A BRIDE FOR HIRE Novel Chapter 7

She’s fuming as she barges inside her bedroom, tears fill up in her eyes in a minute. The air in her lungs feels like it’s collapsing on top of her chest to the point of shock.

All this for that brat, all of the suffering for a one stupid nugget she could have aborted and been through with the pain!

Where is her phone? If she doesn’t speak to someone right now, this might just be her last day on this Earth. Shaky as her fingers are but she locates her Mobicel beneath the pillow. Her thumb hovers over her best friend’s number, hesitation seeps in, MaKunene can sometimes be judgmental and behave like a saint without any problems in life. That woman won’t understand her pain.

And she can’t call her baby, Nonkanyiso either, this is her time to have fun and lighten up. There’s only one more option left for her, Thenjiwe, her mother.

The phone is answered by a child, they ask who is speaking and tell her that Gogo is in the garden at the moment.

“Give your Gogo the phone, tell her Thulisile is calling.” Her voice is raspy, in any moment the gates of heaven will open just for her.

Why did God punish her like this? In life she has been a good girl, kept to herself and followed every rule in the household so why would God see the need to curse her womb to such an extent!?

“Molooo weThuli sisi, you disappeared off the face of the Earth nje. You don’t even send your mother some money for electricity.” This isn’t the time to do grocery lists.

MaKhanyile takes deep inhales and exhales, struggling to keep herself from shaking and sobbing like a beaten up wife.

Her mother’s concern starts to grow second by second, “Thuli, what’s the matter with you? Are you crying?” MamThenjiwe asks her in haste.

“I hate this child, Mama. I hate her! She’s always bringing darkness in my life no matter how far away I keep her from me, she finds a way to kill me regardless. Kanti ngone bani, mama?” her sobs become hysterical, fueled by Goqo’s knocking on their bedroom door.

It’s all his fault isn’t it? He talked her out of getting an abortion and still went out to sleep with other women afterwards.

“Calm down and tell me what the problem is because I can’t you over that whaling of yours. You say Nqobile did what?” MamThenjiwe scolds.

“She has done everything but you see now? Now she has finished me for the last time, not a single person in church doesn’t know that I have a husband who sleeps for Charity. Can you imagine what my name has become in people’s mouths now? These women will know me as the failure – I can’t keep a man of God. Can you imagine that, mama? I hate Nqobile man dammit.” She screams before she could keep it in.

“So why are you sitting there crying when you could be doing something about it? Isn’t your mother is a herbalist, so what’s your problem?” oh, there’s that. She hasn’t thought of that yet, why wasn’t she thinking of that all this time?

“Are you home right now?” suddenly the strength to wipe away her tears has risen. She can pick herself up from the floor now.

“Where else would I be? Bring her underwear or unwashed clothes.” Wait a second, this sounds familiar.

“But you once asked the same for my husband and as it stands he’s still a whore. How do I trust you now, ma?” her magic was meant to make sure his staff only rises for her Palace, no one else’s.

Clearly that isn’t how things have turned out now is it?

“Don’t make me naar wena, either you want that child fixed or not and if you don’t then stop nagging me because I don’t know what else to say to you then.” Those words hurt!

How is nagging when all you want is your mother’s support and shoulder to lean on?

“Thulisile, speak up, you are finishing my airtime here.” MamThenjiwe.

“I am the one who called, your airtime won’t be finished. I’ll call you when I leave the house, make sure ke that your things work this time.” She drops the call and chuck it on top of the bed.

Whew! At least now there is a way forward, a bigger picture and something to ease her pain. Nonkanyiso will be thrilled, she’ll finally get her husband back and live a good life.

Nqobile doesn’t deserve that man, what has she ever known about taking care of a man?

At long last, that hoe knocking on her door stops. She hates the fact that he gets to gallivant and still come back to these bedsheets to get comforted by her legs too. God needs to do something, His child is straying and He’s just letting him?

Yeah, tonight she will start a fast to lock his genitals tight!

Nobody is getting what she worked so hard to obtain and keep for all these years, where were all these skimpy women when this man didn’t even know what a toothbrush looked like or what it’s job was?

They must not test the waters of Egypt unless they are ready for Noah’s ark!

“Nx!” Thuli’s tongue clicks.

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Nqobile

This married life vibe isn’t so horrible after all. I woke up around 5:00 in the morning and got his breakfast ready and lunch ready before ironing his clothes. Before he left, he thanked me and left a bundle of cash on the kitchen counter, when I counted it, it mounted up to R6 000. I didn’t give it back to him, I’m not that generous but I did ask what it’s for and he said he’s not used to thanking people with just words.

