0THE COVEN’S BRIDE
CHAPTER 21
NALEDI
This has to be the first funeral I have ever attended, and not everyone is as sad as I imagined. In movies, people will be wailing and wanting to be buried with the deceased, but here everyone is their normal selves. They are all saying he was old, and it was bound to happen anytime soon. I understand that, but they lost a family member, and he deserves to be mourned. Or maybe it’s one of those things rich people do differently.
We came back from the cemetery a couple of minutes ago, and people are happy and rejoicing like we didn’t just bury someone. Sadly, Mzilikazi is gone. He looked like a chilled old man as Jules called him. He was very nice and welcoming to me. I am glad that I got the chance to meet him before he passed away. I hope he wasn’t in pain when he passed away and that he is in a better place, wherever he is.
“Hey, let’s go get you some food,” Sibusiso says from behind. I turn to face him, and he plants a kiss on my lips. “I am sorry that you had to join a funeral after a lovely day we had yesterday. I promise I will make it up to you.”
“Baby, you just lost your great-grandfather. You don’t have to apologize to me.”
He kisses my forehead and then leads me to wear the food is. It’s a buffet, and people just serve themselves. I ask Sibusiso if we can eat in the kitchen away from everyone. I don’t know how I am supposed to behave at a funeral, and all this is hard for me. I don’t know why I am expecting everyone to be sad. Or maybe it was Mzilikazi’s wish that people not be sad at his funeral. He looked like someone who would wish that.
“Sibusiso, they need us.” Senzo walks into the kitchen. He acknowledges me with a nod and then says to his little brother. “Grandfather Mkhonto is calling us.”
Sibusiso looks at me, and I say, “Go, you will find me here when you are done.”
“Are you sure you will be fine?”
I nod. “I will be fine, love, you can go.”
Sibusiso kisses me on the cheek and then leaves the room with his brother. I look around for something to cover his food with. Their kitchen is huge, and I don’t know what stays where, but luckily, one of the helpers walks in and helps me. I sit on the chair and eat my food. For funeral food, this looks like wedding food, not that there is a difference.
‘Sibusiso lost his great-grandfather. We buried him a couple of minutes ago.’ I send a text message to Tshidi.
‘That’s sad, how is Sibusiso copying?’ – Tshidi.
‘He seems fine, I would be rolling on the floor if I lost someone close to me.’
‘Maybe they weren’t that close. You mentioned it is his great grandfather, and that could mean he was old, and you know when people get old, they die.’ – Tshidi.
‘Don’t put it like that, it sounds awful as if they were just waiting for him to die.’
‘It is the way of life. So, how is his family treating you? I hope they are not giving you nasty stares for attending the funeral.’ – Tshidi.
‘Not at all, his family is lovely, and they have been nothing but nice to me.’
‘That’s good and I am happy for you. I know how much your man’s family liking you means to you. I also know that you love Sibusiso.’ – Tshidi.
‘I love that man so much, I hope he is not playing in my face.’
I quickly put my phone away when Rosa walks into the kitchen. She flashes a smile at me and says, “Don’t mind me.”
“Would you like me to dish up for you, that is if you haven’t eaten yet?”
“I am fine, baby, don’t worry about me.” She opens the fridge and takes out ice. “How did you sleep last night?”
I answer, “I slept well, besides the sleepwalking. I am sorry about that, and I am sorry about Mzilikazi.”
Am I even allowed to say that? Is that what people say to people who have lost someone? Rosa says, “Mzilikazi was old, very, very old.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
She pulls a chair and sits. “Well, he was old.”
“Sibusiso went to see his grandfather, they called him,” I say. I don’t know what else to say. I barely know Sibusiso’s mother, and I don’t know what to talk about.
“This is your home now, Naledi, relax and be at home. No need to be nervous around me or anyone.”
It’s like she read my mind. I say, “I am still getting used to everyone. You all are very nice, I have to say.”
Rosa gets off the chair and goes to open one of the cupboards, where she takes out alcohol. She asks me if I want some, and I turn it down. I am good with alcohol. She pours herself a very good amount, which has me wondering if she is okay.
She looks at me and says, “I am sorry, but I need this drink more than anything.”
“I understand.”
She looks at me and says, “You seem like a very lovely lady, we don’t deserve you in this family.”
“You are the lovely ones, Mrs. Gumbi. You guys are nice and welcoming.”
“Bless your soul, child, but we are not as lovely as we seem,” she gulps down her alcohol and pours more. “We are twisted and…I was supposed to protect you. I was supposed to…”
“Are you okay, Mrs. Gumbi?”
She shakes her head. “I am not okay. I didn’t want this thing to reach my children. I thought it would end with me. I hate this family!”
I don’t know what she is talking about, but I think she is sad about Mzilikazi’s passing. I get off my chair and go to hug her. “I am so sorry.”
“I am the one who is sorry, I failed you, Naledi.”
“You didn’t do anything, Mrs. Gumbi, and I understand that you are sad about Mzilikazi, but I am sure he is in a better place,” I say, rubbing her back.
Sibusiso and Senzo walk into the kitchen, and Senzo leaves the room with his mother. I say to Sibusiso, “I think she is sad about Mzilikazi.”
“Or she is just drunk. Sorry about that,” he puts away the alcohol, and I heat his food for him. After he shows me how to work their microwave, of course. They should all stop apologizing to me. They are grieving, and I understand.
“Do you need me by your side, or should I go home?” I ask Sibusiso.
“I will always need you by my side, Naledi, but if you want to go home. I will drive you there.”
I say, “I will stay one more night. Is that okay with your family?”
“Don’t mind them, we can lock ourselves in my room and stay there until I take you home,” Sibusiso answers.
“Won’t they look for you? It is your great grandfather’s funeral, or have you forgotten?”
He puts the plate away and says, “The funeral is over, trust me, everyone is moving along with their lives after eating.”
“You people do things differently, I see.”
***
“What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that you stay away from me,” Rosa says to her husband, who just entered the room.
“We need to talk about this, Rosa.”
“There is nothing to talk about, Sipho! You lied to me, and there is nothing to talk about!” Rosa yells.
“I get that you are angry but put yourself in my shoes. What would you have done if you were in my shoes? How was I to look you in the eye and tell you that the curse has reached our children?”
Rosa shakes her head and says, “Still, you should have told me. We are a team, and we don’t keep things from each other.”
“It’s not easy, love, you know it.”
“You lied to me, Sipho. You lied to me – all you had to do was tell me the truth,” Rosa yells.
“Do you think it’s that easy, Rosa? If it’s that easy, go out there and tell our son that the woman he loves might never be able to carry his children. If it’s that easy, go and tell that child that she is about to go through hell and back because of the family of the man she loves!” Sipho yells back.
“I hate this life. Why couldn’t you be born into a normal family like other people?”
Sipho walks closer to his wife and says, “I also wish things were different. I also wish there was a way out, but there isn’t.”
“We have ruined that girl’s life, and Sibusiso will hate us if he finds out the truth.”
“What do we do? Do we tell them about the family case?” Sipho asks.
“I don’t know love, I don’t know.”
Sipho says, “Do you now see was I have been so stressed? This is a lot, and there is no way out.”