SIMPHIWE SHANDU THE HUSBAND
CHAPTER 37
VIOLET
She is here to set herself free from this triangle and sham of a relationship. Mkhuleko. A man who takes a different route from following his name. It’s a lovely name that was given to the wrong person. He comes along the corridoes with the officer behind him. He looks cute and neat. He has always been a neat person. He pulls the chair and sits down. Something in him has changed drastically. She doesn't know. The look on his face...
“What brings you here?” he asks. She swallows because she was not expecting him to ask this question. She was hoping for a hug, or I am very happy to see you, perhaps. You know when seeing the person, you claim to love – the attraction gets to be there. You become happy and nothing else matters except for you two in the world. But it looks like she had her conclusion very wrong.
“I came to see you.” she responds. She thought that she was going to be here for a short while just to tell him that what they had was done and dusted. The love is no longer there but now she is holding back. Is she now suddenly afraid of him? That steady look on his face sends chills down her spine. She suddenly feels small Infront of his eyes. Where is the love and desire he always had in his eyes when looking at her? Right now, they are just plain cold.
“I can see that. The question is why?” his jaw line thickens. Shivers on her body, like some ants crawling on it. She clears her throat. Those tattoos on his arms do not sit well with her. He can't be possibly drawing Gods temple with permanent ink.
“Why did you do those?” she asks him.
“To numb the pain of being in jail for five years.” His tone is suddenly sour mentioning the five years in jail. She did what she had to do.
“I’m sorry.” her throat dries instantly. If only she brought a bottle of water, she would have now gulped it down, including the bottle itself.
“Why are you here MaShongie?” That name, that name again. She finds herself smiling but the man opposite of her is chewing his inside mouth. Meaning he is irritated by her presence. He normally does this when he doesn’t want to be around that particular person.
“To end things between us.” Where did she find that bold voice?
“Okay.” Just like that the conversation is over.
“Just like that?” She is shocked.
“What do you want to say, entlek. Beg you? We are past that stage of me begging you sisi. You can move on with your life.” He stands up and smiles. “Just don’t deny me access to my child once I am released or else hell will break loose.” he turns to leave. She knows very well that threaten is his second-best name. The trepidation but she will not show. She will get to breath once she is out of this place once and for all. Hope there is nothing that will bring her back here.
“Your name is your destiny, heart’s desire, and personality. Mkhuleko is a name that suggests you give up what you want so other people can have what they need. Just remember that.” She stands up and hurries outside before he has her for supper with his inmates. She is irritated. This didn’t go how she visioned. She thought that the man was going to crawl to her feet and beg her not to leave him. This is strange, that man loved her beyond anything. And for him to just be cold like that.
She stands outside the gate under this heat waiting for a taxi. Her heat is pumping in rage. What was she expecting! She came all the way just to agree on to what was on her mind.
“Mxm.” she clicks her tongue and waits for the bloody god damn taxi!
“Town.” that is the conductor screaming his lungs out. She will never undertand this job. Maybe it might suit that bloody Mkhuleko ndini! At least she has had one thing off her chest. Now she will have to look forward into finding a job and catering for her baby. She gets inside the taxi and sits far from every one. She takes a deep breath and looks outside the window. Maybe ending things with Mkhuleko was a bad move. Maybe not.
“Imali Sisi.” The conductor says revealing his Kaizer Chiefs teeth. She only has R200 in her pocket. No other money. She got this money by doing laundry in another man's house. She has even thought of prostitution, but again she is pregnant.
She is now in town. She will buy bread and head to her shack for a quick rest before she goes out to look for those peace jobs. Maybe going back to school is not even a bad idea. She sighs. Imagine being pregnant and eating only bread and water. She didn’t want to waste money on unnecessary things. Cravings come and go, like right now. She is craving fish and chips. Thankfully she has cosmetics that will last her a month.
“Knock, knock.” Someone knocks on her door. She hides her bread underneath her pillows and wipes her mouth removing the crumbs. She opens and finds a woman standing outside the door with a disgusted look on her face.
“Are you Vivian?” You know that look on someone's face when they already hate you, but you don’t know each other.
“Violet.” she stretches out her hand for a handshake, but the woman just looks at it like she is looking at some dustbin bag. Violet slowly lowers her hand in shame.
“What can I do for you?”
“I heard you are looking for a job. I have one at home. I just need a laundry girl.” she says. Abhorrent! Can't just anyone come and give her a good job, just for once? Is she worth doing people's laundry?
“How much?”
“R200 per week.” Talk about disrespect. Even the laundry business itself does not cost R200 per basket.
“For how many people?” she asks.
“Seven.” she gasps in shock. She cannot degrade herself for such abuse. Yes, she needs the money but this...
“No, thank you.” She tries closing the door, but the woman blocks it with her with her foot that has and expensive shoes in it, unlike her fifteen-rand flip flops.
“I know you need the money. It could make a lot of difference in your life.” This woman needs help, but she is here spewing nonsense.
“I will not take that insult. Imagine if it was your child going through this phase in life. Would you have agreed if she had to do laundry for seven grown ass people just for a lousy R200?” The woman keeps quiet.
“I don’t think so. Please, just let me be.” The woman slowly removes her foot and steps stepping backwards. Violet closes the door and leans against it. Footsteps fading away and some mumbling being followed by loud tongue clicks. Life is really throwing stones at her. Worst part she is pregnant! She has thought about this so many times. Simphiwe would not know that the baby is not his, right. And beside the father of this child is in jail God knows for how long he will be in there. This is her only option to have a – what do they call it? Soft life! She will need to wear something presentable. Something that will make him just look at her and fall in love with hesitantly. She pulls out her brand-new dress. She took a bath earlier before going to visit Mkhuleko in jail. She sure still smells okay not the smell of inmates. She sniffs her armpits. Still good.