So yeah, I slept broke and woke up a six thousandnaire!

The whole day I’ve spent with my new bestie, Mini. It’s been fun honestly, you sometimes forget you didn’t know this guy two days ago because he’s that easy going.

Hey, he has even introduced me to his ten girlfriends and also gave me an opening line that applies to all of them: ‘Hey girlfriend, we were just talking about. Mini hasn’t been able to shut up about how awesome you, I had to just see for myself what he’s so amazed by.’

And you know what? That isn’t even the hilarious part because the funny thing is they all knew he was playing them but they were happy to hear it anyway.

I don’t know, Mini isn’t that hot really. He’s just a tall; pretty smile; bright eyes; sexy idiot. That’s it.

“So when has this family ever been peaceful?” yep, we’re gossiping about the Ximbas again.

Mini isn’t the gossiper I thought he was, most things he’s telling me are useless things that don’t help me in anything when it comes to repairing the bond of father and son.

“During Baba’s father’s funeral.” He answers and starts chowing the cucumber slices over his eyes.

I crack into some laughter, yeah right!

Minenhle is silent. Is he being honest right now?

I peel my cucumbers off my eyes as well and stare at him widely, “Are you for real?” that just can’t be true!

“I oath girl. That entire year in mourning, there was peace in the entire Ximba household. Nobody spoke about the rivalries that has been before; nobody questioned the authority given to Baba by every single Ximba elder; nobody even protested when the businesses were shifted in his name. And let me tell you, I was shookth – with a capital TH! That wasn’t normal, Nqobile. Baba as a middle born son, he shouldn’t have been on any list, not the inheritance nor the homestead.” He’s walking back to the couch with four packets of chips and a Corona cider.

“That doesn’t make any sense. How long did the peace last for before hurricane Felicia begun?” I’m blown away by the web of this family, I don’t pay attention to the fact that these are barbecue chips I’m eating.

Eww! I return that packet and grab the Portuguese lays.

“About 4 years, already on the 5th year things were becoming shaky. People in our community say our mother grew further apart from Baba because of how brutal she was towards Bungobakho. They say they’ve never saw her carrying him on her back the way she carried Mzwakhelwe. What’s funny is that, we never saw the hatred people pointed out. I mean once the two got separated, her health turned for the worst. She fought with her own husband to fix things and bring Bakho home before it got too late, homeboy said bet! And bet he did, a few months after that Ma died.” He tries to soldier on a strong face in front of me whilst I drown in my snot and tears.

I shift his snacks aside and embrace him, letting him rest his heavy head on top of my head.

“You don’t have to be strong about it, Minenhle. Don’t be strong.” I want to continue on and tell him: because I’ve been strong before and it has never worked for me. I’m 26 years of age and barely know how to regulate my emotions, I live on the road when it comes to my mental health and it’s exhausting and painful.

“Im old now, I’ve gotten over it.” You don’t get over pain.

You have to heal from it, mold it into something that works for you.

But hey, I’m the last to get advice from.

“When did Baba meet Beauty? If you don’t mind me asking.”

He’s back to his normal self, grinning and stuffing his face.

“Those two are a mystery. Most of oBhuti say they’ve been linking up even while Ma was alive. I wouldn’t put that pass her, ugabadiya loya.” He’s chuckling again, the tense vibes are gone.

The pace at which he moves on from his feelings is traumatizing.

“She treats him like her ticket out of poverty though, you’re telling me he’s been with someone who wants him for money and power all those years?”

“That man isn’t innocent, Nqonqoza.”

When did that become my name now?

We change the topic to something stupid again, laugh and have fun once more. We are on our second topic, discussing my non-existent love history when we get startled by a roar coming from outside.

“What was that?” I frown, setting my own snacks aside to follow him to the door.

“Stay behind, Nqobile.” He says reaching into the back of his pocket and retrieving what I last saw in a movie last week.

“You have a gun?” I whisper-scold.

“Yes if you want to have your life by the end of the night then I need a gun, are you okay with that?”

He doesn’t have to be sassy right now. I scrunch up a fist full of his t-shirt and try to handle my breathing well.

Mini opens the door, gun drawn and ready to shoot. His body relaxes instantly afterwards.

“Hawu Baba, I didn’t know you do drive by visits. Your favorite son isn’t home.” Is that supposed to be a joke?

“Move out of my sight, where is that young lady?” he sounds furious, why?

“Which one?” Mini.

