Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called

Chapter Sixty

The following day was school day, I woke up and bathed Undi first then Musa followed, gqiba yandim. Siya dressed them while I bathed, he had been ironing while I was bathing them. No one had communicated anything to us regarding ukusiwa eskolweni. We were done, and we were respectfully an hour early. We carried our bags down the stairs, two kids were already having breakfast, I took porridge for Undi and Siya took for Mumu sabapholisela. I saw Larissa and went to her, she was talking to Flora, the minute she saw me she stopped talking but smiled at me so I figured whatever they were talking about was private.

Me: Good morning,
Larissa: Morning to you too, how can I help you?
Me: I wanted to find out how we're going to school.
Larissa: Didn't Sima tell you last night?
Me: No.
Larissa: Oh God! You were supposed to inform whatever form of transportation you were using at home to come and pick you up from here.
Me: Mom used to drive us to school.

She looked at me as if ndiphambene.

Larissa: Then you'll have to take a taxi then, I don't have taxi fare. I don't get paid for such responsibilities
Me: Okay, thanks.

I walked away, sending u bhuti our pin. He responded immediately saying he'll first deliver abanye then azothatha thina, and he thanked me for sending the pin a bit earlier than our usual pick up time. I didn't respond to him. Once the two was done eating, I washed their bowls and then we waited for imoto. Bemka abantwana baphela tu, kwashiyeka aba bangena phaya icreche, kwade kwafika no Simangele lowo evela kwakhe, oko silinde ubhuti. She saw us and smirked on her way to the kitchen. After a few minutes, she came back and stood just above Undi...

Sima: Nilindeni ningahambi niye eskoleni?

We didn't respond.

Sima: Haike salani maningafuni uk'khuluma.

Just as she turned to leave, bhuti called and said he was outside. We followed each other, she saw us walking out and went to stand emnyango wasibukela until we drove out. We were late, on a Monday. Bhuti tried having a conversation, but not even Undi was engaging wancama wathula naye. Musa said she'll be fine, we didn't have to walk her but Bhuti said he'll walk her since our gate was already being closed as we were getting out of the car. We ran inside and school commenced. I missed mom, she's all I thought about, that entire day, I didn't even mingle with the other kids, but I saw Siya laughing and chatting with his friends. I was happy that for a minute he was able to shut out our reality, even if I couldn't. He must have seen me, coz I saw him running towards me.

Siya: Hey, why aren't you with ii chomi zakho?
Me: I just needed time to myself.

He sat down and gave me his chips, I shook my head.

Siya: Yazi I forgot to give Musa imali ye lunch?
Me: Inoba uzicelele lowo pha ku bhuti, sekungcono ba oo Undi batya pha eskolweni.
Siya: Yeah neh.
Me: I have about R700 in my card, maybe we should ask ubhuti to buy izinto ze lunch for uMusa azigcine pha kwakhe amane emphathela qho k'sasa.
Siya: Okay, let's talk to him after school then, ndizokongeza nam.
Me: Sure, hamba ke uye kwi friends zakho, I don't need to be babysat.

He laughed, kissed my cheek and ran back to his friends.
After school, as we took the short walk to Musa's school, dad's car came to a halt right in front of us. We both saw it, but continued walking as though we didn't. what pissed me off the most was that he was with makazi. He made a U-Turn and then followed us, slowly almost as if driving in the pavement.

Siya: Do me a favor and let me deal with him.
Me: Kay.

The got close, his window wide open.

Dad: Siya, molweni.
Siya: Tata, what's up?
Dad: Get in the car, niyaphi?
Siya: SIyothatha u Musa, we're okay, we don't mind walking.
Dad: Oh, nihlalaphi ngoku? Oko ndiquqa kokwenu akukho bantu and your mom doesn't want to tell me unisephi, your granddad is as clueless.
Siya: That should be a hint, don't you think?

Two cars passed by, I could already see Musa and I was sure she could see us. She was standing at the gate with her educator. I walked faster, leaving Siya to deal with his father. I got to the gate and signed that ndimthathile u Musa, then we walked towards where Siya was standing esancokola notatakhe.

Musa: Is that dad?
Me: Yep.
Musa: Is he here to fetch us?
Me: He might wanna take you and Undi.
Musa: Nina?
Me: We won't go anywhere with him, but, if nina niyafuna we won't stop you.
Musa: Hay andifunuhamba mna ba wena no Niya anihambi.
Me: Mmmkay.

We joined Siya, something must have happened in my absence, there was so much tension between them. Musa waved at dad smiling, he smiled back at her and got out of the car. He walked towards us, took her up in his arms and threw her in the air, she laughed, she was really happy to see dad, which was good. I wouldn't like them to know him the way we knew him. As of late.

Dad: Okay I get that you don't want me to know where you guys live, can I at least take ya'll out for late lunch ke before nigoduke? I miss you guys, uphi u Undi?
Musa: Useskolweni, uzoza ngoku no Bhuti we transport.
Dad: Nyhani? Masilindeni yena ke...
Siya: We are not going anywhere near you tata.
Dad: I know you're still upse-
Siya: Upset? Is that what you call it? Upset? Look at my forehead dude, ndine scar that will probably be a lifetime reminder that MY Father chose a woman over me. I am not upset with you, I hate you. I hate you with every atom in my body, I hate your existence, I hate seeing you. Yerrrr!

Then he stormed off, Musa slid off dad's arms and followed Siya. I watched them, she slid her small hand into his and they walked together. Dad and I stood in that silence, he was hurting, I could see it in his eyes, he was hurting. For the first time ever, I felt sorry for him, I wished I could hug him and comfort him...

Dad: I'm sorry mntanam.

I chuckled, that's not what I wanted to hear.
He had been apologizing since he got back, he needed something else, a different strategy. Something more believable at least.

Dad: Umama wenu will be appearing in court on Wednesday.
Me: If you were as sorry as you say you are, you wouldn't allow her to even appear in court. Ambocima ityala tata.
Dad: But justice has to be served, your mother is guilty.
Me: So am I, and so is Siya. Kutheni thina ungasibambisanga? Or you thought ukusiphuca umama would be the greatest punishment for whatever we did to you lesingayaziyo thina? One day tata uyoze uvuke uzisole for putting us through this hell osifake kuyo right now but it will be too late. Sihambe sihlala okwenkedama because once again you chose u Imi over us. Andithi umama ebe right, but you could have thought of another way of dealing with her other than ukumbambisa. Imagine Undi growing up in an orphanage, uMusa? Mna no Siya sibadala, we actually don't care, but aba uthini ngabo? I am so tired of hiding things from them and defending you in that process because usenza amaxoki and on top of that usenza abazali sibancinci. We should be focusing eskolweni, but we have two siblings to take care of, funeka sisoloko sizigadile sigade nabo bangantlontwa kwezindawo sizibhaqa sikuzo. I understand Siya's anger towards you, it's self-inflicted tata. You make us hate you. Maybe this would have been a beautiful moment if besidibene nawe uhamba wedwa, but ke, what can we say? SIngabantwana thina, awuzova ngathi on how to live your life.

I saw imoto ka mama coming towards us, I took a deep breath and smiled at dad.

Me: See you around dad, we love you, remember that. If you happen to see mom on Wednesday, tell her we miss her, and we are praying for her.
Dad: Princ-

I crossed the road ndaya kwi moto, got in and put my headsets on so no one would initiate a conversation. I wanted to cry to bad, but not in front of them.