Swift Justice

by Meredith Taylor

  He started to fantasize about taking Prof. Nkuna’s scholarship, finding a job and supporting himself through studies, finally being free of his father and his brothers. He wondered if he could do it all by himself. But he was afraid. He was afraid of messing it up. All he had ever been able to do was to cause a mess, and he hardly ever stuck to his decisions. If Edgar came to Ridgemont and couldn’t make things work, or if he screwed everything up like he always did, where would he be? His father wouldn’t give him another chance. He wouldn’t be able to go back to the comfort of the family business. It felt like too much of a risk when he had already made so many mistakes in South Africa. Not least of which was the way he had treated Tumi.

  All Edgar wanted to do was to call Tumi again. He was so happy when he saw the call from Tumi on his phone the previous day. Spending some time with him, seeing the way that Tumi was still being kind to him even though he had been so cruel before… It made Edgar reconsider. Edgar had pursued Tumi at the start, wanting to get closer to him, but once they were living in the same room, and once Tumi finally began to open up to him, all Edgar had done was cause him pain. He hated the fact that he could never make things work, that he was always breaking things. Deep down, Edgar had always felt like he could have done something to save his mother. Even though it made no sense, he felt like her death was his fault somehow. All he wanted to do was to stop causing pain to himself and to other people. As he took the final sip of his gin and tonic, the difficult thoughts began to fade somewhat.

  Edgar stood up to get himself another gin and tonic, feeling wobbly on his feet, and suddenly heard his name over the music: “Edgar! Is that you? Where have you been?” The spiky blond hair and tall frame moved towards Edgar. He was embraced in a tight hug before he could find his bearings. “We’ve all been trying to call you. I hope you haven’t been avoiding us…”

  “Leo! This is a surprise,” Edgar said, trying to force a smile. He had been avoiding Leo, along with Hein and Sylas. Ever since Tumi had told him about how condescending and disrespectful those guys could be, and how they treated other people like they were worthless, Edgar had decided to steer clear. There was also the fact that Edgar didn’t want to give Tumi any more reasons to push him away, and being close to Tumi was worth a lot more than hanging out with guys like Leo.

  “It didn’t have to be a surprise if you answered your phone or responded to my messages once in a while. What’s been going on with you?” The smell of Leo’s cologne was overpowering. There was a slight stubble on his sharp, protruding chin, and his muscular chest was bulging under a tight t-shirt. Edgar took a step backwards and frowned.

  “It’s just been a busy time. I haven’t really had the time to socialize. I’m heading back to London on Monday so I’m just having a drink to get my mind off studying. I’m actually just on my way out…” Edgar tried to make his way towards the door, but Leo put his arm in front of Edgar to stop him.

  “Oh, come on! It’s the first time I’ve see you in forever! The last time we hung out must’ve been… What? The law ball? That was ages ago! Come and have one drink with me. Hein and Sylas are on their way. Let’s catch up a bit before you abandon us for good!” Leo was speaking in a whiny, sing-song voice, trying to play at Edgar’s sympathies. Edgar wanted to leave, and immediately thought about what Tumi would say to him if he knew that he had been hanging out with Leo and the others. But then again, Tumi had been so quick to judge Edgar. Why did he have to believe everything that Tumi told him about those guys? Edgar had hung out with them a lot before, and most of the time they were perfectly fine.

  “Maybe one drink won’t hurt,” Edgar said. “But only one, okay? I have a whole day of studying ahead of me tomorrow.”

  Edgar ordered another drink and sat down at the booth with Leo. They caught up for a few minutes, Leo telling Edgar about all of the parties they had been to and how miserable Hein had been lately.

  “What’s wrong?” Edgar asked. “Why has he been feeling so down?” Edgar took another swig of his drink, feeling lightheaded. The depressing thoughts he had been having and the presence of Leo made everything feel slightly out of focus.

  Leo shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Isn’t it obvious, Edgar? He has such a crush on you. When you started avoiding us, Hein was heartbroken. I don’t know how you didn’t notice. He’s been trying to get back in your good graces for weeks, but you keep giving him the cold shoulder.”

