Shrivelled Roses 2: Iyana Kleinbooi

29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

-Iyana-

She was still shocked by his request.

Mostly by his request yes, but also by how he just left the room when she didn't fall for it. It was weird how Clive always wanted her to do as he wished, yet he never listened to her nor did anything like she would love it except if she were to dump him. Hayike, then he would be the perfect man. He would beg, buy flowers, send money, become an overnight chauffer...

"Oooh, woyika ulahlwa lo. Funeka ndikhe ndimbonise ukuba andidanseli s'gingci sakhe nam" she murmured to herself. By the time she eventually fell asleep, the noise outside had increased three more times. She knew he wasn't going to be in bed, so she pulled his pillow and cuddled it. In the morning when she woke up to prepare for class first before work, she realized that he had not come to bed at all. After getting ready, she took her bags and walked to the kitchen with hopes of making herself a bowl of cereal, but she found two women making out and that stirred yesterday's food from the pits of her belly. She ended up running to the guest bathroom to puke. One of the ladies ran after her, confused, peeped through the slightly closed door and asked "Are you okay? Do you need water?" she nodded at both questions and was left alone for a few minutes before a glass popped up behind the door. She rinsed her mouth, got up from the floor and sat on the toilet seat. The confused young woman frowned, and then walked away. After a few minutes of gathering her courage to walk back out, she stood up, flushed again and walked out. There was no one in site, which was a relief for her. She could hear voices coming from the backyard, but she told herself that she wouldn't go and check lest she bumps onto Zwelethu's brothers. Two clicks, and the headlights greeted her back. She smiled as she got in her car, opened the gate and drove out without seeing Clive.

****

A week later, Siyasisanda was sitting across her, frowning. Uyabukwa was with them in person, but her mind was elsewhere. You could tell that she really didn't want to be there. The good thing was that Uya had put her bag between herself and Sanda, to avoid being pinched back to the moment. It was best that she doesn't have much of an opinion because she was always that one friend who said the opposite of what everyone else was saying.

Sanda: How have you been? You've been scarce and you've been ignoring my calls.

Iyana: I'm good chomi, I've just been going through some stuff, and I am preparing for exams, there's work on the side. It's a lot, and no, I am not complaining. I chose this life for myself, I should know how to handle it.

Sanda: Oh-kay... are you and Clive okay?

Iyana: As far as I know, yes, we are okay.

Sanda: Are you sure?

Iyana frowned, there was a hint of concern in Sanda's voice.

Iyana: I was sure a second ago but the concern in your voice is making me doubt. Tshomi is there something you want to tell me?

Sanda: I was thinking the same thing... is there something that we should know?

Iyana: We?

Sanda: Ewe, mna no Uya. Is there something you'd like to tell us?

Iyana: No, there's nothing I'd like to tell ya'll. And besides, Uyabukwa looks bored, did you drag her here?

Sanda: I didn't dr-

Uya: I am actually really bored, I think I need a cosmopolitan or something.

Sanda: Ha.a Uya, you promised that you wouldn't drink.

Uya: Yho!

Iyana: She promised? Yhimani guys, why are you two really here? Is this some sort of intervention or something like that?

Uya: Ewe baby, Sanda thinks yo-

Sanda: Uyabukwa!

Uya: Kanti ubungathan-

Sanda: Dude, please, not now.

Iyana: No Sanda torho, let her speak!

Sanda: Ha.a Iyana, I will not let Uya speak. This is not an intervention, we are here because we are your friends and we love you. You have been distant, normally when that happens sube ubusy, but you've never been distant to both of us at the same time. So, we decided to come and see you.

Iyana: Bubu?

Uyabukwa nodded, taking a sip from her glass.

Iyana: Do you have something to add to what Sanda said?

Uya: I do, but I won't say it my love.

Iyana: So uyandi judge'a?

Sanda: Yhima ke ngoku judge'wa Nana, yhima nje kancinci. If we were not your friends we wouldn't be concerned, we wouldn't care this much about you.

Iyana swallowed a lump that was graciously growing in the depths of her throat.

Sanda: Iyana you are pregnant for u Zwelethu.

Iyana: She told you.

Sanda: That is besides the point, you are pregnant for u Zwelethu Iyana.

Iyana: Ewe.

Sanda: You know that was carelessness, right?

Iyana: Ha.a Sanda chomi, you cannot come here and want to mother me.

Uya: Yeke!

Iyana: I am pregnant with my boyfriend's child, his very first child, ewe this whole thing was not planned but please do not lecture me about carelessness. I already know that.

The table went dead quiet, their food had arrived but no one had really started eating. They were consumed by the conversation, well, except for Uyabukwa. She was almost done eating.

Iyana: I'm sorry... I didn't mean to lash out on you, I know you are speaking from a point of caring, I know. Nd'cela uxolo.

Sanda: No, it's okay. I just want you to know that you were careless Iyana, u Zwelethu has a wife and you know that, how you choose to handle that is none of my business but what I am having difficulties with right now as your friend is watching you deceiving yourself into believing that he loves you. Ewe Iyana there was a point in time when he loved you, he worshipped you. But the day he married someone else should have sent you packing!

Iyana: Hayibo!

Sanda: I know, this is confusing coming from me, but I really wish you could put yourself first. And the baby ke.

Iyana: It is not confusing at all, but it is shocking. I thought ndimdala, I could make my own decisions. I know there was once a time when I felt like Uya was judging me when she said that but I have come to a place where I want to be left alone ndikuxelele Sanda. Ngaske nindiyeke ndizenze iimpazamo zam and maybe learn from them. I am pregnant for my boyfriend, eyomtshato wakhe yeyakwa mkhozi sana. I think I'm okay where I am right now, maybe ayikho ideal for nina, but isandisebenzela mna and I love Clive so much it wouldn't make sense for me to leave him, andicenge ndiphinde ndibuyele kuye. I am tired of that cycle. I want to get to a point where xandimshiya u Clive sohlukane manyhani. I am not at that point yet.

Uya: Big girl!

Sanda sighed.

Uya: One thing I will say is that, when you decide to love yourself more than whatever Clive offers or provides, hit me up. I am ready to take you on a shopping spree, retail therapy. For now, hayi sthandwa sam, I am giving you permission to act like I don't exist.

Iyana requested for the bill, and asked them to make a doggy-bag for her. She had not eaten at all, and it was evident that the lunch had become emotional for her.