“Minenhle I said get out of my way!” Baba shoves him out the way, exposing me to the man I cannot recognize standing in front of me.

“Msuthu!” Minenhle grips his father’s elbow and swings him away from me, he doesn’t bounce so Minenhle is forced to stand in front of me trying to protect me.

“I will slap you black and blue, boy get out of my way. I want to set something straight with this little girl!” what have I done?

I keep hiding behind Mini’s arm, moving back step by step in fear. I’ve never seen such an angry person before, his cheeks have even turned pink.

“What has MaGoqo done to you!?” Minenhle rasps back at him.

His father swings him out the way and in a blink has his fingers dug into my shoulders as he backs me up against the fireplace.

My body is quivering beneath him.

“If you don’t get that dog of yours in a leash, I will strangle you! My wife is off limits, do you hear me?” what?

“Msuthu, let Nqobile go.” Minenhle places his gun on his father’s temple. Oh my god no!

“Nx!” he clicks his tongue right on my face and storms back out the house. The minute I hear the car drive off, I lean in Mini’s arms and weep my eyes out.

That was scary, “Im scared, Minenhle.”

“Don’t be small wami, I’m here yezwa, I’m with you. That piece of shit won’t hurt you.” His own chest is rising and falling,

Mini takes out his phone and dials someone, I don’t know who I’ve never this voice before.

“Bafo, have you heard from X-man? Tell him to come home immediately, MaGoqo isn’t okay.”

The person has their own rant over the phone then asks what happened, I’m pleading with Mini internally to not say anything because my lips can’t move, that’s how shaken I am.

It’s only my second day for goodness sakes!

“Baba happened, he wanted to strangle her.”

“Ini!? We are on our way bafo, lock the gate.”

“Sho boy boy.”

“Ei don’t call me that wena rubberneck!”

After insulting each other, Mini drops the call and asks me if I want to go lay down. Honestly I don’t, but I don’t want to keep being a nag so I nod and say nothing about him carrying me to a bedroom I haven’t been into before. I already know this is Mr X’s bedroom.

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“Zimpambosi zomfula, wake up please.” A husky voice drags me through my sweet dreams where no one in my current life existed.

Dreams come to an end. I open my eyes slowly only to be met with him, the owner of this bedroom and this house … oh my misery too.

He shouldn’t have come to sister for help, he should have let us be.

None of this would be happening, I wouldn’t be caught up in the middle of a fireball I don’t know.

“Sorry, I will get out of your bedroom.” I mutter, dragging my body up and peeling away the cover. It felt so good sleeping in this bed, it’s bigger; it smells divine and the bedding isn’t cheap.

“I didn’t wake you up for that, I wanted to check if you’re okay. Are you hurt?” am I hurt? Am I hurt?

I push him to the side and slide off his bed.

“Sobahle.” He calls out for me.

I ignore him and continue to the door. Tears, what the fuck am I crying about now!?

And why am I angry? I was okay before I slept. I didn’t blame him then, I was even ready to bury what happened for his sake but now all I want to do is fire at him and give him my two lovely fingers Regina and Stacey!

“Sobahle, answer my question and you will be free to ignore me for the rest of the day. I need to know how you are…”

“What are you going to do about it, X? I’ll tell you how I feel, I will tell you I am scared and all you will do is say you told me so. You told me to stay away from Beauty and I never listened. What did you even do to her for me to be punished on your behalf?” am I yelling? Yes. Am I apologetic this time? No.

“Sobahle.” He can sound dangerous all he likes, I’m fed up of always getting the bitter end of sticks that weren’t even mine to begin with.

“No! Don’t Sobahle me. You said you were going to protect me, protect this – whatever it is. Just a minute ago your father almost killed me, had Minenhle not been there I could have been dead by now. Last I checked I married you not Mini, but because your life has to continue whilst mine sits on pause for you Mr Your highness, isn’t? Things happen here and I pretend I don’t see anything just so I can be out of hair, but it seems to me you and your family are the ones getting in mine. I’m tired! I cry myself to sleep every night, I wake up to nothing but my miserable loneliness. Don’t you think I’m human too? You and your father are one coin in different colors. And I’m over this!” I yank my arm back and turn away running.

The whole Ximba village is littered all over the living room, their eyes fixated on me as I walk past all of them.

Ugh, whatever they can call me dramatic or a bitch. I don’t give a fuck, I just want my life to end!

I’m so damn tired!

There’s a bridge not so far from here, the fall would land me in the huge river with massive rocks. There’s no way I’d survive that.

Yeah I’m going to do it, and I’m going to do it now.

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