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TSAKANI
“Where are we exactly going bubbles?” I ask bubbles as we drive around the quiet beautiful neighborhood of Hillcrest view. The most expensive hood around here, even me myself I can never afford a house here, it will cripple my pockets to a point of no return. I wonder who are we visiting here.
“You will see. Park right here,” she points towards this other beautiful mansion with beautiful flowers attached to the outside wall, and the light walls are still on, but it’s 6:30am after all maybe the owners forgot to switch them off when they woke up or they are still sleeping. Bubbles step out of the car, and walk to the gate, she presses the buzzer and the gate slides open I look at her shocked, and drive inside the yard. I don’t ask her anything as I step out of the car. Or maybe this could be her sister’s house.
The lawn is beautifully Trimmed, and the yard is too big people are living the life out there, if this house was mine I’d make sure that my friends never come here we will meet e mall or something, but not here. They have this tendency of taking over my houses, ai.
Her: “Are you ready?”
Me: “To meet your sister’s husband?” She laughs.
Her: “No. But are you ready?” I tilt my head.
Me: “To die?”
Her: “And he finally caught on,” she laughs opening the door. “Welcome to our new house!” I widen my eyes.
Me: “Wait, what?” I’m so not believing this. This is some prank…
Her: “I know right? I, too, was just like you when Luxolo told me, I almost died, but I woke up fam. Nawe snap out of it my love, take it all in. This is our new home go on and take a tour to our new house, you are so going to love it!”
Me: “Is this some kind of sick joke or what?”
Her: “It’s not my love. This is our house, now you can give Talon that old house of yours plus he’s going to be a father he will need a much bigger space to accommodate his family.”
Me: “Are you being for real?” She nods with a wide smile plastered on her face. I pick her up, and spin her around, she giggles as I put her down. “This is unbelievable bubbles, I’m in awe. This is paradise to me, wow babe.”
Her: “I was impressed too when I saw it yesterday, anyway Luxolo gave it to me because it has been vacant for 8 years. It actually belonged to her husband, but they moved out because her husband was staying with his ex-wife. She wanted to create new memories with Ali, so they moved out.”
Him: “Wow. Can I?”
Her: “I long told you. Ngithi the sex we are going to have here, haha I can’t wait to fuck on the balcony and walk around the house naked without worrying about your friends throwing themselves in uninvited,” I laugh, and she clicks her tongue.
I’m sold. This house is the ish, and knowing that I have my own TV room to watch my soccer nights games undisturbed is flipping awesome. How rich are these people to be affording such a massive house? Shit. And don’t let me get started about the master’s bedroom, there are two walks in closets for her & him, the wall is gray and the bedding is pure white even the carpet too. Damn.
“You like it?” Bubbles asks as I step inside the kitchen.
Me: “Lwami, I love it. This is like a dream come true. Your sister is the real plug, I fuck with her already. Damn.”
Her: “Yeah, she’s the baddest bitch. So, we need to buy grocery, and a few things that we will need I don’t know what those things are though because the house is fine to me as it is, what about you?”
Me: “Same here, I like it just the way it is. But we do need to buy grocery.”
Her: “And bevs. We will need to stock up on alcohol my love so that we won’t get bored. Plus there’s a braai area just near the garden we can always hlwi hlwi every time we feel like it.”
Me: “Hmmm, imagine how flames the sex is going to be? Kuyoshisa mus,” she laughs.
Her: “And I’ve seen a lot of spots to have sex in, we can even have it on top of the room, no one will see us anyway,” we both laugh.
Me: “Let me start by having you here on this very same floor with both your legs stretched out, and your hands grabbing on the feet of the table, then we take it to the lounge, the garden, roof, in fact, everywhere maarn. Kushunqe I smell esi natural k’phela,” I wink at her, and she blushes.
Her: “I wish I could, but I still need to go and see my mother.”
Me: “I understand, and I also need to go and see my brothers, Sabelo called a meeting.
Her: “Do you guys ever chill all together and have fun as brothers?”
Me: “No. We all have our own things going on, we just call each other once in a while,” shrugging.
Her: “Now this explains as to why you are always with your friends,” I nod. “So, when are we going shopping?”
Me: “I don’t know what time the meeting is going to end, but if it ends I will call Batista to accompany me.”
Her: “Okay. I was going to say call me, but then I remember that I still need to pass by the club they asked me to come they need to discuss something important with me. And you must take the key with you when you get to town please make another one just so we can have our own keys.”
Me: “Will do. Let’s go, I will drop you off at Rasabi first then take my brothers, and go somewhere else.”
Her: “So, how’s baby daddy?” I laugh.
Me: “Soyang’hlebisa manje babe. Anyway, I don’t know his conversation with Lee went because we left before they woke up, but I’m sure that Lee understood. Yazi, I still ask myself ukuthi what was Talon doing with an old woman like Thembeka, and he knows exactly what kind of woman Thembeka is. He knows her lifestyle.”
