Khumo: the arranged wedding

EIGHTEEN

          KENEILWE MORAPEDI

Why do you still have your pregnancy tests under the bed? Now your mother thinks I'm pregnant. Please fix this, I don't want drama. -Khumo

I read that message from Khumo over and over again. I know I'm going to find a raging Motlalepula at home. I called Khumo on my way home. She might not even answer, not that I blame her..
“Hello?”
“I didn't mean to get you into trouble with mama, I'm sorry.”
“Keneilwe, don't you ever get tired of saying ‘I'm sorry’? I know I'm tired of hearing your apologies but no change.”
“I'm really trying Khumo.. I know I have hurt you but please don't become this angry person I don't know? Be angry at me all you want but don't let the anger overpower you.”
“Are you going to tell her the truth?”
“She has already figured that out. If it's not you it means it's me.. I'll tell her either way.”
“I really hope you're being honest this time around Keneilwe.. for your sake I hope you're trying to become a better person.”
“I will try. Khumo?”
“I'm still here.”
“I have never said this before but I will now, I love you ausi waka.” I didn't wait for her reply, I cut the call.

I went to mama’s room the minute I went inside the house. “Mama I have something to tell you.”
She closed her Bible and looked at me for the longest time. “Are you pregnant?”
“I was...”
“Huh?”
“I was pregnant, not anymore.”
“Did you have a miscarriage?”
“No, I had an abortion.”
“Yoh Keneilwe.. yohh!” she touched her chest as she repeated my name. Kept on saying I'm trying to send her to an early grave.
“Mama I'm sorry it was a mistake.” I kneeled in front of her.
“Mistake? I thought Khumo was the brat but it's you Keneilwe! How does one fall pregnant by mistake?”
“It just happened.”
“Then don't say it was a mistake jou shit! You had sex, without protection and you fell pregnant that's not a mistake.”
“Mama..”
“Leave my room before I mop this room with your face. Just leave..”
That went better than I had anticipated, I went to my room and changed then went to fetch something Robert had sent me.

                 ITSANANG TLHAPI

I took Tshepiso’s advice and finally called Khumo, I can't ignore her forever. I'll call Tidi afterwards. It rang for a while before she answered
“Khumo hello?”
“It's me Mmata.”
“I'm sorry who are you?”
I found myself laughing. “Mmata you know who I am.”
“No I don't, who are you again?”
“It's me, Itsanang Tlhapi, your friend from the Metsing village.”
“I don't think I have a friend called Itsanang Tlhapi. Are you sure you didn't dial an incorrect number ma’am?”
“Are you not Khumo Morapedi?”
“Why have you been ignoring our calls?”
“I'm sorry, I was going through the most, these past few weeks.”
“Is that something so bad, it made you push away your friends?”
“I found out I was pregnant and paid someone for abortion pills but I was scammed.”
“Are you not studying nursing Mmata?
I am.”
“So explain to me, why would a student, studying nursing want to buy backstreet abortion pills?”
“I was not thinking straight. I needed a quick solution and I thought that I was doing the right thing.”
“10 years later you start having regrets when you can't fall pregnant because at the backstreet abortion, they removed your womb?”
“I get it! I went to the hospital to get the abortion.”
“How are you feeling?”
“My therapist said it's okay to feel sad.”
“Did I ask what your therapist said? I think I asked you how you're feeling.”
I started crying over the phone. I just cried until I couldn't anymore. I felt so guilty and sad that I couldn't keep the baby.
“Are you okay now?”
“I needed that cry. I feel better now, maybe therapy is not working?”
“Just give it some time, you're still trying to find your feet. Don't rush your healing.”
“Maybe you should be a therapist instead?”
“Not a chance, next time please keep us in the loop? We didn't know if you're okay where you are.”
“I will never ignore you ever again. Now I have to call Tidi.” we laughed.
“She's going to give you a hard time.”
“I'm not looking forward to that, bye...”

