THE COVEN’S BRIDE
CHAPTER 11 (SPONSORED BY Readers)
MABASO HOUSEHOLD
“Hey, Mom!” Tshidi greets her mother, Janell, who just walked into the kitchen. Janell wasn’t expecting to find her in the kitchen. She was expecting her to be at her new house. They gifted her with a house for a reason, but it seems Tshidi doesn’t want to live in her house. Her stuff was moved to her new home – they also had to push her to do that, but it seems she doesn’t want to leave.
“What are you still doing here? I thought you would be at your new home,” says Janell, opening the fridge and taking out juice.
“My new home sucks and it is lonely. I prefer being here with all of you guys.”
Janell closes the fridge after returning the juice, pulls a chair, and sits. “Tshidi, you know we love you very much, but you cannot live with us forever.”
“Are you guys sick of me already?”
Janell doesn’t hesitate to answer, “Yes, we are sick of you, and you should go live at your own house.”
“Mom, how can you even say that? I am your child, and I can visit you whenever I want to. One day, you will be old and at an old age home, wishing to see me daily.”
“You are a grown woman, Tshidi,” Janell answers. “I love you a lot, but you need to learn some things in life, and living alone is a start. Plus, you have Maxwell, you can live together.”
“I don’t want to live with Maxwell. He doesn’t do anything, and I hate that.”
Janell says, “Then now you know how we feel about you. You also never do anything; it’s annoying. I love you, baby, but my husband and I also need our privacy. I need to be able to walk around the house in my panties, not worried that I will bump into you. I need to be able to have s*x with my husband on the couch without worrying about anyone walking in on us.”
“I do not need to know that you and Dad have s*x. Also, I never bother anyone.”
“You do, and you should go to your house. We bought you a house for a reason. Go there and please don’t make me change the locks just to keep you out,” Janell takes her juice and leaves the room, joining her husband by the poolside.
“Unbelievable!” Tshidi takes out her phone and calls her friend Naledi.
Naledi: Hey gorgeous!
Tshidi: My parents are kicking me out of the house.
Naledi: Why? What happened?
Tshidi: They say I have my own house, and I should go there. They say I must live with Maxwell if I am lonely. My parents are turning on me.
Naledi: You do have your own house, Tshidi, just live there, and yeah, you can stay with Maxwell.
Tshidi: Maxwell is a pig. I cannot live with someone who is that messy.
Naledi: You could get a helper.
Tshidi: Or I can live with my best friend in the world that I love very much.
Naledi: I am enjoying my space. I left my aunt’s house because I wanted to be alone. I am sorry, girl, but I would have to let you down on this one.
Tshidi: Please, you won’t even know I am there.
Naledi: With the way you and Maxwell are loud during s*x, I doubt. I am sorry.
Tshidi: It’s fine, it seems everyone is turning on me. Fine, I will go to my house.
Naledi: I love you; do you hear me?
Tshidi: We both know you love Sibusiso more.
Naledi: You are still number one in my heart, don’t worry. I gotta go, take care.
Tshidi: I love you too, babe.
Tshidi hangs up and sighs. She has no choice but to go to her house. She enjoys living with her parents. Mostly because the helpers do everything for her. Her parents also told her that she has to pay all the bills in her new house, meaning she has to start taking life seriously.
Her mother promised to get her a job. In all 30 years of her life, she has never worked a day, but now she has to work if she wants to afford her life of luxury. Her parents also told her that after a year, they would stop giving her a monthly allowance. She feels like everything, and everyone is turning on her.
She is not built for cleaning houses and working. She was born to spend money and live a life of luxury. Her parents are rich for a reason. Now she has to answer phones and sit at a desk 9 to 5. Even the thought of it makes her want to cry. She is used to doing things on her own time and visiting wherever she wants when she wants.
“Hey, princess!” Tshidi’s father greets her, opening the fridge and taking out a beer.
“My favourite man in the whole world. Did I tell you how much I love you?”
Her father shakes his head and says, “Whatever it is, I don’t have it, and even if I do, I am not allowed to give it to you.”
“Dad not you too. Don’t tell me you are turning on me like Mom?”
He answers, “Your mother said this is the only way to teach you to be responsible, and she is right.”
“It can be our little secret. Please let me stay here for a month. Mom will not even notice I am here.”
Mandla kisses his daughter on the forehead and says, “I knew your mother before I knew you. There is no way I would take your side over hers. Also, it won’t be bad to live alone. You will find out that you like it.”
“I also have to work, why do I have to work when my parents are rich?”
“This is our money, you need to make your money. You should be lucky we got you a house and a job. Other people don’t have it that easy,” Mandla says and then exits the room.
“Hey Lee,” Tshidi calls one of the helpers as she is passing by. Lee walks to her. She calls her Lee because she doesn’t know her full name, and everyone just calls her Lee.
“Yes ma’am.”
“I told you to stop calling me that. Anyway, do you know anyone who needs a job? Someone who can clean and cook?” Tshidi asks Lee.
“Yes, is there a job opening?”
“Yes, can you give me the person’s phone number?” she requests. Lee tells her that she has to get her phone first and then gives Tshidi the phone number. “How much do helpers get paid?”
“It depends, will be person be working full time or maybe a couple of days in a week?”
Tshidi sighs heavily. “I don’t even know. Let me talk to Maxwell first. Thanks, Lee.”
Tshidi is thinking of making Maxwell pay her helper. Maxwell takes care of her financially after all. As for the part of living together, she is still thinking about it. Tshidi gets her car keys and drives to Naledi’s workplace. If there is anyone who can help her plan her finances better, it is her best friend.
GUMBI HOUSEHOLD
Sipho has been monitoring his sons closely over the past week. The only person who seems in love is Sibusiso. He even hired someone to follow him around and see who he is dating. So far, he knows what Naledi looks like and what she does for a living. He is not quite happy that his son chose a woman who is not as rich as they are. At the same time, he understands that the heart wants what it wants.
If his son wants Naledi, then he is happy for him. Another thing that is stressing him is what if he is wrong. What if Naledi is not the one they are waiting for? What if it’s going to be Senzo or Jules’s wife? What if he tells Sibusiso about the family curse, and exposes himself to the wrong person? He doesn’t want his children hating him.
Now that he is in this position, Sipho understands why his father said there wasn’t another way. He now understands what it was like to be in his father’s shoes. No father would want to see that kind of thing happen to his children. The thought of his children hating him kills him.
Another thing that has been giving him sleepless nights is Rosa being in the dark. How does he begin to explain all this to her? To date, Rosa doesn’t like his family because of what they put her through. He is scared that Rosa might leave him and take his sons away from him.
“Hey, Dad,” Jasmine joins her father on the balcony.
“Hey, sweetie.”
“I was thinking, how about we do a family dinner with everyone in the family? I feel like we barely know each other as the Gumbi family. There are cousins and aunties we don’t know,” says Jasmine.
“Did you talk to your mother about this?”
Jasmine holds his arm and says, “I was thinking maybe you could talk to her. She is your woman, and she might listen to you.”
“She is your mother too; she might listen to you.” Sipho sighs heavily then says, “I will see what I can do, but I am not promising anything.”
“Thanks, Dad, you are the best,” Jasmine kisses him on the cheek. He won’t be the best Dad when his children find out about the family secret.