BAYANDA
11 .
KATLEGO
The last thing I needed on this earth right now is seeing Sipho barge into my office like he owns it, I don’t know what the hell is his problem but he shouldn’t forget that I am not his agemate, he can’t do as he likes in my office.
“YOU!!” He shouts before marching towards me, I get off the car and fold my arms—the screw has gotten loose.
“What is your problem? I thought I told you that you don’t get to disturb me when I am working .” I say, he grabs my collar.
“You are such a horrible brother! How can you do this to me?” He asks, deadly breathing onto me.
“Unless you talk to me politely with respect, I won’t listen to anything you say.” I say, he lets me go.
“Do you love her?—is that why you’ve been hiding the fact that you and her have known each other for years?” He asks me—oh, he’s on that issue of Yanda and I.
“Do I owe you any explanation? I mean, it’s not a secret that Bayanda and I were childhood best friends but we’re also not obligated to let everyone know.” I say, I think that gets him more angrier.
“You do owe me an explanation! I am the one in a relationship with Bayanda! What do you mean you don’t owe me any explanation? You’re such a snake Katlego!” He shouts, I don’t know where the drama comes from but it’s unnecessary.
We can just sit down and sort this out like adults. He’s not acting like the “adult” he claims to be.
“I am a snake for not telling you about my friendship with Bayanda? do you even know what happened in the last 14 years? you can’t be acting like this Sipho. Especially after doing what you did to her.” I say, he glances at me for a few seconds and chuckles.
“So your “bestie” told you? this is far deeper than I obviously thought, isn’t it? you share something that we all don’t know about! that’s why she ran to you after I slapped her.” He says, he’s getting on my nerves right now.
“Don’t drag it. You slapped her, that’s a crime on it’s own. You are lucky she didn’t get you arrested. Sipho, what’s going on in your head right now?” I ask him, he attempts to slap me but I push him back.
“Don’t even start what you won’t finish my brother, you slapped my best friend and I haven’t done nothing about it at this moment. If I do something about this then you’re toast, I care about Bayanda more than I’ve ever cared about anyone.” I say, he shakes his head—I feel like the mention of Yanda’s name gets his head twisted, he has this facial expression that I don’t like.
“I asked her if she loved you and she didn’t answer me, I’m asking you the same question and you’re failing to answer me. That could only mean one thing, Bayanda used me as a rebound, everything just changed the minute you came back . Everything that I thought I knew about her, it turns out I really don’t know anything. How great is that?” He says, still laughing in disbelief.
“Nothing has changed Sipho, things have always been the same. The only difference is that we grew up, we’re still the same little boy and girl from 14 years ago. You’re just blowing everything out of proportion.” I say sitting back on my chair.
“Sit down, let’s talk.” I say, that’s the only way I can get him to calm down. He heaves a sigh and sits down.
“I don’t want to hear any lousy explanation, just say whatever you want to say so I can go and continue asking for forgiveness from Bayanda.” He says, he’s being so cold with me but it’s not like I give any flying f!ck .
“Bayanda and I knew each other back then, she was attending the same school I was attending in primary. She was still in a wheelchair and she kept walls around her life. Majority of the leaners constantly bullied her, they treated her like she wasn’t human. I felt sorry for her, but behind all that pity for her—it was something far more greater than I thought.” I say, heaving a sigh.
He’s just staring at me, with no expression on his face. If looks could kill, then Sipho would have long killed me.
“Something beautiful came out of that first time I met her. We never looked back ever since that day, we were inseparable. We started spending time together, we would never spend a day without seeing each other. It even came to a point where we started visiting each other. Mom loved her so much, she always spoke of her. Bayanda’s aunt and uncle also understood me . It was such a beautiful world to live in.” I say, having a flashback of all those memories.
If I has the choice, then I would live in those moments forever. We were never worried about anything, it was just the both of us in our own world.
“It was all gold and beautiful until Mom got a job in another country. We had to separate, until now. 14 years later.” I say, he shakes his head. Isn’t he tired of shaking his head?
“There is no need to rekindle whatever you had all those years back right? so what are you doing right now? This shouldn’t be happening, your friendship died long ago.” He says, that’s actually not true. My friendship with Bayanda never died—it continued growing even when we were miles apart.
“That’s not true, whatever you’re saying isn’t true. My friendship with Bayanda has grown stronger even when we were miles apart. I never stopped thinking about her, she never stopped thinking about me. It’s evident that the friendship is still there and it’s even stronger.” I say, he glances at me in disbelief.
“You’re trying to hide behind the friendship concept just so you don’t admit that you love her? Katlego, I’m not a fool.” He says, I believe I am right. I may love Bayanda but before all this love, there’s a strong friendship—an honest and genuine friendship.
