Shrivelled Roses 1 (Intro)

Chapter 24

-𝑺𝒊𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒉𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒚𝒂𝒔𝒆-

At 2 am Claire, Onele, Mincili, Nichume and Liyanda tiptoed into the Ndlongolo mansion as though someone was watching them. They damn well knew that no one was home, but alcohol. Some found the couches more comfortable while some made it to the beds.

In the morning, Nichume was woken up by a vibrating phone. She looked around and realized that she was in Mincili's room. She grabbed the phone and walked barefoot to the bathroom. The phone vibrated again... she looked at the screen, it was Noziqhamo, her mother.

Chu: Mama?

Nozi: Nibuya xakutheni kweli Monti Nichume?

She sniffed, but didn't respond. That was Mincili's phone, not hers. How did their mother know just from "mama" that she wasn't speaking to the owner of the phone?

Her head was throbbing from the hangover.

Nozi: Nichume Ndlongolo?

Chu: Sizobuya namhlanje mama, pha late.

Nozi: Azakhe abethe u five ningekho apha, your dad will personally come and fetch you two. Kutheni nizimisele ebunjubaqeni nibancinci? Kunini nibuyile eskolweni? Hay sanundiphambanisa mna.

Chu: Love you ma.

Nozi: Nalo English yeye mali yam.

Then she hung up.

Chu walked out, looked at who she shared the bed with: Claire.

She found slippers and went to start up with breakfast. Onele was fast asleep on the one couch with Mincili on the other couch which meant Liyanda has slept in Chu's room. She prepared breakfast while eating a dry toast. Onele woke up and walked outside, she sat on the stoep and basked on the morning sun without saying a word to anyone. Liyanda woke up and went straight to the kitchen, she broke an egg and gulped it down. RAW.

Chu: Sebete sa hao!

Liyanda: Don't!

He body shuddered as she swallowed in one go, then she rinsed her mouth and went to wake up the two who were sleeping in the lounge. Claire woke up as the others were cleaning up the lounge. She made the bed before going out of the room, washed her face and then checked her messages. She had five WhatsApp missed calls from Luzuko... no message. As she was about to leave the room, he called again. He must have seen that she was online... She sat down, plugged in the nearest set of headphones and then answered the call.

Claire: Hi?

Luzuko: Unjani?

Claire: Ndi right.

Luzuko: And the attitude?

She rolled her eyes.

Luzuko: Mh, congratulations on your new job. I called you last night and you didn't answer your phone.

Claire: Enkosi.

He frowned, she was really in a bad mood.

Luzuko: Should I call you some other time? It appears to me that awufuni ukuncokola nam right now. Should I then try again later or uzothetha? Qha ndikulinde?

She looked away, holding back tears.

This was the very same reason why she didn't want to be in any relationship. She wasn't even used to him, or having him around yet she missed him. He was the first person she told about the job, she was upset that he was the last person to congratulate her yet she knew he was out of the country, working. The most difficult thing that very moment was articulating her feelings to the man she barely knew, yet felt deeply for.