*Kelebogile's story*
*Chapter 8*
Today is the day im meeting Muzi’s parents.Mandla has been sulking saying he feels like I wont come back.He says he’s scared they will influence me into staying there and I might leave him.i feel like he’s hinding something.
“im outside the gate.”that’s an sms from Muzi.
Me:I promise I will be back.Those people I don’t even know them.You know I love you?i will never leave you no matter what happens.
Mandla:you promise?
Me:yes I promise.
Mandla:I love you.i will call every hour.
Me:okay,bye.
I take my sling bag and leave.i open the car and greet.Muzi hugs me and kiss my forehead.
Muzi:is that your man?
Me:yes.
I look where he’s pointing.Mandla is standing by the balcony looking at us.
Me:he thinks you are going to take me away from him.
Muzi:I might just do that.i missed you so much. Anyway,about your man…couldn't you get someone else? Our family won't approve of this relationship.
Me:you won't tell them. Now drive.
…
Muzi:we are starting at the salon.
We enter at a salon and they all greet him.we sit down and its now his turn.
Muzi:I want to cut this hair.
Me:why are you cutting your hair?i love it like that.
Muzi:my dad hates my long hair.He’s going to be happy when he sees me.
He has long curly hair that I liked playing with.i also have curly hhair and its also long.But I wouldn’t cut my hair,I love it.
Muzi:don’t worry.it grows back fast.You should also do your hair.
Me:im fine.
Guy:girl,come and let me do your hair.im not letting this money go.
Me:im not cutting my hair.
Guy:don’t worry.i will do the same style like your twin but without cutting your hair.
I sat on the chair and he washed my hair first then started doing his thing.WOW!When he was done I looked so different.he braided my hair on the sides to the back and he did big curls on the middle.i looked at Muzi and he had a cut and big curls like me on the middle.
Guy:let me take you two a picture.You look beautiful
Me:thank you.
He took us pictures and also took ones where I was alone.
We left after paying.
Muzi:don’t freak out.My whole family is around. Its my father’s birthday.
Me:please take me back.i don’t think I can do this.
Muzi:calm down.Breath in and out.Yes there we go.
Me:I shouldn’t have told your siblings that I will come.if I leave they will hate me now.
Muzi:please.
Me:okay we can go.But please tell your family not to freak me out.i am not Angel.
Muzi:don’t worry.
We drove into Irene and he parked at this triple story house.we went in and it was indeed a full house.All I could see mostly were people who looked alike.these people look like the same person.i was freaking out and was about to run out but Muzi held me.i looked down.
Muzi:im home.
Boy:bhuti is home!Sphe look he came with her.
Woman:mangaliso sit down.
Mangi:mom that’s his girlfriend.Look Sipho.
Sipho:wow.she’s beautiful even when she’s looking down.
Sphe:wow she’s really here.
Man:hey keep quiet all of you.
Guy:why is she not looking at us?
Someone came and touched my face.
Muzi:Sphe leave her alone.you are scaring her.
I was even crying.i don’t even know why.
Muzi:Angel lets go.
He held my hands and walked to the table.i sat down and it was quiet.
Woman:Muzi she’s crying.
Muzi:mom she will be fine.Angel take your hands off your face.
Me:take me back please.
Muzi:we are already here.Remember you promised the twins and Sphe to spend time with them.Now slowly raise your head.im here.You don’t have to be scared.
I looked at them through my hands and they were all waiting for me.They had stopped eating.i took my hands off and looked at Muzi.He wiped my tears off.
Muzi:look at how pink you are.Everyone this is her,Kelebogile. Angel this is my family.i wont finish introducing them if I start,but this is my mom and dad,our uncles Mazwi,Ntsika,Vusi,Mthokozisi and Zweli.The others will introduce themselves.
Everyone was quiet.Sphe came and sat on my lap.
Sphe:you look like me.
She put her head on my shoulder.
Sispho:no she looks like me!
mangi:no!she looks more like me!
Sphe had an annoyed look.
Me:tell them to stop looking at me.
I whispered to Muzi.
Muzi:why are you all frozen like you were caught at someone’s yard at 2am?
Mangaliso and Sipho laughed.
Mom:I cant believe my girl is here.
Dad:this is the best birthday gift ever.
The two of them were crying.His father came to hug me and his mom too.She didn’t want to let go.
Mom:you are here.my angel.
Me:maam ke nna keleebogile not Angel.
Vuusi:this is a birthday celebration stop crying.Lets eat and we’ll talk later.
We ate and I wasn’t at ease. Sphe kept kissing me now and then.Also playing with my hair.i couldn’t wait to get out of this place.After we were done we all went to the lounge.They had all introduced themselves.
Zweli:Muzi go and wash the plates.You too Siyabonga.
Siya:but dad…
Me:I will go and help.
Mazwi:sit down.we want to talk to you.
I sat down.my phone rang.i answered.
Mandla:baby why are you not coming back?
Me:I will be back soon,I promise.
Mandla:okay I love you.
Me:okay.
