He looked up at Lerato, who was washing dishes. ‘Lerato?’
‘Yes, baas?’
‘Can you read?’
‘A little, baas.’
‘Here,’ he said. ‘Take this to your room. There is something there you will want to know about it.’ He handed her the paper.
‘Baas – the missies she wants to read the paper.’
‘Never mind. Take it. Go put it in your room now.’
She took the paper, but as she turned to leave Petronella walked into the kitchen and said, ‘Where are you going with that newspaper, Lettie?’ She turned to Hendrik. He looked down at his coffee. ‘Give it here,’ Petronella said. Lerato passed her the newspaper. ‘I would like a cup of coffee, please.’
Petronella sat down at the breakfast table and started paging through the newspaper.
‘So what do you find so interesting?’ she asked as she flipped the pages. ‘You shouldn’t be reading about what’s going on in Soweto, Lettie. It’s terrible. I don’t understand why they want to burn down the schools. Where are they going to get, without an education?’ She turned the page. ‘Did you want some of these coupons? If you want coupons, it’s fine – but you must ask me first. Maybe I need the coupons too. We’re not made of money.’ Lerato put the cup of coffee down on the table. Petronella took a few sips while she looked at the coupons. ‘Twenty-five cents off washing powder. That’s quite good actually.’
‘Enough!’ Hendrik whispered across the table.
‘Enough what, Hendrik?’ she asked. She flipped the page and saw the article. She looked up at Hendrik. ‘I see,’ she said. ‘I don’t think you should worry about these things, Lettie. The uncle is taking care of everything now.’
‘Lettie,’ Hendrik said, ‘when the missies is finished reading, you can take the newspaper.’
Petronella got up, tucked the newspaper under her arm and went back to her bedroom.
Steyn was waiting for Werner in his rondavel. He had a long break while the girls were being given a lecture about the insects of the veld. He’d resisted at first, but then he thought this could all be part of his recovery. He’d slept with the pretty young teacher and it was nice. He thought about masturbating before they went rowing, but that felt like cheating. Someone knocked at the door. It was the teacher.
‘I snuck out of the lecture.’
‘Hey,’ he said. She leant forward and gave him a kiss, then grabbed his crotch. ‘Have you got some time?’ She unbuttoned his fly and rubbed his cock.
He laughed. ‘I’d love to. But I can’t. Please don’t make me horny.’ She went down on her knees, wrestled his dick out of his underpants and took him in her mouth. He tilted his head back and enjoyed this for a few seconds. ‘No,’ he said, pulling away. ‘I can’t.’
‘I want you,’ she said, crawling towards him on her hands and knees. She thought it was a game. She lifted up her dress and put her hand in her panties.
‘Get up,’ he snapped. ‘Someone is coming.’
She adjusted her panties and stood up. ‘Where?’ she asked, turning around.
‘Hendrik’s son is coming round.’
‘Oh,’ she said, smoothing down her dress with her hands. There was a note of irritation in her voice.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said.
‘Why do you sound so angry? I just wanted to have a little fun.’
‘I promised to take him rowing.’
‘Take him some other time.’
‘I can’t. I promised. Come round tonight.’
She walked out and slammed the door behind her. By the time Werner arrived, Steyn was still feeling angry and aroused. It is, he told himself, part of the test.
‘Are we going rowing?’ Werner asked.
‘Sure.’ As Steyn turned to collect his things, he closed his eyes and said a prayer. Please God, help me get through this. Please God, make me right.
They walked to the dam in silence. Werner tried his best to be sweet and compliant. He suggested which boat they should take, and when he realised that Steyn hadn’t brought any beer along, offered to go back to his room to fetch some.
‘No thanks, Werner, I still have work to do after.’
Steyn offered to row, but Werner insisted. Werner tried to make small talk. He pointed to the baboons and the birds.
‘Look, it’s a fish eagle,’ he said.
‘No. That’s a vulture.’
