The Unfamous Five by Nedine Moonsamy

Author:Nedine Moonsamy [Moonsamy, Nedine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781928215813
Publisher: Modjaji Books Pty Ltd

February 1999

The champagne glasses clink, but Devon quickly abandons his on the table. He walks to the kitchen, his shoulder slamming against the doorframe that he has walked through and mastered all of his life. His eyes narrow as he assesses the items laid out on the kitchen counter: lime green plates, matching bowls, streak-free glasses, silver settings polished twice, olive napkins in copper rings. He stands, stares, not knowing which of this elaborate list to usher in first as a grand prelude to what will be their last supper.

Neha senses the stagnant sadness in the kitchen as she walks in. She pulls Devon’s gaze away from the counter with a knowing smile. She picks up the plates and nods firmly at him to follow.

Like five pleats on a freshly starched dress, they sit down at the dining room table with stiff formality.

“My uncle has a van. I can ask him to lend it to you to move all of your furniture and stuff,” says Kumari, relying on the never-ending to-do list to get them going. “Oh, come on you people! This is our last supper in this house, our last memory of a meal here, so just enjoy it.”

“Kumari’s right,” says Neha.

“Yes, okay – just tell your uncle that we’ll need the van after Wednesday. I’m only picking up the keys then,” says Devon.

“I took the entire week off from work,” says Shejal, “so I can help you.”

“So, we’re set then,” says Neha, picking up her fork even though she feels her appetite wane. The silence consumes them again. They have made the plans and laid out the foundations, but no one knows what their lives will be, stepping away from the gruesome geography of murder, where the blood of an old man has pooled in the bedrock of their friendship, binding them in sticky awareness of their limited power in the world.

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