NURSE THEMBENI
CHAPTER 4
I thought I would find women’s outfits, but it’s his clothes in this huge closet, shirts, pants, shorts, t-shirts. Still, there is nothing that screams “girlfriend material.”
I grab a pair of his sweatpants and a clean T-shirt, and pull them on, cinching the waist with the drawstring so I don’t look like I’m drowning.
The fabric is soft, unquestionably expensive, and smells like him. My heart is still racing from that kitchen moment. What the hell was that? Golide introducing me like I’m the one, as if this is real. He hasn’t explained a thing, no warning, no heads-up. Just boom… meet my parents, Thembeni.
I need to talk to someone before I lose it. My phone is on the bed, I press the power button and the second the screen lights up, it buzzes with missed calls from Mkhululi and the chief.
My mother also called. Why are they stressing that old woman? They should have let her think I’m at work. My parents are just living their lives, waiting for God to call them home.
My father never has much to say, he’s the person who would sit in a meeting and nod until it’s over, go home and complain to his wife about the things he couldn’t let out in public.
My brothers took over their responsibility in raising me, because their brains are not yet rusty, and my parents gladly let them.
Anyway, I only have one father and as long as he’s still alive, I don’t owe my brothers an explanation, or the chief. Ignoring them is what I shall do.
I open WhatsApp and do a group call with Nala and Qondi. It rings twice before they both pop up on screen, Nala is in her pyjamas with calamine lotion on, Qondi’s in the kitchen stirring something on the stove.
“Chommie, you okay? You got home safe with your gold mine?”
Nala is the mini version of me, it’s just that she doesn’t get rich suitors. I shake my head, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“I’m not home yet. I’m at Golide’s place, in the Champagne Valley, trying not to freak out just because he introduced me to his parents.”
I have delivered the news of the century, it shows on their faces. My dear friend Qondi looks stressed, while Nala’s mouth drops open.
“His what?” Qondi says, leaning closer to the camera as if she didn’t hear right. I know she heard me.
“His parents, as in Mama and Baba. The sperm donor and the incubator. They walked in while I was in the kitchen trying to figure out how to make pap in this fancy house, and Golide just introduced me as umalukazana, his wife.”
Nala bursts out laughing, clapping her hands.
“Yesss! My Golide wins! Sis, that’s huge! He introduced you to his parents? That means he’s serious, you’re upgrading from sugar baby to wife. Get that ring, Themi! Imagine the lobola chommie, the cows, the cash, everything!”
I rub my forehead, trying not to panic.
“Nala, it’s not funny. He didn’t explain anything. One minute I’m his secret, the next I’m standing there in his robe, kneeling in front of his parents calling him Mthunzi oMkhulu like I’m auditioning for the wife role. What if this is some game? He saw the texts from the chief, maybe he’s messing with me.”
“Themi, take your things and get the hell out of there. Now. This man is playing with you. Introducing you to parents? That’s not blesser behaviour, that’s trapping you. You think he wants a real relationship? He’s just making sure you don’t go back to the chief. Run, chommie.”
What will I do with Qondi?
I roll my eyes, but inside her words sting a little.
“Qondi, you don’t get it. Golide is my walking ATM. I can’t just leave. The money he sends buys my dreams, my way out of Manzana. The chief is good, yeah, good for cows and tradition and sitting in a royal house smiling at villagers. But Golide buys bags, shoes, weekends away. He makes me feel like I can have more, and now this? Parents? I’m confused, but I’m not walking out.”
She puffs out air. “You are such a gold digger, Themi. Take it down a notch, friend. You’re growing old, what men will marry used goods?”
“Fusegi Qondi! You know he’s the only man I’ve ever been with. What woman calls another woman used goods? Would you ever say that about Golide?”
She looks away.
“No, because he’s a man, right? He can sleep around all he wants and still be worthy of a v’irgin. Nxa! Sometimes you piss me off with your opinions. Have you ever heard me speak to you like that?”
“Sorry friend, I’m just trying to help.” She mummurs.
Nala waves her hand at Qondi through the screen.
“Ignore her, Themi. Qondi’s just rooting for chief because she’s scared of change. This is your glow-up! Golide introducing you means he sees you as more than a side thing. Cook for them, smile, win them over. Next thing you know, you’re Mrs Mthunzi, living in Champagne Valley with a pool and no gravel roads.”
Qondi shakes her head. “Nala, you’re dreaming too hard. Themi, listen to me, Golide’s parents showing up out of the blue is a red flag. What if he’s using you to look good for them? Get out before it’s too late.”
I sigh, glancing at the door. This is a tough decision to make. The old lady’s words come crashing in, she said I’d have to make a decision. But which life have I built for myself? I’m a nurse because it was a requirement, not passion. The chief was chosen for me before I could understand what marriage was, and Golide was my way out of poverty, a necessity I couldn’t and can’t ignore. Which life have I built for myself? None of the above.
“I hear you, Qondi, but I’m staying to find out. Wish me luck, I’m about to cook for people who probably eat gold-plated steak.”
Nala cheers. “You got this, sis! Send pics of the food!”
Qondi just looks worried, I don’t know how to make her see that I’ve got this. I won’t let Golide trap me.
“Be careful, Themi. Call us if you need a ride out.” She says.
I hang up, my head is spinning more than before. Nala’s excitement makes me smile a little, but Qondi’s words echo. The chief is a good man, yeah. But Golide? He’s danger wrapped in money, and right now, that’s what I crave. I take a deep breath, smooth down the T-shirt. Time to face the kitchen, and whatever game Golide’s playing.