‘Oh ja – that’s right,’ Werner said and smiled.
They rowed past the island and Werner called out at the baboons on the far bank. As they rounded the island, Werner stopped rowing.
‘I’m tired,’ he said. He waited for a few seconds, but Steyn just stared out at the water. ‘My shoulders are sore.’
‘Let me row,’ Steyn said.
‘No – I’m fine. I just want to rest a bit.’ Werner started rubbing his shoulders. ‘Oom said I should put some Deep Heat on.’
‘Mmm.’
Bird calls echoed across the lake. The water lapped at the side of the boat, making a gentle hollow sound. It was cool, but not cold. Steyn was sitting in the front of the boat. Werner sat on the thwart with his back towards Steyn. He rolled his shoulders.
‘Hey, lightie, are we going to sit here all day?’
‘No, oom,’ Werner said, but he did not move.
‘Either you start rowing or I will.’
Werner grabbed the oars and started rowing to shore. Steyn sighed. It felt good. It felt almost like everything wrong had been washed away. He was glad he had done this. Werner rowed back in silence. As they reached the shore, Werner jumped out of the boat and started walking away.
‘Hey, lightie – where are you going?’
‘Home.’
‘You’re not going to help me with the boat?’
‘I’m late.’
‘Werner – come here.’ The boy stopped walking, but didn’t turn around. ‘Werner, get your arse back here. I’m not asking you – I’m telling you.’
He waited long enough to make Steyn wonder whether he was going to defy him. Werner turned round and walked back. He watched Steyn drag the boat on shore.
‘What’s going on with you?’ Werner shrugged. Steyn reached into his pocket and held out a fifty-cent coin. Werner did not take it. ‘Here,’ Steyn said.
‘What for?’ the boy asked.
‘For doing such a good job with the rowing.’
Werner took the coin and marched off without a word. Steyn dragged the boat into place and flipped it over. He sat on the stern of the upturned boat and ran his hands through his hair. He was trying to make things right. If God decided it was not good enough, if Werner decided to destroy him, there was nothing he could do.
Werner felt wild with fury and hurt. Why was Steyn being so cruel to him? Steyn did not love him any more. He could not go home; not to his mother; not to Marius. Where have you been? she’d ask. Rowing with Steyn. How nice, she’d say. And Marius would look at him and smile. And that would make it worse. He walked to Johann’s house. Johann was sitting outside with his brothers. They were trying to fix a motorbike. The brothers were covered with grease and cursing.
‘You weren’t at school today,’ Werner said to Johann.
‘No. I’m helping them with the bike.’
Werner nodded. He did not feel like feigning an interest in the bike, so got up to look for Charlize. She was in her secret garden at the end of the property.
‘Charlize,’ he called. ‘It’s Werner – can I come in?’
‘Ja – just one second. I need to do some magic.’ She made magical noises and then said, ‘Okay, you can come now.’
‘Charlize,’ he said, ‘look at you! You’re filthy.’ The girl was covered in dirt. Her fingernails were black and her hair was wild. She tried to wipe her face with her dress.
‘There’s no hot water. Because the thing is broken. And Johann says I must have a cold bath until Pa fixes it. He tried to put me in the bath, but I ran away. That’s why I am going to live here. S
ee,’ she said, pointing to a pile of clothes and a sleeping bag. ‘I even have some crisps and some bread. Look – three packets of tomato-sauce crisps, because it’s my favourite. And if anyone comes to get me I’ll do magic on them.’
‘You can’t sleep out here. You’ll get cold.’
‘I can. I’m tough.’
They heard someone walking towards them. ‘Who’s there?’ Charlize asked.
‘Charlize!’
‘Go away, Johann. I’ll do magic on you.’
‘Is Werner here?’ Johann pulled back the dense growth. ‘Jissie, girl – look at the state of you? Have you been rolling around in the dirt like a dog?’
Charlize looked at her feet. ‘It’s not my fault,’ she said.
