Home For The Holidays

Part 9

Mashiya amahle anjenge nyamazana; uNzothe; uNzimende; uMzimkhulu; Imbabala kaMashiya noDlomo abayigweba igijima( clan names). I knew you wouldn’t give up my sister you are a fighter that is your nature “ Nkosiyabo said as he held Jabuliles hand. It was an emotional moment for everyone and it was the first time Ntsika and Nombuso had seen Nkosiyabo showing his soft side even I was shocked to hear that he had done such. “ I knew she wouldn’t leave me and she pulled through.” Nombuso said.

“ What’s the next step sibs(siblings) ? Ntsika asked. “ Now is not the time brother can you just let us appreciate the fact that Jabulile is alive and she will recover" Nkosiyabo said. “ But guys you know that when she wakes up she needs to get some help clearly something is eating her “ Ntsika said.

“ What is wrong with you ? Did you not hear what Nkosiyabo just said ? “ Nombuso said with a rather angry tone. “ He is right" Jabulile said as she coughed . Clearly she was not asleep . “ He is right I need help I want to get help . Today I did something so stupid without thinking twice I did something so selfish I wasn’t considering how hurt you guys would get or how my son would be I am all he has. “ Jabulile carried on with what she intended to say before she was cut off by the urge to cough again. “ See she is ready to get help guys let us do the right thing “ Ntsika said. “ If that is what you want then we will be more than happy to support you. “ Nombuso said. “ We all are going to go for counseling “ Jabulile said. Suddenly there was silence in the room . “ Am I making myself clear? “ Jabulile said. “ Sis you can count me out of that . It is for the weak. Besides I don’t feel like telling a total stranger my secrets .” Nkosiyabo said.

Ntsika did not even say anything and Nombuso was quiet too . “ I think you guys should go home now . You guys have seen that I am fine so go on and get some rest “ Jabulile commanded them. They honestly couldn’t say no because she was not giving them an option to. They decided to pass by where I was instead. “ Bro how are you holding up “ Ntsika asked . “ I’m fine I think I will be out of here by tomorrow. We all know I can not stand the food. “ I said . “ Well your sister ordered us to go home . We are actually going to do just that. “ Nkosiyabo said. “ Go guys go get some rest" I said.

Apparently it was rather a silent drive back home, music was all you could hear and blood was all you could see. I think this day wore everyone off but more than anything shifted something in each of us. We can mask it all we want but honestly we were traumatized. Eventually the siblings got home or the house where we lived because it was starting to possess more sad memories and starting to leave a bitter taste in each and everyone’s mouth.

Nombuso noticed a vile stench as we walked in the house. “ Can you guys smell that ?”she asked. “ It smells like something rotten or something died in this house.  I need to do some spring cleaning tomorrow” Nombuso added on. The boys were too tired to add on and they had grabbed themselves some beer and headed outside to relax . While Nombuso was busy scrubbing Jabuliles blood off the bathroom floor after an hour later she ended up joining them outside grabbing a beer for herself too.

“ Guys is this the right time to actually ask what happened while I was away . I feel like I missed out on a lot and you guys are not letting me in on what is going on. When I walk in if you guys are talking you keep quiet now I know there is something going on because I can feel it. So what is it ? “ Ntsika said hoping to get answers. “ Does it have to do with moms disappearance ? She has been gone for days with out contacting us and none of you are worried or bothered.  Why? “ Ntsika asked with a tone that was demanding answers. “ Brother calm down first of all we don’t even know where your mother is ….” Before Nkosiyabo could finish “ What do you mean my mother? Since when is she not your mother too ? Even Nqaba addresses her by her name why ? “ Ntsika jumped in. “ If you could let him finish then you would be getting all the answers child” Nombuso said.

“ As I was saying we don’t know where your mother is. A lot happened brother while you away we uncovered a lot of things that have been covered , that have been swept under the mat. Your mother is not who you think she is. I actually do not even want to talk about this anymore so I’m going to  head to bed. “ Nkosiyabo said . “ Soon the truth will be out and you will understand “ Nkosiyabo said as he had his hand on Ntsikas shoulder and got in the house disappearing into the long passage and  into his room. There was some awkward silence between Ntsika and Nombuso in just a few seconds Nombuso  broke it as she stood up and said “ Goodnight brother".

Ntsika was left outside with just thoughts and scenarios in his head of what could have happened while he was away. He spent hours outside drinking the night away till he passed out.

07:00 *sound of pots* “Aaaah Nombuso keep it down I have a hangover from hell" Ntsika said. “ Rise and shine sleepy head and go to your room I have some cleaning to do. I need to find exactly what is the cause of this horrendous smell. Don’t you smell it? “ Nombuso said. “ Yeah I do smell it" Ntsika said as he got up walking like a zombie to his room. Nombuso turned the kitchen and sitting room upside down cleaning under and behind the furniture making sure she was scrubbing the floors leaving them not just clean but  sparkling clean . They say the floors were so clean you could see yourself . She noticed the smell was still there. She decided to go into Josephinas room and it reeked of the most vile odour “Oh my word it smells like death in here. Wonder what was  this woman trying to hide from us.” Nombuso talking to herself as she went out to get cleaning supplies so she could get started with cleaning the room.

 She was 20 minutes into cleaning the room when she decided to lift the bed and place it by the wall when she discovered something so gruesome . She let out the loudest scream as she ran out to the room. It woke both her brothers up that Nkosiyabo came with a gun handy. “ What’s going on !” they both shouted seeing Nombuso trembling in fear and shock. She could only point towards the room. Nkosiyabo slowly walked towards the room aiming the gun ready to shoot whoever or whatever popped up. But the smell was so unbearable as he walked in he covered his nose , he saw a body well more of what used to be Sollys body because his internal organs had started decomposing therefore causing the body to be bloated they say he looked rather red and just like a balloon  you could stick a needle and he would explode.

“ Oh shit !” Nkosiyabo said. “What is it ? “ Ntsika asking from outside.  “Its your dad Ntsika . He is dead “ Nkosiyabo said. “ I know I am not your favourite person but now is not the time to joke around about tha…” Ntsika couldn’t complete his sentence as he walked in and saw what used to be his father . He just knelt down defeated “ Nkosiyabo who did this? Did you do this ? I know you hated him but did you have to kill him? “ Ntsika shouted as he had tears in his eyes. “ I swear on my son’s and daughters lives I did not do this brother. I mean if I did I would never leave the body in this house. I’d feed it to the dogs “ Nkosiyabo said as he walked out to comfort Nombuso and get her water with sugar as he called the police.

He decided to quickly drive the stolen vehicle back to its spot and hide his gun because the last thing he needed was drawing attention on himself.  Ntsika on the other hand was so convinced that his brother was the murderer because of his past forgetting the qoute that says all men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.