For keeps?

Pretty is pregnant and she has no idea whether to keep the baby or not – but everyone else has an opinion.

- LEZANNE JANSE VAN RENSBURG

Having a baby is no simple thing – there’s the prospect of buying baby clothes, food, providing a safe home and a stable environment, and setting things in motion to ensure your child gets the best opportunities in life. So when varsity student Pretty (Lerato Marabe) realised she was pregnant, the weight of motherhood crashed down on her shoulders. “She is terrified! If there was ever a time she wished the ground could just swallow her, it would be now,” says Lerato.

WHO’S YOUR DADDY?

As if an unexpected bun in the oven isn’t enough, there’s another element adding to Pretty’s growing anxiety – she isn’t sure who the father is! “It’s a 50/50 chance between two guys and the only way to be sure is a DNA test,” the actress says. Who those two men could be is a massive secret and Lerato isn’t letting many hints slip. When we asked whether it’s between Kat (Patrick Seleka) and Lehasa (Cedric Anthony Fourie), Lerato simply smiles and says: “One of them outright denies being the father.”

ETHICAL DILEMMA

While Pretty’s family pressure her to get an abortion, the mom-to-be is battling with the ethical complexities of terminating her pregnancy. “She’s very confused, just like any woman in her position. Abortion might be legal, but it’s still seen as controversial,” says Lerato. “Pretty is on the fence – what if she goes through with the abortion and regrets it for the rest of her life? Or what if she doesn’t do it and then can’t handle motherhood’s challenges?”