Shrivelled Roses 2: Iyana Kleinbooi

40

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 40 – Season Finale (2)

-Iyana-

"Mama... besizocela indlela, sikwafuna nokudlulisa Umkhonto esiye sawuqokelela singabahlobo baka Iyana" Uyabukwa spoke up gently, not making eye contact. Siyasisanda was a mess, but the was the one who was responsible for driving to and from the funeral.

There was silence in the room. There was Iyana's two aunts, her mother and a toddler who was sleeping in one of the reed mats just below Iyana's mom. The aunts just nodded at Uya and Sanda, one had swollen eyes, apparently she was only told of the passing on Thursday and the funeral was set to be on the same weekend. From what was said during the send-off, Iyana's father didn't want her to me 'eaten up' by ice at the mortuary so a day after her death was confirmed, he made arrangements that his daughter must be buried on that same week.

"Enkosini bantwana bam ngokufika nizolala apha, niyacaca ukuba nikhuliswe kumakhaya anesintu nenkathalo. Ndiyanibulela kakhulu, uThixo anikhusele ezindleleni ezigodukayo ingakumbi wena osaya ngapha kweleentlanzi" Iyana's mother responded, smiling at them. Her smile was that of a hurting mother, you could see the pain embedded in her eyes.

Bukiwe walked in, carrying a tray of teas, coffees and cookies for the elderly women who were in the room.

"Buki, xa ugqibile ndicela unike oo Siyasisanda laa envelope yabo. Seyimkile lenkwenkwe yakwa Khumalo?" her mother asked.

"Usekhona mama, usathetha noo tamnci pha ngaseb'hlanti" Buki answered while passing the cups.

"Okay, uzumnike eyakhe naye xa ufumene ithuba"

Bukiwe nodded and walked out, came back as Sanda and Uya were getting up wabanika i-envelope yabo and accompanied them to their car.

Uya: An envelope?

Buki: Yup, itshomi yenu isibhalele izibhilivane sonke... well... not nam, ubhalele nina nabazali bakhe no Clive ke.

Sanda: Did you read eka Clive?

Buki: No, I didn't read neyenu. It's not my place, but I hope at least you guys will find closure.

Uya's eyes searched for Clive and found him, he was walking towards the house with Iyana's uncles. She breathed and hoped that they wouldn't murder him, especially now that there were letters involved too.

Uya: U right kodwa wena?

Buki: Ey Uya... andizazi ndikuxelele. I feel like I'm on auto pilot ngoku.

Uya sighed and opened her arms to hug her and she welcomed it with warmth. After that, they got in their car and warmed it up, left Iyana's home in silence until they were at a short distance away from the view of the home when Sanda urged Uyabukwa to open the letter and read it aloud.

"Uyabukwa and Siyasisanda..."

Uya started off, and then breathed.

There was suddenly some heaviness over her, the letter had stains, tears stains and it smelt like Iyana.

"...chomi zam, thank you for loving me as you loved your siblings. I could have never asked for a better friendship than the one that I shared with both of you. I know inoba niyandicaphukela at the time of reading this, worse wena Uya inoba ngaske undikrwitshe ndizobhadala as you would say... but sekunjalo bethuna. Sanda, thank you for being more of a big sister than being a friend. Whenever I called for help, any sort, you always pitched. I am sorry I won't be around for your wedding, I hope you didn't dump ubhuti ngenxa ka Buhle... anyway, I am sure you know what you are doing and it won't backfire in the long run. Uya, I wish I had listened to you. I wish I had just taken a moment and listened to you. You were right, I walked myself to the lions' den and now the lions have devoured me. Thank you for never coating your feelings, towards everything including my shortcomings. For interest's sake, I have been battling with depression for a while now, what I didn't know is that it also came with feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt and of course, imposter syndrome. Don't get mad at me, I didn't share it because I thought I could handle it. I knew I could handle it. Anyway, I love you two, and I hope one day you will understand that I didn't do this to hurt anyone, I just wanted to rest. I am tired."