BECOMING
CHAPTER 29
CHULUMANCO
From that day Mesuli and I have smex every day. He just can’t get enough. We are sitting in the living room talking about everything and anything.
“I think I want to go back to school next year,” I say.
“That’s actually a good idea, baby. What do you want to do? You want to continue with your degree or start a new one?”
“I don’t know yet. But the degree I was doing was hectic. I have a child now. I don’t know if I’d be able to balance motherhood, business and school.”
“Why are you not counting your girlfriend title, ma’am?” he asks in a jokingly tone .
“That as well.”
“But, baby, motherhood shouldn’t stop you from doing what you want. Sis’ Lindiwe is here to help you. I’m here as well. Are you still passionate enough to complete your degree? Because if not, you have to find what you’re passionate about to avoid wasting time in things that won’t satisfy you,” he says.
“I don’t think I am anymore. But I’m sure that I want to go to school next year. I have to figure out what I want to study before applications close.”
We continue talking. He tells me about his own university days and how he balanced farm work with classes. I listen and nod, already feeling lighter just saying the words out loud. School feels possible again. Not easy, but possible.
Later I call my mom. I haven’t called her in a while. We have only been texting on WhatsApp.
“Mama ka Chulu, molo,” I say.
“Molo, sisi, unjani?”
“Ndiyaphila. I just miss you.”
“You should come visit soon. I miss my grandson,” she says.
“I was planning on visiting soon. But with Mesuli working and Kungawo in school, I have to plan first. I can’t just up and leave.”
“I hear you.”
The call ends and I go to the kitchen to get started on cooking. I’m not going to cook a heavy meal, maybe fry some patties and make burgers. I take out the pan and put it on the stove.
Kungawo and his father come to the kitchen running. They were playing outside and they probably saw me in the kitchen so they decided to come and disrupt me.
“Out of my kitchen, Kungawo no Mesuli.”
Mesuli laughs and picks Kungawo up. “Come on, nyana. Mama is busy. Let’s go watch cartoons.”
They leave the kitchen. I smile to myself and start shaping the patties.
*
MESULI
I carry Kungawo back to the living room and put him on the couch. He grabs the remote and switches on the cartoons. I sit next to him but my mind is not on the screen. I think about what Chulumanco said earlier.
“Baby, when you’ve made a decision about what you want to study please inform me so I can make a bursary application for you at the company,” I say to her when I go back to the kitchen later.
“No baby, I don’t want to inconvenience you and your family. I’ll find a bursary myself and if no bursary approves, I’ll have to enrol at a college because I’m sure I can afford college tuition. It’s better than university tuition.”
“But what’s the point of being the mother of my heir if you can’t benefit from your son’s family? You won’t be inconveniencing anyone, just tell me.”
Just then my phone buzzes on top of the table. It is next to Chulu so I ask her to pass it.
“Baby, please pass the phone.”
She picks it up and glances at it.
“Who’s Inga, Mesuli?”
My heart starts beating fast.
“It’s a woman that works with us baby?”
“Then why is she telling you that she’s pregnant, how is that your business.” She says and throws the phone at me.
I don’t answer because I don’t know what to say. Why would Inga tell me that she’s pregnant? That’s what she should be telling HR, unless she wants to lie and say I impregnated her.
“I don’t know, baby. Maybe she’s telling me because I’m her boss,” I say.
“Have you ever slept with her?” She asks.
“Yes, but it was before me and you started dating, baby.”
“Then why are you saying that you don’t know why she’s informing you about her pregnancy. You’re clearly the father according to her.”
I stare at the phone in my hand. The message is still open. Inga’s words are right there: “I’m pregnant. We need to talk.” My stomach drops.
This can’t be happening. Not now. Not when everything with Chulumanco is finally good.
“Baby, I swear I don’t know why she’s telling me this. It was one time. One stupid time before we started dating and I know I used protection. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Chulumanco folds her arms. Her eyes are hard. “One time? And now she’s pregnant and texting you? You expect me to believe that?”
I put the phone down and step closer to her.
“I’m telling you the truth. I haven’t touched her since before you came here. I haven’t even spoken to her properly in months. This has to be a mistake or she’s lying.”
She looks at me for a long time. I can see the hurt in her eyes. It kills me.
“Mesuli, if this is true… if you got her pregnant…”
“It’s not,” I say quickly. “I’ll call her right now. I’ll sort this out. I promise you.”
She doesn’t say anything. She just turns back to the stove and keeps shaping the patties. Her shoulders are tight. I want to touch her but I know she needs space right now.
I pick up the phone and walk out of the kitchen. I dial Inga’s number. It rings twice before she answers.
“Mesuli,” she says. Her voice is soft. Too soft.
“What the hell is this message?” I ask. I keep my voice low so Chulumanco doesn’t hear.
“I’m pregnant. I thought you should know.”
My hand tightens on the phone. “We used protection. It was one time. Months ago.”
“Protection isn’t always one hundred percent. I took a test. It’s yours.”
I close my eyes. This can’t be real. Not now. Not when I finally have everything I want with Chulumanco.
“I need to see proof,” I say. “And we need to talk. In person. Tomorrow at the office.”
She is quiet for a second. “Okay. Tomorrow.”
I hang up. My hands are shaking. I walk back into the kitchen. Chulumanco is still at the stove. She doesn’t turn around.
“Baby,” I say.
She stays quiet.
“I’m handling it. I’ll see her tomorrow at the office. I’ll get the truth. I swear to you this isn’t what it looks like.”
She finally turns. Her eyes are wet but her voice is steady. “You better. Because I’m not raising another woman’s child, Mesuli. And I’m not sharing you.”
“I know,” I say. “You won’t have to. I’m yours. Only yours.”
She nods once. Then she goes back to what she was doing.
I stand there watching her. My chest feels tight. I just got her. I just got us. And now this.
I walk over and wrap my arms around her from behind. She doesn’t pull away. She leans back into me a little.
“We’ll fix this,” I whisper against her hair.
She doesn’t answer. But she doesn’t push me away either.
I hold her tighter. I’m not letting this break us. Not now. Not ever.
*******
Target: 300 likes and 25 comments.
I was going to post two chapters today but I saw from the number of comments that you guys can’t handle it