  Edgar thought deeply about Leo’s revelation about Hein. He knew that Hein was flirting with him, but he had no idea that he actually had developed feelings. “I didn’t mean to hurt him,” Edgar said, feeling somewhat guilty for just pushing away the guys he had spent so much time with before.

  “But you did, Edgar. When Hein saw you hanging out with Moketla so much, one of his arch-enemies, he was completely livid. Was there something going on between the two of you? You and Moketla, I mean…” Leo pouted as he bent forward to wait for Edgar’s response. He was clearly in the mood to hear some juicy gossip.

  Edgar considered his response carefully. He didn’t want to give too much away to Leo. There was something that he didn’t quite trust about him, and they had never really gotten close even though they had partied together many times. Edgar said, “If there was something, it’s over now. Not worth talking about.” As he said the words, Edgar saw Hein and Sylas enter Percy’s Pub. Hein wore a tiny black shirt and tight blue jeans, his hair styled flawlessly. Sylas’s shaggy hair had been trimmed, and his freckled face broke into a smile as he saw Edgar. They came over and hugged Edgar and Leo in greeting. Edgar noticed Leo whisper something in Hein’s ear as he bent in for the hug, and their eyes drifted to Edgar as Leo smiled mischievously. Hein sat down next to Edgar and Sylas joined Leo at the opposite side of the table.

  “It’s so good to see you, Edgar,” Hein said. His ice-blue eyes were focused on Edgar’s lips. “You look great.”

  “Thank you,” Edgar said, not knowing how to react without sounding flirtatious. Sylas and Leo were both looking on with smirks. They ordered a round of shots and soon broke into a story about how they had spent an entire night following one of the handsome dance students to various nightclubs, and how Sylas had eventually asked him for his number only to find out that he wasn’t even into dating guys.

  “I was humiliated,” Sylas said, blushing as he recounted the story.

  “His loss,” Hein replied from next to Edgar. “Besides, there are so many handsome guys at Ridgemont. We don’t need to be pining over the ones we can’t have.” He turned to look at Edgar beside him. Edgar felt uncomfortable, but smiled and nodded at what Hein had said. Leo ordered a second round of shots, and Edgar tried to protest, saying that he needed to get home soon, but the other guys were having none of it.

  Sylas said, “You’re about to leave and never come back! I know we can visit you, but it’s still sad. Isn’t it, boys? But my friend lives in London and has some connections that can get us backstage passes to see Lady Gaga when she performs there. We’ll come and watch the show with you, right Edgar?”

  Edgar simply nodded. He knew he would be able to get out of it eventually. But for the moment, Edgar was given another shot of tequila before he could get up from the table.

  Eventually, the conversation drifted to Tumi, and Leo broke into a loud guffaw. “Remember when he tried to lecture us about the cleaner at Nova. I was like, ‘Yes, mom, whatever!’” The three guys laughed heartily as Edgar looked on. “He’s such a stick-in-the-mud. I don’t know how you managed to live with him for so long, Edgar. You’re a stronger man than I am.”

  “He’s a good guy, actually,” Edgar said. He felt himself growing increasingly annoyed with the guys he was spending his evening with. He was starting to see exactly what Tumi was talking about when he warned him against Hein and the others. He knew they could be shallow and vapid, but they were taking it to a new level that night. “He was always very kind to me. He said that the way you guys were treating the staff at Nova was un
acceptable, and he had to stand up to you.”

  Everyone’s eyes turned to Edgar, the smiles wiped from their faces. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those bleeding-heart types too, Edgar,” Hein said, looking almost disappointed. Leo bent over to Sylas and whispered something in his ear again. Edgar could feel his annoyance growing even more, and the fact that he was fairly drunk added to the effect.

  “That’s called common decency, guys. Tumi warned me about you, but I thought I’d give you another chance tonight. Turns out I should have listened to him.” Edgar stood up and looked at Hein, and said, “Goodnight, guys. Please can you move so that I can leave, Hein?”

  Hein stayed in place. He looked up at Edgar, confusion in his eyes. “So you do have feelings for him?”

