Zulu (3/3) Book 2

Chapter 19: Grief

N X U M A L O

I could murder Khumo right now. All of them actually!

I pace up and down in the office trying to make sense of everything.

How could she stay behind?! Uyahlanya?!

I pace some more, but realise that I wasn't getting anywhere with trying to form a conclusion that makes sense, so I decide to pour myself a drink.

I down it in one go and pour another one that I just keep in my hand. I walk over to sit on the office chair by the desk.

I tried to think as I brushed my head from back to front, my right leg rapidly moving up and down.

It's then I realise that I've been asking the wrong question this whole time.

I shouldn't be asking how, but why.

And the answer was obvious. Like Ntokozo had mentioned, she did it to save them. It was either her or all of them, including the kids.

But why was she the one to sacrifice herself?! Why couldn't Khumo or Nobuhle do it?!

But I knew deep down ukuthi ayikho yonke lento engiy'shoyo. It obviously had to be Hailee. She was their only hope and now... now...

I immediately down the drink once the thoughts start to creep in my mind.

No.

I pull out my phone and dial Zac's number. He'll find her, I firmly believe it.

"Albert." Zac answers.

"Zac..."

"Oh shit, Zulu? You're alive?!" he asks astounded.

"Yeah. We all are."

"That's great!" he says sounding so relieved. "You had me extremely worried there for a minute, I can't be stressing about you Zulu, I'm not your wife." he says chuckling, but I'm not in a mood for jokes right now, if anything, that joke stung.

"Zac..." I call out again in a defeated voice.

Zac now knows that something is wrong and doesn't say anything. He waits for me to continue.

"How..." I clear my throat, not liking how weak I sound. "How bad is the damage back at the mansion?"

Zac sighs heavily before answering. "It's been ripped to shreds Zulu, I don't want to lie to you. It looks like a bomb was dropped there. Your home is completely destroyed. I'm so sorry."

"My man?"

"All down. Only a couple had survived but died on their way to the hospital, while some died on hospital beds."

My heart races. His words make me realize that I have been downplaying this situation because it's worse than I thought.

Just than, Sbusiso walks in and joins me on the desk, sitting in front of me.

"So you mean to tell me, that there are no survivors?" I ask in fear and defeat.

"I'm sorry Zulu."

I throw my head back and close my eyes. I can literally feel my entire world crash. I can feel tears in my eyes but I keep them closed.

She can't be gone.

No.

She's not dead. No. Not my wife.

My wife isn't dead.

Phiwe.

What am I going to say to her?