The Two Of Us

Chapter 08: Beautiful People Vibes

NATHI KHUMALO

It's a Sunday, he finally decided to come home after a couple of weeks. He last came here that Saturday he bumped into Ukhona at the mall for the very first time, the day that has been stuck in his mind.

His father's house is not his favorite place, he'd rather spend the whole day in his lonely and not so homely apartment busy on his laptop making beats and doing some online marketing. But then, at the end of the day, there's no place like home and that is why his heart still long to be here even though things are not good.

Today, he decided to fool himself that he's here because of yesterday's win. It was not a big game but duh, he was the captain and they won. That count for something, right?
It's a pity that nobody cares about that in this house except Gog'MaMdluli, the housekeeper. She hugs him and say, "I'm so proud of you. Your mother would be proud, it's a pity she missed all of this," when he tells her.
Thando would come and watch him when he was still playing for Greyville FC and before she went to boarding school just for support, she's not interested in football or any sport. She's a feminist. Amahle is just a clueless six-year-old that jumps up and down when she sees Bhut'Zuzu—that's what she calls him— on TV fashion shows. His father on the other hand, is just...his father. He's the typical Bhekamantungwa Khumalo who is always too busy to care but him being Siphosethu Zubenathi Khumalo, he has never given up on pushing his dead football career down his father's throat. He have to care, he's his father, right?

Unfortunately, the answer is a big NO. If it's not about business, his father is obviously not getting involved. Sometimes he wishes that he was the Mntungwa Holdings, the company, so he'd get his father's full attention but then it is what it is. But that's not just it, he's a control freak as well. It is the reason he'd rather hustle than to live off his father's wealth that comes with terms and conditions. Even though the very same money indirectly gave him the apartment and a car. Even worse, it is paying for his studies but it's not like he like nor did he want to study that course. It was his father's order, he wanted to be a physiotherapist and maybe someday work for a certain football club but that's all in the past now. He has to finish that degree, graduate and go work for his father's company to 'keep the legacy running'. He understands that and not against it but people are not the same despite the blood relation, they are interested in different things and always have different views.

He feel for his younger sisters. People think having your life planned out is a fantasy but it's very hard and that is what he fears for his younger siblings. At least he's a little bit older and he's a tough guy, he'll survive. But he doesn't want the same for them. He wants them to live their lives however they want to. He doesn't want them to live their lives trying to prove themselves to their father, trying to show him that they are worthy, that even if they lack business intelligence but there's something else they can do, like he does. No.

Running away from home didn't help that much, he's still pursuing a degree of his father's choice and he's still going to come back and work with his father. But at least he has experienced the life he wished. He's making money of his own, he's getting gigs left and right, not to mention how busy his December was. At least, he enjoyed his youth even if it was only two years. It doesn't matter.

"Bhut' Zuzu!"

"mm-hmm", he replies leisurely sitting on the couch. Amahle is dancing in front of the TV to the song that is playing on it.

"Teach me this dance."

He didn't even see that dance so now he have to come up with some dance moves. This little girl thinks he knows everything but he missed her anyway.
He browse through TikTok and find some dancing challenge and teach her.