Amile The Queen

Chapter Forty-Six

***Amile Gumede***


They followed each other out the room and I sank to the ground, feeling like my chest would tear open. Ma is going to hate me, and now she’s going to tell Bayede. It definitely won’t come out the same way I would’ve planned to tell him. He’s also going to hate me, I’m going to be fined, banished, and divorced.
My lower abdomen cramps and a sharp pain shoots through my lungs as I force a scream. It doesn’t come out and I stiffle a sob as I crawl to my wardrobe to try and find something to put on.
I need to call my mom,  I need to tell her what is going on. I am not strong enough to deal with this on my own.  she will know what to do, she will know how to handle this. I grabbed my phone off the pedestal and laid my head against the edge of the bed, drew in a breath And dialed her number. I know she’s going to shout at me in fact she’s going to kill me because she told me to stay away from Mandlenkosi. Did I do that? No, my stubborn heart just couldn’t let him go, I just couldn’t stay away from him. The love of my life.
She answered and when her voice registered in my ear, I just broke down.
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
“MaMzobe found out.”
“Found out what Amile?” I hiccupped.
“About Nkosi and I’s mishap.” I heard her sighing heavily.
“What did you do?”
“He was in my room…”
“Amile Gumede did I not specifically tell you to stay away from Mandlenkosi?” I sobbed louder, unable to answer her.
“Ayikho into oyikhalelayo, ngakukhuza ngalamanyala akho.” (There is nothing you are crying for, I warned you about the abominations you are committing.)
“I told him to get out ma, he didn’t want to.”
“Manje what are you going to do? She knows, she’s obviously going to tell your husband the truth. Do you understand the seriousness of this? Izizumbulu zezimali lezi enginganazo esifanele sizikhokhe sigeza umuzi?” (The insane amount of money I don’t have to pay to cleanse the palace?)
“I don’t know mama. She said she wants to talk to the both of us.” She clicked her tongue.
She’s disappointed in me more than anything. I’m disappointed in myself too.
“Don’t you dare lie to her. Tell her the truth. Yazi Amile, uzehlisa isithunzi nje lento oyenzayo, ubukisa ngami.”
“I’m sorry mama.”
“Don’t keep her waiting. Go hear what she wants to say and call me when you are done.” At least she still has my back.
I bid her goodbye before hanging up and standing up and getting dressed. One thing I’m going to do is beg her not to tell Bayede, because I want to tell him myself. If I don’t tell him myself, it’s not going to come across like it should. I want him to understand what is going on, how we got where we are.
My hair is wet so I put on a head wrap and a long dress. I made sure that my whole body is covered, I even put a cardigan on top, despite the sun being out. I’m sure she already deems me as loose.
I knock twice in the door and let myself in. They were sitting in silence, and the atmosphere was thick. I found my seat next to Mandlenkosi and looked down.
“One of you start explaining.”
Mandlenkosi leans forward to try speak but I cut him off.
“I met him first. I knew him first and we were in a serious relationship.” I blurted out.
He gave me a look that I knew could send me straight to the grave. What did he want to do? Come here and lie?
“Mandlenkosi?” oh so she doesn’t believe me.
He kept quiet.
“Is what she is saying true?” this is all in his hands. She definitely won’t believe me over him, he is her precious son.
“No. It’s not true ma.” My heart is beating in my ears and I can feel my hands burning up.
“Nkosi!?” I shout unintentionally with tears threatening my eyes.
First he didn’t fight for our relationship, now he’s denying me in front of his family. What did I ever do to him.
“I didn’t know her before the palace.” He turned his whole body to look at me and he gave me that look that said I must go with the story.
“MaGumede, I’m sorry for harassing you, I know you’ve told me to stop, and I will. I’m stopping today, I should have never crossed the boundary.” Tears dropped down my face and I wiped them.
“Amile tell the truth.” She never calls me by my name. I’m fucked.
“But ma I did.”
She held her head in frustration and banged her fist on the table four times.
“You two are going to drive me crazy!”
“Listen Ma, I’m a fucked up human being. I was trying to spite bhuti, but nothing happened between us. That is why I’m attending therapy. I need help ma.” Oh wow. Actor of the year.
In fact, he deserves an award.
“Amile?” I hate this back and forth.
“Hes not lying.” I said in a breathy tone.
“So where did you get that story from?”
“She was protecting me. I’m sorry for this ma. Truly.”
“I’m telling Banzi.” She sighed out.
“No, ma please don’t tell him. I’ll do it myself. He’s attending therapy with me next week and I will tell him, I swear.” Is he being for real.
Now it’s a competition of who tells Bayede the truth first.
“Mandlenkosi you are slowly going to get on my last nerve.”
“I’m sorry ma, I know this is the last thing that you need right now. That’s why you shouldn’t stress yourself. I will tell him.”
“Leave.” He said looking at Nkosi.
He stood up and walked out the office. When she was sure that he was gone, she looked at me concerned.
“Why were you quiet? Why didn’t you say something?”
Is it because I’m crying that it seems like I am the victim in all of this? Oh if only she knew the web of lies I have tangled myself in. I can’t untangle myself.
“No one was going to believe me.” She shook her head and reached over the table to touch my hand.
“Are you sure that I shouldn’t tell Banzi?” I shook my head no.
“They are brothers ma, I don’t want them to fight because of me.” And that is the only honest truth that I have said since I have walked in here.
“Nonsense. I’m sorry that you had to endure staying with him, I thought he was better than that, I thought he was more of a man.” She looks disappointed in him.
I haven’t seen this side of her in a long time, I missed her.
“Its okay. He didn’t harass me too much.” I wiped my tears.
She looks pitiful. I’m definitely still going to sit down with Bayede and tell him everything. I don’t know when, but I will. I don’t want this burden anymore, I can’t take it anymore.
I feel like shit, and I hate feeling like this.
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I can hear shuffling around the room and that could either be Sis’ Melo or Bayede. But why would Bayede shuffle so much. He just woke me up from my beauty sleep.
I pop one eye open and see him pacing up and down next to the bed. It’s already dark outside, that means I slept throughout the whole afternoon. He looks very frustrated, he doesn’t even realize that I’m up.
“Bayede.” That came out as a whisper, but he heard me because he stopped pacing and came to me.
He caressed my cheek.
“MaGumede, how are you?” why does he look so flushed? Does he know something?
“I’m good.” I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning.
“Go back to sleep mama, did I wake you?” I shook my head no before sitting up. I’m hungry.
“Bayede I need to talk to you.” I puckered up the courage.
“Me too.” What?
My heart dropped.
“MaMzobe, the kids and I are going away for a few days. She’s not okay, and I just need her to relax. There is a lot going on at the palace, and I just want both of you to relax, and not get involved. It’s still going to be very hard that is why I need both of you to be strong.” I don’t know what he’s talking about, but he’s scaring me.
I nodded and he leaned in to kiss my forehead. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him just yet, he looks worried and stressed, I don’t want to add on to it.
“What did you want to talk about?” I cleared my throat trying to get rid of the lump stuck there.
“I wanted to tell you about school, but it’s okay, we can talk about it another time.”
“Thank you MaGumede.” I respect this man and I’m afraid of disappointing him after he told me that I am his place of peace during the storm.
That thank you came from the depth of his soul. He really isn’t okay. It would be unfair of me to put all my burdens on him like this.



