ONYIYE THAT GIRL

ONYIYE THAT GIRL
CHAPTER 33

SISIPHO MAZIBUKO

Arriving at home, she throws herself on the couch, kicks off her sweaty pumps an sighs closing her eyes. It's not even month end and already she's broke and jobless. 
"Mntanami, are you okay?" That’s her mother's worried voice. Tears roll down her cheeks - she wipes them and begins to chock. 
"Sisipho, you are scaring me." 
Her mother says.
"I got fired at work." She says.
"Hau, why?" 
"They said I stole money. Someone framed me and the boss feel for it. How are we going to live off after this?” 
She's stressed. She can't even begin to tell how she will even begin living as an unemployment individual. 
"God will make a plan." That is her mother trying to assure her, but looks like it's not working. Her phone beeps…
She's frowning looking at the amount of notifications. She sighs and browse through them. 
Onyiye this, Onyiye that! Who knows maybe she was spotted pregnant somewhere with a fatherless child. 
Her heart raises looking at her recent pictures. Finally, she manages to locate her Facebook account. She cannot believe her. A nobody cannot turn into a something over night. She pauses looking at the healthy kids with their blond hair. 
She recognises the red man. Her mouth partially opens but her voice is failing her. 
She continues to scroll through - her abdomen is suddenly filled with a slight pain. 
"Wow," that is all she can say.
She shows her mother pictures. 
"So this girl decided to sell her body embarrassing us more?" Sisipho chucks bitterly.
"Onyiye has dignity. She carries herself as a woman. She wouldn’t use temple as a sin. Yes she made a mistake but would never betray her body in that manner.” Her eyes pop out in shock. Did her mother just defend a girl she hates the most? 
"We are talking about Onyiye here." She snaps her fingers on her mother's face. 
"I know my daughter..." She sighs. 
"Ma, is there something you are not telling me?" This woman used to hate Onyiye with all that is in her. 
"No, I want to sleep." Just like that she throws her head on the pillow closing her eyes. Her mother was or has never - never took Onyiye's side. She continues to scroll on her phone and let her be. 
A dark tall man… She zooms the picture not believing. This is the very same man on her mother’s album. She's not stupid!

She wants to confirm, playing detective on her own. Looks like her mother is secretive. 
She's paging everything document sweating. Her hands shake finding it hard for her breath. No it can't be! 
"But, how come?" She asks herself scratching her head. She has had it figured all out. She admit her mother is something else. How can she hide such sensitive information! 
She picks the whole album including the envelope and marches to where her mother is. So her mother has been hiding such information in her room. She has made her room upside down looking for what she wants. 
"Ma, ma vuka." She vigorously shakes her. He mother squints her eyes opening them. 
"Yini?" She asks with her tired voice.
She helps her sit on her mattress and sits next to her. 
"I want you explain something." She hands her the brown envelope as well as the album. "What is this? And why does it say that Onyiye is the house owner?" She asks.
Her mother closes her eyes taking a deep breath. She didn't expect this…
"Can you put that back?" She pleads. 
"Last time I asked you about the picture but you ignored me. I want to know who is this man?" She shows her the photo that was in the album, she scrolls on to her phone and searches for a picture of Onyiye.
"You see this man, this is the very same man that is with Onyiye. What is going on? Didn't you say you were raped? I'm just confused and lost." 
She sighs leaning back. 
"Can we not talk about this." 
"When are we going to talk about it! You told me that my father died and left this house for me only to find out the this house is someone else's name who happens to the rapists daughter!" She half screams. 
"Onyiye is not…" 
"Carry in, Onyiye is not what mah!
"I was never raped by Onyiye's father. I left him because he was a foreigner. He was not enough for me! I was raped when I had you!" She shouts back and begin to have seizures. Her mother slowly falls on her side while sitting. Saliva coming out of her mouth, eyes rolling back, her hands deforming in an unrecognition. Sisipho zones out looking at her mother shaking vigorously on the mattress. 
The door opens and their neighbour walks in carrying a bowl filled with sweat potatoes. 
"Jesus!" the woman exclaims putting the bowl on top of the table. She rushes towards Nontombi putting a cloth in her mouth before she could even bit her tounge. 
"Sisipho!" She taps on her shoulder. 
Sisipho gets startled then her mind instantly comes back. 
"Mah," she stands up and runs to the kitchen for a glass of water. 
"What happened?" The lady asks.
Nontombi has stopped shaking. 
"I don't what happened, we were talking and I zoned out." She is just rumbling not making any sense. The woman looks at her suspiciously but decides to keep her peace.
"How often does this happen?" 
"Not quite often. It last happened two days ago." 
"You should consider seeing Mahlase because he once helped with your mother's situation." 
She nods her head but her mind trails back to what her mother said. Did she really mean what she said? The neighbour is talking to her but she cannot even hear a word of what she is saying. 
"Sisipho!" She shakes her roughly on her shoulder.
"Yes, what? No." She closes her eyes. "I'm sorry I just have a lot on my mind " indeed she does. Her mother cannot do her like that, not when she has just been fired from work!
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