LUXOLO

I’m woken up by my mother opening the curtains of the room that I’m sleeping in, in fact the sun penetrating the curtain, and into this bed is the one that woke me up. She shakes her head as I groan in frustration, and step out of the room. Kanty what time is it? I push off the blankets, and put on my slippers then step out of the room. I find my mother cleaning up I don’t even know what she’s cleaning because this place is clean.

“Morning Mama,” yawning.

“Morning ngo 10:00am Nono? It’s unlike you waking up this late. What changed?” Stripping, most definitely it, but I can’t tell her that.

Me: “Yoh Mama, I’m used to sleeping in the afternoon since I work night shifts,” I settle down in one of the chairs, and rub my face.

Her: “That’s not right Nono. Why don’t you quit? I can always go back to work I don’t mind,” I shake my head.

Me: “No, Mama. You’re approaching 50 years already, you need to sit down, and relax. Allow me to take care of you just like you did with me for the past 27 years.”

Her: “Bu…,”

Me: “No Mama. No buts. You’ve been a super woman all your life making sure that I get everything I need, just stop worrying about me I’m a big girl, and stop cleaning they have people for that here. Have you called for food service?”

Her: “No. I sent that driver of yours to go, and buy us fat cakes I know how much you love them,” I give her a smile. I love this woman shame.

Me: “Thank you Mama, but I no longer eat food that contains too much cholesterol they make me sick,” she laughs, and claps her hands.

Her: “Wiyibo, what happened to my Nono? The one who used to cry when I didn’t leave money for fat cakes? Do you remember how I used to find you sad, and refused talking to me when I come back from work old as you are?” Yoh, lomama ukhipha Ama files manjer, ma secret a serious phela lawa.

Me: “Hhayi woman, I don’t remember any of that.”

Her: “I still have the videos yazi,” I shoot my eyes open, and look at her in total shock.

Me: “No ways. You’re lying Mama,” she laughs.

Her: “I will show you once we get to our new place, hope my laptop is still in a condition as I left it.”

Me: “Really Mama? What can I possibly do with it? I mean, I have my own laptop that I love so much.”

Her: “I was just saying, don’t bite my head off. Any plans for today?”

Me: “Nah, but I will have to go, and check our room if it’s fine,” this means that I’m going to hunt for a room, but you wouldn’t know that because you don’t read minds.

Her: “Will it be a problem if I’m coming along with you? I’ll be bored here alone,” well…

Me: “It won’t be a problem Mama, you are very much welcome to tag along.”

Her: “I wasn’t going to go with you if I had a sewing machine here,” I look at her, this is a first.

Me: “Sewing machine? What were you going to do with it, because the last time I checked you weren’t owning one?” Furrowing my brow.

Her: “Well, Lindiwe taught me how to sew. She may be a little bit crazy, but she really helped me in terms of nursing me back to health even though she was shouting at me, and blaming me that I’ve stopped her from enjoying her youth. And again, she will get angry when I tell her to leave, she’ll be like ‘I’m nursing you back to health, and now you’re telling me to leave? You are telling a whole me, your nurse to leave?’ Yoh, Haike bese iyasuka. She will start screaming for no apparent reason, and I will just ignore her, then she will come back later and apologize,” I laugh.

Me: “Are you sure that she’s normal? Like, it’s her mind really working properly?” She laughs.

Her: “She’s normal, but a different kind of normal. She tends to lose it here & there, but overall she’s such a character,” I nod in agreement.

Me: “I forgot to tell you, she called last night.”

Her: “Where did sh… Oh, almost forgot that she gave you her phone. What did she want?”

Me: “She was telling me about how mad her mother was when she came back from work, apparently someone told her that they saw you leaving, and then your sister started questioning her, and ended up chasing her out of her house, she sounded not bothered about it yazi,” she laughs.

Her: “Her mother chases her out of her house after every 2 days, and she will go to his boyfriend for a sleepover, when she comes back she will complain about her boyfriend not spending enough time with her. Yuhhh Nono, she’s a lot of work, and she is so loud” we laugh. A knock comes through at the door, I look at my mother she shrugs then attend the door, and it’s Lee.

