NURSE THEMBENI
CHAPTER 27
THEMBENI
A lazy smile spreads across his face just when I was determined to stay angry.
“Phakade lami, come here. Let me see my woman properly.”
My woman. The audacity. I move closer with my arms folded. I know I look upset. I want him to see it and to feel at least a pinch of the confusion I have been carrying since I found out I am apparently the key to his crown.
He looks amused instead of worried. That stresses me. He reaches for one of my hands. I hesitate for half a second, then I let him take it. His fingers slide between mine so naturally, if anyone told me they belong there, I would believe them.
He tugs me closer, so I’m leaning against his side. My other hand gently lands on his thigh. That’s a tight muscle.
“You look upset,” he murmurs, eyes locked on mine. “And beautiful but mostly upset. Talk to me.”
He says it like he genuinely wants to know. Do my feelings really matter to him? I pull my hand back slightly.
“I’m just confused. I would hate to be used. The throne is important to you, and your family. After everything you told me, it’s hard to place myself as an important person in your life. How do I know your change of heart is not for the throne?”
I brace myself, waiting to see his expression that would give me an answer to my many questions, but he just frowns then lifts my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles, the kiss lingers
“You’re upset and confused, and I get it. You’re upset. I understand but let me soften that frown with a little truth. Baby, you’re not just a key to me. You’re everything, KaMajola. I swear by this heart that beats for you, you are the most important person in my life. No one else comes close to you. My heart chose you, KaMajola.”
I roll my eyes to protect myself from tears. He really knows how to stir my emotions.
“You’re playing me, Mehlo. Look, I know the real you, I have seen him. You are cold, you don’t laugh or smile. Awuyisineki into engahlekisi. This is all about the throne. You scouted me at the shops six months ago. You knew who I was.”
“Yes, I knew. But I have fallen for you, KaMajola. Hard. I was cold because I didn’t want you in this fight. The throne war is ugly, people died. I refused to drag you into it. That’s why I was the person I was, but my father and the royal seer were pushing me to find you and bring you home. That first day you met them, was the first time I told them that I had found you.”
This might explain his sudden change that night I met his parents.
“I hated myself for falling for you, I knew it would put you in danger. I tried to stay away, but love can be selfish. Mine is. I couldn’t let you go. I kept you around because life without you felt empty. It is empty.”
I feel tears pricking my eyes, I am not going to cry though.
“You chose to be my sugar daddy instead of telling me the truth.”
“No, you gave it that title. I gave you money because I wanted to take care of the woman who holds my heart.”
That’s not how I saw it.
“You’re still lying, Mehlokazulu. Have you forgotten I walked in on you kissing another woman in your house?”
How can I forget that he has a girlfriend?
“That was my assistant, her name is Zola. That day, I saw you coming through the gate, I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend, so you’d think I wasn’t interested. So you’d walk away safe from all this.”
That was a terrible prank. What was he thinking?
“Why would you do that?”
His hands cup my face. What a strange feeling, they feel weird against my face.
“I wanted you out of this mess. That night, I went to Menzi and told him to leave you alone. He didn’t agree but I knew he was lying and I knew I couldn’t leave you exposed to him and Ngiyabonga. That’s what stopped me from walking away.” He says.
I want to move away from this topic, his actions will tell me what’s in his heart. But I have one more question.
“Did you have a girlfriend before we met?”
He nods. Argh!
“We broke up two weeks after I met you.” He says.
He did good and I thought we were many. In my eyes, he was my sugar daddy and sugar daddies always have more than one sugar baby.
Now, moving on from this. I look around the room to distract myself. This is one hell of a big ass room. It’s too big, definitely royal, I’m talking high ceilings, carved wood, soft fabrics.
“This room is nice. Will this be our bedroom?”
Is this me saying yes to this alliance?
He grins, the man looks flirtatious without uttering a word.
“No. You and the other wives will have your own rooms. You’ll sleep here only when it’s your turn.”
What the hell!
“Yoh, stop the bus. In fact, put me down. Decrease me, Mehlokazulu. Ngehlise mntanomuntu. My father is still alive, he has a homestead. I would never share a man, not in this lifetime or the next.”
He’s laughing, but I stand up, pulling my hand away from his grip.
“Where are you going?”
He jumps up, way too fast and catches my hand. That act almost throws him off the bed, I jump to help him back to where he was. He hasn’t let go of my hand.
“It’s a joke! Ngiyadlala, Phakade lami!”
“What kid of a joke is that?” It’s not funny, not after what he told me about kings marrying more than one woman. I’m still trying to pull my hand away.
“Inganekwane nje bambolwami! Come on, forgive your man.”
I’m not happy, but I let him pull me back. He sits me on his lap, and locks his arms around my waist, then looks up at me with a charming smile.
