BAYANDA
13 .
BAYANDA
We walk into Sis Nomsa’s food spot, it doesn’t look the same anymore. They have renovated everything, but it’s still a food spot and it’s still getting filled. People are still buying but there’s a different person who’s selling right now. I guess time has really flew.
“You said you’re paying..” He says turning to me, I glance at him. Is he being serious right now?
“I thought you were joking.” I say, looking around trying my best to avoid his gaze.
“Well, I didn’t bring my wallet so what are you going to do about that?” He asks me, I heave a sigh—I can’t even believe I have to spend my own money today.
“Fine, just get me something to eat and I’ll pay. You’re robbing me wena, you’ll have to pay me back. I’m not a CEO of some rich company. I’m very broke.” I say, he chuckles and nods.
“I’ll pay you back Yanda, I promise.” He says walking to the counter to order our food. I sit down on the bench in the meanwhile—looking around, so much has changed in 14 years. I’m not surprised, everything was bound to change.
“Lost in your thoughts?” Katlego asks sitting down, infront of me. I didn’t even see him coming. He got us some cans of sprite. I used to love sprite as a child, I might start developing love for it now.
“Thanks.” I say taking the can and opening it. Damn, I opened it so much—I guess I’m thirsty.
“I didn’t know you still love sprite. I just got it because I was getting myself one.” He says, I gulp down some of the sprite and place the can down before answering him.
“I’m starting to love it again.” I say, he smiles and nods.
“I have nothing to say to that, our food will be ready in a few minutes. I got us two kotas and some wings as well.” He says, I shrug—I don’t really mind what we’re going to eat because I’m starving.
“I’m hungry, I can eat anything right now. Even you..” I say, I choke immediately after saying that—am I stupid or what? how can I say something like that to him? I glance at him and he’s smirking—for what? I don’t know.
“Stop grinning.” I say looking aside, he makes me face him by turning my chin with his finger.
“You’re not shy, what suddenly happened to you?” He asks, I don’t know what happened to me also. I’m confused, I’m not shy naturally—is it because he’s here? he’s making me feel things I’ve never felt before.
“Nothing.” I say, he stares at me—not moving his eyes from me, I can’t seem to break the eye contact also. He leans over and I glance at his lips. He plants a soft kiss on my lips and I freeze. Huh?
“Relaxed?” He asks, no.. I don’t think so. That just made me feel totally different.
“You should go check the food, I’m starving.” I say changing the topic and looking side. He heaves a sigh and gets up. He walks to the counter and luckily, the food is ready so they just give it to him.
“Finally..” I say to myself, he walks towards me holding the food—we’re not taking any takeaway. We’re gonna be eating right here. He sits down and places the food on the table.
“Do you still pray before eating?” He asks me, how could I ever stop praying? I nod my head and he reaches out for both my hands. We both close our eyes and he starts praying, he’s praying? Katlego never liked to pray first, I always had to push him and now he’s praying on his own ?
“Amen..” He says, I smile and utter “amen” after him, I open my eyes and glance at him.
“You prayed without me having to push you.” I say, he chuckles and nods.
“Sometimes it’s best not to be pushed Yanda. Let’s eat, these look so good.” He says, I don’t know if I’m gonna finish this Kota but I’ll manage. It’s a lot and messy, that’s how a kota is supposed to be.
I grab my Kota and he’s already on his second bite. I widen my eyes and glance at him—he can’t be eating this much.
“I’m hungry..” He says, I decide to let him be and take a bite of my Kota—it tastes good, even though it doesn’t taste the same because it’s not made by the same person who used to make it 14 years back.
“Do you think Sis Nomsa is still here? she was very sad when I had to leave. I was the closest person she had as a child.” I say, heaving a sigh.
“The lady over there says she’s still here, she’s just unwell. That’s why she’s the one who’s handling the business.” He says, my heart relaxes a bit.
“So she’s inside? then we can go and see her, greet her. It has been so long since I saw her.” I say, he nods.
“Definitely, we’ll go once we’re done here. Let’s just finish eating and go inside.” He says, I nod and continue eating my food. We never used to hold conversations in between of us eating, we were always silent and I’m glad we’re still maintaining that—there might be chit chatting here and there but not every second of eating.
“I’m full, I’ll take this as a takeaway.” I say taking the napkin and wiping my hands. I take a sip of my sprite and burp a bit.
“Sorry.” I say, he chuckles.
“It’s okay.” He says, I wait for him to finish eating. Now he’s taking his own time to eat, he started eating like he was in a marathon or something.