“Sawubona Mama, can I please have a word with Lux?”

Her: “Before you have a word with her, where are the fat cakes that I’ve sent you to buy?”

Him: “Eish Ma’oledi, the queue was so long, but I’ve substituted your fat cakes with bunny chows, and I will fetch them in 10 minutes they will be ready by then,” I wonder where did he buy them, they were my absolute favorite while growing up.

Her: “Bunny chows? What are those?” I get up from the chair clearing my throat.

Me: “It’s half bread stuffed with hot/mild mince meat, chicken livers, kidneys, it differs Mama,” she shakes her head.

Her: “The food you young generation eat, Ai,” she shakes her head, and excuses herself.

Me: “So, how can I help you Lee?”

Him: “I overheard you saying that you’re looking for a place to stay, and I’ve found you one,” I blankly stare him. “Ek’se sisi, ifikile emadlebeni?”

Me: “Ur… Urhm, yeah. Ifikile, But I did not ask you to help me look for a place to stay, and I definitely don’t remember talking about this issue in your presence.”

Him: “I can read your thoughts. So, want to check it out later?”

Me: “What’s in it for you?”

Him: “Sisi, ipozi or?” (Sister, do you want a place to stay) I heave out a sigh. I really do need a place to stay, but why is he offering me one? Something just doesn’t add up, oh well, it won’t hurt to give it a go ahead right? It was going to be better if he was not working for Sol. Phela now, Sol knows that I have a mother he obviously told him, if I dare cross him he is going to come for my mother. Ey, saze sazithwala izono sibancane.

Me: “What time?”

Him: “Any time is time sweetie, just tell me what time I’ll be around here & there. Let me go, and fetch those bunny chows,” he winks at me, and walks away. I close the door after him.

“He looks like a good young man, and handsome too,” my mother tells me joining me in the kitchen again. I laugh.

Me: “And Lindiwe will most definitely kill me,” she looks at me confused. “Ask no questions. Hear no lies. Let me go, and take a bath we’re going to check out the place, and erase whatever thoughts you have about me, and Lee because nothing will happen between us,” I walk away leaving her smiling alone, she better erase any thoughts njer.

★»★«

VUYO

I’m in my office going through some paper work, my body is here, but my mind is far away with thoughts in a way that I didn’t notice my boss standing before me until he banged the table making me to acknowledge his presence. He is furious I must say.

“In my office right now Vuyo!” He walks away immediately he said that, I have no choice but to follow him. He enters his office first, and I follow after him, he settles down, and I remain standing. I know that he’s going to complain about my work performance lately, I never told him that I’m going through a lot, and now there might be a possibility of me having a daughter is weighing down on me heavily, my shoulders are heavy maarn, and my mind is about to explode. Sighs. “You may sit,” he points at the chair.

“I’d rather stand, thank you,” he nods.

Him: “What’s going on with you Vuyo? Your mind is hardly here, you don’t even attend stuff meetings anymore, let alone have lunch with your lunch squad. They are worried about you, and so is the management. What’s wrong with you?”

Me: “I’m going through some personal stuff, stress is attacking me, my problems are piling up on my shoulders. My past is trying to make a come back in my life in a cruel manner, and I know that all this is affecting my work, but you need to understand that I’m going through a lot right now.”

Him: “Then why didn’t you come to me

and report that you are going through a lot you need few days off to fix your personal life? We are not prophets or sangoma’s Vuyo to know what’s going on with you, we are none of that. I would advise you to take a month paid leave because you will make us lose valuable clients, and we don’t want that. Go home, and sort yourself out,” I nod. 

Me: “Thank you. Will it be okay if I leave immediately?” He nods. I walk out of his office.