  Leo and Sylas were still deep in conversation, and Sylas bent over the table to whisper in Hein’s ear as well. A smile crossed Hein’s lips. He stood up, and looked in Edgar’s eyes. “I’ll let you go, Edgar. I’ve clearly been wasting my time. I just wanted to give you something before you go.”

  And with that, Hein planted a kiss on Edgar’s lips, and Edgar was blinded by a flash as Sylas quickly whipped out his camera to take a picture of them. Edgar was flabbergasted, and quickly pulled away from Hein. Hein smirked and walked away from the table, saying, “Let’s see what your little boyfriend thinks about that picture, shall we?”

  Edgar was shocked. Obviously, if they sent the picture to Tumi, he would listen to reason and understand how Edgar had been cornered and forced into the kiss. But if the guys were really planning on sending the picture to Tumi, Edgar had to speak to him to clear it all up. As Hein finally moved, Edgar walked out of the pub without even looking at the guys, happy that he could be done with them for good.

  Chapter 30

  The hundreds of different cases Tumi had studied over the past days were all starting to blend into one in his mind. He could hardly maintain his focus on studying at all. He thought about the nun, Sister Beatrice, and how she had spoken about his birth mother. In his mind, he formed a picture of what she was like, where she had gone after she left the township, and how she would react if they ever met each other again. Abongile. The name hung there in Tumi’s mind, echoing. Abongile. He felt his heart yearn to know her.

  At the same time he felt the absence of the person that had been a large part of the journey of finding Abongile – Edgar. Edgar had been there when Tumi thought that he wouldn’t be able to meet with Angela Ngcobo, and had arranged for Tumi to have a private moment with her. Edgar had been the one to drive Tumi to the township where he had met the old man who turned out to be his biological grandfather, Petrus. Edgar had comforted Tumi after he had broken down with emotion, unable to deal with the realization that he had already lost his birth father without even knowing it. And the day before, Edgar had been right by Tumi’s side as he had received a call about the whereabouts of Sister Beatrice. It would’ve all been so much harder without Edgar.

  Tumi knew that the fact that Edgar was with him during such a challenging time meant that they were bonded for life. Whatever happened with Abongile, whether Tumi managed to find her or not, wouldn’t change the fact that Edgar had made it all possible and had helped Tumi through it. That was why Tumi had tried to be so understanding with Edgar at the coffee shop in the city. He didn’t want them to end things on bad terms. He didn’t want to have his last memory of Edgar be one of anger and bitterness. Tumi decided that he would talk to Edgar, thank him, at the final exam. He would make sure that Edgar knew what he had meant to him, and even though it hurt him to do so, Tumi would let Edgar go. It was clear that he would only be holding Edgar back by trying to find a way to be with him. He couldn’t do that to someone he cared about so deeply.

  When Tumi had heard about the scholarship that Edgar had won, he immediately though that it would be the answer to all of their problems, a way for Edgar to stay. As he was walking to that coffee shop, he was excited to tell Edgar about it, to see if Edgar would change his mind and continue studying at Ridgemont. But when Tumi told him about the award, the reaction on Edgar’s face was enough to finally allow Tumi to give up hope. Edgar wasn’t happy to hear the news. He wasn’t thinking of ways to make it work. He seemed even more afraid than before. That was why Tumi couldn’t allow Edgar to come with him to see Sister Beatrice. He couldn’t take Edgar any further on the journey with him. He had to find his own way.

  Tumi felt his phone vibrating in his pocket as he sat with a highlighter pen and a pile of books in front of him. He took the phone out of his pocket and looked at the screen to see Edgar’s number. Tumi sat back in his chair. He hadn’t expected Edgar to want to see him again before their final exam. He had resigned himself to the thought that Edgar was out of his life for good. He had to find out what Edgar had to say to him. He jumped up from the seat and rushed towards the exit of the library, but as soon as he reached the foyer and tried to answer the call, he saw that it had already been ended. Tumi decided to head back to his room in Nova and call Edgar back. He wasn’t exactly sure that it would be the best idea, but he couldn’t give up on Edgar just yet, even if he knew that it would be easier for both of them.

