Silent Pain : Landokuhle's Story

Chapter 19

I was in an uber to Gogozi's house in Pietermaritzburg , I had landed an hour ago then had lunch first. I paid the driver and thanked him then got inside the yard.

Gogozi : "Ohhh my baby! Come here."  She said as soon as I entered , enveloping me warmly in her arms.

Me : "I missed you so much." She pecked my lips then took me by hand with , to the kitchen. Her eyes were glossy.

Gogozi : "Sit down so you can eat." I sat on the high chair and watched her moving around , laughing at her jokes. She placed a plate of steam bread and a bowl of tribe (Ujeqe noLusu) then a boiling cup of tea.

Me : "ah my favourite. Thank you Gogozi."  She smiles and nods. I eat with her staring at me intently.

Me : "Why you looking at me like that?" She smiles.

Gogozi : "Finish your food first." I nod. When I finished , she washed my dishes then I went to put my bags in our room then went back to join her.

Gogozi : "How are you sthandwa sami?"

Me : "I'm okay Gogozi." She sighs and nods.

Gogozi : "I'm worried about your anger towards your siblings baby. Nono never raised like that , she always made sure that y'all are tight with your siblings. When she taught y'all to always support and be there for one another , she was preparing y'all for times like these. I really don't like how they handled thus situation especially uZamo cause she's old and wiser. I called all your siblings here and they'll be here tomorrow , I want y'all to get over this and you to also go to therapy. You might wake up one day and me and your grandfather won't be alive anymore then it'll be Muzi and you'll be left with your siblings so please take part in tomorrow's meeting and solve whatever issues neh?" I nod.

Me : "Yes Gogozi."

Gogozi : "That's what I wanted to hear baby."

Me : "so dad told you?"

Gogozi : "Yes and I noticed how your mood changed after the funeral when they left." I nod.

#

Today's the day of the 'meeting'  and my siblings just got here. We were all sitted in the lounge with dad and Gogozi.

Gogozi : "I'm sure you all aware of why I called y'all here today right?"

"Yebo//Yes"

Gogozi : "Muzi , you their father so why would you let them continue like this?" 

Dad : "Mah , I tried but these kids never listen and they always tryna do their own thing."

Gogozi : "You their parent Muziwokuthula , make them listen! Nina what is the problem?"

Zamo : "Gogoh we already have had this talk last weekend and we reached an agreement , right guys?"

"YEAH!"

Gogozi : "it better be like that or else! Hhm." She says in a warning tone , pointing her finger at us.

Ndabe : "We promise Gogozi."

Gogozi : "Y'all don't visit me anymore nina! Especially wena Lando , you not even married yet so you still can visit me but you don't."

Me : "I will do better Gogozi."

Dad : "Hhayi mah phela uqomile , that's why."  I look down in embarrassment while my sisters laugh.

Gogozi : "Who is he Landokuhle?"

Me : "Aybo Gogozi."

Gogozi : "Hhayi phela we have to know."

Dad : "exactly mah!"  I roll my eyes mentally at dad's drama. We leave dad and his sons watching a game of football in the lounge , while Gogozi goes to take a nap and us , the girls go outside.

Khanya : "Who's your new man Lando?"  I instantly turn red from blushing.

Zamo : "hhayi you've got it bad neh?!"

Me : "I will bring him to one of our get-togethers , when it's my turn to host."  They squeal.

Muhle : "I can't wait to see him."

Khanyi : "Wait , kanti weren't you with Yandiswa's brother?"

Me : "Argh loyo!! It ended the time we had just found out about mama's illness."

Ndabe : "Really? Aibo! That was before your memulo right?" I nod.

Me : "Yeah."

Khanya : "So how was your first?!" She whispers , I hide my blushing face with my hands as they scream. They can be so childish!

Me : "It was very very very good!"

Zamo : "Till this day shame , I regret my first time!"

Ndabe : "Why?"

Zamo : "Hhayi , I was naive shame! I broke it when I was 16 with a 23 year old guy who I now know didn't know what he was doing! It was clumsy and quick nje! I only started enjoying sex when I dated my second boyfriend in varsity."

Khanyi : "So vele , you've always loved dating older guys neh?!" We all laugh.

Zamo : "Yeah , I tried with Sphe who was my agemate and shame he bored me! Futhi uZwe isn't that old."

Ndabe : "How old is he?"

Zamo : "He's only 7 years older than me." We laugh again.

Khanyi : "Lumko is cheating or well he cheated."

Khanya : "what? Are you sure?"

Khanyi : "Yeah , some woman rocked up in our doorstep few weeks back , claiming that she isn't medically fit to take care of their sixteen year old daughter and she has months to live , she then apologized for ruining my marriage. Apparently she only found out later in their affair ukuthi he is married and she was already pregnant with the daughter. When I asked Lumko about all this , he just started apologizing and all that , he confessed too even that he was paying the child's maintenance behind my back."

Zamo : "I'm so sorry lil sis."  She says hugging her , we all do.

Khanyi : "uMihlali said she once saw her father walking with the woman in a mall but she didn't tell me that time cause she didn't want to cause drama over something she wasn't sure of."