car. She drove to the hospital and walked in on Leonard and Judge le Roux talking, “Leonard I am so sorry for this, can you forgive me?” Leonard looked at her with tears in his eyes, “Jessica I forgive you yesterday already, but with forgiveness comes forgetting. Judge le Roux will send you the divorce papers later today. I think you should have read the prenuptial agreement eleven years ago as well. You broke every rule in there and signed off all your rights if you should do so. The divorce is based on infidelity plus your kids are not mine as this DNA test show. Thus you forfeit all rights and walk out of this marriage with nothing. Even the house we stay in was bought by the trust for our charity and you signed off your rights to that as well. Don’t know how Judge le Roux new this will happen, but you are now free to go to Sam wi
th nothing, as you came. I love those kids and I will miss them, but my life starts now!”
Jessica did not know what to say or do and turned around and walked off. She knew that the only person that ever loved her just because she was Jessica just gave up on her and that he would never take her back. They found Jessica five days later gassed in her car with her two children with a small note to Leonard, “Leonard you loved me and my children yet we deceived you. I am so sorry and want to say to you that you are a real mans’ man. Please forgive me and hope to see you in the afterlife!”
Sam was furious with Leonard for killing his kids and Jessica. He could not fathom how someone that told everybody about unconditional love could do this to the ones he loved, “I will avenge my kids!” he screamed.
Leonard healed nicely and was back in training two months after his beat down. He was about to run his first Two Oceans Marathon when Sam met him and Judas next to the road, “Hello boys, remember me? You Leonard killed my Jessica and children and I want payback!” Leonard and Judas stood back to back, “Sam you chased them away, not me. I just set her free to be with you and now it is my fault they are dead?” Sam grinned with his whiskey breath filling the night air, “Well I am now going to take your flats away from you. I want all my money this year or the flats come back to me!” Leonard just laughed, “Sam the contract states next year is my last year. Remember the addendum?” Sam looked a bit confused, “O yes I remember. Okay then here is my deal to you, you are preparing to run your first comrades next year and it would seem your preparation and rehab is doing well. Let’s put a wager on it, if you can complete the marathon in nine hours or less I will pay all your money including the salon money back to you. That means I give you back one million three hundred thousand rand. If you lose, I want my flats back and your family house. I have an investor that would like to build a supermarket in the area. Deal or no deal?”
Leonard looked at Sam, “I would love this fight to be over Sam, but with you it will always come back.” Sam smiled, “Boy I will disappear if I lose, because after my court case and paying you back I will be broke, so again, deal or no deal?”
Leonard thought about it, “Okay deal but we write the rules down now and if you interfere with me or Judas or if I think you are interfering with my family, you lose!” Sam smiled and got a piece of paper out of his car. They wrote down the rules and signed it with Bruno and Judas signing as witnesses, “Well boy see you after the marathon next year. The 2006 year will be a red letter year for both of us, good or bad!”
Judas could not believe the deal Leonard struck, “Boss you think that was wise? You are getting better but sub nine hours? I don’t know.” Leonard laughed, “Well Judas I just have to, but let’s get through this race and at least qualify. Tomorrow we have a drill championship for the police force where our precision drill team will compete here in Cape Town and then we can worry about this challenge, okay!” Leonard ran the Two Oceans Marathon and completed it with in the qualifying time for the Comrades Marathon.
The director ship of the trust was not impressed with Leonard’s deal, but after Leonard showed them the contract that he drew up with the specific clause that if the flats would be paid before the race was finished, that the deal would be null and void, they just laughed. Leonard had invested some money over the years for the charity and it was more than enough to pay the outstanding amount five times.
Leonard and Judas prepared for the Comrades Marathon with Doctor Mustard monitoring Leonard’s health. It was a week before the marathon that Doctor Mustard did his last medical evaluation, “Okay Leonard you and Judas look fine. Your heart is a concern, but the monitor you have will warn you when you are over doing it. Your knee and hip are a bit stiff for my liking, but will most probably loosen up when you run. Just keep to the plan and we will beat Sam forever!”
The next week was good for Leonard and he visited all his homes around the country. He handed out t-shirts and asked everybody to support him. It was now the night before the race and Leonard and Judas ate their last big pasta meal to load up on those carbohydrates. Leonard switched on the news to look at the weather when the news reader announced, “Well with the Comrades Marathon tomorrow, we picked up on a story that is truly heart warming. Tomorrow Leonard Botha is running in the marathon to save his Home for Battered Woman and Children. In the words of the community, GO LEONARD GO! It gives this reporter pleasure to share this story with you, the public, and would like to ask the public to support this cause because I would not be here if he did not give me the chance and saved me! Now for the weather...”
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