3 hours later I’m driving down in the road of my home, where I was born & bred. I told myself that I will never ever come back here, but here I am driving in this very route, I broke the promise I made to myself. But then again, I need answers I had to come here, as I turn on the corner I can see the house all the way from here it is the only house that looks old, and the paint is wearing off the weeds in the yard are covering half of the house. By the look of things it looks like no one stays there anymore, if that’s the case where did they relocate to? And Anna’s home is just 5 houses away from mine I wonder if she still stays around here.

I step out of the car, and walk toward the gate only to be met by a big lock at the gate, sighs. I look around, and people are in their houses of which is strange considering the fact this place used to be lively while I was staying here you will find kids playing in the streets, I know it’s close to 20 years since I moved away from here, but the setting is still the same.

“There’s no one there,” I turn to see who the person is, and it’s Mam’Zanele daughter Naledi, her mother used to be best friends with my mother. She looks so grown, and beautiful let’s just say she bloomed out really well considering the fact that she used to look like something nasty, and ugly back then with pimples filling her entire face, no one wanted to associate themselves with her, she was a loner. She is standing right next door.

“Where are they?” I don’t think she notices me.

Her: “They moved to Zithobele village,” fixing her glasses. Well, the nerd in her is still there.

Me: “Zithobele what? Where on earth is that village, and why did they move there? When was this?”

Her: “The healthcare workers from that village came here, and took everyone who is sick with, and took them to that Zithobele village. It is said that, that village is very powerful, and very sacred only the pure are allowed to stay there, and that was like 5 years ago.”

Me: “Bullshit. Do you have any idea where this Zithobele village is situated?”

Her: “Nope. No idea. Anyway, what’s your relationship with the Masango’s?”

Me: “You don’t recognize me?”

Her: “I wouldn’t be asking if I did.”

Me: “I’m Vuyo,” she widens her eyes in shock.

Her: “Vuyo? The very same Vuyo who used to insult me about my looks back when we were young? The very same Vuyo who abandoned his family? Is that really you?” Why aphapha all of a sudden? I shrug. “Wawu. So, after 20 years of going AWOL you finally remembered that you have a family?” So sarcastic.

Me: “Don’t start with me. Where’s Anna?”

Her: “Haven’t you heard? She passed on 10 years ago,” my heart starts beating abnormal when she tells me this. But how? What happened to her? What could’ve killed her?

Me: “Wh.. What happened to her?”

Her: “She was sick.”

Me: “Wawu, tha… That’s bad. Did she have any children?”

Her: “Not that I know of. Or maybe she did with her ex-husband.” I nod.

Me: “She remarried?” She nods. Now what? Who is going to answer my questions ke if eshonile yena? I wonder what was wrong with her. “And her parents?”

Her: “They are at Zithobele village too.”

Me: “Why are staying here whereas almost everyone have relocated to that Zithobele village?”

Her: “Because I’m not sick, and I’m still young. It’s only us the youngsters, and those who are not sick left in this place,” I nod.

Me: “So, what does the municipality do with these vacant houses?”

Her: “They wanted to sell them, but the Princess of Zithobele village told them not to she has plans for these vacant houses.”

Me: “I see. Do you perhaps have a spare key with you?” Most houses here use the same keys in their kitchen doors.

Her: “Let me check. So, you are going to jump over the fence?”

Me: “I have no choice, or do I?” She shakes her head, and walks away. Fuck, where is this Zithobele village anyway? Guess I will have to investigate this myself, I need to get a sample of her hair or something. I wonder how many men did she sleep with, what harm did they do to her tiny body? I don’t think I will forgive myself if she is indeed my daughter. And if she is my daughter, how is she going to look at me knowing that I sleep with prostitutes? Moreover, how is she going to welcome me? And again, how did she end up staying with this woman called her mother? This is one messed up situation huh. I have a lot of questions, but no one to answer them for me.

“Here you go,” Naledi hands me the keys.

Me: “Thank you,” I jump over the fence. “Can you also lend me some cleaning materials?”

Her: “Sure,” she walks away. I open the kitchen door, and I’m met by dust I have a lot of work to do around here, hopefully I might stumble upon something.