Mandla:if you don’t say it back I will keep calling or come there right now.
Me:okay!i love you too.
Mandla:come back soon.
Me:okay bye.
All eyes were on me.
Ntsika:who is that?
Me:my friend.
Muzi:HER BOYFRIEND!
He shouted and I looked down..
Nkanyezi:you are now single.Finish and klaar.
Nkululeko:he’s right.
Nkanyiso:tell that boy its over.
They don’t know it’s a man.
Emmy:they are serious.
She laughed.
Mazwi: Muzi told us everything about you.we are sorry you had to go through that.
Me:with all due respect,im not your daughter.My mom is dead.My father too.
Vusi:where is your father from?
Me:I don’t know him.my mom just told me he’s dead.
Sizwe:this is her I can feel it.lets do dna tests.
Me:I don’t want to do that.
Mtho:didn’t your mom tell you where your father is from?
Me:before she died she gave me an invelope.But I didn’t look for his family.i didn’t have the money.
Zweli:we wont pressurise you.But we are not leaving it like this.You can also see that this is your family.You are a Khumalo.
Me:…….
Mazwi:maybe the woman you stayed with might know something.
Me:that woman doesn’t even know my mother.
Nkanyiiso:do you have her picture?
Me:no.But she was on the news two years ago .She was an owner of a night club.
Lerato:the one that burned?
Mme:yes.
They were all looking at each other.
Me:what is it?
DAD:that witch!
Me:you know her?
Mom:yes.her name is portia?
Me:yes,how do you know her?
Mom:it’s a long story.did she have to steal my child and make us think she’s dead?i missed 21 years of your life!
She started crying hysterically.her husband comforted her.
Me:I have to leave.
Sphe:don’t go please.
She has been on my lap ever since I came here.She started crying.
Sphe:I want to sleep with you.
Me:I will visit you again.
Sphe:im leaving with you.you will never come back.
Me:I prom…
Sphe:no.stay here.
I couldn’t take her crying.
Me:okay,I wont leave.
Sphe:I love you my sister.i have a new sister.
She was so happy.Muzi came and sat on the same couch with me.i gave him a look.he brought me here on purpose.He knew his family would ambush me like this.
Muzi:don’t look at me like that please.im sorry.
My phone rang.
Me:hello..
Mandla:babe when are you coming back?can I cook for us or maybe we can eat out?
Me:um..i will come back tomorrow.
Mandla:you promised.You see now?i know that family will not accept our relationship.
Me:I promise to come back tomorrow then we can talk.
Mandla:don’t let them influence you.i love you okay?
Me:okay bye.
I cut off the call because I knew he wouldn’t drop it until I said it too and many eyes are looking at me here.
Kuhle:I hope you are going to break things off tomorrow.
Me:no im not.
Muzi:leave my Angel alone.
I spent the day with them and when it was night I went to sleep.The wasy Sphe was holding me I swear it was like I will run away.She was asking me a lot of questions that I even thought of drugging her to sleep.In the morning I woke up and showered with her.i wore the clothes I was wearing yesterday.i went to say my goodbyes.
Mom:cant you leave tomorrow?
Me:I have to go to my place .i have an assignment to submit and I left my laptop.
Mom:please visit us again.can I hug you?
I hugged her and she was crying.
Mom:im sorry,im just so emotional.
Me:its fine.
Muzi drove me back to Pretoria West and I found Mandla in his study.
Me:im back.
Mandla:thank god!i thought they were going to refuse you coming back.
Me:you have nothing to worry about.Today its me and you.No disturbance.
Mandla:I like that.
Me:I missed you.
Mandla:you are not going anywhere,we have more time to spend together.What are you doing this week?
Me:im done with my semester test.i just have classes to attend.
Mandla:okay.So what did you get up to yesterday?
Me:can you believe Muzi fooled me into meeting his family and they were all there.They started asking me questions.
Mandla:you’ve always wanted a family.You wanted to find your father’s family.
Me:I just cant act like everything is alright.i suffered while my parents were alive.why didn’t they look for me?
Mandla:just be glad you found them.But first do a dna test just to be sure.they thought you were dead
Me:how do you know that?
Mandla:I was guessing
Me:oh…apparently that woman portia stole me from the hospital.But how did she do that?she doesn’t even know my late mother.
Mandla:I don’t understand this. If Portia doesn’t know your late mother then how is she involved in all of this?Lets say she really stole you,then how did you end up with your late mother?
Me:I don’t know what to think of this.
Mandla:there must be a way how you can know all of this.
Me:you know nkanyezi said we should break up?he said im now single.
Mandla:he must not mess with me.im not leaving you.i just found you im not prepared to lose you.
Me:why do you love me?i mean,there are women out there who are matured and haven’t been sleeping with different man and are successful.
Mandla:I don’t care about all of that. The love I have for you,I wouldn’t be able to explain it. And I know people will judge us and say im dating a child but I don’t care. It wont change the way I feel about you.i will kill for you.
Me:well,I also don’t care.i will not break up with you.
Mandla:I love you
