Broken Clocks

The Birthday Lunch

Ntando :Ndalo , Funeka?

I clear my throat as i look at a Ntando who's approaching us. I glance at Funeka and her hands are shaking.

Me: uhm...Funeka uh-

My phone rings. Oh thank goodness ! I grab it

Me : sorry i have to take this

I storm out of the kitchen and answer without checking the caller id. "Hello" i let out a sigh

Mnqobi: Hey Cuppy you okay?

Me: Hey Mageba , I'm okay

Mnqobi: Ndalo

I hate it when he calls me that , I'm Cuppy.

Me : my brother brought home his girlfriend and guess who it is

He doesn't say anything

Me: i said guess!

Mnqobi : you know I'm bad at these guessing games so khuluma

Me : you no fun , it's Funeka

Mnqobi : Alright and you all worked up about this because?

Haibo is this man for real

Me : Haibo do you understand who I'm talking about here? Funeka!the same gold digging Funeka who's married to Kgosi and has a child with Thami.

He giggles lightly.

Mnqobi : yehlisa umoya MaZulu , I'm pretty sure your brother knows what he's doing

Why is this man so calm about this

Me : okay you probably didn't hear me I'll repeat my brother brought home a girlfriend and that girlfriend is someone's wife . Nevermind being someone's wife she has a child with her friend's husband now she's onto my brother ! My brother Mnqobi i can't allow that ! And Ntando doesn't know any of this! this girl told him that she works with me and last time i checked Funeka is a housewife bathong! She is not even wearing her ring and asked me to please not say anything to Ntando !

I hear Mnqobi take a breath

Mnqobi : Everything set for tomorrow?

Haibo this man ! Did he just brush me off just like that . He knows the type of person Funeka is arghh . I hang up. I know I'm being irrational but no Mnqobi should stop being a typical Zulu man at times man. I walk back to the house and Ntando and Funeka are nowhere in sight. Wonder how that went. I'm really tired and tomorrow we have a long day ahead of us . I head to bed.

****

"Quick , Quick ! Please make sure those flowers are fresh ! What are these? I asked for fresh flowers! Fresh flowers please ! And wena why are you just standing around those chairs won't set themselves! Do i have to do everything myself around he-"

Alwande : Haibo Lethabo calm down that's enough!

Lethabo threw her head back in frustration and took deep breaths, "okay I'm calm , I'm calm" . We were at Sheldon Lodge Gardens in Kwa Mhlanga , that's were the lunch was going to be held. Lethabo dragged Alwande and i here at 7 in the morning because she wanted to keep an eye on things and all she's been doing is screaming at the suppliers. Four hours have passed and this place was beautiful. The decor was blue and white with touches of silver grey. My mom would kill for blue . If it's not blue it's not for her . It was an outdoor setup under a white stretch tent with navy blue and white paper lanterns . We opted for a long rectangular table with a white tablecloth and a navy blue stripped table runner. The chiavari chairs around the table were navy blue , there was a leather white throne chair placed for my mom at the end of the table . This was beautiful. We drove back to the house and found mom in the living area all dressed up in a navy blue below the knee sheath dress with an embellished illusion neckline with sleeves. She had on a pair of metallic silver strap heeled sandals and her white clutch. She looked stunning!