‘Yes. We need to talk. You vent to me. Me. Don’t ruin your relationship with other people that you love in the heat of the moment. Your grandfather loves you. We all do. No one wants to see you like this,’ he said.
He expected her to fight him on it. But she simply nodded, picked up her bag and walked out.
They didn’t speak on the way back to his house. She just looked out the window. When they got back, she slipped off her sandals and collapsed on the couch.
Neel slowly walked over to her and sat down.
‘You’re going to tell me?’
She nodded but didn’t speak.
He sat back and stretched his legs.
About five minutes passed. Still nothing.
He pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt a headache coming on.
‘My father …’ she began.
He sat up and looked at her.
‘Promise you’ll listen without judgement. I’ll speak without interruptions. You can ask questions after I’m done.’
He nodded.
‘My parents met when my father was in Rally with a couple of friends from the police training academy. My mother was beautiful and he swept her off her feet. He came from a very wealthy family but despised his father so he became a cop to “disgrace” his family.
‘My mother was from what people call “Rally’s richest family”, but she left all that behind to marry him. My grandparents had to accept that she was moving away to Jo’burg with someone they didn’t approve of. He was controlling, but no one ever imagined it would become as bad as it did.’
She stopped talking and shook her head. She sighed and then started again. ‘My birth made it worse. It triggered him. He had to control us. The cameras arrived when I was about five. He watched our every move. If we were out of line, we were punished. Mom would be locked in her room for days. Sometimes he locked her outdoors all night. He’d withhold food. If you didn’t obey, you couldn’t eat.’
Neel ran a hand through his hair. He was trying not to interrupt, but he was finding it very hard to contain himself.
‘My grandfather and aunt and uncle knew he was controlling, but they didn’t know all of it. When they came to visit all appeared well until it didn’t. When I was 11, my mother left him. She got both of us out of the house in secret and we caught a flight to Rally. My mom told her family everything. My father arrived later that night. He accused my mother of lying. He said she was delusional. I don’t know what happened, but we left the next morning with him. My mother became subservient. She didn’t fight it. She just accepted it.’
Kaavi paused and bit her lip. Neel shifted next to her. She began talking again.
‘My granddad and uncle tried multiple times to get my mother to leave him but she didn’t. While my mother becamesubservient, I became rebellious. I was a teenager. I wanted freedom, but the reigns got tighter. He started to lose it because he couldn’t control my mind. I was defying him.’
Kaavi stopped to take a breath. Neel prayed that she wasn’t going to have another panic attack. But she started speaking again.
‘Two days before I turned 18, we had an argument. I wanted to go out with my friends to a party. He said absolutely not. He reminded me that he had at least allowed me to get my learner’s licence and I should be grateful for that. It made my blood boil. He left for his shift. His partner picked him up in the police squad car.
‘As soon as he left, I found his car keys. Rikesh and Tarisha came over and we headed to the party. Rikesh already had his licence so I could drive as a learner driver. We were about two streets away from the party when a cop stopped us. My father had reported the vehicle stolen. I explained to the officer that the car was my father’s, but Rikesh, Tarisha and I were handcuffed and taken to the police station. I assumed we’d be allowed to leave after my father had his say, but I was wrong,’ she said bitterly.
Neel was now hanging on her every word.
‘The charges were processed. We were put in a cell. It was a Friday. We’d only be allowed to apply for bail on Monday. Rikesh and Tarisha were allowed to call their parents. I wasn’t allowed to call anyone. Every officer I came in contact with listened to my father. They were macho about it. Laughing that the little girl couldn’t call her mommy.’
She stopped. ‘Neel, are you alright?’
He nodded. He couldn’t exactly tell her that he was shocked, angry and disturbed by what he was hearing.
‘Rikesh and Tarisha’s parents tried to get word to my mother. But they couldn’t. She was locked in her room. She had to bepunished too. We spent the weekend in the holding cells. On Monday morning, the investigating officer asked my father if he wanted to drop charges. He refused. He had to make me pay. If I couldn’t be his prisoner at home, I would be a prisoner somewhere else. We got to court and the prosecutor was best pals with my father. They somehow convinced the judge that I was a flight risk because my grandfather lived in Rally and had the means to help me evade trial.’
Kaavi shut her eyes tightly. Neel could see she was trying to erase the memories. She quickly opened her eyes again.
‘Rikesh and Tarisha got bail. I didn’t. Neel, I had turned 18 on that Sunday. I couldn’t go to the juvenile centre. Neel, where do you think 18-year-old awaiting trial prisoners go?’
