Shrivelled Roses 1 (Intro)

Chapter 6

-𝑺𝒊𝒚𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑴𝒄𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒘-

Mzukisi drove them to his house, he had a zoom meeting at six, and their flight was at 9pm. He hadn't told her that part yet, she was just under the impression that they would fly out the following morning.

"Mntungwa?" she called on him leaning her back against the door. He looked up, mouthed that he was busy on a conference call, and then focused back to the screen before him. She walked back to the lounge, took his plate and placed it in the microwave before walking up the tedious staircase leading to the master bedroom. She knew that he wasn't necessarily too busy for her, but denying her quality time was his way of punishing her. Something about love languages. She dialed her friend Uyabukwa, she needed a friend to vent on...

"Aw, Mrs. Khumalo... kwenzenjani wang'fonela ngales'khathi? Awuna ndoda yini?"

"Ngaske ndikufake impama with that fake Zulu njandini!"

They both burst into laughing frenzy.

Uya: What's up my friend? You sound "down" or am I reading too much?

Siya: I feel like... I feel like there's someone else Uya.

Uya: Someone else phi kanene?

Siya: Mzukisi has this thing of ignoring my presence mvanje, he's always cooped up in his study, he's always on calls with his brother, bayahleka bonwabile. I only get to see him when he comes to bed, whatever time he decides to come to bed. Like, ingathi ndiyamdika or ndimxinile.

Uya: But u Ta Mzu has always been like that Sanda nje, whenever he has a new business interest, he switches off and becomes a goober. Why is it surprising you now?

She sighed, playing with her toes...

Siya: I am on leave babe, right? When he asked me where I wanted to go, I told him that I wanted to go to Zimbali and he was okay with that. Two days ago, we couldn't go to Zimbali because he was going to Cape Town. He had a business "thing" to attend in Cape Town. Couldn't he have told me BEFORE ndibe excited about Zimbali? Couldn't he just communicate with me?

Uya: Well baby girl, just hop on to his ride or flight and come to Cape Town. We will have fun, we hadn't had girlie dates since a month before your party.

Siya: Argh sthandwa, I wouldn't want to probe. Besides, Siya probably still hates me.

Uya: uBaby ukwelocala, they have umcimbi kokwabo and he will probably spend the next two weeks there. Khona Sanda, when are you going to apologize to him? You do realize that you were wrong, right?

Siya: I was wrong? Njani Uya kodwa yi boyfriend yakho that brought another woman to my sister's party ndisazi wena mna?

Uya: Sanda...

Siya: Don't tell me you're choosing a man over your friend ntombi, haibo!

Uya: Sanda, oko ndandithetha into enye kuwe kwase high school... do not fight ii battles that are not yours. You admitted that you reacted before thinking, and asking. What if the girl he was with ngu sister wakhe? Or better yet, umntana wakhe or ka brother wakhe? You splashed indoda'm ngotywala ntombi and embarrassed him in the midst of his peers.

Siya: How was I su-

Uya: And you never apologized, even when I called you out about it the first time. You just admitted to overreacting, and acting on your toes. But you never apologized mntase.

Siya huffed, and Uya smiled at the irritation she could feel coming off.

Siya: You really do love him... oh my God!