Shrivelled Roses 2: Iyana Kleinbooi

8

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 EIGHT

-IYANA-

Gathering her strength right after Clive had flow to wherever he was flying to for "business", Iyana Ubered home because for that whole day, she was Princess Diana, being chauffeured everywhere. As she locked her doors, her phone rang and she quickly tossed her shoes behind couch and slouched on it, breathing heavily.

"Hey baby" she answered the call and her excitement was met by a somber mood from Uyabukwa's end of the line.

Uya: Hey friend, unjani?

Iyana: I am great my love, unjani wena? How was work? Why do you sound so down?

Uya: Argh, work was fine. I'm just tired.

Iyana: Well, I am great. I spent the day being treated like a princess namhlanje.

Uya: Oh, really? What was the occasion?

Iyana: None, he just rocked up and said he wanted to be my chauffer for the day, after that he went to fetch me from work, we had dinner at Grazia and then he left.

Uya: Left?

Iyana: Yup, he's going away for business, then he will go home after the business trip before returning to East London. He seems like he has changed yazi chomi, like, he prioritizes more mani ngoku and he is intentional shame. I hate how I didn't believe him when he apologized after that whole rape conversation with Buhle and his brother but now friend I know he was being pulled by the nose and I am glad he finally found his voice.

Uyabukwa sighed...

The reason for the call was to inform Iyana that she (Uyabukwa) had arranged a meeting with Buhle after she did her own digging. Arranging the meeting, she just wanted answers you know, but her worst fear was to find out about Zwelethu going ahead with the wedding. She had consoled herself by saying they would have found out already if the wedding had gone through, most royal marriages usually got publicized either during the ceremony week/end or shortly after. So, maybe Iyana was right...Zwelethu had grown a pair.

Uya: I am glad to hear that sthandwa sam, I want you to be happy.

Iyana: Zwe makes me happy mntase, especially this new him.

Uya: Hayike kuhle, I was just checking up on you. Bekungekho nto vha?

Iyana: I appreciate you sisi, I really do.

Uya: Alright ke... bye!

Iyana hung up, went to get herself a glass of wine and then headed straight to her room

She was fulfilled. Her day had been the best.... She couldn't even remember the last time she had such a fulfilling day and it didn't involve her friends, or sex.

****

-UYABUKWA-

Two days after Buhlebenkosi had returned to Durband Uyabukwa sat across her boyfriend looking worried...

She was in a dilemma. It had been a forty-eight hours after the meeting she had with Princess Nzimela and her worst fears were confirmed. Zwelethu was stringing Iyana along, and she was obliviously naïve about the whole situation. She was so blinded by love that she refused to use her own brain and listen to her own intuition. What kille Uyabukwa the most was the Zwelethu was perfectly playing the emotional game and not getting caught, he was good at it. He made Iyana feel like she was the only woman for him, yet behind her back he had an entire wife whom he paid the dowry for and most probably sleeps with whenever he went home.

"You know this is none of your business, right?" Siyabulela asked after a long minute of silence.

"Babe... Iyana is young, and naïve. I feel responsible in a way"

"In what way?"

She breathed, playing with her hands.

"Wenzeni Uyabukwa?" he asked sternly.

"I may have done my own digging, after Iyana's stunt to expose Kuriyata and possibly stop the wedding didn't work out. And that's the thing baby, they continued with their plans and Iyana has no clue that she is head over heels in love with another woman's husband"

"So you went ahead and stuck your head where it didn't belong?" He asked again and she just looked down. Siyabulela was a very private person who had managed to convert the bubbly Uyabukwa into the same over the years, but he knew that Uya just had a big heart especially for the people she loved and in that case, Iyana was the "people" she loved.

"Okay I get that this whole situation is none of my business, I get it. But he is married Bubu. Clive went ahead and married his brother's victim and now he has told Iyana that he is going on a business trip but we know that's a lie"

"Kuphele amadoda phandl'apha lento u Iyana ethe nca kulo Clive who clearly doesn't give a shit about her? Why do women do that?" he asked, a tad irritated.

"Do what? Love the wrong men?" she asked.

"No, why do women love men more than they love themselves? Surely Iyana knows that she is not alone ku Clive but akamyeki. She just keeps on going back to him. Lanto yomtshato when it first surfaced was reason enough for her to leave him, she should have left the Khumalo brothers when she found out about the rape, she didn't have to expose them but she could have protected herself and left. Had she left kwangokuyana you wouldn't be sitting across me stressing about irelationship ongangeni ndawo kuyo and involving me on top of it"

She gulped, he was irritated nyhani.

He got up and put his cup on the table between them...

"Uyaphi kengoku?" Uyabukwa asked, also getting up.

"I am going for a drive..."

"Hayibo baby, you just got here, at least let me take my shoes ke we will drive together"

"Please, no. Stay behind and get yourself together, sort out whatever you believe you can sort out ngo Iyana. I am going for this drive alone, you are too preoccupied to accompany me" with that he kissed her forehead and walked out.

She walked to the window and watched him drive out... her heart broke, because she missed him, but at the same time, she wanted to protect Iyana. Her last resort was to call Sanda even though she knew that Sanda wouldn't even care much. She had to try...

Sanda: Mntu ka Siya!

Uya: Hey love, unjani?

Sanda: I am happy, unjani wena?

Uya: Ndiyafa sistress.

Sanda: Yhima ndigalele iwine baby, soze ndikuve wena ndi sober.

They laughed, and once Sanda indicated that she was now sitting down, Uyabukwa told her about her discoveries...

Sanda: Ey babe, mna I would advise you to take a step back. uIyana mdala, she knows what she has gotten herself into and uyamthanda la Zwelethu wakhe. If wena ungafika with all this information ingangathi ulwa la relationship ube uyazi wena ukuba uzama ukumkhusela.

Uya: Kodwa Sanda, Clive is surely manipulating Iyana here.

Sanda: Even so, asingeni ndawo. We can only be there for her for when this whole thing comes crumbling down.

Uya: Yho!

Sanda: Suyingena Uya, trust me, do not get involved.

She sighed...

Well, maybe Siyabulela was right after all. She was sticking her nose where it didn't belong.