‘It’s bad enough you don’t bath, and then you roll around in the dirt.’ He grabbed her by the wrist. ‘Come – you are getting in the bath right now.’
‘No,’ she shouted. ‘It’s cold! I’m not bathing!’ She twisted and tried to break free. Johann grabbed her other wrist and yanked her up. His anger came from shame. ‘You’re hurting me! Stop it!’ she shouted.
‘Enough!’ he snapped. ‘Why do you think everyone calls us white kaffirs? Huh?’ he said, dragging her out of the bush. ‘Because you’re disgusting!’
Charlize struggled and cried. ‘Werner – he’s hurting me.’
‘Johann, be careful, man. Don’t hurt her.’
‘I’m going to chuck her in the dam.’
Charlize broke free with one hand and smacked him in the balls. Johann bent over double from pain and let go of her other hand. Charlize ran into the bush and scrambled up a tree.
‘You brat!’ Johann shouted. He crossed his arms over his stomach and bent over. ‘I’m going to moer you! In the blarry goonies!’
‘You were hurting me,’ she shouted as she climbed higher up the tree.
‘If you keep climbing you’re going to get stuck and I won’t help you down!’
‘I won’t get stuck.’
‘I’m going to fucking pull you out of the tree!’ Johann, like an animal, darted between the bushes and clambered up the tree.
She looked down at her brother, who was quickly gaining on her, and screamed. The adrenalin made her reckless.
‘Johann,’ Werner called, ‘you’re scaring her.’
‘You come down now!’ he screamed.
Charlize looked down and saw how high she’d climbed. She wrapped her arms around a secondary trunk and started crying. ‘I’m scared.’
‘Christ!’ Johann said. ‘I told you this would happen.’ He began to give his sister instructions on how to get down from the branch, but she refused to move.
Werner called up. ‘Charlize, if you come down, I promise you don’t have to have a cold bath.’
‘What are you saying?’ Johann said.
‘I’ve got a plan,’ Werner replied.
‘Promise?’ Charlize asked.
‘I promise,’ Werner said.
Foothold by foothold, hand by hand, Johann and Werner guided her down the tree. About a metre from the ground she jumped down and tried to run away, but Johann grabbed her by the back of the dress. ‘Where are you going?’
‘She can shower at the camp,’ Werner said.
‘Are you mad?’ Johann said.
Charlize shook her head. ‘I’m not going to the camp.’
‘But the water is hot.’
‘Johann says your ma is mean.’
Werner blushed. ‘It’s not true.’ Johann clipped his sister around the back of the head.
‘And if she sees me, she will see how dirty I am. And then Johann will be embarrassed and shout at me.’
Johann clipped his sister again. Werner reached into his pocket and took out the fifty-cent coin. ‘Do you want this?’
Charlize reached to grab it.
‘Fifty cents? Are you crazy?’ Johann asked.
Werner turned to Charlize. ‘Shower first, though.’
‘For fifty cents she’ll take a cold bath.’
‘No, I won’t,’ she said.
They walked back to the house to get soap and a towel. The brothers were agape at the state of their sister.
‘Skorrie fokken morrie!’
‘If Pa sees her, he will go ballistic! Look at her!’
‘Fuck you, guys!’ Charlize said.
The two brothers jumped up to take their little sister in hand, but Johann quickly moved between them and pushed them away. ‘Leave her alone.’
They walked in silence. At the camp perimeter Werner told them to wait. The girls were on a sunset walk with Steyn and his father. They’d be back in about half an hour. He looked around for his mother. She was busy reading a magazine in the lounge. He gestured for them to follow. Johann and Charlize darted out of the bush and followed him to the ablutions block. Werner took a tentative step into the bathroom to see if anyone was there. Maria was mopping the floor.
‘Hi, Maria,’ he said.
‘Werner – what you doing here?’ she asked. Her voice was indifferent.
‘Maria, my friend’s bathroom is broken. His sister needs to take a shower. Is that okay?’ Maria shrugged.