“Are you doing this on purpose or you’re like this? you started eating like you’re running off to somewhere Katlego. How are you eating like you’re a snail now?” I ask him, he glances at me and swallows his food before starting to laugh.
“I’m not doing this on purpose. This is how I eat now, do you have a problem with that?” He asks me, I roll my eyes.
“Finish up, or else I’m leaving you behind.” I say, getting up and walking to the counter. I ask for a takeaway bag and walk back to the table.
“You’re still not done? I’m leaving you behind.” I say packing up my food and leaving it there with him. I walk to the main house, I walk to the front door and take a deep breath.
I knock a few times, there are people inside. I think they are visitors or something. Sis Nomsa was just a normal lady back then, she was in her late twenties—she really didn’t have any husband or child. All she had was her business.
“Let me see who’s at the door, I will be back!” A woman’s voice says, is that her? the door opens, my heart just jumped—I can still recognize her even after 14 years.
“Sis’Nomsa..” I say, her smile disappears—tears fill her eyes instead. Does she recognize me?
“Who are you? do I know you from somewhere dear?” She asks, she looks a bit older now. I suppose because she might be in her forties.
“You should know me, I used to be the child who came here with her best friend every Saturday to buy your kotas. You loved me so much, do you still remember me? I’m Bayanda..” I say, she opens her mouth in shock.
“I knew the second that I laid my eyes on you that I have seen you somewhere! Bayanda, my baby.. oh God..” She says pulling me in for a hug, we live in a world where people love crying. She’s crying too, I hug her back.
“I can’t believe it’s you, you’re..you’re grown now. Look how beautiful you are! Oh, my baby!” She says clearly looking at me from head to toe.
“You don’t use the wheelchair anymore?” She asks, wiping off her tears. I nod.
“I don’t use it anymore, I can walk on my own two feet.” I say, she smiles and looks at me.
“Oh, you’re so beautiful. I’m so happy to see you, where is that boy? are you still best friends or you have stopped seeing each other?” She asks, I’m about to speak when Katlego emerges.
“Here he is..” I say, she looks to her right and smiles widely—she looks amazed. He’s not a small boy anymore.
“Don’t tell me you two are married! Katlego, how did you even grow up to become such a handsome man? Look at you!” She says, is she implying that Katlego was ugly as a child? she must be joking.
“Hi Sis’Nomsa, how are you?” Katlego asks her, right after he smirks at me—probably at the “married” statement.
“Whatever heartache I had just before seeing you both, it has disappeared! Come in, I’ll introduce you to my church friends. Look at you both, you look very good together!” She says holding my hand and pulling me inside, Katlego follows after I enter. We look good together? that cracks me up.
“Come, come…” She says, we walk into the lounge and there are a bunch of people in church attire. I stand besides Katlego, yeah I’ve suddenly frozen because why are they looking at us like that?
“This is Bayanda, that is Katlego. These kids used to come here every Saturday to buy the food! they were very little at that time, they were good friends. They respected me so much, they came to see me today. See how good they look? let me tell you something, they are married keh! they were best friends and now they are married.” She says, I glance at Katlego—he needs to stop grinning.
When did I say to Nomsa that Katlego and I are married? if she only knew that we just met after 14 years. Now she’s jumping to conclusions.
We greet everyone, Katlego seems to be relaxed. My knees are trembling and he’s shaking everyone’s hand.
“Katlego didn’t want anything bad to happen to Bayanda when he was around! He would shield her and protect her, my heart is overhoyed now that they are married.” Sis’Nomsa says, I sigh and take a deep breath after what. Let me keep quiet.
“We just came to greet you Sis’Nomsa, we were just on our way out. We just ate as well.” Katlego says.
“I was about to ask if you had eaten the kotas they make now in the kitchen but if you have ate then it’s okay, I’m glad you did. Let me ask Pretty to make you a takeaway for the road. It’s on the house, you two are my kids!” She says walking out, I weirdly smile with the elders sitting down.
“So for the time being, we’re husband and wife. You should listen to your husband, at all times.” He whispers in my ear, I shift aside and clear my throat. He’s talking rubbish, can’t he hear himself?
“So, do you two have any kids?” One elderly woman asks us, I shake my head.
“No, we don’t .” I say.
“You two would make very beautiful babies, you should start building your family. You are not getting any younger.” She says, I frown a bit—I need to get out of here.
“We certainly will, we have been trying though.” He says, I glance at him—he’s going to get the slap of his life.
