THE CANE OF WEALTH Novel Chapter 6

NTWENHLE

~He is staring at me, smiling down at me but he is not bra Mindlos. He holds the very same cane that bra Mindlos holds like an armour. He looks more like Zenzele but very old. The cane is different with him, I can look at it and not feel the uneasiness or sense of danger I feel when it’s in bra Mindlos’ hand.

His eyes stay glued to me like he is searching for something. It’s a penetrative stare but it doesn’t make me flinch or recoil with fear. I allow the stare and feast my eyes back. He feels warm and accommodating to my soul. He doesn’t look harmless at all, if anything he radiates a fatherly love.

“kaMabaso” he finally speaks. A smile stretches on his face and it’s very welcoming, matching his gentle aura.

“I’m Mpendulo my child, your husband’s grandfather” he introduces himself with that sweet smile not falling off,

“What took you so long? You’re so stubborn I laid paths for you to come home but you never took any of them? Why did it have to be Mandla who brings you home?”

I don’t know what he is talking about, and somehow I can’t open my mouth,

He sighs “It doesn’t matter anymore, your home now and that’s all that matters. This is Zenzele’s cane, not Mandlas” he lifts the cane to show me,

“Our generational wealth lies with this cane. It’s his vision, he let the devil take his vision by allowing Mandla to have the cane. Your journey with him starts with this cane. It must be cleansed, freed from Mandla’s evil ways. Only then, shall the cane be taken back to the rightful heir. Do you think you can help your husband claim back what his father took from him and tainted with darkness?”

My husband? I’m already recognised as his wife. I want to respond but my mouth is on another planet,

“You are recognised my child, you’re a Mabaso wife” he smiles,

I want to tell him that cane scares me when it’s with bra Mindlos. I don’t think I can even touch it.

“You’re not here to pay stupid debts. Mandla doesn’t know bringing you home is going to be his downfall. Zenzele will do what’s right with your father, that I give you my word on. Unfortunately being a Mabaso wife is not going to be a walk in the park. You and your husband will undo all that Mandla tainted with darkness in the Mabaso homestead. The cane was never his, from Mpendulo to Zenzele; his vision, their wealth. Remember before light, there shall be a dark storm to overcome. Jabulani is part of the package as well. Wherever you go, whatever rock you hide under, Zenzele and Jabulani must not be separated. Do you hear me?” he asks and this time I manage to nod,

“Don’t ever fall short of prayer. This house needs a strong willed woman who knows that the lord is above it all. Welcome home kaMabaso”~

–

–

Waking up I’m alone in the room. It’s morning already. First thing I do is check the time on the wall which reports to be 08:40. Zenzele is not in the room. I don’t know why I’m a bit disappointed that he is not here but I am. As I sit up straight and yawn the last of my sleep away something comes in my mind.

I had a dream last night. An older vision of Zenzele was standing right on my bedside calling himself Mpendulo. Everything about the dream comes back. I want to brush it off and call it just a dream but it felt so real. It felt like that old man was really in the room and communicating with me. Maybe I should ask Zenzele who is his grandfather before I brush it off as just a dream.

Before I start my day, I was taught to drop on my knees and thank the lord. After all, sleeping is normality but waking up is a blessing. I thank the lord for the grace of waking up and ask that he sees me through the day.

After my short prayer I make the bed and decide to go freshen up before I go down for some breakfast.

*Why are you ignoring me?* a WhatsApp message from Senzo pops on my screen as I head downstairs for breakfast. I don’t afford his text a reaction or response. He did nothing wrong and he was my boyfriend until……until yesterday. I need to break up with him and stop stringing him along. He does nothing for my feelings or my wallet, he is just there for the cookie. That’s the only department he takes care off so well but other than that……Senzo is just Senzo. Hot like a heater, monied and mysterious but stingy as fu8ck. And I liked him better when he wasn’t this clingy. He was more of a booty call kind of boyfriend. I knew when he called it’s because he wanted some as8s and I was happy dishing out for him but now……..i don’t want Senzo smashing me.

The dining table is empty. And so is the house. I don’t know why it feels like I’m alone in this enormous house and that scares me.

I look around from the dining room for anyone or anything but no one appears from any corner.