“Am I going to get a kiss, or do I have to ask nicely?” His voice has dropped.
I don’t know what to do with all this affection. It’s new and overwhelming, but I lean in anyway and allow him to kiss me.
When I pull back, he’s still smiling.
“See? No other wives. Just you, my queen.” He hides his face in my neck, he pulls closer to him and I fall on his chest. He’s squeezing my bum, I’m letting him. My body’s heating up, someone should stop this before I end up sleeping with a patient.
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NGIYABONGA
He doesn’t have an appetite, so when the helper comes to tell them food is ready, he gives her a dirty look. MaNxumalo tells the helper that they are coming. She nods and leaves.
MaNxumalo looks at her husband and asks why he’s suddenly irritable.
“It’s not sudden, I’ve been like this the whole time.”
He is surprised that his own wife thinks it is sudden. MaNxumalo doesn’t even have time to argue with him.
“I’m going to see Mpondo, I cannot wait another second. In fact, I will not be able to sleep like this.” He says, he can’t keep still anymore.
“Haybo Baba! Wait until morning.” MaNxumalo says with urgency.
“Men discuss business at night, you will not understand,” he says.
“Mpondo is an old man, he is obviously sleeping now. You cannot go and disturb another man at his house so late at night.” she says.
Late where? They haven’t had supper yet, and she’s declaring this night as ‘late’? Hayi suka.
Ngiyabonga studies his wife’s frame, carefully. She catches him and shrugs, silently asking what his problem is.
“Hayi lutho weh mama, I’m just shocked that you know his sleeping pattern now? You know another man’s sleeping pattern, MaNxumalo?” he asks.
MaNxumalo stands from the bed. This is exhausting, Ngiyabonga is capable of turning you into an enemy when you’re clearly on his side.
“Go, Ngwane. I’m not stopping you.” It’s her turn to sound irritable, perks of being married to Ngiyabonga Hlongwane.
“Vele, I will go.” He’s putting on his shoes. “You are trying to stir a fight so I do not go, I see what you are doing. But don’t worry, mkami, you are the only woman for me. UNgwane omncane only knows his owner, uMaNxumalo.”
He’s seductively telling her that he is not a cheater and would never cheat on her. MaNxumalo is not interested, she shakes her head and makes her way out of the bedroom.
He follows her a while later and asks for a kiss for the road. She does not pay him any attention. He drops a kiss on her cheek anyway.
“Keep my side of the bed warm, I will not be long.” He tells her.
MaNxumalo will only be keeping her side of the bed warm. Ngiyabonga will see himself. He pats his pockets. Car keys? Check. Attitude? Check. Mpondo won’t be stuttering tonight, he’s going to accept the bride price whether the sky is red or dark.
He walks out of the house whistling while dialing Menzi’s number. That stupid boy! All he knows is to give him stress. It rings and asks him to leave a message.
”NXA! Lalela la wena hlongandlebe, the reason for your disappearance better be serious. Either you are dead or were in an accident and lost a leg, or uzoyikhotha imbenge yomile.” (You unruly child. You will regret the day you were born.)
He ends the call with another tongue click. Just as he opens the door, the guard from the gate appears and tells him that there is someone here to see him.
“If it’s not Mpondo or KaMajola, tell them fusegi,” Ngiyabonga snaps.
The guard keeps a serious face.
“It’s a lady, baba. She says she has information regarding KaMajola.”
Ngiyabonga grows curious, he stops trying to open the door, his eyes run to the gate as he tells the guard to let her in. The guard turns to the gate and calls for the person.
A woman appears, she’s in a long dress, a doek. Her is head bowed, she kneels in front of Ngiyabonga, hands clasped in front of her. It makes him feel important when people kneel to him, so that explains the smirk on his face. He’s not about to lose all this to Mehlokazulu.
“Speak! Make it short and quick.” He orders the lady.
“Hlongwane, I have more information for you regarding Thembeni,” the lady says.
More information? Has she given him information before? He can’t place her face anywhere. It’s not like he remembers people that are not important to him.
Ngiyabonga is growing impatient. Kanti, why is she not talking.
“Hella, ntombazane. Khuluma. Speak!”
“She is at a palace in Mnweni Valley, baba.” her voice trembles with fear after that shout from him.
Ngiyabonga laughs, this woman came here to waste his time.
“Udakiwe? Are you on drugs? Guards, take this flying cockroach out of my sight.” He commands.
The lady shakes with fear, her trembling hands lifting above her head.
“I’m not lying, baba,” she speeds up. “There’s a whole new palace in Mnweni Valley and Mehlokazulu Hlongwane is the king there. It’s hidden from the rest of us.”
Ngiyabonga’s heart is threatening to finish him. This cannot be. A whole new throne? How? When?
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