Shrivelled Roses 1 (Intro)

Chapter 30

-𝑳𝒊𝒚𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 𝑺𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒐-

Once they were done having breakfast, she packed her bag and went to find him. He had been on a call on the veranda for a while, as she opened the sliding door she heard that he was in a heated argument, she decided to close the door and wait inside. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, a part of her was obviously wondering who he was arguing with, but then she decided to mind her own business. In the meantime, she called Onele...

Onele: Sithotho?

Liyanda: So umntu xa ekukhumbula funeka aqale akucele ku Ta G?

Onele laughed, and so did Liyanda.

Onele: Oh sthandwa sam, I miss you too.

Liyanda: Uxokelani Onele?

Onele: Bruh, I really do. I have just been going up and down kulomzi kaloku akabuyanga u Sandra ngoku yon'into ijonge ukwenziwa ndim apha. Uyabazi ke abazali.

Liyanda: Oyhini tshom'am, worse bendizothi come and spend the weekend ekhaya.

Onele: Mh... let me get back to you about that.

Liyanda frowned, that was weird.

Onele would usually jump at such an opportunity because she would sneak in some time for Ginger as well.

Liyanda: Okay, that's soooo unlike you. When last did you speak to Ta G?

Onele yawned, Liyanda knew that's where the problem was. Ginger...

Liyanda: Onie?

Onele: Uyandiqhela loo Ta G wakho friend, I have temporarily blocked him so I don't know ba ndigqibele nini uthetha naye.

Liyanda: Oh Bawo, did you two fight?

Onele: We didn't fight... khaw'yeke man, we will took xasidibene. Uphi khona?

Liyanda: I am at home.

Onele: Suxoka, why is your background so quiet?

Liyanda: Yho, wazi ne background yasekhaya? Hayi sisi!

Onele: Stop avoiding the real question.

She lauged... but Mzuvukile walked in as she was about to tell her.

Liyanda: Bye bye wethu, I'll come by later on ndikuncedise kwezi chores zingakuphumisiyo.

Onele: Bring a weekend bag sisi, sizovuka sivase ii mats zika mama walapha. Yho andoyiswe, why did we even come back? Pretoria wasn't like this!

Liyanda laughed and hung up. Nairota looked at her bag and frowned, she shrugged.

Liyanda: What?

Nairota: Where are you going?

Liyanda: I'm going home, aren't you supposed to be going to some meeting with your brothers?

Nairota: I had to reschedule, you were snoring when I was supposed to be leaving.

Liyanda: You didn't leave because I was snoring?

Nairota: Because you were sleeping peacefully, I didn't want to wake you up.

Liyanda: Ooooh... I'm sorry. But, if I still want to have a home then I should be on my way home right now. My dad will kill me.

He nodded and walked to his room.

Just as he was leaving, her father called and asked where she was. She lied and said she was at the Mzayi house, they were washing blankets and that she would come back home in three days because the following day they would wash mats. Her father didn't mind, he wasn't even at home that very moment but asked that she go home during the day, just to let abantu bomzi breathe and actually get a chance to discuss izinto zabo. She agreed, and said she would be home before 2pm.

"So what am I supposed to do with myself while waiting for my meeting if you're leaving me all alone here?" Nairota asked emerging from the room with his jacket and keys. She smiled, getting up and didn't respond to him. The promise she made to her father about 2pm was obviously to give her enough time with him, but she wasn't going to open the option for him if wasn't suggesting anything. They got in his car... and he eyed her, she saw that and laughed.

Nairota: Uyahamba ngempela?

Liyanda: Haibo, unomfazi ondim wena?

Nairota: Yini, ufuna ngise ilobolo kini?

Liyanda: Soze, ndisafunda mna. Ask me that question in five years.

He smiled, and started the car, driving out.

Liyanda: And that grin?

Nairota: Ukuthi nje kuzwakala kamnandi ma uthi usezoba name in five years time.

Liyanda: Yho, mnkq!

He drove her home, and then went to look for his younger brother, Zwelethu.

***

A couple of weeks later...

Mzuvukile called while Liyanda was having lunch with Nichume. Chu was busy scrolling through Liyanda's Instagram looking for someone's post that she forgot to screenshot and she wanted to show Liyanda that post. When the call came through she frowned at the screen and gave Liyanda her phone, watching her facial expressions. Liyanda blushed, and then laughed at Chu before answering...

Liyanda: Hello?

Nairota: Mkami?

She blushed as if he would see that...

Chu just laughed and took a short walk to the bathroom, giving her friend privacy because she looked like she needed it.

Liyanda: Khumalo, unjani?

Nairota: I'm sick mfethu, kanti ukuphi?

Liyanda: Ngikuphi? Kanjani manje?

Nairota: I am sick ke, umuntu usezobuya eMonti indoda yakhe sek'thiwa ishonile. Futhi mina I thought you'd be in Gauteng by now.

Liyanda: Go to the doctor xa ugula Mntungwa, that's what normal people do. Ushota ngantoni? Ngemali?

He started coughing and she laughed at him.

Nairota: Naw'muntu ezoshona eGoli enganakiwe umuntu wakhe.

Liyanda: Nice try, I'm pretty sure I told you when I'm coming back, so it's either you go to a doctor or you die in peace mfethu.

Nairota: So awung'thandi vele Lilly? Is that what you're telling me?

Liyanda: Mntakwethu, mna andizelanga futhi andijonganga kuzala anytime soon. If you want to be a big baby, yitsho. Sukundijikeleza ngochuku torho, yhini nyana ka ban-ban!

Nairota: Yho, amaXhosa!!!!

Again, she burst out laughing at him.

He smiled, hearing her sound happy was an achievement on its own. Even if she was happy already when he called.

Nairota: I really do miss you.

Liyanda: I miss you more, I might see your baby momma today.

Nairota: Why? Where?

Liyanda: My brother works with her, I'm meeting him and my sister later tonight and I'm driving so I will fetch him.

Nairota: Ooh okay, eish, please try your best to avoid her drama baby. Please.

She frowned, Chu was coming back.

Nairota: I know Candy can be a little rude when intimidated...

Liyanda: Oh-kay, I have to go. I'll call you later after my dinner plans with my siblings.

Nairota: Okay, I love you.

Liyanda: I love you.

They hung up, Chu sat down and looked at a beaming Liyanda.

Chu: Intsha indoda?

Liyanda: Kraca!

They both cracked up, attracting a couple of eyes from the nearby tables.