Unfolding

Chapter 14

"I am a mess, I can't appear like this in court, they observe every movement I make", her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying she did last night. It was her first court appearance, and she was definitely not ready, her lawyers brought her a black suit as requested, "You don't have to say anything, just sit still even when someone says something offensive, don't react", Nkanyiso suggested. "Okay, okay, let me go get dressed, then we can leave", she left them standing and rushed out. "Something is so wrong with her, she didn't even bother to fix her hair, it's unlike her", her lawyer said, "You're right, she's been crying, do you think she's been having a breakdown?", Nkanyiso asked. "Let me ask the guard, they walked to the door, "Hey, man, does anyone of you know why my client is so strange today?", the lawyer asked, "I was not working yesterday but I heard her husband visited and it didn't end well, she had to be dragged to her cell, kicking and begging him not to leave him", the guard said, "Thanks man", they then got inside. "Oh shit, he must've asked for divorce", Nkanyiso suggested, "And he did it on purpose to mess with her", the lawyer added, "We must make sure, she is awake throughout the procession", he said before she got back in. It was the first time, Nkanyiso saw her outside of those overalls, she looked really nice, and she kind of understood why Mabutho was losing it for her.

The courtroom was full of people chanting Zinhle's name, she was scared to look in their direction, one mistake, she will be trending and hated by the whole country if they haven't started yet. She sat in front of the judge, and she looked down most of the time but Nkanyiso constantly raised her head. Her parents sat behind her, with Siphokazi and Nomuzi, she didn't know Nomuzi was around. She spotted Mabutho at the far end of the room, the cameras kept flashing with every turn she made. They got up when the judge came in and sat down after she sat, the judge was a woman, and Ingo did not know how to feel about that. She was called to the stand, "Ingo-Musa Nxumalo- Mthethwa, in the first case of killing Zinhle Mkhize on the 25th of May, how do you plead?", the judge asked, "Not guilty", the courtroom suddenly became chaotic, "In the second case of framing Sabelo Mthethwa, how do you plead?", she continued, "Not guilty". She was asked to take her seat, the judge explained that the trial was going to begin the next day, and they had to finish with her case before Sabelo's case begin. People left, and she saw Londi amongst the crowd, she wondered why she never visited her. She almost waved when she saw Mabutho but quickly remembered she was in the spotlight, but she appreciated his presence.

"Poor girl, she even lost weight", Nomuzi and Siphokazi were discussing Ingo in the kitchen. "She still looked beautiful though", Siphokazi added, "Do you think she will win?", Nomuzi wanted Siphokazi's honest opinion, "I don't know, Mah, there's a lot of evidence pointing at her", she said. "She can't lose, this family needs her, and we need her money", Siphokazi was surprised, so Nomuzi supported Ingo because of her money not because she believed she was innocent. Sabelo walked in on them talking, "Mah, you went to the court, in support of Ingo?", Sabelo asked, "Yes, she is family, we support each other, she gave you full support when you needed it", his mother answered. Sabelo sat down on the available chair, "I am divorcing her" "What?!", they both exclaimed. "You can't do that, you need her, my son", his mother said, "And Sabelo, kicking her on her lowest point is pure evil. You know she loves you why are you using that against her?", Siphokazi added. Sabelo chuckled, "Y'all are so blinded, she killed my child, don't you remember Zinhle was pregnant?" "You have no proof she killed her", Siphokazi said, "If she didn't do it, she knows someone who did, that's the same thing", he added. "Sabelo, you have to think this through, she will fight you, she has more reasons to walk away with so much out of this divorce", Siphokazi advised him, "She's arrested and will spend the rest of her life in jail.", he didn't want to hear anything else, he made up his mind.

"I was like, damn I see why my man be doing crazy stuff for this woman", Nkanyiso and Mabutho were chilling at Nkanyiso's place after court, he was telling Mabutho how beautiful Ingo looked in her suit, "Bro, you haven't seen anything, you should see her in a dress, her skin is radiant, you won't resist her thighs", they were having beers. "Other than that, I think she's smart, but she is not telling the truth", Nkanyiso had told Mabutho about her confession, "Yeah, she just made up a story based on the evidence, I have her phone records, she knows more, I just hope she could confess before she gets herself in deep trouble", Mabutho added. "Another thing, I think Sabelo asked for a divorce, you see that puffy face? She's been crying the whole night, the guard told us she made a scene yesterday when Sabelo visited", Nkanyiso updated his friend, "Really? Good, she's gonna be single", Mabutho smiled, "Bro, focus, she's gonna be single in jail if this gets to her head, she's gonna lose focus and hope, he knew what he was doing", Mabutho quickly came back to his senses. "I wish she asks me to take care of her divorce, I am gonna leave him with nothing", Nkanyiso added, already thinking about it, "Why do you care?", Mabutho asked seeing how his friend was so desperate to take the case, "I am a lawyer, this is my passion, I'd love some challenge", he explained. "You should wait a bit longer before confessing your feelings for her, that will confuse her even more, just be there for her as a friend for now, she needs that, maybe she'd confess first", Nkanyiso advised Mabutho, "I just don't wanna complicate things, when is the right time to come clean about what I did?", he asked, "Before the start of your relationship, if she agrees to be with you, tell her, if not, she doesn't have to know, my man", Nkanyiso said.