Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called (S2)

Chapter Forty-Two

-Siyambonga Ntabeni-

* AFTER THE HOSPITAL VISITATION and THE GRANNIES DEPARTURE *

We had cleaned granddad's house, our bags were packed and we were just waiting for the word "GO" then we would be out of other people's hair in a wink. Bhuti returned from the airport, his wife was still in her room and I was sitting by the poolside with Sim. She was having the cake and I was having ice cream...

Sim: Do you think he'll allow us to leave?

Me: It's not a matter of allowing us... I don't think sicela ipermission ngoku.

Sim: Oksalayo even if we are not particularly asking for permission, do you think he will be okay with us leaving. Well, his wife?

Me: I don't know... don't care much. If she wants to stay behind, she can do so mna no Undi siyahamba. Asizoba no Undi one anger issues ebudaleni apha ngenxa yabantu abadala aba selfish.

She nodded and didn't respond.

About three hours later, a family meeting was called, we were all summoned to the lounge. Undi sat on Sim's lap while I shared the long couch with Kamva and Mumu. Mom and bhuti shared one.

Masx: Uhm... we called you guys out here because as we all know that there are some issues or rather things going on apha endlini, some of which we cannot discuss with you guys at this point. But what I would really like to say is that I am sorry to all of you for how I have been treating all of you for these past few days, or weeks. I am sorry that I failed you guys, and I am sincerely sorry that I have caused a dent in this family.

He breathed...

Masx: My wife and I have uhm... we have agreed to some time off. We are not divorcing, it is just a bit of time off... so we could both reevaluate izinto, especially regarding our marriage as a whole.

Kamva: What does that mean?

Masx: She uhm... she will be moving out, with oo Undi.

Kamva: Haibo sisi!

Masx: Kamva... please. This is still their home as much as it is ours, and this is a temporal move. She needs time and I am willing to give her just that because I am the cause of this whole mess. It pains my heart that I will not be able to nurse her back into good health, but with that being said, I cannot stand as a barrier phambi kwakhe xa efuna uthatha ibreak. I understand why, that's why I agreed to it too.

No one answered...

Mom cleared her throat.

Mom: We will be leaving tomorrow, phofu ke nizobuyela pha endlini from school.

Sim: I thought we're moving tonight... we have already packed mama.

Mom: I know, and I am sorry. Please just unpack the things you guys are going to wear at school ngomso and leave everything else as it is.

Sim didn't respond.

I could feel she was boiling. There was an irritation in her voice, I didn't know whether mom missed it or she chose to ignore it.

Mom: So yeah... that's about it.

Masx: We are having dinner out namhlanje as kungekhomntu usemandleni wokupheka so if we could go and get dressed kwabanga nxibanga then sihambeni ke.

Sim: We can't get takeaways?

Masx: I am avoiding lento yokuba abanye benu bezotyela ezi roomini mntanam.

Sim: Nd'cela nindiphathele idoggie bag ke. I am not in the mood for people, let alone uphuma ndiyotya ukutya nani kule tension ingaka.

Mom: Simbongile!

Sim: Or niyeke, I'll make myself a sandwich.

Then she got up, put Undi where she sat and walked out... bhuti called after her. She stopped, turned and looked at him with the rudest of frowns.

Masx: You will not talk to your mother like that! Come back here.

Sim: Or what?

My eyes almost popped out, even Kamva turned to look at her.

Masx: Sim... maybe you are under duress right now and you need an outlet but this woman is still my wife and you will respect her. In that same breath, suthetha nam ngathi uthetha nentanga yakho, I will not tolerate that. Not namhlanje, not nanini na!

Sim: Funny how you tolerated it when Kamva was doing it, she spoke to you and your precious wife anyhow she wanted and you did nothing about it, but now that isenziwa ndim kukho iirules?

Cwaka ubhuti...

Sim: I asked you, or what? What are you going to do if I talk to MY mother like that? Uzokwenzani bhuti? Le ungakhange ukwazi ukuyenza when your daughter called me a witch kukho oomakhulu bakhe? What are you going to do lena ungakhange ukwazi ukuyenza when you daughter pulled my hair, ripping my shirt buttons off endixhwitha iinwele esikolweni endijongisa phambi kwabantu nee chomi zakhe? What are you going to do lena ungakhange uyenza when she called you an excuse of a man and every other curse she could think off when you asked what her problem was? Huh? Uzokwenzani bhuti apha kum?

Cwaka indlu yonke... Kamva got up and walked slowly towards Sim and Sim crossed her arms across her chest, her left foot tapping mindlessly on the wooden floor. That very moment I saw mamkhulu in her. Simbongile was uMam'Kwayi, all stops pulled out. The cry baby in her had vanished and she was about to spit fire.

Sim: Yintoni wena? Uzogqibezela lento ubuyenza esikolweni?

Kamva: Sim... please, don't do this. Ndiyakucela.

Sim: Wait, what? Wena ucela mna?

Kamva: I know you are upset but look at the kids...

Sim: Shut the fuck up Kamva if you have nothing better to say, ngabantwana baka mamam no tatam aba uzi stress'a ngabo. Baphi abaka mamakho notatakho?

Now that was a blow... mom looked at me, I shook my head and looked at my phone. I wasn't going to interfere tu. Nam ndathukwa ngu Kamva when she fought with Sim... u right u Sim makaziphendulele.

Sim: I have had enough mna bubumenemene be parenting yakulendlu. Kamva, I repeat, I don't give a rats ass about your father. Nanku ngapha kwakho andimhlebi. My name is Simbongile Ntabeni, uvile? NTABENI! I will never be Simbongile Ngqotyana mna baby, not nange bash ka Putin. Ndonelisekile yile surname ndinayo, futhi ndooneliseka ngutata endandimbolekiwe ngu Thixo esaphila, even with his shortcomings. He was the best dad in the world... take this as a last warning, phambi ko mama naphambi kotatakho. I DO NOT NEED A FATHER, I DO NOT NEED A FATHER-FIGURE. He doesn't have to father me, maka fatherishe wena abuyise laminyaka wayeyothenga ngayo isonka akabuya because sewusingcungcuthekisa nje kuba wavela wafa ethwele umnqwazi ubhuti. Ungakulinge mna undifake ezingxakini zakho, I know damn well how it feels to grow up with a dad, in fact, with both parents under one roof. Andisoze ke ndihambe ndicenga uthandwa, ngcono ibekanti ndiligqwirha eli undibone ndililo. At least there's something my father's family gave me, abakatatakho bakunike ntoni wena?

Mom: Simbongile, that's enough.

Sim: Yintoni e enough mama? In fact don't answer that, you will allow me to talk mama the same way you allowed Kamva to talk eniyuca nobhuti kule sofa ngala mini, you will not cut me short tu.

Then she turned back to a messy and crying Kamva.

I knew right that moment that ucaphukile uPrincess ka Tatakhe, zange ndamva ephoxa no mama lo wakhe kaloku.

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