Where is Jabu? Or Lerato? Or………. I almost jump when the main door from the dining hall opens.

A woman wearing maid uniform walks in. She comes straight to me with a smile that looks rehearsed. One thing about me is that I’ll read you with your smile. I know the difference between a genuine smile and a fake smile.

“Good morning mam” she greets,

“Hello” I greet back,

“My name is Rebecca and I’m the help. We didn’t meet yesterday, you fainted when you arrived” she offers me her hand and I take it.

“Nice to meet you Rebecca” I remember bra Mindlos mentioning her yesterday,

“I’m going to start in the bedroom. You can just shout if you need my assistant” she say already passing me but I stop her,

“Wait, you don’t stay here?” I ask,

“No mam. I come in the morning and leave in the evening” she say.

This means I make breakfast for myself or that Lerato woman does. I don’t trust Lerato and I don’t think I can eat anything she made.

“This means you don’t make breakfast, right?” I just want to be sure,

“No mam, I only cook dinner before I leave but that’s also if Madam asked me” I guess madam is Lerato,

“Okay thank you. Where is the kitchen?” I’m starving,

She points me towards the kitchen and I afford her a smile before I head there.

The kitchen is something out of a top billing design. It’s a luxurious modern design with sleek black and white palette. It’s so fancy I almost don’t want to touch anything. The cabinets are high gloss black cabinets with smooth handles that gives a polished upscale look. The countertops and island are made of a large white marble with dramatic black veining. It is so freaking neat and beautiful but last night’s dishes that are piled on the sink disturbs its beauty. There pots are filled with water on the stove as well……I don’t know Lerato but this looks just like her. Just because she has a maid she doesn’t even wash her coffee mug.

I cannot make my breakfast in a kitchen like this. I find my way into the cupboards and find dish washing liquid. I wash the dishes with last night’s dream dancing in my head. It felt so real. ‘……You’re a Mabaso wife, you’re not here to pay stupid debts…..’ I don’t know what to think of it. I know I need to call Sthabi and divulge this one with him after eating.

It takes a while for me to clean the mess in the kitchen before I start with breakfast. I manage to pack the dishes exactly where they are allocated. It’s not a hustle to find where everything is placed in this kitchen as I thought it would be.

I love the kitchen, as a cook the kitchen is my favourite part of the house. I haven’t seen the entire house but I know nothing will change my mind about this kitchen. I can cook wonders and try new recipes in a kitchen like this.

The fridge is the best part of the kitchen. I love me a stocked fridge, not a fridge with cheese that doesn’t melt and cheap polony like Muzis’

I’m generous with my breakfast, making myself all kinds of grease. I forgot my remedy for mkhaba at home but one day without it won’t kill me. Eggs, fried bacon, fried burger, two types of cheese, fried sausages, six slices of toasted bread and grilled tomato is on my plate. The tomato is just to ease my conscious even though I know it’s the only thing that will remain untouched on my plate when I’m done.

I put my plate on the counter and turn to make coffee. I can’t wait to sit down and dig in.

“Oh it smells nice in here, thank you for breakfast makoti” bra Mindlos say walking in. He pulls a bar stool by my breakfast and start to eat right away.

That’s my breakfast!

“You’re not going to lose that jojo tank if you keep eating like this. This is nice!” (……belly if…..) he bites into my crispy bacon and I swallow. I don’t know why I like him without the cane. Even this morning he is without the cane and he looks so……warm.

“That was actually my breakfast bra Mi…….” he gives me a look, a look that shuts me up “Baba” I correct myself,

He smiles “Make yourself another breakfast”

Sigh! “Where is Jabu and Zen?” I ask as I start frying for myself from the start,

“Jabu is at school, and as for your husband I don’t know. Shouldn’t I ask you where your husband is?” of course Jabu is at school, I don’t know how I forgot that,

“Go easy with the oil Ntwenhle, bacon already has it’s natural……”

“I’m sorry to interject you baba but whose food am I making?” I glare at him,

“Yours” he bites his bottom lip,

“Thank you then” I turn back to the stove. How I fry my bacon is none of his business!

