Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called

Chapter Forty-Nine

-Sibongile-

I closed my eyes for a second, seeing stars and possibly death. Then, I felt blood oozing from somewhere on my skull down my cheek and that was all I needed to draw me back to my senses. I opened my eyes to her looking at her bleeding hand, and the bottle-kop in that same hand, I knew that moment that it was either my life or hers. One of us was going to leave dad's house in a body bag.

With my back flat against the garage wall, I slid down slowly and grabbed the baseball bat. It was my only weapon, not the weapon of choice that very moment, but my only weapon. Before she knew it, she was on the floor, crying for her child's life. I didn't care about being arrested, I walked out of that garage knowing fully well that I could later be arrested for murder, or culpable homicide, I didn't care. To be honest, I wished that when I hit her ribs with that bat, I actually hit the baby's head and killed him or her in her womb. Maybe then she would understand the pain she had brought into my children's lives.

I was now bleeding excessively so I removed my t-shirt and wrapped around my bleeding head as I headed towards my car, dad must have taken a great fall for him to still be on the floor. I got to my car, and drove myself home. I parked and went to the tap at the back, ran water over my bleeding head and rinsed the blood off my t-shirt then I went inside the house. Sim was making food in the kitchen, she gasped in shock as I walked in and stopped what she was doing, her jaw on the floor.

Sim: Mama, what happened?

Siya appeared from the lounge and looked at me. I was just in my bottoms, and bra. It's moments like these that make you realized how important a vest is under your t-shirts. I ignored both of them, walked to my room and ran the shower as I undressed. When I was stark naked, I grabbed the razer and went to stand before the mirror, shaving all my hair off. I needed to wash and dress the cut or wound, I wasn't even sure that moment if it was a cut or wound yet, I just needed the hair out of my way. Someone knocked on my bathroom door...

Siya: Mama?
Me: Ndiyavasa Siya.
Siya: Oh okay, sorry.

I didn't respond.
With my newly shaved head, I could clearly see the fresh cut. I jumped in the shower, the blood stopped running after a few minutes of just standing there and then I walked out, wrapping a towel around my body. I went to sit on my bed and looked at the reflection that stared back at me...

"They really took me to a place I didn't want to go to, all of them,"

I nodded to my own thoughts.
I quickly got into underwear, and then grabbed a gown ndaya ebantwaneni bam. I needed them to be aware of what was happening, and what could happen in the minute hour, or minute. They were sitting together, looking really worried. I had the gown hood over my head so they couldn't really see instantly that I had no hair.

Me: Baphi abanye?
Sim: They are playing in their room.
Me: Okay,
Siya: What happened to you? Did you go back to dad's house?
Me: Uhm, mamelani neh, a lot happened today, that much we can all attest to. A lot that could get all of us in trouble, but, I need us to be on the same page here.

They nodded.

Me: If it happens that the cops come to question us about anything that happened in your father's house, we all tell them I did everything. Junior, your story ends when you called me to come and fetch you, after that you were not involved in anything.
Siya: Haibo mama, we are all in this. All of us.
Me: And then what happens if all of us get arrested? With Masixole stuck in a hospital bed in East London bazoshiyeka nabani oo Musa?

He didn't respond...

Me: You will tell the cops that when you saw my car you walked out, I saw blood on your forehead and walked right past you, inside the house. While I went inside, you stayed in the car with your siblings so you don't know what happened inside. Nobabini, you do not know what happened inside, what you know is that after a while I walked out and drove you guys home ndaphinda ndanishiya apha enye nenye aniyazi. Siyavana?

They nodded...

Me: Great, so what did I miss?
Siya: Dad was here.
Sim: And the cops were here looking for you.
Me: Let's start with Bonga, what did he want? Did he look burnt?
Siya: Nope, no scratch. We didn't open the gate for him.
Sim: We might be in trouble though, Siya started stoning dad's car nam ndamncedisa. He left without a windscreen, and a dented bonnet.

I shook my head, as hilarious as that was, I hated that my children felt the need to fight their dad. Couldn't he just leave xabengavuli igate? Why did he allow them to throw stones at his car? Kuphindwe kuthwe silwa ngabantwana.

Me: Okay, the cops?
Siya: They also wanted to come in, we told them we were not comfortable letting strangers in so the Lieutenant left his card for you to call him whenever you returned home.
Sim: And we saw makazi in the police van.
Me: Mh, ndifike epha kwa Tamkhulu lowo, nomamakhe!
Siya: Granddad let them in kwakhe? After everything?
Me: Hay calm down wethu, uyabathanda aba bantu utamkhulu wakho. Now listen to me very carefully, I will call the cop and hear him out, BUT, whatever happens to me from now on, stay here. Ningavumi ukusiwa ndawo unless I communicate otherwise.
Sim: Why are you talking like you're going away? Mama what did you do kwa Tamkhulu?
Me: What I did doesn't really matter at this point, what matters is that I know without a doubt that if any of them opens a case against me, I will definitely get arrested. Don't do that Sim, please. Nibadala, niyakwazi ukuziphekela and do your own laundry so nizoqhubekeka with your normal routines. After ndithethile nelipolisa I will call ubhuti we transport, if akakabina moto he can use mine in the meantime, just that ndibe sure that all of you are safely transported to and from school. Okay?

They nodded, Sim was teary.

Siya: Whatever happens, we'll manage mama, don't worry about us.
Me: Enkosi ndoda, you will think of a story to tell aba babini. Andiyazi nam ukuba nizothini kubo, but for now, let me get dressed and call this cop of yours.
Sim: Uhm mama?
Me: Mh?
Sim: Some Xola called earlier, he asked if you could call back urgently.
Me: Okay, thanks.

I walked back to my room and got dressed, then I took a drive to the police station that was written on the card, while calling the cop. He answered and asked if I could pop in for some questions, I told him I was on my way and he sounded happy. Then I called Xola...

Xola: Sisi? Hi?
Me: Hi Xola, what's up? What's new, how's your brother?

He sighed, I felt my spine freezing.

Me: Xola?
Xola: Ubhuti is getting worse sisi, he's basically surviving ngoo machine ngoku. I don't know what to think, umama on the side unyukelwe yi swekile naye and she had to be admitted as well, like, I don't know what's happening. I don't know what to do anymore.
Me: Okay calm down... breathe.

I was talking to myself more than him, I needed to breathe, I blinked away the tears that were threatening my eyes and breathed out loudly.

Me: Have you called your siblings?
Xola: Yes, two are arriving tonight and one on Friday.
Me: Good, now calm down and pray. Your mom will be fine, and so will your brother.
Xola: Yho...
Me: Listen, ndise police station right now, I will try and call you back later tonight okay?
Xola: Okay sisteri, enkosi man.
Me: Sharp.

I hung up, got out of my car and walked into the police station. I asked for the lieutenant and one junior walked me to his office, I heard voices inside, but knocked anyway.

"Come in,"

I opened the door, and viola, Bonga Ntabeni with blood stains all over his chest and trouser, sitting right next to my father. I smiled, greeting the Lieutenant. He extended his hand, I shook it and then he asked me to have a seat next to the two men, I shook my head.
"I uhm, I don't feel safe around these men Lieutenant, I'd rather stand and be on guard, in case one of them thinks of pouncing at me,"

He looked at them confused, and then at me quizzically before offering me a seat near him.