***Nontuthuzelo Zulu***


She’s using the fact that he’s at MaGumede’s room to her advantage tonight. She called Jon and asked him to drive her to Celemba’s hut. Jon wouldn’t dare question her, he will only do what he is supposed to do.
“Don’t you dare breathe a word about this to anyone otherwise you will find yourself jobless and homeless.” She threatened him.
It’s funny how she threatens him with a soft voice, without shouting or causing a scene. That definitely scared him enough and he swore to secrecy.
He parked inside the yard. There is no fencing protecting the yard so it’s easy for them to enter. They did that on purpose, not having a fence. They know no one will dare try enter the yard of a royal seer. Those who take chances are met with the vicious dogs and sometimes the traps set up all over the yard.
She tells Jon to get out the car and shoo the dogs away. She’s also not used to them, but she comes here all the time.
“Who dares to enter the royal seers homestead!” his voice roars out. His title is never forgotten. He always addresses himself in third person.
“The queen makhosi.” Jon whispers next to him.
She opens the door for herself and climbs out. She closes it behind her and shoos Jon away from Celemba. He does a little bow and goes back to the car.
“Ndlunkulu.”
“We need to talk.” He chuckled and moved out of the door way.
“You are welcome.” She squeezed herself in and found her seat on the Reed mat on the floor.
He came to sit and clapped twice. She rolled her eyes and took out a few notes and laid them on the mat.
“Thokoza.”
“Celemba, I’ve been begging you to do this for me, my husband is now five steps ahead. Who is Langalethu’s wife?”
“Ndlunkulu you know that I don’t have access to that kind of information. I have told you that she is close by.”
“That’s not good enough. Banzi is snooping around, just the other day he was at the river, if he finds out that accident wasn’t a mistake, we are both good as dead.”
“That isn’t going to happen. He’s dead, he isn’t going to miraculously rise from the dead.”
“Then do something about it. I’m taking him away on holiday to distract him.” He chuckled.
“And how is the little one doing?” She rolled her eyes.
“Don’t annoy me. I don’t want this thing inside of me.”
“You need a concoction?” she kept quiet for a while.
“Give it to me.” He laughed.
“Just put this in your tea, it will be history.”
He was mixing things in a bowl. She’s not heartless, but getting rid of this child is for the better. There’s too much going on in the palace for her to be worrying about taking care of babies.