  He gathered his things and walked back to Nova in the chilly night. Many students had already left for their break, and Tumi was one of the few people walking the streets of Ridgemont that evening. He arrived back at Nova and walked up to his room, feeling relieved that he was so close to the end of a difficult semester. As he stepped back into the room, he tossed his satchel on the bed and sat down with a sigh. He picked up his phone again, ready to call Edgar. But before he could press the dial button next to Edgar's name, he heard a knock at his door. Had Edgar come to see him? Tumi felt a mixture of anticipation and uneasiness. He still hadn't made sense of the fact that Edgar would only be in his life for another two days. Tumi walked to the door and opened it, but just as he was about to say Edgar's name, he saw that it was someone unexpected at the door.

  “Tumi, abuti! How are you?” Mohale's warm, enthusiastic voice called out as he stood in Tumi's doorway.

  Tumi looked on with his brow furrowed. “Mohale, this is a surprise. Did we have plans? I've been so wrapped up with studying that it must've slipped my mind.”

  “Do I need to have a standing appointment to see my brother?” Mohale asked, a curious smile on his face. Mohale stepped past Tumi into the room, walking with the confidence that Tumi was used to from his older brother. “I just thought I'd pop in and I was glad that I saw your car in the parking lot outside. How have you been, brother?”

  Tumi pushed aside his confusion and decided to just be happy to see his brother. Mohale had always been Tumi's biggest supporter in life. Tumi was puzzled with how detached Mohale seemed towards him after his revelation at the family dinner, but he knew that his brother just needed time. The visit must've just been Mohale's moment of showing Tumi that nothing had changed after he had shocked the family with news of his biological parents.

  “I've been well, Mohale. Studying a lot.” Tumi wondered if it would be appropriate to tell Mohale about his visit with Sister Beatrice, but he decided to give his brother some more time to come to terms with Tumi's quest to find out about his past. “To what do I owe this surprise visit?” Tumi asked, sitting down on the bed as Mohale made himself comfortable at Tumi's desk.

  Mohale's eyes shifted around the room. He bit his lip before he said, “I came to ask you a favor. It's nothing serious at all. Just something small. Remember the last time we saw each other? I was acting all dramatic about things…”

  Tumi frowned. Of course he remembered the conversation. Mohale had been devastated by the fact that his wife was leaving him. The brothers had spoken more openly than they ever had before, and Tumi felt like he was growing even closer to his brother. Why was Mohale acting like it was no big deal? Tumi simply nodded in response, waiting to see where his brother was going with the question.

  “Well, I just wanted to ask you not to tell anyone about that
night. If you don't mind, I'd like us to forget that the conversation ever happened. I was completely overreacting at the time. I don't want to worry mom and dad about anything.” Mohale's eyes seemed nervous even though he had a smile on his face.

  “What do you mean, Mohale? I thought you told me that things were over with you and Vicky. Of course I wouldn't tell anyone about the things we spoke about until you're ready to tell them yourself. Are you saying things have changed?” Tumi watched every tiny change in expression on his brother's face, eager to unravel the mystery of his Mohale’s request.

  “I was just jumping the gun. I shouldn't have bothered you with any of it. Vicky and I have spoken, and things are so much better. I'm taking a promotion at another hospital and we'll be able to sort out some of the problems we were having with money. She's much happier now. I should've tried to figure it out on my own before I said anything to you. I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Tumi. I feel very foolish right now.” Mohale gave a chuckle that he intended to sound cheerful, but it only rang empty and made Tumi cringe internally.

  “I don't understand. You love working at the Memorial Hospital. You love being so close to Ridgemont. Are you sure you want to take another job?”

  Mohale finally exposed some of the conflicting emotions that he was clearly feeling, and lowered his eyes to the ground. “Marriage is complicated, Tumi. It's not just about what I love. It's about making it work, no matter what. Besides,” he said, another giant smile coming over his face as he looked into Tumi's eyes, “I have amazing news. Vicky is pregnant! We decided to have a child and after only a few weeks of trying, she got the good news. It's still early, so we're not telling anyone, but I wanted you to know. And you should take it as a sign that there's nothing more to worry about. Things will be so much better now. Trust me.”