Shrivelled Roses 1 (Intro)

Chapter 15

-𝑰𝒚𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝑲𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒊-

Friday morning, as she prepared to leave for work, she found Clive sitting on the front door step. A huge sigh left her lips... she just stood behind him praying for the guts to just kick him from behind and watch him roll all the way to the driveway.

Iyana: What are you doing here? Who opened the gate for you?

Clive: Good morning Iyana.

Iyana: Ungandiphambaneli Zwelethu on a Friday morning, ufuna ntoni kwam?

He stood up, brushing the dirt off his behind with the palm of his hand as he turned to face her.

Clive: I came to apologize in person, and explain what happened or how we got to that marriage decision. I know I've hur-

Iyana: I'm not interested.

Clive: Baby, please.

Iyana: For six months Zwelethu, six fucked up months you played me. You were busy keeping me cozy in your bed, giving me uncalled for orgasms, splashing your money on me while you knew that you were organizing a wedding with someone else? Caba andikho good enough mna for utshatwa nguwe?

Clive: You are... babe, can we please go inside and talk like a normal couple? Like, normal human beings?

Iyana: Andiseyiyo kemnake i-human being, right now? Ndiyi wolf. Ingaske ndikuhlubule ifele eli lobuso kuvele ubunja obu ububo. How could you? Oh wait, your brothers convinced you I wouldn't know... nawe shame wavuma, kuba ubona isibhanxa xa ujonge mna. Rhaaaa, rubbish ka Mntungwa! Futsek kwam Mzilikazi ka nonsense, fokofa kwam S'bhanxa ndini!

She quickly turned back, got inside and slammed the door before him. Not forgetting to lock it.

The long strokes to her bedroom were accompanied by tears, she didn't want to cry in front of him and give him the satisfaction.

He stood against the door, leaning forward and allowed himself to feel the emotions he had been avoiding since she left. He was hurting, and he missed her. So much...

She called in sick and wallowed in her sorrows, with her phone off just in case one of his brothers called or one of her friends. She didn't want to be around people... it was only now that the realization of a three year relationship was setting in. All that time she was researching she didn't feel anything... but now? It was bitter. The only man she ever truly loved had betrayed her, right under her nose and she had had to brave it out and pretend like she didn't know. It was all coming back now... and she just wanted to be left alone and feel every emotion, every sting of the truth.

About two hours later, he had realized that she wasn't going to work because if she were, she was already late. He hadn't moved from her front door, he hadn't responded to any of his who had been calling since three days ago. He sat there, and waited for her to eventually want to talk to her. Around 11 am, a Mr D scooter showed up, and then the door opened. She had ordered food...

"What the faaa- Gosh!"

She exclaimed as she almost tripped over him on her way to the gate. She hissed and walked ahead to fetch her food, on her return, he was already inside. She sighed as she closed the door, there was clearly no way to get rid of him that day except for listening to whatever he had to say. A small part of her felt sad for him, he had been sitting on that stoep since 7:30 am. She walked inside, dropped the pizza box in the lounge and went to fetch cool drink and two glasses for both of them. She didn't even invite him to eat, she just poured the juice for herself and started eating from the box. She knew damn well how much he hated that. Zwelethu would "plate up" wings instead of eating them from the box, he was a neat freak like that.

Clive: I know you hate me right now, and I am shocked that you managed to keep such a huge secret and weight on your shoulders for so long. All I want to say is that I am sorry Iyana. I know I have wronged you, I have no excuse, ngiyaxolisa sthandwa sam.

Iyana: Khawutye Zwelethu, izobanda le pizza.

Clive: Unayo i-imcrowave.

Iyana: Usenayo ne chance yophendula ukusa?

He smiled, taking a slice of pizza.

Clive: Mina bang'tshela ukuthi all I have to do is to be present at the ceremony, bese bona they will take care of her financially nalokunye nje. My presence was for formalities kuba bona badala kuyena u Buhle and ubabakhe ebengekhe avume ingan'yakhe ishade nabo.

She just continued to eat, as though she wasn't listening to him.

Clive: Bathi kimi they want to build friendship with ubabakhe for business purposes, he considered a millionaire esgodini futhi uyahlonitshwa kakhulu. Based on the information I was presented with, I saw it as a business opportunity for our family and I didn't want to be a hindrance hence I told them ukuthi mina angimthandi uBuhle and angekhe ngilale naye kuyomele ukuthi emva komshado bahlanganise amakhanda wabo for her sexual needs nokunye nje.

She poured her second glass of juice and just looked at him, he still had that one slice of pizza in hand. Uneaten.

Clive: Angisho ukuthi blame my brother kuphela, ungizwa kahle sthandwa sami... nam nginecala lana. I should have done proper research before agreeing to this, ngizo understand'a uma ufuna ngik'nike is'khashana nje uhlanganise umqondo wakho u phefumule. I will do that, kodwa eng'ngekhe ngikwenze ukuthi ngohlukane nawe. Ay ngekhe mama, ngiyakuthanda mina futhi ngiyoshada wena.

She laughed, almost spilling the juice over herself.

Iyana: Uyoshada mina? Kuphi? Hay sugula wena, hambo tshata uBuhle and leave me alone.

Clive: I will not leave you alone Iyana.

Iyana: You will not leave me? Hehe!

She got up and headed for the door, then called him. He bit his pizza as he got up and just leaned against the wall watching her.

Iyana: Get out of my house!

Clive: I will not leave you.

She stormed towards him, grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the door. He dumped the slice of pizza on the kitchen counter, his other hand reached for the door, closed it and then pushed her against it. She fought for a couple of seconds and then huffed. He had her pinned, no room for movement whatsoever.

Iyana: Zwelethu Clive Khumalo, I said leave me alone.

He looked deep into her eyes, behind the rage and the anger, he could still see her lovesick puppy eyes. Licking his lips, he drew in her scent with his nostrils and closed his eyes allowing it to fill him up. All this time, the only thing in her mind is to just rip his clothes off that instant and have him begging for a release.

Clive: I love you... and I will not leave until I know that you have forgiven me.

Iyana: I have forgi-

Clive: Don't say it just to get rid of me Iyana...

She closed her eyes and then tears peaked under the closed lids.

She had been trying her best to not feel, but the thought of him being that close to another woman. The fact that he was going to play along and marry Buhle behind her back??? She wasn't necessarily angry at him for that, she was upset. Hurt. Broken... and for the first time since the discovery, she cried.

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