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GOLIDE- MEHLOKAZULU
I sit across from my parents in the lounge. My father is glaring at me like I’ve done him wrong. When his jaw is tight like this, then a storm is coming. His arms are crossed over his chest. He doesn’t look happy, not even a little, and it throws me off because this is what they wanted.
I told them I found her, and they pushed to meet her right away, so why the sour face now? I lean forward, elbows on my knees, and try to keep my voice even.
“Baba, is something troubling you?” I ask.
He lifts his head, glaring at me.
“It would have been nice if you prepared us to meet her, Mehlo. We walk in and she’s half-naked in your kitchen. What kind of introduction is that?”
I feel heat crawl up my neck, but I don’t let it show. He’s right, I didn’t think it through. She was just there, in my shirt, looking like she belonged, and when they showed up early, I went with it.
“I’m sorry, Baba. I didn’t think you’d come this early.”
I was expecting them two hours later.
“You called us,” he says, eyes narrowing at me.
I nod as I look down at my hands.
“I know and I’m sorry for that too.”
The room goes quiet again. My mother shifts on the couch, I know she has a mouthful to say. I prefer her anger over her husband’s, it comes with traces of love. How cruel of her to feed me to the wolves knowing they bite.
“Is Thembeni still pure?”
The question hits like a gut punch. I look down, ashamed, because I know what I did and what’s coming after this revelation I’m about to spew.
“No, Baba. She’s not.”
His face hardens just as I thought.
“Then you can’t marry her if she’s been with another man.”
I force myself to meet his eyes. Okay, big mistake. His eyes are deadly.
“I’m the one who broke her v’irginity. She was sealed when I found her.”
He jumps to his feet so fast the couch creaks, his face twisting with rage.
“What?” he shouts.
His eyes have become red, veins popping in his neck. I knew this was coming, sooner or later. Maybe I should have lied about her purity, but my father has a way of finding out things.
My mother reaches for his arm. “Mvula, calm down. Lower your voice, please baba.”
But he’s not listening, I know he’s about to explode on me when he points a finger my way.
“No! Did you hear what this boy said? Did you hear him?”
She nods. “I did but there’s no reason to panic like this.”
“I’m sorry, Baba. Really.”
He waves me off. “Sorry for yourself. You think with your d’ick, Mehlokazulu. Do you know what this means for you? For this family? What kind of a leader are you going to be when you can’t even use your brain?”
This whole leadership nonsense stresses me out, unfortunately, it’s in my blood, I was born into it, and I can’t escape it. No matter where I go, it will always find me.
“I wasn’t sure she was the one we’d been looking for. I had to be certain, baba.” I lie.
“By sleeping with her?” He barks.
“No Mthunzi, it was not planned. It just happened.”
That’s another lie, and it tastes bitter even as I say it. I approached Thembeni knowing exactly who she was, the girl we’d searched for, the one tied to all this family mess I never asked for.
But I didn’t want her then, not like that, so I took what I wanted first, thinking it would make things easier, make her less important. Now it feels like a mistake that’s biting back harder than I expected.
My father snorts. “Nonsense. You left home to search for this girl like I told you to. You knew who she was, Mehlokazulu. It’s because you didn’t want her from the start, so you decided to tarnish her by taking her v’irginity. Make her damaged goods.”
“She is not damaged goods, Mthunzi.”
Okay, I just growled at my father, a big mistake. But I can’t allow him to call her names like that.
He looks me dead in the eye.
“You know what it means breaking her v’irginity out of wedlock. Are you willing to bear the consequences? Why would you treat her like some cheap woman knowing how important she is to this family? Do you know who she is?”
The words sting because yeah, I do know. She’s not just any girl, she’s the one with ties to our family history, the one we can’t lose.
“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have. But I’ve changed, I care about her now. I’ve kept her with me all this time, and made sure no other man touched her.” I tell him.
He shakes his head. “That doesn’t change the fact that you took her innocence. We owe her family a cow, it has to be sent. Or we will bare the consequences.”
“Not now baba, it’s too soon.”
His frown deepens. “Why?”
“She’s engaged to be married to someone else.”
My mother’s eyes go wide, her hand flying to her mouth. My father sits back down, I think the air just got knocked out of him.
“Who?” He asks.
“Menzi… Menzi Hlongwane.”
My father clutches his chest, his face has gone pale. I hope he’s not about to have a heart attack.
“This can’t happen, not with that family. It will be over for us.” He says.
“Maybe It’s for the best, Mehlo. Menzi can treat her better. You know that.” Mom says.
That is bull, and who cares? I am not losing to Menzi. My father lost to his father, and I won’t let history repeat itself. Those people are going to get what’s coming to them.
“Don’t ever say that to me.” I tell my mother.
“Whose side are you on, Angelina?” Her husband asks.
She sighs. “I’m on our son’s side, but the truth is the truth. Mehlo hasn’t treated that girl with respect. He doesn’t even know how to woo a woman, the boy has no romantic bone in him.”
She’s right, in a way. I don’t do flowers or sweet words. I do money, protection, keeping what’s mine close. But with Thembeni, it’s different, she’s under my skin, even if I don’t say it. I care enough to keep her safe, to make sure she’s fed. Isn’t that enough? Or am I just fooling myself, thinking actions speak louder when maybe she needs the words too?
The stairs creak upstairs. She’s coming back down soon. I need to pull it together before she sees this mess on our faces.
“Mehlokazulu, find out if that boy Menzi has sent lobola to her family. If he has, we triple ours. If her family refuses, then find a way to make her your wife before that boy seals it.” My fathers whispers.
I nod, losing her to Menzi is not an option. But I’m done buying her, I will do things right this time.
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