“I just wanted to tell where Bayanda and I come from. Incase you wanted to know. She is my best friend, I’d do anything for her which is why i don’t appreciate the fact that you laid your hand on her. Yanda has been through a lot to just fall in the hands of an abusive person.” I say, he gets up.
“I’m not abusive, it’s all in your head. Just a piece of advice, Bayanda would never love you—she would never love someone who disappeared for 14 years and came back suddenly. That’s just pure bullsh!t .” He says storming out of my office and closing the door. I shake my head and continue with my work.
Sometimes I think he has a loose screw in that head of his. I can’t seem to understand him.
—
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NARRATED
Khanyisile’s car stop at Mbuso’s new place. It’s just an apartment since he’s staying alone. In her car, there’s Sbahle and Kuhle who was taken from the hospital just for today. Sbahle is sitting still in the car seat, hesitating to move.
She hasn’t seen Mbuso in three years, she even thought he was dead and she would never have to see him again in her life. Whats happening right now is coming as a shock to her.
“Remember, this is for Kuhle’s sake. Not Mbuso’s sake or your sake.” Khanyisile says glancing at her, Sbahle heaves a sigh.
“Let’s just go, I need to take Kuhle back to the hospital. She’s still not okay.” Sbahle says glancing at Kuhle who’s sleeping peacefully on the car seat.
“Let’s go.” They get off the car and Sbahle carries Kuhle in her arms. They walk to the front door, with Sbahle’s heart trembling. Khanyisile doesn’t knock, she opens the door instantly walking in.
“Mbuso?” She calls out for him, Sbahle closes her eyes for a second—caressing Kuhle’s back. She hears footsteps coming down the stairs, she’s starting to hear her own heart beat fast.
Mbuso appears from the staircase and Sbahle steps back a bit—seeing him after 3 full years is such a weird feeling, they didn’t end things on good terms. Mbuso raises his head and of course, his eyes meet Sbahle’s eyes. He doesn’t even take a second to glance at her, his eyes move to Kuhlekonke.
That’s his own daughter, he’s not moving his eyes from her. Sbahle keeps stepping back, as if she doesn’t want him to touch her.
“Sbahle..” Khanyisile whispers, placing her hand on her arm. Reassuring her that everything is fine, Sbahle glances at Kuhle then at Mbuso. He’s standing there, infront of her. But he’s not looking at her, he’s looking at Kuhle.
“Sbahle..” Khanyisile calls her out again, she’s not letting go of Kuhle. She’s holding her tightly so, Mbuso finally glances at Sbahle.
“Can you let me hold her?” He asks, even hearing the voice makes her heart jump—she wants to disappear right now.
“No..” Sbahle says, she’s trembling as she says this. Mbuso glances at Khanyisile who glances at Sbahle.
“What are we here for Sbahle? please don’t make this harder than it already is.” Khanyisile says, Sbahle blinks away the tears in her eyes.
“Here..” She says stepping closer to Mbuso, she hesitantly hands Kuhle over to him. Tears leaving her eyes each second while Mbuso’s smile forms on his face.
“She’s Kuhlekonke, your daughter. She had turned 3 at the beginning of the year, 2nd of January.” Khanyisile says, Mbuso doesn’t respond—he’s lost in the moment.
Seeing his daughter, in his arms is an everlasting moment. He’s getting emotional, looking at her as she’s sleeping. She took his whole face, there’s no DNA that’s needed here.
“I’m not sure if you remember but Thabisile was born on the 2nd of January as well.” Khanyisile says, Sbahle glances at her shocked.
“How could I forget? I can never forget that.” Mbuso says, staring at Kuhle.
“Hey baby..” He whispers, earning some movement from Kuhle. She half opens her eyes and glances at Mbuso. In this moment, it feels like everything is aligning. She looks like she’s struggling to breathe, he glances at Sbahle.
“I would’ve came to the hospital. There was no need to come here.” He says, is he talking to her? of course, he has to be talking to her.
“She’ll go back once we are done here.” She says, not maintaining eye contact with him.
“Let’s go and sit down.” Khanyisile says taking Sbahle’s hand and walking to the lounge. They sit down, Sbahle is the most uncomfortable person in this world right now. She looks like she’s about to burst.
“I’m having the nursery arranged for her, I also got her a few things.” Mbuso says sitting down with Kuhle.
“Nursery?—what is it for?” She asks.
“Her nursery, what else could a nursery be for? She is my daughter, I deserve to spend as much time as I can with her.” Mbuso softly says.
“I’m not comfortable with her spending time with you as of yet. You just met her, take things slowly. The most important thing right now is the ceremony, her health is deteriorating every day.” Sbahle says.
“Maybe one of the reasons she’s like this is because you didn’t live up to your promise.” He says, Sbahle instantly shakes her head.
“I’m not forced to name her Thabisile.” She says, Kuhle coughs once and starts crying.
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