“Finish up with your oil swimming breakfast and come sit down with me. You say you don’t know where Zenzele went?” he asks,

I shake my head no by the stove,

“How was your first night with him? Is he warming up to you?”

Is he? I think we are warming up to each other but my subconscious tells me not to divulge this information to bra Mindlos,

“It’s important that you be honest with me Ntwenhle. I’m the one who put you in my son’s life and I’m the one who will erase you like rubber does to pencil”

I don’t know if that’s a threat but I know he wants my loyalty to lie with him,

“He is very difficult baba” I lie,

“Don’t fu8cking lie to me! Zenzele doesn’t hold any of the whores’ hands or even let them stay a night in his room. All the bi8tches that stayed in his bed is because I had to drug him first. You’re the first woman to sleep on his bed and he actually allowed it. Even Precious…….” he trails off and clears his throat, “Don’t you dare lie to me girlie. Everything Zenzele does to you in his bed I must know. You’ll tell me everything, and I mean every them detail. I want to know when and how he fu8cks you. The first time he spreads that cu8nt you’ll let me know. Are we clear on that girlie?” the venom on his face matches that on his words. And I take my words back, bra Mindlos with or without the cane is still the same person,

“I will” I nod,

“Good. The doctor will be hear at 11 am. He’ll take your blood work and give us the results in two days. In the main time, I want you to use this when you bath. And don’t think about not using it, I’ll know if you don’t bath with it. You just sprinkle it in your bath water and that’s all. And this is between me and you, if you tell Zenzele about this, that fake pastor tavern owner you call a father will join his useless ancestors by end of today. Welcome makoti” and he smiles, he puts the weird Vaseline container with a dark brownish powder inside on the counter.

He gets up and leave with the plate in his hand. He wasn’t done eating.

I watch him walk out of the room whistling and I know I’m fu8cked. I need to leave this house today! I’m not bathing with shit I don’t know.

It’s a good thing I hadn’t unpacked. I grab my suitcase and handbag and drag it downstairs without looking back. I didn’t touch that container, looking at it was enough to make my skin crawl.

I find myself in the dining hall main entrance sooner than I thought. When I open the door I’m met by two guards at the door. They both share glances.

“Are you going somewhere mam?” one asks,

“I’m going home” I drag my luggage out of the door but I don’t entirely make it out,

“I don’t think so” one blocks my way, “No order came from the house that you’re going home so back inside mam” he adds. He doesn’t touch me but the man is a size of a bouncer. I know I’m a meaty girl but I don’t stand a chance here,

“You can’t hold me prisoner!” I scream,

They both smile,

“Don’t make a scene mam. If you’re to go home, bra Mindlos would have told us” another one say,

“I’m leaving!” I push past the man but he grabs my arm so rough I feel like he broke it,

“What is going on here?” Zenzele’s voice comes behind the chaos and the man lets my hand go immediately.

He is standing couple of feet away from us. He is wearing blue ripped jeans with a plain white t-shirt and white sneakers. He is just in casual wear but lord he looks so dreamy I would eat him up and leave no bones. And today he is actually using a white cane, the one used by blind or visually impaired individuals to navigate their surroundings and identify obstacles.

He folds it as he await a response and takes off his sunglasses.

“kaMabaso what’s going on?” he directs the question to me. I don’t know how he knows I’m here but maybe he heard my voice,

“They don’t want me to leave” I say,

“Who is they and where are you going?” he frowns,

“The guards at the door and I’m going home”

“Home?” his frown deepens. He closes the space between us and come stands before me like he can see me,

“Did I do anything wrong?” he whispers, he takes my hand in his. His touch should be illegal!

“No. I just……” how do I tell him his father wants me to bath with muti and threatened to kill my father?

“Let’s talk inside please” he kisses the back of my hand,

Before he drags me inside the house he looks between the two guards, no word comes out of his mouth but even I feel the threat that lingers in the air,

“We apologise ghost” the bouncer say, eyes dropped and so is his tone,

“She is my wife!” he firmly say looking between the two guys,

“It won’t happen again ghost” the other guard say,

“Let’s not have this conversation again” he adds and the two nod.

