Thandolwethu's pov:
The first person I called is her brother, Sbusiso. As much as his sister was married,she was still his sister. He is coming down to Durban on Tuesday. I fetched her mother just now and I fetched my mother. We're headed to my house and the others will meet us there. Buhle couldn't come because she's not in South Africa at the moment. The drive back to my house is silent. I haven't told them what happened but they know that something is definitely wrong. I park behind Ntokozo's car and make my way into our house. The atmosphere just suddenly feels different. I'm welcomed with a wave of cries from the triplets. I rush over to Musa who's rolling himself on the floor
"Sandiswa what's going on?" I ask her as she hushes Ibenathi
"I don't know bhuti,they've been crying since you left" she responds. My mom takes Bonginkosi who is now silently crying
"Thandolwethu what is going on?" Siyamu's mother asks "babies can feel when there is something wrong"
"Sisi we can't find the medicine you want" Ndabe says appearing along with Ntokozo
"Baba funu' mama (dad I want mom)" Ibenathi shouts. I carry Ibenathi and Musa to our room. Ndabe follows with Nkosi in his arms. They go quiet when I put them on the bed. Ibenathi looks at me with her innocent eyes filled with tears. Musa curls himself into a ball and Nkosi snuggles into my arms
"Ndabe please give us space"I say and he leaves the room "Ibe, Musa,Nkosi" I call out and they look at me "mommy is gone babies"
"Where is she?" Ibenathi asks
"Remember where your grandfather (siyamu's dad) went to?she went to heaven also to be with her dad" I say and tears roll down Musa's face
"She isn't coming back?" Nkosi asks
"She left us?" Musa asks
"You won't see her again but she'll always be with you. She loves you guys and she'll never leave you guys. She's just visiting heaven for a long time" they start crying all over again. I hug all of them and hush them until they fall asleep. I lay them on our bed. Our room still smells like her this morning which makes it harder to leave and address the whole family down there. I walk out and in the living room there is Ntokozo, our mothers,Ndabe, Bayanda and Snothando. I asked him to fetch her. I called for Sandiswa to come too. I sit down on the one seater sofa opposite the family portrait we have on the wall
"Thank you all for coming as quick as you did" I look at her face on the portrait on the wall,asking her silently to give me strength to tell our family that she's gone "as most of us here know that Siyamthanda was supposed to be on her way to Jamaica today. Earlier on I was called and they told me she was involved in a horrible accident"
"Awu kodwa nkosi yami" her mother says clasping her hands over her mouth
"Is mom okay?" Snothando asks
"As my family I'll need your help and support. I can't plan her funeral alone. I need your help" I plead finally looking at them
"Mom is dead!?" Ndabe shouts standing up. He storms out. Bayanda buried his head in his hands. Siyamu's mom hails out in a loud cry. Snothando throws herself in her grandmother's arms. Ntokozo sits there not knowing what to do. I stand up to go to our room because I can't handle this. I go to my study instead when I remember how much of her smell remains in our bedroom. I pour myself some whiskey in a glass. I look at the picture of her on my desk and touch it slowly
"Why did God choose you out of all the billions of people in this world?" I whisper but tears don't make their way down my cheeks. I'm supposed to be feeling sad and hurt but I'm angry instead. She wasn't supposed to die. I drink my whiskey. Bayanda barges in and throws himself on my couch. He looks at me with tears in his eyes
