FAMILY SECRETS
CHAPTER :4
UNEDITED
[NANDI’S POV ]
“That was nice of him.” I said
“our husband is a nice person believe me.” Mihlali said
“you didn’t finish zinhle’story.” I said
“oh no she was just obsessed with proving her innocence that she forgot to take the pills and by the time she proved her innocence and was about to leave she found out she was pregnant so mtho married her.”
After Mihlali’s long description of everyone I started feeling down a little bit because very wife that mthokozisi has married is from a respectable and wealthy family and me, I am from the village, I have nothing to offer then why did he marry me?
” your spirit looks down what’s the matter?” Mihlali asked
“well the thing is all the women mthokozisi has married are from respectable and rich families and me I am from the village, I have nothing to give, I got no fancy background then why did he marry me?”
“hey don’t belittle yourself, you might not come from a wealthy family but I am definitely sure the is something special about you that made our husband choose you to be his wife.”
“thank you for those words, they make me feel better.” I said
“any day sweetheart just don’t be sad.” Mihlali said
“I am almost done with preparing breakfast will you help me take the food to the dinning room?”
“sure no problem.”
The breakfast was ready and Mihlali and some of the help, helped me take the food to the dining room. The food was served, every one ate and enjoyed themselves although the breakfast was nothing fancy it was just a simple breakfast.
After breakfast everyone left to do their own thing including mthokozisi so I went back to my room and packed my and mthokozisi’s bags because we are leaving for our one week honeymoon. Don’t think of anything romantic happening , it’s not going to happen I am going on this honeymoon to avoid answering to these aunties that ask a lot of questions. If they continue asking so many questions our conditional marriage might end up being exposed, no other than me, mthokozisi and the lawyer know about this conditional marriage (deal ).
While I was packing few clothes for the honeymoon, I also unpacked some of my clothes and packed them in the wardrobe to reduce the amount of work that would be waiting for me when I get back from this honeymoon.
I opened the last suitcase, there were no clothes on that suitcase, it was the suitcase I kept in the gifts I bought for the children. I must have forgotten to give them their gift, oh by the way mthokozisi has 5 beautiful and lovely children three boys and two girls.
You know I haven’t heard any child’s laughter or seen any children running around this house ever since I got here. Where are they? it’s so quiet.
“Knock… Knock.” a knock came from my door
“Come in.” I responded and the door open revealing one of the help.
” ma’am I came here to ask if you need anything?” she asked with a polite voice and smile
“first of all please stop calling me ma’am my name is Nandi and secondly where are the children?” I asked and the polite smile turned into a sour look
“you don’t know do you ma’am?” she asked
“what don’t I know?” I asked
“it’s just that… You know what ma’am forget about it I don’t want to get in trouble for being the one to tell you this.”
“oh no please tell me I won’t tell anyone that you told me anything.”
” well the children have their own house where they are being taken care of. They are not allowed to come here, if sir or any of the other madams miss them they go to them and spend time with them, look after them for the whole week “she said leaving me shocked out of my brain
” you mean you the kids don’t live under the same roof as us? Why ”
” I hope you don’t mind me speaking freely ma’am. ”
” please do. ” I said
” in this household they say doing things like this will help the kids become independent quickly but in reality the gossip out there says that the Qamatas are trying to make sure the past doesn’t repeat itself. ”
” past? what past? “I asked
” sir’s elder brother’s death. There is an old pond behind this mansion where sir’s elder brother drowned and died there so I guess they don’t want the same thing to happen to the kids that’s why they don’t want them to come near this mansion but the gossip here says something else. ”
” what gossip? ”
” well years ago it is said people were forbidden from going anywhere near that old pond. The late Mr Qamata warned sir and his brother not go anywhere near that pond and they didn’t for years until when the eldest son sir ‘s brother turned 18 that’s when the problem started one of the help noticed sir’ s elder brother sleep walking towards the pond as he was about to enter the pond the late Mr Qamata pulled him back and he immediately woke up and when he was asked what he was doing there despite being told not to go there, he said he heard voices coming from the pond calling him. His father did not believe him , he took it as a bad dream until sir’s elder brother’s lifeless body was found floating in the pond few weeks after that incident and do you know what the crazy part is ? ”
” sir and his elder brother were taught how to swim at a very young age, they both knew how to swim now the question is how did a person who knows how to swim drown? ” the help said leaving me feeling cold chills go down my spine
” are you s…….
Mthokozisi entered the room before I could finish asking my question.
“I will leave you to your packing ma’am.” she said and left in the hurry.
“what was all that about?” Mthokozisi asked
“nothing she was just offer some help and I declined it.” I said
“are you ready to go?” Mthokozisi asked and I nodded.
Our bags were taken from our room and put in the car, the drive was not long, we arrived were Mthokozisi’s private jet was.
We were flying to Cape Town, I asked for cape town because I didn’t want the poor man to waste his money on a honeymoon outside the country when nothing is going to happen between us .
We arrived in Cape Town at 10pm on the dot, checked in into our room and immediately went to bed because we were both tired from the long day we each had.
12.00 AM ON THE DOT
GUUUU!! GUUUU! GUUU! (LOUD FOOTSTEPS )
I heard the loud footsteps but I didn’t bother to wake up because I don’t play when it comes to my sleep even if it’s an earthquake I will not wake up. Mabye its Mthokozisi’s foot step, I guess he just came back from the bathroom.
GUUUU!!! GUUU!! (THE LOUD FOOTSTEPS AGAIN BUT THIS TIME THEY WERE EVEN LOUDER )
“Mr Qamata please be gentle with your foot steps I am sleeping here.” I said with my sleepy voice.
GUU!! GUU!! (THE LOUD FOOTSTEPS AGAIN JUST EVEN WAY MORE LOUDER AND AGGRESSIVE THIS TIME )
I attempted to take Mthokozisi’s pillows in my sleep and cover my ears with it but as I dug my nails into the pillow, the pillow was hard as human’s skin, I gently ran my hand on top of it only to realize what I thought was a pillow was a hard chest, meaning Mthokozisi is here sleeping with me in bed. If he is sleeping here with me who’s footsteps are those.
GUUUU. GUUUU… (It’s the footsteps again only stronger than before )
I opened my eyes but I dared not raise my head, i only slowly turned it to mthokozisi’s side of the bed and there he was asleep.
The footsteps are coming from this room only and from one direction, mthokozisi’s side of the bed.
I slowly raised my head to see if I would see the person who these footsteps belong to, only to find out that there was no one but the longer I looked at where the footsteps were coming from the stronger they got, I got scared and yenked mthokozisi to wake up before I scream because this was getting creepy.
“mthokozisi… Mtho… Mthokozisi please wake up!! ” I yelled out his name and he finally woke up. The footsteps stopped the minute he woke up.
“what’s the matter?” he asked but I couldn’t respond I was frozen in fear facing the direction where the footsteps were coming from.
“Nandi what happened.” he asked
“didn’t… didn’t you hear the footsteps?” I stammered
“what footsteps? Nandi I think it was just a bed dream let’s go to sleep it’s late.” he said and laid me down.
I watched him fall asleep as I continued watching in the dark. Mthokozisi was now fast asleep so I turned on my lamp, got off the bed and walked to mthokozisi’s side of the bed. I looked at the floor to see if I will get any clues as to where the footsteps were coming from because I know that wasn’t a dream, it was real so I bent down and saw muddy footprints, the footprints showed 6 toes