Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called (S2)

Chapter Twenty-Five

-Simbongile Princess Ntabeni-

They had made the full-on English breakfast... So I had to make myself coffee to go along with the toasted bread. While mom was busy talking and laughing her lungs out with Qhamani, I boiled the water.

Kamva: I didn't know u sisi uyazana no Qhamani.
Me: But you were home when he went to fetch me for our date the last time he was here.
Kamva: I know, I just didn't think they know each other like that.
Me: Like that?
Kamva: To the point of laughing and catching up... ingathi uthetha no Siya usisi.
Me: We don't hide much from mom, I think I told you that. Nawe uzuthi when you get a boyfriend umxelele so that ungabe ucinga amaqhinga when you go on dates.

She laughed, and I smiled and took my plate ndayohlala on the patio leaving the phone behind.
After about fifteen minutes Kamva brought the phone back, she was also now laughing with Qhamani. When she was done she gave me the phone and I just looked at him, he was smiling broadly.

Me: Uncuma nabani?
Qhamani: Bayandithanda abantu bakokwenu.
Me: Iyakonwabisa lonto?
Qhamani: Kakhulu, awuvuyi wena une boyfriend ethandwayo yi family yakho?
Me: iFamily yam ngaske ithandane yodwa k'qala iyeke wena, then xa igqibile ke ikufake because I know damn well that wen une family ethandanayo.

"Yho hay Sim, why are you so deep?"

I turned and looked at her, she had not moved since she handed me the phone.

Me: Khaw'me Qhamani ndizokuhoya... uthini Kamva?
Kamva: You don't have to tell outsiders about our family problems, Qhamani doesn't even know ifamily yakho ayithandani. Why did you have to pull that on him? Or aninandaba kule relationship yenu that you have to drag us too in it?
Qhamani: Baby... retreat. She's not worth it.
Me: Khawume man wena... or should I hang up?

He shook his head.
I got up and looked at his protégé...

Me: Sisi, ndithetha no Qhamani apha, not nawe. Ikutya ndaw'ni wena lento sithetha ngayo? At what point was this call about you? At what point did you think you are part of this conversation?
Kamva: In case you didn't notice, I am part of your family. When you tell oo Qhamani about ifamily yakho engathandaniyo you are also dragging me into that. Bazothini abantu?
Me: Okay, let's fix one error right there... Iyathandana eyam ifamiy yam mna. I am not sure how you haven't noticed that.
Kamva: iFamily yakho? Oh, wow.
Me: You mean you haven't noticed the love between my siblings and I? Open your eyes sisi, siyathandana thina and we have each other's backs, that is love ke.
Kamva: Oh wow... uxelela mna mntu ungena siblings.

I grabbed my plates and sighed.

Kamva: I still want to meet lo Sim unice utata wayendingxolela ngaye yazi... or you were nice kuye kuba ufuna kutshatwe umamakho nizotsho nibeno tata.

Wakhuza uQhamani from the other end of the call.

Me: Nantso ke sisi ingxaki yakho, kukucing'ba we need a father.
Kamva: Save me the boring lecture wethu Sim, this Miss Perfect act that you always pull on me is not working. We all need our fathers, including you. Noba ubhuti akazode abengu tata wenu oksalayo he;s a father that you guys don't have.
Me: I still don't know how we moved from a conversation I was having with my boyfriend to wanting your dad to be mine... I really don't understand how that happened.
Kamva: Ingxaki yakho ucingba you can fool me, just like you have managed to fool your friends. I know Qhamani left Cape Town because of you and your family... or should I say because of your dad?

I felt a lump in my throat...

Qhamani: I didn't tell her anything... you know how I don't ever want to make conversation ngalanto.

I didn't respond to him...

Qhamani: Sim?
Me: Well ke Besty ka Qhamani... uzothini? You know why he left, so what are you going to do? Uzoyomthatha e Durban abuye azofunda apha again? Will that make you happy? Because it is now clear that eyona ngxaki yakho ndim ku Qhamani.
Kamva: Don't flatter yourself sisi.
Me: Oh-kay, so... do we have a problem? You and I? Because it seems so, from where I am standing, but I'd like to hear it from you.
Kamva: Uphakamile wena Sim, and I feel like your mom made you that way. Everyone tips toes around you, andiyazi noba yilento uthwasa na or you're some special kid with special needs but yho ha.a sana. Uphethwe okwe qanda.

Okay I laughed at that....

Kamva: Take today, wena uvuke ngoo 12 uvuke ulindwe kukutya. Thina siyabila e kitchen no sisi but nstead of offering to assist us uzoncokola ne kwekwe phandle ube uhleba nge fami-
Me: Okay just shut up and mind your damn business Kamva torho. Yho! You're catching strays ngoku... haibo ntombazana!

She folded her arms across her chest.

Me: The fact that you're friends with Qhamani doesn't mean you get to tell me what I can talk to him about and the fact that we live in the same house doesn't make you my family. You are your own family, you have proven that to all of us from time to time and unlike your father I have accepted that. Now do me one favor sisi, keep your friendship with Qhamani exactly that... YOURS. Sukundifaka ezintweni endingangeni kuzo mna just like nam ndingakufaki kwi relationship yam naye because awungeni ndawo. Utata wakho uthanda umama wam, andinaxesha lokuba ngumntwana wakhe mna I am my father's princess and I have always been... always will be in his absence. The fact that you never experienced you father's love doesn't mean I must suffer sisi. Do not project izinto zakho kum, I am a special child nangoku, sonke size special children akhomntu uzelwe efana nomnye umntu. I have advised you to open up to ubhuti, but instead you are out here fighting me. Xa ungazokwazi uthetha no tata wakho don't come blaming us because we were taught to communicate our feelings. Sukundiqhela torho!

I walked past her with the plate and cup, then I stopped and turned to face her again.

Me: Futhi wena umfunela kuwe la Qhamani... mthathe Kamva ndiyakupha. Asoze mna ndifane nawe ndibe yinjubaqa, nanini. Umamam gave birth to a princess manyhani, xa owakho ke wakhulisa istreetkid that fights for every passing meal sukulinge undifake kulo mess mna. I have enough pride on myself... mthathe, ndikuphile.

Then I walked inside, washed the plates and returned to my room and locked it. I took out the phone and looked at Qhamani. I knew I was going to cry... any minute.

Qhamani: She has issues... deep issues.
Me: Can I go now?
Qhamani: Unesibindi sophisa ngam ogqiba ufune ubeka iphone.
Me: Uyakufuna mos, ndithini ke?
Qhamani: Mna bendithe ndiyamfuna kengoku? Hay sundifaka ezintweni zenu mna baby.

I just closed my eyes and breathed.

Qhamani: I'm sorry.
Me: It's okay.
Qhamani: I will block her, I think ugeziswa nayilento she knows she can text me anytime sincokole. Maybe she's reading too much into that she now thinks nam ndikulento akuyo.
Me: Don't block her on my account... yi tshomi yakho.
Qhamani: I will block her because I want to baby... awungeni ndawo.
Me: MMh.
Qhamani: Okay you can go... I will check up on you later?
Me: I'll call you.
Qhamani: UYaxoka you won't. I'll call you before 8pm.

I smiled as he blew kisses my way, and then we hung up.
I was so glad that mom wasn't in the kitchen when I walked in, otherwise she would have heard that exchange and asked questions... yho!