UMFAZI WAKWA NDWANDWE.
WRITTEN BY L . P . MBHELE
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“Kagoentle Ralehlathe do you take Nhlanzeko Ndwandwe to be your beloved husband, and do you promise to be with him for better and for worse?”, I looked at the pastor, then at the handsome man in front of me. I swallowed hard, as his gaze pierced right through my eyes, he was looking at me like he was looking for something in my eyes. Tears were burning hurt my eyes, I couldn’t let then fall as I didn’t want to embarass my family.
I swallowed the lump that decided to relax on my throat, “yes”, that came out as a whisper. I heard allulations from the crowd, I looked under my veil, my step mother was over joying. “Nhlanzeko Ndwandwe do you take Kagoentle Ralehlathe to be your beloved wife and promise to be with her for better and for worse?”, the pastor asked looking at Nhlanzeko.
He looked at me, his looks are so cold, you can easily see he was forced to this as much as I’m forced to this. “Yes”, his deep voice echoed the whole church, making women to allulate and men to whistle. “Now you may kiss your bride”, I raised my eyes to look at Nhlanzeko, he lifted the veil, revealing my face. Tears volunteerily dropped from my eyes, I looked down again.
I felt his thumb under my chin, he lifted my face, my eyes met his eyes. He wiped my tears using his thumbs, he dropped his head to me since he is taller than me or I’m the one shorter but yha, his lips found mine, slowly and passionately we engaged in a kiss. I pulled out, he looked at me then my lips. Allulations and whistles brought us back to Earth. I’m pretty sure you asking yourselves how I found myself in this position? Well let me take you back a little bit.
*******
FLASHBACK…..
“Kagoentle where is Luminjalo?”, I shrugged my shoulders as she paced up and down around the house looking for Luminjalo but Lumi ran away yesterday, after they payed lobola for her, she saw she couldn’t keep up with this. Well Luminjalo is my step sister, she is also 21 years of age. I told myself I won’t go to the damn wedding, so I was in my room minding my own business when a heard a knock on my door.
I stood up then went to open the door, my father was standing behind the door. He looked at me with eyes full of tears, I opened a space for him to enter. “What wrong dad?”, he sighed getting inside. I closed the door, behind him then followed him. “Everything is falling apart, Luminjalo ran away after the Ndwandwe had payed lobola for her, we don’t know what we going to do now”.
I can feel for him, “then call off the wedding”, he looked at me like I’m kinda crazy. “And be on bad book with the Ndwandwes, the Ndwandwes are the type of the family that you wouldn’t want to mess with”, okay okay no one doesn’t know what kind of the Ndwandwes are. “So we decided that you be the one to marry their son”. My eyes popped out of it sockets, as I felt like I’m being punched on my gut. “But dad you know I’m homosexual”, he gave me a death stare, then walked out of the room.
*****
That how I ended up marrying the Ndwandwe brother. I never thought in my whole 21 years I would see this day. My father out of all the people, knows what kind of a person I’m. I thought he accepted me since I was his one and only daughter, but I guess I was wrong.
My mother died accepted me for who I am, she died proud of me. Now what am I going to say to my girlfriend, after the exchange of rings we went to the reception. I raised my head, my eyes met hers. Who called her, who told her coz I thought I would tell her after all of this. Tears dropped more as my eyes met hers. We looked at each other for a couple of seconds before she turned to walk away.
I wiped my tears using my hand, but it was of no use. My eyes met my best friend’s eyes, she really pitying me, she nodded slowly then looked at the door. I also nodded, I knew what she meant. I looked at my supposed husband, “uhhm can you excuse me, I need to freshen up”. He nodded coldly , but it was not as if I cared or something. I stood up from the couch then walked out. I met my friend half away from the hotel.
“She’s in room 104”, she said I nodded then walked in the hotel. I went to room 104, when I reached it I knocked. The door opened, our eyes met. She came closer then engulfed me in a warm hug. I let out a sob, “shhhh”, she said as she is brushing my hair slowly. We got in the room, she closed the door then locked it. “I’m so sorry Aurora”, I went closer to her, I held her hands.
“You know how much I love you, I wouldn’t hurt you like this in purpose, I love you and will always will”, I stood on my toes then perked her lips. She let her tears go, they dropped from her eyes. I hugged her, she held me for dear life. I pulled out, I looked at her, she smiled slowly. “I wish you a bright future ahead of you”, I returned the smile to her. “Same to you”, she kissed both my hands before walking out of the room.
Grap your necessity, food, drinks and blankets and join me because this is going to be a long journey of an arrangement marriage. I DIDN’T KNOW IT HAD TO TAKE MY FATHER TO ARRANGE MY MARRIAGE TO SEE HOW MUCH HE HATE ME.