—
—
SIPHO
I keep calling her, the call isn’t going through. Does this mean that she blocked me and she doesn’t want to hear anything that comes from me? I heave a sigh and place my phone down. Katlego should’ve just stayed in Germany, he just ruined my relationship with Bayanda the minute he landed. What kind of a brother does that to his own brother? I don’t understand him, or does he truly treat me like his half brother?
“Sipho, lunch is ready!” Mom shouts from downstairs, she’s even entertaining this whole friendship thing of Bayanda and Katlego. She can’t even see that it’s the cause of my breakup with Bayanda. What kind of a mother is she?
I get off the chair and walk downstairs, good thing my dad isn’t here otherwise I wouldn’t be doing what I’m about to do.
“Come sit, I’ll dish up for you.” She says, she treats Katlego way better than me because she raised him for a few years before actually telling him that he has a half brother that he doesn’t know about!
“Mom, how do you feel now that Bayanda broke up with me for your precious rich son?” I ask her, she stops on her tracks. She was about to go the kitchen.
“What are you talking about?” She asks me, I sigh and sit down. That complies her to sit too. She sits down and glances at me.
“Bayanda didn’t break up with you so she can be with Katlego. Where did you even get that Siphosenkosi? you are the one who ruined your relationship with her, if you had approached this manner properly then Bayanda would’ve explained to you properly that her and Katlego come a very long way. That is why their presence have so much effect on each other. You chose to lay a hand on her, she was supposed to forgive and move on?” She asks me.
That’s her problem, she sides with Katlego—no matter how right or wrong Katlego is.
“So what, I’m supposed to accept that they were best friends and now they are rekindling their stupid friendship? Ma, it’s over. They should just continue living life as if they never met, there is no need for a reconciliation. They are grown-ups now, their reconciliation affects my relationship with Bayanda, that’s not cool.” I say, I want my feelings to be considered in all of this.
“I hear you Sipho, I hear you perfectly. You just don’t understand the type of friendship that they shared back then. I wish you were there to witness it but unfortunately, you weren’t there. Bayanda and Katlego’s friendship was the one holding them up most of the time. Katlego was very broken when his dad left, he found a confidant in Bayanda, while on the other hand.. Bayanda wasn’t treated like a human because of her disability. Outside of her family, Katlego was the one who made her feel accepted.” She says..
Whatever she’s blubbering right now doesn’t make sense in my head. I’m not hearing the part where she says they aren’t being fair on me. What about me? what about the love I have for Bayanda? where am I supposed to throw this love?
“I need you to understand that the connection that they share holds so much more, something much greater. I understand that you love Bayanda too but laying your hands on her wasn’t the way to show your love. She took the decision on her own, no one forced her.” She says, Katlego probably talked her into breaking up with me. After all, he wants her all to himself because of some stupid friendship.
“So you’d rather stand with Katlego than me?” I ask her, she heaves a sigh.
“I’m not taking sides, Katlego and Bayanda are old enough to make their own decisions. I am not taking any decision for them, please don’t be angry. There are a lot of girls out there, your age. You might find yourself someone to love and forget about Bayanda.” She says, I frown. Forget about Bayanda? I shake my head and get up. She’s speaking nothing but rubbish right now.
I storm off, leaving her there. I grab my car keys on the key holder and walk out of the house. I get in my car and drive off, where am I going? I’m so mad right now. I drive straight to Bayanda’s house.
She might have broken up with me but I haven’t, I still have the spare keys with me. I might have done more than one spare key, what if that one spare key would get lost?
—
I get to her house and drive in, I also know the security code which she normally puts on when she leaves, so that means she’s not here right now. She must be with that fool, I park my car in the garage and get off the car. I unlock the door that takes you inside the house and walk inside.
Everything is off, yeah.. she’s out with that fool. I rush upstairs, I’m boiling in anger—I’m on 1000, not even a 100. I walk into her bedroom and come across some disgusting pink teddy bear on her bed. Why does it have her name on it?
I walk to her drawer, what are all of these? these look like they were meant for some kindergarten kid, written notes? at her age, Bayanda should grow up.
My eyes land on the wheelchair besides her bed, she has kept this wheelchair closer to her than she has kept me. For what? just because she was once tied to this wheelchair, she feels it’s best she keeps it? she has lost her mind. I grab the wheelchair out of anger, handling it aggressively. Because it’s an old wheelchair, it should break easily right?
It’s just a stupid wheelchair, why should it matter to her? I wouldn’t want to keep a memory of what once tormented me.