THE AFTERMATH
04
SIKHANYISO
“Morning sleepy head”
He opens his eyes to the horror that is Kuyasa looking at him.
He frowns and looks around the room.
“What’s going?” he asks.
Kuyasa smiles.
“What’s going on, is that you were in Mali’s warm arms”
He clicks his tongue and shakes his head.
“Where is she?”
“She had to leave for work”
“And she didn’t wake me?”
“Seems like that,anyways how was it?”
Sikhanyiso laughs and sits up straight.
“Calm” he responds.
“That’s a weird way to describe sleeping with a woman you couldn’t get out of your head for months”
“What’s weird is waking up next to your creepy smile while you’re half naked”
Kuyasa laughs.
“I am your cousin!,besides Muhle asked me to checked on you”
He breathes in and out and looks at the time.
“Can’t believe I slept this long”
“Thats what happens when you sleep next to the love of your,kuhlehla ngisho abathakathi ”
They both laugh.
“Is Muhle still around?”
Kuyasa nods.
“Great because I need to speak to her”
He makes his way to the bathroom,relives himslef and walks out.
They make their to the kitchen and find Muhle setting the table.
She looks at Kuyasa and smiles.
“Morning bhuti omdala” she says.
“Sawubona Muhle”
“Ukudla sekulungile ningahlala phansi”
“Thank you,but I need to get to work” he says.
Muhle nods and he clears his throat.
“Is everything okay bhuti?” she asks.
“He wants to know where Mali works,he wants to see her and thank her for last night” Kuyasa says.
Muhle gives them a hesitant look.
“He’s harmless sthandwa sam,trust me” Kuyasa assures.
“She works at a school,I will send Kuyasa the address” Muhle says.
“Ngiyabonga”
He walks back to the bedroom and finds his phone ringing.
He looks at the caller id and pauses before taking the call.
“Hlomuka” he says.
“Sawubona Sikhanyiso” his father says.
He sits of the edge of the bed.
“Sawubona baba”
“How are you?”
“Ngiyaphila Hlomuka”
“Good,I was just checking up on you”
“Ngiyabonga baba”
He ends the call and deeply sighs.
Phone conversation with his father are always brief,unless if he’s home.
The door opens and Kuyasa’s walks in
“I just sent you her location”
“Thanks”
“I hope you’re not planning on stringing Mali along,I really like Muhle and I don’t want anything to ruin what we have”
He lets out a chuckle.
“What’s going to ruin things between you and Muhle is that thing between your legs”
Kuyasa frowns putting a hand over his chest.
“I am a changed man” Kuyasa says.
“For your sake I hope so,because this one is crazy. I can just see it in her eyes”
Kuyasa smiles.
“I like crazy”
“Wena sizokungcwaba inkosi impela” Sikhanyiso says
“Pho kunani uma ngizobulawa udali” Kuyasa says.
He shakes his head and taps on the location.
Of she’s a teacher then she’ll definitely like a bouquet.
“Go away I need to make a call”
He makes a call to the florist and asks for 60 white rose,each rose representing each and every day he thought of her.
.
.
After spent the day running some errands he finally made it to the school.
He got here and convinced the security to let him in,then charmed his way to the office and now the school principal herself is walking her to Mali’s classroom.
“This is it” the principal says.
“I will wait here”
“Of course”
The principal walks in and comes out after a minute or so.
“You may go in,and once again thank you for the donation. Our school really appreciates it”
He flashes her a smile and nods..
“Right,I will leave you to it then”
The principal walks away and he knocks before walking in.
“Ngena”
He walks in and the class comes to a stand still.
His mouth drops and he almost twitches at the flowers distributed amongst the kids
Mali gets on her feet and looks at him.
Her look telling him Muhle didn’t mention this.
“Sikhanyiso”
“Sawubona” he says.
He looks at the roses one more time then her.
“Imali yami lena Bahle?”
“I don’t like flowers” she says.
“I get that but giving them to a bunch of kids”
She doesn’t say anything and just looks at him.
One of her students walks over and pulls her by the hand.
“Samke” she says.
“Ubani manje lona miss?” the student asks.
She looks at her whole class and smiles.
“Class this is uncle Sikhanyiso. Sikhanyiso this is my class and these are my students” she says.
“Yah Bashana” he says.
“Thina asisikhulumi nje isizulu,sikhuluma isingisi angithi miss”
“That’s correct” Mali says.
“Akasebenzi yini uMalume?” one student asks.
Mali looks at him and he looks at the tiny person asking this.
“I do work”
“Then what are doing here?” another one asks.
“I am here to see your teacher”
“During working hours?” another one asks.
“Yes” he says
“Miss”
“Yes Linda”
“Run away”
Mali laughs.
The school bell goes off and the students starts packing their things away.
They finish up and get on their feet.
“Remember to be kind always” Mali says.
The kids form a line and she walks them out.
He looks around and admires the class,something tells him she’s a fun teacher,something his generation never had.
She walks back in and he smiles,his heart filling up with so much joy.
“How did you find me?” she asks clearing her table and putting her things in her bag.
“Muhle”
She nods
“I see”
She grabs the class keys,remaining bouquet and bag.
He offers to carry her bag while they walk out.
“Thank you for the flowers” she says.
“It’s a pleasure”
“Now that you’ve seen me you can leave”
“I was hoping we could have something to eat on our way home” he says.
“I have plans”
“Cancel them”
She passes by the office while he heads to his car.
Another car parks next to him and a guy steps out.
They exchange pleasantries and this guy makes a phone call.
Mali’s phone rings and Sikhanyiso looks at the bag.
The guy looks at him and he looks at the bag.
Mali steps out and slowly approaches them.
Sikhanyiso tosses the bag in the car and waits for her.
“Mthoko” she says.
“Sthandwa sam” the guy says,looking at the bouquet.
“Where’s your bag” Mthoko asks.
She gulps looking at Sikhanyiso.
“May I have my bag please” she says.
Sikhanyiso opens the passenger door and looks at her.
“Get in the car”
Her eyes widen and she remains rooted in one spot.
“Mali what’s going on here?” Mthoko asks.
“Nothing” she says before looking at Sikhanyiso.
“Sikhanyiso please” she says
“Ngithe ngena emotweni Bahle” Sikhanyiso says.
She takes one step and Mthoko grabs her by the arm.
“What the fuck is going on here Mali?,ubani lona?”
“I promise I will explain ngicela uhambe” she says.
Mthoko’s lips part as he looks at her.
“Anginalo usuku lonke mina Mambomvu, ngena emotweni sihambe”
Mthoko lets go and Sikhanyiso guides her inside the car with his hand on her lower back.
He shuts the door and walks to the driver’s seat.
“Mali” Mthoko says.
Sikhanyiso starts the car driving out while Mthoko remains standing there.
………