Miss Thick

CHAPTER 33

“Are you okay?” Maphikelela asks sitting next to me on the back of the SUV. I nod at him and then continue looking outside the window. He woke me up at 5 am and just told me that we are leaving in 30 minutes. I didn’t even waste time making the bed. I just showered, got dressed in jeans, turtleneck, trench coat with sneakers and a beanie and waited for him at the lobby. We are travelling with my guards and his. We have been on the road for about 2 hours now. “We are almost there.” he says holding my hand. I give him a small smile.

“Did you tell your wife about today’s trip?”
“There was no need for me to tell her. I don’t report to her everything I do and I don’t share with her anything that concerns your mother. It’s none of her business.”
“At least you are doing one thing right. So how much do you love my mother? Or do you still love her? Maybe you fell out of love with her since she wasn’t near you.” he chuckles.

“It’s not that easy falling out of love with someone who was your first real and true love. Our marriage was arranged because we are both royalty but we fell for each other months before our wedding. She was just too beautiful and too kind but was feisty and never submissive or obedient. She had so much fighting spirit in her and she loved hard. She still possesses the same qualities but I think being in the loony bin may have messed up her mind a bit.” I nod.

“She and I have some similar qualities.” He smiles.
“I am happy that you are calling her your mother and acknowledging her.” I chuckle.
“Do you think there may have been people from the royal family or in the community involved with my disappearance, who worked together with Velile?” he looks at me with a frown and shakes his head a bit.

“I don’t know but I don’t think that’s possible. Everyone in his kingdom knows just how protective the Biyela ancestors are towards the future queens and most if not all females in our family.” I nod and rub my hands on my thighs.
“Is Nomthunzi’s mother still alive?” he nods.
“Why do you ask?”
“No biggie. Queen Mawenzokuhle was the last queen who ruled before Moyomuhle?” he frowns with a small smile.

“Yes. She was my aunt and her reign was the longest. She was super fierce and ruled with Grace. Everyone respected and most people adored her. But she was very tough and she took law into her own hands. During her rule, the police didn’t have jurisdiction in our village but that changed after the year 2000. It’s good to know that you are doing your research about our family.” I shake my head.

“I didn’t do research. At least not yet. Last night I dreamt about the night when Velile stole me. 3 women came to see her before she fled. One was a Biyela but I didn’t catch their names.” his eyes pop out. “Can you show me a picture of Queen Mawenzokuhle and other older females from the family?” he sighs and takes his iPad. He taps on it a few moments and then hands it to me. These women look so much like me. It’s really weird. I stop when I recognize one woman. “Who is that?” I show him the picture.

“That’s Aunt Anna. She is Queen Mawenzokuhle’s younger sister and Linomtha’s mother.” I frown.
“Linomtha is not a Biyela?”
“Well she is a Biyela because her mother never married but her real surname is Hlongwane.” I nod.
“What happened to her mother?”

“It was a mystery really. She died in her sleep 2 years after your birth. She and Queen Mawenzokuhle were always on each other’s throats. She once challenged the queen for the throne. She was very troublesome and thrived on chaos. Linomtha is exactly like her mother. And the queen hated Nomthunzi. She was really fond of your mother. They were like best friends and she was against me marrying Nomthunzi.”
“Then why did you go against the queen’s orders? Why didn’t they banish you or shun you?” he chuckles.

“I didn’t do something that was against her law. So there was no need for her to take extreme measures to stop me from marrying Nomthunzi.” I nod.
“Why did you marry her?” he smiles a bit.
“Matters of the heart cannot be questioned.”
“Is she royalty?”

“Her grandfather was a chief, so she is royalty.” I shake my head a bit and look outside the window. After a few minutes, the car comes to a halt in front of a mansion. I frown and look at Maphikelela. “Celebrities, royals and rich people are in here. So it has been disguised as a mansion just so it won’t attract the attention of the public.” Clever. The gate opens and we drive in. there is even a parking lot. The cars parks and we climb off. We head inside the house. This is like a lodge of some sort. I haven’t been to that resort Futhy always go to but I think it looks like this. A nurse comes our way with a smile already plastered on her face.

“Good morning your Majesty.” She bows. “She is at her office. Please follow me.” she turns and leads the way. We follow her towards a small office. She stands aside after opening the door. “You may go inside.” She bows once again with a smile and walks away. Maphikelela walks in first and I follow him but stay next to the door and not go further. A beautiful thick woman is sitting behind a small desk. She raises her head and a small smile plays on her face when she sees Maphikelela.

“Hey. I didn’t know you were coming.”
“As if I announce my visits prior.” She snorts and stands up. She stops moving when her eyes settle on me. She has a hesitant smile on her face. It’s like her mind is telling her something but she is finding it hard to believe. She comes around the desk and stands at least a foot away from me. She tilts her head to the side.

“Am I hallucinating?” even her voice sounds like mine.
“No you’re not darling. Let your imagination run wild.” She raises her hand and strokes my cheek.
“You are alive. You are real. Your skin is so soft.” Tears gather in her eyes and fall like crazy. She wraps her arms around me so tight around me and starts wailing.
“Do you know who I am?” I ask. I am shocked by her reaction.

“How can I not know who you are? How can I not know the child I carried for 9 months in my womb and lost hours after meeting her? You are my precious daughter. My first born. How can I not recognize you? I spent all my life longing to touch you, to put you to sleep, to sing lullabies for you till you fall asleep, to advice you about boys and everything a woman can do for her daughter. I longed your presence so much. Do you know who I am?” I chuckle. I am very emotional right now.

“You are the incredible woman who gave birth to me.” I wrap my arms around her. She hasn’t stopped crying. I also shed a few tears.
“I have dreamed of this all my life but I never thought it would be real. I have so many questions to ask you but I just want to have you in my arms.” She unwraps her arms around me but keeps me at shoulders’ length. “My name is Nontobeko Ngwabe and I am your mother.”