Gunning for a fight
Cecile’s plan blows up when her ex Vince hauls her to court.
Beleef chef Vince (Jacques Blignaut) has been pouring every ounce of his being into his fight to see his son Christopher (who isn’t seen onscreen). And it seems that his lawyer André (Marcus Muller) has built a strong enough case to beat Chris’s mom Cecile (Chantal Stanfield) and get Vince access to his child. But Cecile, who at first refused point blank to let Vince anywhere near their son, beats them to the punch on Wednesday 12 April with a propossal that may let Vince be a father at last.
SPANNER IN THE WORKS
The day starts with Vince’s temper slowly rising while he and André work through every possible question that Cecile’s no-nonsense lawyer Lesedi (KB Motsilanyane) could ask him in a court scenario. “This situation is extremely personal for Vince,” says Jacques. “It’s difficult for him to control his anger because he feels betrayed by Cecile and hard-done-by. She’s kept his son from him this entire time.” Vince realises that he needs to be cool, calm and collected if this reaches court because any outburst of aggression will portray him in a negative light and make it easier for Cecile and Lesedi to beat him.
Court is the last option though and first Vince and Cecile will have a mediation session. If an agreement can’t be found there, they’ll do battle in front of a judge and that’s what Vince is prepared for. What he isn’t expecting is for his babymama to walk through Beleef’s doors just as Vince and his brother Justin (Dann-Jaques Mouton) are closing. “Vince is dumbstuck by Cecile’s offer,” says Jacques. “Vince can see his son… on condition that he gets into a relationship with Cecile again.” That puts the wannabe-dad in a tight spot, not least because he’s desperate to spend time with Christopher, but there’s also the small matter of his loving wife Bonita (Hildegardt Whites).
FOLKS IN A FACE-OFF
It’s an easy choice for Vince and he isn’t going to compromise his marriage, even to see Christopher. Besides, he’s ready to fight Cecile in a court of law and if he wins, he sees his boy and still have Bonita at his side. The mediation process kicks off on Friday 14 April and Jacques says that “it’s just Vince, Cecile and a social worker around the table but the tension is so thick that you can cut it with a knife”. Cecile plays the victim like a pro and by the end of the meeting, it’s clear that court is the only option. There will be blood on Tuesday 18 April when André and Lesedi square off, but whose is the question?