ONYIYE THAT GIRL

ONYIYE THAT GIRL
CHAPTER 2

ONYIYE MAZIBUKO

Apparently, drinking is like sitting on the TV remote's volume up button, except drunk people are the TV and they can't find the remote. One friend not only starts to shout after a few, but he also won't stop talking and cursing. Normally she wouldn't mind—their conversations are littered with expletives.
They are so weirdly insecure.

Which, frankly, is a surprise. Take a person who's pleasing to the eye, intelligent, put together, and when sober, brazenly competent, and confident—but after a few whisky sours, that person turns into a paranoid mess of self-doubt. She knows what alcohol does to your blood stream. She’s the victim of it.
"Awu, mfazi kamfowethu," says Clive on of the guys he used to attend school with. She last saw him two months ago. People are busy with their lives. 
"Clive," she smiles wiping the counter. "What brings you here?" 
"I just miss home. Ngisazobamba ingudu ezimbalwa." 
"It's good that you have never forgotten home. I'm glad that city life didn't change you." 

Clive is doing his first year in DUT, studying mechanical engineering. He was her partner in their matric dance but nigger disappeared, it was understandable. Everyone was drunk - load shedding happened, one thing lead to another. She found herself kissing a total stranger. 
"I just miss my rural home town. City life is not for me. But most importantly I miss my mother's cooking." He has his hands lean against the counter. 
"Still a mama's boy I see."
He laughs shyly and sees a woman with a baby in her hands. 
"Is that my Ndimu? Can I take him home mama will be so delighted to see him." 
Onyiye looks at MaThusi who has her hands wrapped tightly around Ndimu.
"Errm,"
"He must be back within an hour." She hands Clive the baby who was smiling from ear to ear. "Make sure that the sun doesn't burn him. His skin is too sensitive." She puts him his hat and gives him an umbrella. "I want him back within an hour."
If only her mother was this over protective towards her it would have been….
"Mfazi ka mfowethu, we will be back. Keep those bottles safe for me." He walks out carrying Ndimu. She has never really asked him why he calls him that.
The day went pretty fast. She didn't even notice that it's knock off time. Lock at her sounding like a professional business woman.

How can she stand long hours with such pain? Hopefully she will become accustomed to standing by doing it every day.
"Nisale kahle mah," she's ready to leave and be home in her sponge reading through those documents.
"See you ngo8:00 am not by 5:00 am please tuuu." MaThusi tells her making Onyiye to laugh a bit. 
"I promise to come around 8:00." 
MaThusi hands her the money…R250! She was definitely not expecting it one bit.
"Hau mah, God bless you for me." She wants to kneel down an cry. This means so much to her. She knows that she will save this week and buy her baby more diapers and formula. 
"Don't even think about it!" MaThusi sternly warns. She is half way through kneeling but was forbidden. "You've helped me alot and my customers loved you. Keep this heart of yours you will go far."

She feels confident and liberated. This feels like the first pay-check, a pay-check that will give her a taste of what's in store for her.
Earning that little money just gave her confidence because then she can be financially independent and does not have to be dependent on others. Not, especially her mother and sister.
It's funny how they live in one yard but they do not acknowledge each other's presence.
Today - she doesn't have to steal food from the house. She will sleep with a full stomach. Ndimu is tacked on her back as usual like every other day. 
On her way back home she bought two fatkoeks, fried chips with yababa and a 2 litre coke. She's going back home humming in excitement.

Her mother is outside the yard with her favourite daughter ready for her already. That she knows and her instincts tell her.
"WeSfebe, woza la!" Okay what has she done now. She makes sure not to step on anyone's toes. 
"Mah," she takes further steps towards them. She looks down on the ground because she knows that a slap could follow for looking at her. "What the hell is this?" She shoves the papers on her face. 
Her heart drops immediately….
"You went through my stuff?" She's broken, hurt.
"Whose house is this? You intend to forget the this is my house and my late boyfriend built it for me. You thinking of going back to school? Who's going to take care of that thing you call a child? Wena! Go take matches endlin. I will teach you a lesson you will never forget!" 
She's looking at the papers burning right infront of her eyes. The effort her friend made bringing her these only to be destroyed in this manner. 
"Mah!" Her trembling lips and watery eyes.
"I don't give birth to skanks mina."
She's standing there still frozen, hurt.
She feels as if she has fallen into a cactus, and her heart has been punctured a million times over by tiny pins. It stung at first, but now it feels as if they've left her numb—not even slightly painful, just numb.
Looking at the ashes on the grass with tears running one after another.
"Mxm," her sister turns to walk back to the house.
She's sitting on her sponge lost in thoughts. She cannot even celebrate the victory of earning that R250.
She lays on her back with her aching feet facing the ceiling.
She sighs painfully as she burst into tears.