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“You’ve missed your morning rounds. You’ll need the time to catch up. Really, I’ll be fine.”
    He kissed her and waited until she had opened the front door to the newspaper office before driving off.
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    Monica had wondered how long it would take Mandla to feel his brother’s absence, and was surprised when he started moping around the house after only three days. Sipho had called from Washington, D.C., to tell them that his flight had been uneventful, and then he’d called again from his host family’s home to say that he’d been met on time and made to feel welcome. Their family car, he’d told Mandla, was an enormous sport utility vehicle with three rows of seats.
    Mandla asked Monica to rent a movie filmed in Houston so that he could see where his brother was living, but she couldn’t think of any. She showed him pictures on the Internet instead.
    Francina reported to Monica on Monday evening, after Sipho’s first weekend away, that Mandla had begged Zukisa to play games with him, and although Zukisa had taken as much time from her homework as she could spare, it hadn’t been enough for Mandla.
    â€œHe’s like a fisherman without a boat,” observed Francina.
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    Ivy called again to tell Monica that it was too late to start her treatment this month, but if she collected her medication soon could start giving herself shots next month. Monica managed to put the nurse off by saying she needed to discuss matters with her husband, although she couldn’t seem to force herself to broach the subject with Zak. And Zak never mentioned it, either. It was as though they’d lost the road they were following, but neither of them had the courage to admit it.

Chapter Seven
    T he telephone rang early on Saturday morning, two weeks after Francina and her family’s last visit to Zukisa’s aunt, and before Hercules had even picked it up, Francina knew that was who was calling. Hercules listened for a minute and then went to wake Zukisa.
    â€œIs she okay?” Francina whispered to her husband, as Zukisa took the receiver.
    â€œI don’t know,” he whispered back.
    They watched their daughter’s bowed head as she talked quietly to her aunt and then replaced the receiver with care. She took a long time to face them, so long that Francina knew what to expect.
    â€œMy aunt wants me to look after her,” said Zukisa quietly. She waited for them to react, and when they didn’t, she added, “She said family comes first.”
    Francina felt as though she might faint. “We are your family, too,” she said in an unsteady voice.
    Hercules took her hand.
    A sob caught in Francina’s throat. “We have court papers to prove that you are our legally adopted daughter.”
    Zukisa began to cry, and Francina realized that she had been wrong to show her distress. She gathered her daughter in her arms and wiped the tears from her face.
    â€œI don’t want to go, Mom,” she whispered. “But my late father would expect me to look after his sister. She was very good to us when my mother was sick.”
    â€œI know, I know,” crooned Francina, rocking Zukisa like a baby.
    â€œI’ll fall behind in school. What if I can’t go back?” she lamented.
    â€œOver my dead body,” said Francina, and then immediately regretted her choice of words. She softened her tone. “You’re not going to end up like me, a woman without an education, cleaning, washing and cooking for someone else. You might have to repeat the year, but you will be back.”
    â€œDon’t worry about your education,” said Hercules. “I will bring you the course material and, if you have time to do homework, I’ll take it to your teacher. We’ll all get through this. Won’t we, Francina?”
    â€œYes, we will,” she said in a strong voice that belied her trepidation.
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    As Hercules drove