Amile The Queen

Chapter Eighty-Eight

***Langalethu Zulu***

He’s not a heartless man, but he does believe that wrong doers deserve punishment, and that is what being a fair king is about, thinking about the well being of his people.
Dlamini did more than wrong, he harmed a woman, not any woman, but a woman close and dear to his woman, and anything that affects his family, affects him. He’d do just about anything to make Amile happy.
But he’s not only doing this for her. He’s disappointed in Nkululeko, the young boy he watched growing up in front of him. He can admit that he didn’t have the rosiest of childhoods, his parents were the most fucked up people, and it’s unfortunate that he had to witness all of that, but he can’t hide behind dead people all his life. He’s a grown man sane enough to make his own decisions, therefore all he did is considered conscious decisions.
He’s in a holding cell in town. He asked the police to keep him there, it’s been 2 months. He’s going to see him for the first time.
He’s given no hassles as he makes his way through to the holding cells. It’s still early in the afternoon, there shouldn’t be so many people in here.
Inmates, or whatever they are called are shouting for him to let them out as he makes his way down the corridor. The horrid smell is making him want to vomit, even the smell of his own cologne isn’t enough to block it out, that’s how strong it is.
“This place stinks.” he says holding his nose.
“Do something about it, don’t these people bath?” he reprimands the officer walking with him.
“Yes my king.” he said bowing.
This is his intimidating side that Amile always says she’s afraid of so much.
He is shown to Nkululeko’s holding cell. He is alone, sitting in a corner rocking himself back and forth. Sitting alone like this for two full months straight is bound to make you lose your mind.
“Hey Dlamini!” the officer shouts.
He’s on his feet in a second, rushing to cling on the bars.
“Mageba, please get me out of this place, I need to see my children.” he begged.
“Please excuse us.” he said to the officer.
Reluctantly, he walked away from the holding cell. He stood and leaned against the wall staring at Nkululeko who looked like he was close to tears.
“The same way those tears didn’t work with you is the same way they aren’t going to work on me. I want you to stand up like the man you have proven yourself to be and tell me why you want to get out so badly, knowing very well that this is where you belong.”
Nkululeko forced himself to his knees and cried. He broke into a heartbreaking sob, it’s just unfortunate that it didn’t faze him.
“Have I given you enough time to sit and think about what you did, or do you want more time?” Nkululeko shook his head.
“I’m done thinking Mageba, I just want to see my children.” he’s not going to stand in the way of a man seeing his children, he’s not heartless.
“Have a seat Dlamini, and indulge me.” he said before calling out the officer to bring him a chair.
Nkululeko is still on his knees crying. Real tears are running down his cheeks, and he still has his palms together, begging to be let out. The officer places the chair in front of him and he sits, crossing his leg over the other.
He’s not going to spend to long in this place, it hasn’t even been a mere twenty minutes and he can feel all the germs sticking onto him.
“You think that keeping you is enough for the atrocities that you committed? The pain you caused all those people?”
“Mageba please forgive me.” he begs.
“No, we haven’t gotten to the apologizing part yet, I want to know first. Are you happy becoming the man that your father was?” that struck a nerve because he covered his head and screamed.
“Stop making a noise, we are having a conversation as grown men.” he said calmly.
“You saw what the things your father did to your mother did to her. You know the pain that you experienced, why are you inflicting that same exact pain onto another woman’s child? A fragile woman who can’t fight for herself?  Why are you becoming Dlamini? Do you think your sister is happy with the way you have become?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt them, they all just left me, I don’t want to be alone.” he defends.
“Because of the way you are! Yazi mina Nkululeko I see you as a younger brother, you and Mandlenkosi are one and the same thing to me. You have no idea how much what you are doing hurts me. Why are you doing this?” he asks in a stern voice.
He didn’t answer, he just continued sobbing.
“Do you need help, professional help? What do you need?” he asked after trying to catch his breath so he can calm down. His heart is starting to race.
“I need to see my children.” he begs.
“Nambitha is in a mental institution. She thinks you are dead, and that is the only thing keeping her alive at this very moment, that she never has to see you again. What you did is unforgivable, I’m in between being fair, and giving Nambitha a peaceful life, the one you snatched from her, or letting you better yours, because through it all, I know that all of this is not you.” no answer from Nkululeko.
He gets up from the chair and dusts his pants.
“So must I give you more time to think?” he asks folding his arms across his chest.
Nkululeko is quick to get on his feet.
“Bayede, no, I want to leave this place my king.” he begs. 
“To a hospital where you will get the help you need?” he nods vigorously.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
“Anything to get out of here and see my children Bayede.” he bows.
“Okay. But maybe you can spend one last night, just to say goodbye. Goodbye!”
He says mockingly before he walks out of the holding cells, trying to hold his breath.
He did say he’s not a heartless man.
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He was done quicker than he thought he would, that is why he took a detour to a special place from him childhood.
He hasn’t been here in a long time. Even before his accident, he wasn’t as frequent as he used to be when he was younger. It was better when his mother was also living here, but she also eventually moved to the palace, just before Mhlaba passed away, they had rekindled their love, and she was just about ready to come back into the mix of things, being a Zulu wife.
They had a big falling out before the accident, that is why he hasn’t had the guts to ask anyone about her whereabouts. It haunts his thoughts every night, he loved his mother, and  not a single day goes by without thinking about her. Even though she wasn’t there during most of his childhood, he loves her.
This was his Khulu’s house. That’s what he called his grandmother, his mother’s mother. He lived with her before Mhlaba took him and raised him himself.
He instructs Mgabadeli to stay in the car, he wants to have a moment. He steps out and goes to stand under the tree. It’s still growing mangoes, you can tell that people come here to pick them. There are footprints on the sand. He used to sit here and guard this tree with his life, and his friends would walk past here and ask him to give them a few. He would always sneak a few, they were his friends after all.
He laughs as he walks away from the tree to the other side that leads to the kitchen door. It doesn’t look like anyone lives here, it looks like it’s been abandoned.
He opens the door and steps inside.
“Who is that?” a voice asks.
He freezes on the spot. He can hear footsteps approaching. He curses under his breath.
“Langa?” she drops the bowl in her hands and they start trembling.
He’s shocked to say the least. He wasn’t expecting to find her here.
“Ma?” he takes two steps backwards.
His heart starts pounding his chest. She runs to him before attacking him with a hug.
“My son is it really you?” she asks on his chest, crying.
He’s still in a state of shock, and his chest is getting heavier by the second.
“They didn’t believe me when I told them you were alive.” she sobs.
He breaks into a sweat as he feels his vision getting blurred.
“Langa?” she holds him up as he falls on his knees.
“Someone help!” she screams.
His heart is slowly failing him.