Shrivelled Roses 2: Iyana Kleinbooi

17

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 Seventeen

-IYANA-

*A WEEK BEFORE THE KHUMALO LOGISTICS LAUNCH*

Iyana was back from Cape Town, but she didn't return to Zwelethu's house immediately, nor did she go to her mother's house where the rest of her siblings were... she went to her flat in Southernwood. She needed some time to herself... a part of her was happy, but another huge part of her was really anxious and scared. She knew that her father wouldn't be too hard on her, they had a good relationship. But her mother was a different story altogether...

Her phone rang as she flopped onto the couch... she sighed, closing her eyes for a second before answering it.

Iyana: Hello?

Clive: Angazi noma yim' ngiphambanisa ii dates lana kodwa bengithi uyabuya namhlanje.

Iyana: I am.

Clive: I've been standing here for the last thirty minutes... kanti ukuphi?

Iyana: You missed me, I took an Uber.

Clive: You called an Uber? Why didn't you call me instead?

Iyana: Because Zwe... I need some time alone, to myself, okay?

He huffed... looking at his watch as he realized that he really wasted thirty minutes of his time waiting for her at the airport, as arranged.

Clive: What does that mean? In simple English?

Iyana: I am at my place... and please do not come here... I just need a couple of days please.

He didn't respond.

Iyana: I don't want to fight, and I get that the pregnancy results were a shock but your reaction really made me uncomfortable. I didn't expect you to jump up and down, but I at least expected something else... not what I got.

Clive: oh-kay...

Iyana: I don't know man... I guess I just want to weigh out my options right now. You know, I want to keep the baby, so an abortion is not an option whatsoever, but at the same time, I want to see my other options and weigh in on my readiness for single parenting. Because ke I am not your wife, bearing you a child doesn't automatically qualify me as one, ungavuka nangomso uyotshata omnye umntu ndishiyeke nomntwana mna apha. I am not saying these things are going to happen, but I have to kind of... prepare myself.

Clive: So you had to go to Cape Town for you to realize all of this?

Iyana: Cape Town has nothing to do with what I am saying Clive, I just had some time to think about everything.

Clive: Or you had your friends fill your head with nonsense.

Iyana: Wow Zwelethu! You know what, I am not doing this with you. Please allow me some time to gather myself towards myself, I just need a couple of days.

Clive: You know where to find me.

Iyana: Of c-

He had already hung up. She blinked the tears away as quickly as they tried to escape the ducts. With a huge grin, she got up and went to change, getting into her PJs and flopping on her bed, going through the weekend's pictures.

Uyabukwa's birthday lunch went well, as expected. Her relationship with bhut'Siya Ndlongolo had always been the envy of many. He was a very private man, but when it came to her, he loved her loudly. He understood her love language... even at the birthday lunch, he didn't hold back. Everything went smoothly, the only time some drama'nyana transpired was when Sanda was fetched by Chris Abendeiya... and not by Mzukisi Khumalo. Everyone who saw that started whispering amongst themselves but they knew who was dating who amongst themselves since they were a close-knit circle. Iyana excused herself from that circle because Sanda was still her friend, and besides that, she couldn't act like she knew. Because if word were to get to Mzukisi's ears, Clive would also know and they would paint her ngamafutha engatyanga nyama because Sanda was one of her closest friends.

She left the circle and went to sit in the lounge... it was pretty cold and windy outside anyway, and most people who were still sitting outside were drinking alcohol. Right after Sanda left, a black Porche pulled up and Ginger stepped out of it followed by his girlfriend whom Iyana was meeting for the first time. The sliding door in the lounge was wide open so she could see them from the time they got out of the car...

Siya: Baby?

Uya: Love?

Siya: Come this side, nantsi ichomi yakho.

Uyabukwa was attending to some guests in the kitchen when Siya called her looking at Ginger. Uya laughed, walking out to meet them halfway. She hugged both of them and walked them to the lounge where Uya was sitting with a few other unfamiliar faces.

Uya: Gingerbread, you know Iyana, right?

Ginger: iCherry ka OurWorld? Ek'se Mam'Ngwevu!

Iyana: Will you ever grow up Ta G?

Ginger laughed, as he hugged her.

Uya: This is his girlfriend, Onele, right?

Onele: Yes, hi sisi.

Iyana: Please don't call me sisi, my name is Iyana. Yho ndimncinci mna.

Onele and Uyabukwa laughed, Siya disappeared with Ginger to the other side of the house while Onele handed Uyabukwa a gift bag.

Onele: Your friend put me on the spot ke because I am a woman, he doesn't get that all women have different tastes in everything kodwa ke we do hope you like your gift. If you don't, don't fret, we added the envelope so that uyozithengela into oyithandayo.

Uya: Aawww Onele Ntombi, you ddnt have to. The gift alone was enough nje baby.

Onele: I thought so too, but you should know your friend ngokuthanda ukuba extra. The envelope was his idea.

Uya: Well, thank you very much. What can I get you? Drink? Food?

Onele: Uhm... we won't be staying for long. But I could do with inyama.

Uya: Hayibo, nifika.

Onele: We're actually going to Pretoria, do not ask why we had to come here first, but I have a class tomorrow at nine so yeah...

Uya: I appreciate you both. Follow me siyokhangela inyama... ndiyabuya Nana sthandwa.

Iyana nodded and walked them disappear to the kitchen.

After a minute, she frowned at home comfortable Uyabukwa seemed with Ginger and his Onele... it was as though they were old friends. Yes, Uya and Ginger may have been friends in the past, but that was when he was still dating Sanda... unless that ship never sank as she had assumed. That very moment she remembered the girls trip... Uyabukwa defended Ginger against Sanda... saying "u right lamntana for u Ta G, don't mess that shit out for him". This made sense now.

Disturbing her train of thoughts... a message beeped and she opened it from the top of the screen... it was Zwelethu.

"We're launching Khumalo Logistics next week, everything is ready, I am ready and I hope you will make it. The launch wouldn't exist had you not assisted me in the last couple of weeks. Good night"

She smiled at how he acknowledged that without her, there wouldn't be a business to launch altogether, but she still didn't want to be around him that very moment. She needed a couple of days.