Things were never meant to be great in my life. Just when I feel happy, my relationship with Anthony is going great, my relationship with my friends is going from strength to strength and most importantly, the business is growing.
Sandzi, I hired her a week back, she's doing great. We are all working in harmony, we are one growing happy family, I wouldn't be any more happy.
Last week, one of my biological family's neighbors came into the shop. She didn't cause any drama, she greeted me friendly and asked about how life has been. I know she told my family she saw me, I don't know what they are going to do. I'm dreading their response/reaction.
Their silence is slowly killing me, I can't really fully concentrate on anything. Anthony has been asking what's bothering me but I always brush him aside. I don't want to burden him with my problems.
The day continues, I'm avoiding being in the front. I don't want to mess up people's orders. Right now I am in the office doing business management things.
Since I spoke with Anthony's parents that time, they are always around whenever he and I talk on the phone. I don't know if it's coincidence or something they plan.
Over the screen when we are oceans apart, people can lie but I don't get that from Sherry and Howard, since they insist on using their first names. I feel like they genuinely like me. I could be wrong, who knows.
Guess who barges into my office without knocking? My older brother, S'bonginkhosi. With the way he looks, life hasn't been good to him. I last saw him during my adoptive parents' funeral.
"Aren't you going to greet your big brother?" He asks closing the door and taking a seat in front of the desk I'm sitting on.
"Maybe if he had knocked, I would have greeted him nicely," I retort.
"You have grown a mouth since you left home, I see," he says with a rising temper.
Remembering the type of person he was when I still lived at home, I bite my tongue. I would rather face him anywhere else than my place of work.
"I need to have a word with your boss. You can't keep working here, you are a curse, you bring bad luck to everyone you associate yourself with. I hear voices in my head, that's all on you. My aunt and her husband died after taking you in. Surely, something wrong is going to happen to this place or the people you work with."
I take his words in, I know they are not true but what if? Judging by the smirk on his face, seeing my tears bring him joy, satisfaction.
"Sometimes I wish your father had not stopped me that day, remember that day?" He asks happy. "The voice told me to finish you, I will soon. Enjoy your life while it lasts."
He leaves after that. I remember that day like it just happened. Dad was home for the weekend from work, I was alone at the back of the house reading. Mom told my other siblings not to play or be anywhere near me or they would catch my disability.
S'bo came out of nowhere, snatched the book I was reading and beat me with a broomstick. Being beaten by him and mom was a usual occurrence. That day something was different, the force was nothing I had felt before.
Dad came on the tenth lash, I was counting, don't know why. He knocked him out with a single punch. That's when he took me to my aunt's. I don't know why he did that because he was one with his wife and son.
I guess I was lost in my thoughts, I didn't realize that Sihle came until now when she touches me, I almost jump out of my skin.
"What's going on? Why are you crying? I've been calling your name for some time now, talk to me," she asks concern written on her face.
