Shrivelled Roses 2: Iyana Kleinbooi

30

Chapter Thirty

-Iyana-

About three weeks after Clive's request, she was back at her place and she felt better emotionally. But she missed him. He had not called, not even to check on how she was handling the pregnancy or how the baby was. On the other hand, she had not spoken to her friends too, after the impromptu lunch arrangement they had. In two days, she was due for her first doctor's appointment and so she called Zwelethu... just to let him know. His phone went straight to voicemail. She called his office, and the PA told her that he was in a meeting and would have back-to-back meetings for the day. She saw that as an opportunity to reach out to him... around 1pm, she sent him lunch and then waited for a "thank you" that never came. On the day of her appointment she decided to go alone, not that she had any other option. Well, she could go with someone from her family, but she chose not to. After the appointment sent him the invoice, but cropped out the bank details... and that's when he called.

Iyana: Zwelethu?

Clive: Hey... how are you?

Iyana: Ndi right, unjani wena?

Clive: I'm alright...listen, there are no banking details on the invoice you sent me. It seems like you may have cut them off by mistake?

Iyana: I cut them off on purpose.

Clive: Ini?

Iyana: The banking details, I cut them off on purpose.

Clive: Then why would you send me an invoice and not the banking details?

Iyana: It was just to show you ukuba I went to the doctor, like, I want you to know Zwelethu that I will manage nalamntwana with or without your contribution.

He went silent.

Iyana: Last time I checked you were going to pay for the doctor's visit, but when I reminded you of the date you acted like I didn't exist. You just decided to mize me. You seem to forget that I wanted to abort and you were the one talking me out of that. Ingathi uyalibala.

Clive: Iyana ngi busy, I run a business, I have ot-

Iyana: You have other things that are much more important than your first child? Oh I noticed, no need to rub it in my face. I noticed.

Clive: I'll refund you your money.

Iyana: Keep it for your side chicks, I don't need it.

Clive: Okay.

He hung up.

She looked at the screen and fumed, but her pride stopped her from calling him back, instead, she called Buhle. She had stolen her number from his phone... but was always afraid of calling her in case she was with him. Her phone rang two times before she answered in the most chilled tone.

Buhle: Iyana Kleinbooi, sawubona, ngingak'siza ngani sisi?

She swallowed hard, and blinked a few times before gathering courage.

Buhle: Hello?

Iyana: How did you know it's me?

Buhle: There's something that's called True Caller or Caller ID that we install in our phones my love, awukaze way'bona?

Iyana: Don't patronize me Buhle.

Buhle: Waze wathandana no hlanyo u Mntungwa Nkos'yami. Sisi, you called me, so again I will ask you, ngingakusiza ngani?

Iyana: Khandimele ntombindini, sukundingxamela. Now answer the question, are you stalking me?

Buhle: Hay cha ngiyalingwa ngempela ke manje. Sisi weh, why would I stalk you? I got the ring, remember?

Iyana: And I got pregnant for him, did he tell you that?

Buhle went dead silent.

Not that she was planning to fall pregnant for Clive, but she was aware of the "vibes" between them and a part of her may have wanted to explore such. At the end of the day, Zwelethu was not his brother.

Iyana: I guess he didn't tell you huh? Well ke sisi, let me indulge you. Your husband and I are expecting our first child together, he is excited about it, I am not sure why he hasn't shared the news with you but I am pretty sure nawe you are excited andithi? You're going to be u mamncane sthandwa sam. How exciting is that?

Buhle: I am so very happy for you sthandwa sami, in fact, congratulations.

Iyana: Thank you, and I am so glad that I get to carry his first child for him. A child is a lifetime bond.

Buhle: I'm sure you'll make a pretty good parent, I am not sure about you being a happy parent or creating a happy environment for your child, but I know you will be a good parent because you really sound excited.

Iyana: You know nothing about me, don't you da-

Buhle: Hawu, suyalwa manje? Okay ke, ngiyaxolisa. Yazi, empeleni mina angizmisele ukumzalela umuntu wakho nje nhlobo so whenever you get a chance, please my love, give him more children. That won't make him love you though, but at least it will make you think you have a hold on him. Like, it will make you sleep at night especially if you believe that nonsense about a lifetime bond.

Iyana frowned...

Buhle: As u mamncane ke, what I will do is I'll buy your little cutie a gift bese ngiyinika uMntungwa ke love akuphathele yona. He is on his way here right now... why am I even telling you that, you probably already know. I mean, he is switching between the two of us, we both know that angithi?

Iyana: He is on his way to Durban?

Buhle: Yebo sisi, he is on his way to khezetheni nje ngamanje. Hawu, you didn't know? And here I thought I was the only one who never gets told izindaba la ekhaya. Kodwa ke ngiyam'understanda mina ngoba I would also not tell my wife ukuthi my side is pregnant unless I would be planning to take the child in. I mean, the child is a Khumalo, so it belongs lana kubo.

Iyana laughed hysterically, shaking her head.

Iyana: Heh sisi, istrongo lentsangu uyitshayayo ndikuxelele. Futhi izokulimaza. Do you think I would let you raise my child ndisaphila? Akho kwamntanam uzobiza u Khumalo ndingalotyolwanga mna.

Buhle: Empeleni ke sisi insangu yona ngekhe ing'limazi more than what you're doing to yourself. You're digging your own grave wena sthandwa and my worry is that Zwelethu is not worth it. He is not the man you should be going to extremes for. But who am I to tell you that? Oh I forgot, I am actually his wife.

Iyana: Oh? He is not? Then why are you still married to him? Why don't you just let him go? Zwelethu belongs with me, he belongs with us.

Buhle: Ngiphe nje a couple of months my love ngizokunika indoda yakho uyezwa? Just hang in there for a couple of months. When I'm done with him, you can do whatever you want to do with him but for now, cha mntaka ma, kushaya esami is'cathulo la.

Iyana: Uyaphup-

Buhle: And I have now established ukuthi you didn't have a solid reason for this call... oh wait, you wanted to tell me about the pregnancy. I almost forgot. Alright, now that is out of the way, can I hang up and start preparing ukudla kwendoda yethu? Are you okay with that?

Iyana tried countless times to swallow the huge lump in her throat, but she didn't succeed, instead she hung up and bawled her eyes out. Buhle looked at the screen and laughed shaking her head.