When Charlize walked into the bathroom, Maria put her hands on her hips. ‘Werner – this one is too dirty. What, you want I must mop again? I have just cleaned.’
‘I’ll clean, Maria.’
‘Yes – you say, but you won’t. I know you.’
‘Charlize,’ Johann commanded, ‘go shower now.’
‘Not with everyone watching,’ she said.
Maria, Johann and Werner stood outside the bathroom and waited for Charlize to finish. After a minute they could make out singing coming from the shower.
‘When are you coming back to the house, Maria?’ Werner asked.
‘Ah – you mother doesn’t want. She want a new ousie.’
Johann called in to the bathroom, ‘Charlize, hurry up.’
‘I’m hurrying,’ she shouted back. ‘But I’m very dirty.’
‘This little girl is sweet,’ Maria said. ‘I like that you take care of her. But why her mother let her get so dirty.’
‘That’s why we brought her here,’ Werner said quickly. ‘Her mother would be angry if she saw her.’ Maria nodded sceptically.
Petronella must have seen Maria from the house, standing by the ablutions block, mop in hand, not doing anything. They heard her shout before they saw her.
‘Maria, what are you doing just standing around? Huh? You think I can’t see you from the house?’ Maria turned to face the boys. ‘And you two?’ Petronella asked. ‘What are you two doing here? There are girls in the camp this week. I don’t want you hanging around the ablutions block.’
‘Ma, let me explain,’ Werner said.
Charlize had finished showering, but, afraid of Petronella, waited at the entrance to the ablutions block.
‘Who is she?’
‘It’s my sister, tannie,’ Johann said.
‘Ma – their geyser is broken. I said—’
Petronella cut over her son. ‘Come here, girl.’ Charlize edged towards the woman, but then stood behind Johann, holding her dirty clothes and wet towel to her chest. ‘I’m not going to bite. What’s your name?’
‘Charlize,’ Werner answered for her.
‘Charlize, come here.’
She stepped towards Petronella.
‘Nee God! This girl is still filthy! Johann, what is your mother playing at? Huh? Come, girl. You are going to have a proper bath.’ She grabbed Charlize by the wrist, but before walking away she turned to Maria. ‘Maria, I don’t know what’s going on with you. You think because you’re not working in the house any more you can just stand around all day doing nothing?’
Maria started shaking her head. ‘Aaai, missies, this is not right. These boys ask for this little girl to shower . . .’
‘Don’t you backchat me! Who do you think I am? Huh? I am not one of your bantu friends! I am your missies. I am your baas!’
�
��Baas Hendrik is my baas – you are nothing,’ Maria said.
Petronella had forgotten that she was still holding Charlize by the wrist. She took a step towards Maria, twisting the girl’s arm.
‘Donner!’ Charlize cried. Petronella turned to the child, exasperated. ‘Charlize!’ Johann said.
‘Never in my life . . .’ Petronella muttered, looking at Charlize. She turned to Maria. ‘Now, you listen here. I have had it with you, meid. You go back to your room and pack your things. Because when I tell the baas what you said, you will be out of here. You and your husband and your blarry kids too. You understand? Now get out of my sight!’ Maria dropped her mop where it was and walked back to her room. Petronella turned to Johann. ‘And as for you,’ she said, yanking Charlize by the wrist, ‘I am going to have words with your mother about what’s going on. This is not the way you raise children. I have half a mind to call the welfare. Come,’ she said as she turned to the house, dragging Charlize behind her.
‘Fuck, Werner,’ Johann said.
‘I’m sorry. Just let her calm down. Wait till my dad gets back. He’ll sort it out, I promise. It will be fine.’
It was dark and the girls were returning to camp to shower before dinner. Werner suggested they walk to the dam or the obstacle course, but Johann didn’t want to leave his sister.
‘We can’t hang around here,’ Werner said. ‘If my father sees us he’ll think we’re spying.’
The Curator Page 20