Her: “Her lifestyle? What’s her lifestyle like?”
Me: “Yoh. Hha.ah, no bubbles. Uyang’hlebisa mus wena manje haikhona. Let’s leave other people’s businesses, let’s drink water and mind our own asingeni ndawo thina,” she claps her hands laughing.
Her: “Shame baby. But you will tell me all about it once you are in between my thighs, hehehe I can’t wait to hear all about it. This Thembeka person sounds like trouble, a troublesome magogo.”
Me: “Don’t let Talon hear you calling her that bubbles.”
Her: “Well, he ain’t here Isn’t he? So, please allow,” we walk out of the house leaving the door unlocked this is a very tight secured area no one will get here, plus there’s an electric fence here. We step inside the car, bringing the engine to life, and we drive out of the yard of our new home.
Me: “What are we going to have for dinner?”
Her: “Anything, but not cooked by me or you. Just come with anything, but meat must be included in whatever you will be buying,” I nod.
Me: “I love you bubbles.”
Her: “I know right? Yeah, I do.«
Me: “Nxn.” She giggles.
Her: “I love you too my love.” We both smile at each other.
★»★«
SANELE
My bags are all packed, and I’m ready to go back to the city the village has been mind refreshing. Running away from Messiah was the best decision I took honestly, and I ran away 4 days before the attack took place, and I’m quite sure that he died in that war I wonder how many people survived, and if my hood is still the same, or they made it disappear too just like the other hoods. And as for Michelle I don’t even know where she is, but she’s still alive I saw her post on Facebook few days ago. She looked really stress free.
“Sanele.” Queen Nobuntu calls my name stepping inside my room. This woman doesn’t age, in fact everyone here in this village isn’t aging and the secret of it all it’s in the river. That river runs this place without it there’s no this place.
“My Queen.” I bow my head as sign of respect, and she hates being called Queen Nobuntu she prefers being called Nobuntu or Buntu.
Her: “My husband is telling me that you are leaving. Well, I guess you are truly leaving judging by the bags that I’m seeing.”
Me: “Yeah, it’s been long since I got here, and besides this place is starting to bore me Buntu. I need to go back to the city, and make things happen.”
Her: “The very same city that turned you into someone you are not. We’ve sent you to the city to further your studies Sanele, but you decided to take your own route. You mixed yourself with bad people, and you lost your true self in the process. Now you really want to go back to that life?”
Me: “You don’t understand Buntu. I’m making money when I’m in the city! And besides I need to fix things with my woman, and being here will only hinder me from fixing things with her. This place is just not for me Buntu, I need the city rush not this slow pace life that you are living here,” she heaves out a sigh and shakes her head.
Her: “You know how hard it was to convince the gatekeepers to let you in even though your hands were full of blood. We also had to slaughter a white chicken for the water to accept you, give you a second chance and not to sail you to the “Living with the dead” village, the river accepted that appease, and you know very well that we are a village of peace. I don’t think you are understanding what I’m saying…”
“In simple terms it means that; once you walk out of that gate you will no longer be welcomed here, even the river won’t give you a second chance Sanele. Don’t leave, stay here with your family you will be safe here
Nobuntu: “Just let him be seer. He is a grown man now, and he can take his own decisions. If he dies in the city then he will die if it’s by the will of the God & ancestors. Let him go, keeping him here against his will not make any difference he will hate us more, and possibly stain our land with a dark cloud. This is not the place for people who will harbor anger in their hearts.” She looks at me. “You are welcome to leave Sanele, and May God, and the ancestors be with you, and watch over you while there in the city, and should it happen that God remembers you, may you rest in well. Excuse me, have a safe journey.” She gets up from the bed, bows her head and stride out of the room.
I sit on the bed defeated, and rub my face. I wish I could stay here, but I can’t, I really can’t stay here. The truth is I will not be happy here, I will not just like I’m not now. My happiness lies in the city, where life is fast not here. Yes, as the seer said that I will die in the city, and of which everything he says comes to reality then I will just let it be, if it means dying by the hand of the one I once loved then I will be happy because I would’ve died where my happiness lies, in the city. In the end all of us are going to die, but what’s the point of dying without even enjoying life? Like dude.
I get up from the bed, and pick up my bags. I look around at what used to be my room for the last time, and step out of it. My happiness matters most… I don’t know what awaits me back there in the city, but I am heading there. Home.
★»★«
LUXOLO
I greet everyone as I pass them sitting around the feasting table, the awkwardness in the table was odd of which I find odd because it’s only females here. Their moods are somber it’s like there’s someone who died or something. Weird bunch is what they are if you ask me.
“Urh-m, excuse me.” I stop on my tracks as someone says that to me, I turn to look, and it’s Thembeka, I know this because she’s pregnant, and she’s really old. Tsakani was exaggerating honestly when she said that she’s too old, or maybe she is really old just that the make-up is what makes her looks younger. “You must be Luxolo,” she stretches out her hand for me to shake, and I give her mine, I’m trying not to be rude to her.
