You, me and I

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Kalechi
The minute i saw her sticking next to my son hand like her life depended on it and I saw the shock on her face as she was taking us all in.

Raya
I really should have known that he was the Prince of Kwantabazinhle. I just froze there as he lowered his head whispering in my ear.
Siya: I know I should have told you but I thought you wouldn't believe me I rather show you.
I nodded and we slowly walked in as the family smiled greeting me and hugging me. Now I know where he get the good looks from. His whole family is perfect its like only the perfect people get to me fitted to the family. He introduced everyone to me and helped me sit down.
Queen: Thank you for visiting us.
Her voice was so smooth and was filled with love.
Me: Thank you for the invite
King: Only a pleasure. How is school
Me: not bad at all. Am adjusting to the environment.
I know he was being kind and talking to me trying to calm me down if only he knew how nervous he was making me.
King: Well as long as you coping. How did you meet my son.
It was like I watched a funny movie with everyone head looking at him as if he just asked a taboo question.

Siyanqoba
Trust my dad to be this helpless.
Me: We go to the same school dad
Dad: I know that but you hardly talk to woman so I was wondering how did you meet.
Everyone looked at me and I saw her turn red
Raya: i smashed my plate into him and got his white top all messed up so I offered to clean it.
Mom: He allowed you to clean it?
Raya: I insisted
Me: Can we please change the subject
Uncle Sandile: We just started. My turn...
Mom: Let the girl breathe

Raya
I was getting more anxious as they all started talking and I turned to Siyanqoba
Me: I don't think i can eat
Siya: You okay
Me: Am too anxious and nervous to eat. You should have told me that you the Prince
I whispered back to him
Siya: I thought if I told you, you wouldn't come
I turned to look at him to find the whole table silent so I looked down and kept quiet.
Queen: Its okay dear you can speak your mind we dont bite
I looked at the whole family.
Me: I don't want you guys to think am using your son. I didn't know he was the prince until I saw all the pictures in his room. Our ride here I figured his father might be a councillor or something to the royals for him to stay here but I never expected this and he should have told me so I can be prepared to be sharing a table with 3 generations of Kwantabazinhle.
Siya: I never told you because I didn't want you to cancel
Me: We just spoke once a month ago Siyanqoba. And a month later you show up at me door and whisk me away.
I closed my eyes and opened them thinking this was just a dream but everyone was still there.
Me: Am sorry am not okay with any of this. I don't even know what to say to you nor your family. My stomach is in knots I wont be able to eat but I can't say no to this lovely set up and be rude.
Queen: I can make you a smoothie to calm you down.
I dont know where the tears came from but the filled up in my eyes. Who in the world are these people. I tell them I can't eat they food and they offer a smoothie. Seriously.

Siyanqoba
Seeing her close to tears really made me sad. Everyone was silent as she was collecting herself.
Me: Am sorry, I should have told you and gave you time to deal with it before bringing you here. I shouldn't have sprang it on you like this.
Raya: Its not that. You all are so nice and kind towards me and I really don't know how to react to such kindness
Mom: that what family is for
I looked at mom and I know where she was going with this.
Mom: We love each other the way we are and accept each other. You a big part of our son life and we simply wanted to make you feel welcomed. Sorry if we were too much.
Raya wiped a tear and nervously smiled.
Raya: we could have started small with just your sisters before you let me meet your parents.
Everyone laughed.
Grandpa Shazi: I like your sense of humour
She smiled forgetting that a few minutes ago she was upset. I took a deep breath as the conversation went on like how its usually is and she was silent watching everyone talk and laugh where a joke is shared while she nibbled her food.
Uncle Sandile: Your Xhosa is good. Where you from?
The whole room went silent.
Raya: Cape Town.
Dad: its a lovely city.
She nodded looking down and I knew there was a story there cause mom was giving dad an evil eye.
Me: Maybe we can stop by your home before returning back.
She looked up from her meal and smiled.
Raya: Can you please show me the bathroom?
Mom: ill walk you

Kalechi
I walked her to the bathroom. I know she needed a moment to breath. I let her have 2 minutes than I knocked and got in. She was wiping her face. And started talking not making sense.
Me: You need to breathe.
She took a deep breath and looked at me.
Raya: Why are you so kind
Me: You a big part of my son life. What matters to him matters to me
Raya: but you just meet me a few hours ago
Me: And I liked everything about you. You here because you took a chance. You had no idea who my son was really but you trusted him. When he drop a huge bombshell instead of running out of here like a mad woman. You sat down and told us your thoughts. Its shows the kind of character you have and that the character I admire.

Raya
I looked at the woman in front of me and I smiled feeling better.
Me: Am not a good odds with my family.
Queen: We all have some sort of a family drama
Me: mines hate me
Queen: Sometimes we think that people hate us but instead they threaten at our potential and they do all in they power to make us not use our fullest potential. Its not you that they hate. Its they fear of who you might be.
Me: you an remarkable mother. Siyanqoba is lucky to have you
She smiled giving me a tight hug.
Queen: I try. Are you much better now
Me: Yes Thank you
Queen: Its only a pleasure. Now lift your head up and walk in that lounge as if nothing just happened and ignore the question if you not ready to answer it and Ill talk about something else.
I smiled and we both walked in the lounge.

Siyanqoba
Bless my mother kind heart. I saw the confidence in her walk as she sat next to me and my the conversation continued as normal.
Me: can you guys excuse us
I spoke after dinner was done and we were chilling over hot chocolate and Milo.
Raya bid everyone goodnight and we walked to my room. As soon as I closed the door she let out a big shaky breath and tears came out of her eyes. That took me back.
Raya: In all my life iv been told so many times that am nothing, ill amount to nothing and that no one will ever love me, care for me pr even treat me with a bit of respect. Your family don't know me and am pretty sure yourl a million times richer than my family and iv watched your father speak to your mom personal guard like they old friends. Iv watch you address his children as your siblings and iv watched you all connect and be one with your grandmother sharing loving stories about life. They treated me like I belong. Showed me a side I never knew existed. I really didn't know who you were until we got here. I don't have an agenda and am confuse as to why I even agreed to come here. Iv never entertained a guy in my life not that am saying am entertaining you....
She was now speaking so fast not making sense with the tears and everything and I just brought her close to me and cupped her face wiped her tears away. She looked right up at me.
Me: you will amount to everything that you see yourself as. One day all those people who looked down on you will look up at you with so much envy. You are as deserving of love as any other person in this world.
I lowered my lips on hers and gave her a light kiss. And than looked at her.
Me: Sorry I made you cry
Raya: tears of frustration
Me: even so. Am sorry
Raya: Apology accepted.
Me: Let me leave you to prep for sleeping while i bid the family goodnight...