★»★«

LUXOLO

This is not a room, this it’s a 4-room house with full furniture, and the fridge is already packed with food, the cupboards too. I like it, I really do plus it’s closer to work it’s a walkable distance, but this is going to make my mother asks me questions again about how am I affording this whereas I’m just a waitress at a nightclub just like she did a day ago, yhey, I’m not ready to be questioned by her. Well, at least Lindiwe is here she won’t ask me in front of her, and Lindiwe only came with because she wanted to see Lee apparently she dreamt getting married to him, and having lots of babies and all the babies looked like Lee, not her. Hhayi no, this girl you guys, haikhona. She needs to be checked.

“How are you finding it?” I ask my mother.

“It’s fine. I love, but I have questions,” here we go.

Me: “I know, and unfortunately for you, I don’t have any answers except that this is all my boss’s work he really cares about his employees.”

Her: “I see. When can I meet this boss of yours, I really need to think for all that he’s doing for you, for us,” Lindiwe laughs.

“Haike Mamzo, you’ll get her fired, plus I’m also looking for a job where she works. Anyway, asijike la ka Zweli,” she tells me already pulling me by my hand.

Mom: “We are not done njalo Nono, we will pick up where we left off,” I laugh.

Lindiwe: “Usenjeni sesi,” we laugh.

Me: “I know. How far is Zweli’s?”

Her: “Safika nyalo just 2 minutes. Awutshele mine la, kutseni Lee angenta so?” (Tell me here, why is Lee doing to this me) I scratch my head.

Me: “What is he doing?”

Her: “Awuboni njer wena?” (Can’t you see)

Me: “Angiboni lutfo mine sesi,” (I don’t see anything)

Her: “You need to eat more carrots Luxolo,” I laugh, yahlanya lo. “And we’re here,” well, this place looks beautiful for it be selling Kota’s & African food it was supposed to be a restaurant, Kasi restaurant that since it’s situated deep in the ghetto, and it is clean I must applaud. We greet the lady whose behind the counter, and we order what we came for.

“You may sit down your orders will be ready in 5 minutes,” she’s friendly too.

Lindiwe: “That’s the wife Thabile, and did I tell you that they have friends who are royalty? I mean, the Queen, King, protector, seer all that you can think of when it comes to royalty, and the Queen is very beautiful yoh. Her name is Nobuntu, and God isn’t she the sweetest? She’s the best if I was royalty I was going to be just like her, and the prince? Hehe, he’s a pastor married to a prophetess that woman can sure prophecy no manga manga business with her, I trust her,” I know all that she’s telling me, well except for this girl being the owner if this joint wife, but I know that the owner was once a prince only to find out years later that he’s just a commoner married to a real princess, a princess who found love in his best friend, shame life I mystery you guys.

Me: “I’ve read about Nobuntu, and all that she does she’s an inspiration indeed. Who would’ve thought that someone so young can be this powerful?”

Her: “It can only be the ones that were birthed inside the water,” I laugh. “Let me quickly dash to the ladies, I’ll be right back,” I nod. I look at my phone, and dial my numbers hope I will find it switched off, but on the other side I need to hear his voice. Nah, that’s just cerebos telling me otherwise because ku dry down there, I wonder if there are male escorts though I would’ve long serviced my vagina shame… I can hear someone breathing from the other side, that can only be him, he answered, but why isn’t he saying anything.

“Can I have my phone back?” I just get straight to the point, no greeting, no nothing.

“You know where I stay come, and get it yourself,” hanging up. Did he just hang up on me? Yuh, this wrinkled newspaper nina uyinja maarn, ungu njandini straight. Thabile calls our order number, I go and fetch it then wait for Lindiwe to come back from the ladies, she’s been gone for a long time. Let it history not repeat itself like it did with Bella.

I find her smoking in the toilet, she’s doing drugs. I silently leave quietly as I came, I don’t like the fact that she uses drugs, but who am I to tell her what to do? We all have choices in life, and hers is smoking drugs.