“Urh-m, yeah. That’s me. How can I assist you?” She blushes.
Her: “There’s nothing really, I just wanted to confirm if its really you.”
Me: “Really me? Do I have a clone or something?”
Her: “Hahaha. You are so funny, not at all silly. I wanted to see the girl who saved the world, Tsakani must be very proud of you.”
Me: “Woman, why are you creepy? You are creepier than creepier. Enhlek, what’s your story?”
Her: “I have no story to tell you sweetheart. You know, I remember this other time Tsakani was dating Melody such an innocent, and humble girl she was. Tsakani really loved that girl, in fact, they loved each other, and they were perfect for each other.”
Me: “I don’t know where you are going with this story of yours, but it’s boring me. Your story annoys me, and this Melody of yours doesn’t exist in Tsakani’s life anymore, you even said it yourself in a past tense. So, please woman don’t annoy me.”
Her: “You don’t deserve him. You are not the one for him,” I laugh.
Me: “And who’s the one for him? One of your granny friends who goes around falling pregnant for young boys? Who puts on make-up trying to look young, and seduce these little boys? Awung’nyeli perhaps? Abo Talon bahamba ba pregisa yazi, imagine he impregnated an old woman who still live in the past. Mama weh, um’dala stay out of my business, and I will do the same, remember that we are not in the same league. Next time date men your age because Talon is yet to find his one, his ride or die, and you are not her. You are a sperm dish, and next time normalize ukunyela your friends or something, just not me, okay?” She gasps. “Good.”
Haike, Mmathabo’s twins and noise, ai. These little things can cry maarn, I don’t want a baby I won’t cope all. I step inside the lounge, and I find her feeding one twin and my mother feeding the other. Now I don’t understand why they are crying because they are being fed, ah. Andizi.
“Greetings,” Mmathabo gives me a nod and my mother gives me a fake smile. I sit down on the one sitter couch. “Why are they making noise?”
“They are refusing food,” Mmathabo replies.
Me: “Why would they refuse food?”
Her: “They are not familiar with this soft porridge.”
Me: “Kanty what do you usually feed them?”
Her: “Smash or Nestum, but we ran out of them. Sabelo will be back with later.
Me: “Then why don’t your breastfeed them or give them bottles.”
Her: “Their bottles are in a jug in the kitchen.”
Me: “I’ll go and fetch them.” I get up from the couch and hurry to the kitchen, I get the bottles and walk back to the lounge and hand them to Mmathabo. “So, they always cry when you feed them food they don’t like?”
Her: “They sometimes cry for fun or to just annoy me, and at night it gets worse, phew.”
Me: “Next time pour some little gin/vodka in their bottles just for fun,” she laughs.
Her: “You are crazy. Sabelo will literally kill me, yoh.”
Me: “You can always make him drink half a bottle of gin/vodka too. Problem solved,” we both laugh.
Her: “I can’t wait for the day you become a mother. This I’d love to see, and possibly capture all the moments, it’s going to be fun.”
Me: “You will wait until Jesus comes back for that day to come sweetheart,” she laughs.
Her: “We shall see. Tsakani’s surname is Ngobeni just so you know. Let me go and put my babies to sleep, and leave you two to talk,” she gets up from the couch taking her babies things with her. I look at my mother, and she doesn’t look okay, guess she’s still sad about yesterday’s confrontation, and I’m yet to confront her even further all I want are answers only.
Me: “Are you okay Mama?” Ey, no matter what she’s still my mother and her health comes first.
Her: “I’m okay Nono. You said you have questions for me, what did you want to ask?” I look at her, and her eyes are half closed.
Me: “No. You aren’t. Did you recently took your medication because they are the only ones that makes you sleep?” She nods. She’s lying. I know how her meds drug her, but this is different. Something is just off about all this,” I retrieve my phone from my pocket, and dial Dr Strydom number…
“Tammy. What can I do for you I’m driving?”
Me: “I need you here at the elite immediately something is wrong with my mother, I think she overdosed her pills or something,” I’m panicking. My mom can’t die, she can’t.
Her: “I’m driving in actually, keep her talking until I get there,” she hangs up. I get up from the couch I was sitting and cross to where she’s sitting on zoning in & out. She’s trying to keep her eyes open, but she can’t. I keep on slapping her lightly.
Me: “Mama, mama, stay with me. Don’t me like this mama please,” tears are already threatening my eyes.
“Coming through, move, move!” Dr Strydom shouts coming in with the stretcher, she’s with her workers. They pick up my mother from the couch, and put her on the stretcher they tie her with the belts, and wheel her out. Luckily for us there’s a small hospital here in Elite. Dear God, please let her pull through. Was my mother trying to kill herself? But why because I’m 100% sure that It’s not because of what happened yesterday. My mother survived Muzi’s divorce and not once did she try committing suicide, something is off about all this. It just doesn’t make any sense… But I will get to the bottom of it.