             KHUMO MORAPEDI

A few days later

I stood outside the building of club Dominantz and admired the place. I looked at people going in and out, looking gorgeous. I was just wearing a plain black jean and top. They might not even take me serious. I'm about to be a designer but what I'm wearing right now is trashy. Just breathe Khumo, breathe..
I pushed the door and went in, I saw two men at the bar area. Now who is Sipho? Another young lady made her way to me with a huge smile on her face. “Hi, are you looking for someone?”
“Someone called Sipho?”
“The one wearing a black t-shirt.”
“Thanks.” I slowly walked to the bar while breathing in and out.
“Hi, I'm looking for Sipho?”
“I'm Sipho, who are you?” A guy with tattoos on his biceps came from the back and smiled at me. I looked down and blushed.
“Khumo, Zandile said you're looking for staff?”
“Oh.. Zandile, yeah we need people to work at the restaurant and on busy days to help us here at the club.”
“Okay, here's my CV..”
“I'll look at it and do a background check.. if everything is good when can you start?”
“Where's my uniform and notebook?”
Sipho and Mr tattoos started laughing. “I like her Sipho, we like people who have a little bit of humour. I'm Enzo by the way.”
“Nice to meet you Enzo.”
“How do you know Zandile?” Sipho
“We're housemates.”
“Okay, in a few days time, you will know if the job is yours or not.”
“Thank you.”

As I unlocked the door at our apartment, I found Zandile on top of a man who is not her boyfriend. I nervously said my greetings then disappeared into my room. Minutes later, I heard a knock on the door. “Khumo, can I come in?”
“Yeah.”
“About earlier..”
“None of my business. What you do with your life has nothing to do with me.”
“I know that, either way, I need to remember that I share this apartment with you and Kaitlyn. Next time I'll do my business in my room.”
“I'd appreciate that.”
“Did you take your CV to the club?”
Yes, I said with a smile plastered on my face.
“What's with the smile?”
“What does Enzo do at the club?”
“Oh hell no! Don't you dare tell me you're interested in him?”
“What's wrong with him? I'm not saying I am though..”
“He is a charmer I'll agree and he is hot and smart.. but he is also a player.”
“He has a killer smile.”
“More like panty dropper smile. To answer your question, he owns the club.”
He looks young though.
“He comes from a rich family and their dad left them a huge inheritance, he opened clubs with his brother.”
“Clubs?”
“The one you went to in Rosebank, there's another in the North West and I think they're opening another in Cape Town.”
“Wow, some people are lucky.”
“If you have money anything is possible. He is only 27, imagine how rich he will be by 40?”
“I don't want to imagine.”
“Hey bitches!” Kaitlyn walked in barefoot, holding her heels in one hand and a bottle of wine on the other. “Ladies let's celebrate me finding work at Donatella!”
“Congratulations friend, I'm so happy for you! Oh my word that boutique is amazing.”
“When they called me today to tell me that the job is mine.. I lost my shit.”
“Congratulations Kaitlyn.”
“Thanks Khumo.”
We moved the couches around to make space to sit. “Khumo there's juice for you in the fridge.”
“Why am I getting juice, while the two of you will be getting wine?”
They both looked at me. “You drink alcohol?”
“No.. but I have drank before.”
“Okay, let's get drunk ladies.”
Zandile disappeared to her room and returned with her weed.

A bottle down and I could feel the wine going to my head. We talked about boys and sex. More like them giving me tips.
“Khumo is interested in Enzo”, Zandile blurted it out.
“Zandile!”
“No ways! But I don't blame you girl, that nigga is one hot piece of shit.”
“I didn't say I like him.” she was about to pass the joint to Kaitlyn when I took it from her.
“Khumo, you don't have to do anything to fit in.”
“I know that, I'm just experiencing.” I started coughing like a dying person. Kaitlyn and Zandile kept laughing. I had another puff and this time around, I coughed like a normal person. I had a few puffs until I got it right. “This thing is good.”