He drags me back into the house “Zen my bags are on the floor!” I tell him,

“They’ll bring them. What happened?” he leads the way like he sees where we are going. Jabu really didn’t lie when he said he knows his way inside the house,

“Where were you?” I almost bark but hold my tongue,

He smiles, “I took Jabu to school”

“You drive!” Lord help me out here!

“No. I have a driver but I do take my son to school”

Finally we are in our bedroom. He closes the door behind us and stare down at me.

“What happened? Why are you leaving?” he asks once again,

“Why are they calling you ghost?” I ask,

“It’s a nickname. Please let’s talk about you, why are you leaving?” he closes the space between us, taking both my hands in his and I melt in his touch,

“It’s your dad” I’m putting my father at risk here but I trust Zenzele,

“He wants me to bath with something and he threatened to kill my father if I tell you” I tell him,

He heaves a sigh, and smile “I thought I actually did something to anger you. Don’t worry, Shandu and Joyce are protected. I knew he might try to get to you through them. He won’t touch them”

“Are you sure Zenzele? My father and step mother are the only parents I have left in this world and I don’t want anything to happen to them”

“I know you’ve only known me for 24 hours but I need you to trust me. Nothing will happen to your parents. I made sure of that this morning”

“Did you know your father was going to threaten me?” I ask,

“Yes. Mandla is quite predictable” a knock interrupts us,

“Who is it?” he asks,

“It’s me, I have brought madam’s bags” the voice belongs to the bouncer looking guard at the door,

Zenzele opens the door and the man puts my bags by the door with an apologetic smile on his face.

“Why don’t we go have breakfast and spend the day together so I can get to know my wife?” Zenzele asks soon as the man walks out.

I love the sound of that but before we go out of this walls…..

“Zen are you sure nothing will happen to my father and aunty Joy?” those two are my home,

“If something happens to your parents take our bags and leave me”

I don’t know why I’m smiling but I do,

“Can we sit down and talk before we go eat. There is something I want to talk to you about”

He gestures that we sit on the couch,

“I…..i want to know your grandfather’s name if you don’t mind” I sigh,

“My grandfather?” he frowns,

I nod like he can see me,

“Mpendulo Mabaso is the one I know. He was Mandla’s father”

“Do you resemble him?” I ask,

He smiles “Jabu and I we look just like him. It’s Mandla the rotten peach of the family who came out looking like his mother and became the menace of the house”

“He came to me in a dream last night” I share with him,

“My grandfather?” he sounds shocked,

I nod “He was welcoming me into the house and he shared somethings with me that I’m not sure if I have to tell you but the main thing he told me about is the cane. Whose cane is that?”

“Which cane?” he frowns,

“Your father’s cane?”

“Mandla is got a cane?” he asks back, confusion written on his face,

“Your father uses a cane, Zenzele!” why does it look like he doesn’t know what I’m talking about,

“A cane?” he really does look lost,

“Yes a cane. Don’t tell me you don’t know that your father uses a cane”

“Maybe he started using it after my blindness but Mandla didn’t need a cane before. And even Jabu hasn’t mentioned Mandla using a cane to me. Are you sure you’re not seeing things?” am I? Now I’m confused.

“Was there anyone in your family who used a cane before?” I ask,

“Yes. My grandfather had a cane but I’m not sure who inherited it when he died”

“Are you sure you have never seen your father use a cane before?” I think now I understand why his grandfather came to me with the cane. If they can’t see the cane, it means only I see that cane in Mandla’s hand.

“We’ll ask Jabu when he comes back from school. Maybe he started using it after my blindness but I doubt Jabu would hide something like that from me”

Am I the only one seeing this cane? I have known bra Mindlos for a while but I have never seen him with a cane. The first time I saw him with a cane was yesterday when he came for me. At the tavern, in the car driving here and arriving in this house. On the dinner table he didn’t have the cane. This morning he didn’t have the cane. When does he use this cane and why does it seem like it’s selective? I don’t think everyone sees the cane….. ‘You and your husband will undo all that Mandla tainted with darkness in the Mabaso homestead. The cane was never his, from Mpendulo to Zenzele; his vision, their wealth’ the words of the old man in my dream comes back. Mandla is using something that isn’t his and has tainted it with darkness. No wonder he feels so creepy whenever he has the cane.

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