Umfelokazi

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
FINDING HEALING

(NTAKA) MZIMELA.

“Baba!”,Mphokopheli shouts and runs towards me when he sees me leaving his friends behind.
He jumps into my arms and I catch him and chuckle at that moment as he holds me as tightly as he possibly can.
“Hello boy”
“I didn't think you would come.I missed you”,He mentions with sadness in his voice.
I sigh heavily and pull away from him and look down to him. He is getting taller by the day I see. 
“I am sorry about that.I will ask your mother to see you more”,I mention.
“She will not agree I know”,I sigh.
“Don’t worry about that okay?”,He nods his head and I smile at him before I pull a wallet out of my pant pocket and I retrieve R500.
I hand the notes to him and wrap his hand around them.
“Keep them safe and don't tell your mother”
“I won't”,He mentions with a smile before I let go of his hand and he looks at the notes.
“Thank you baba”
“You are welcome.”,He gives me a hug and I hug him back. 
We break our union after some time and I tell him that I have to go before his mother comes and picks him up from school and spots me. He understands, I leave him and I go to my car and get inside.
I wish that the DNA tests came back positive and indicated that Mphokopheli is mine and a true Mzimela by blood but they did not. I did everything in my marriage that made me be the best husband that I could be to Angela but I guess it was never enough for her and what was enough was what she had with my best friend.
I couldn't cope finding out about their affair behind my back. The man that I have known for over 12 years betrayed me by having an affair with my wife resulting in Mphokopheli. 
I love that kid. How could I not when I had 7 years of bonding with him and having him call me ‘Dad’ but it was all a lie and I was the fool in all of it. 
How did I find out that Mphokopheli is not mine? Well I guess Angela’s boyfriend was tired of being behind the scenes and spilled the beans.  I didn't believe him at first and ignored him telling me that Mphokopheli is not mine but his as they have been having an affair with Angela for years. I told Nqubeko about this and he advised me to gain my peace by doing the tests so I got them done and they came back Negative. I was not Mphokopheli’s father. 
He may have not came from me but the bond I grew on with the child is too painful for me to Unbreak though at times I try to keep my distance away from him. 
Angela hates me now, for breaking our marriage and filing for a divorce.  Though I loved that woman with my whole heart but I could not imagine her being sexual with another man especially a man that I trusted so much. 
I have forgiven her but I haven't had a chance to move on properly but I am in a better space than I was before when I found out all of this. 
I drive to my house and I drive in and park my car on the drive way and I get out of the car and make my way to the back and take out my bag and close it.
I drag myself to the house and it is empty. I look around and I throw my bag on the couch. 
It does possess the loneliness as I am living alone. All that my life is revolving around now is my job and family. 

NOMVELO GWALA

“Lungisa indaba yakho noJesu, Khona manje
Khona manje....”
I sing around while I am sweeping my room and it is just morning, I will be getting ready to prepare for work after I am done with cleaning. I love to leave my place as clean as possible so that I will be able to come back to this place and do not have to worry after work. 
I miss going to church. I should go when I am off on a Sunday and take Rethabile with me. She has given up on asking me if we would go to church ever again and I think she is quiet fed up too of asking. 
I sweep off the dust on the floor sweeping it outside and then I take my little carpet and I dust it outside and sweep it before I take it inside and place it properly on the floor.
I put away my cleaning supplies and I run the kettle and take my bathing basin and jug too. I pour the cold water first in the basin and wait for the hot water to be ready. 
As I am doing that I go onto taking out what I will wear today and place it on my bed. 
My phone rings disturbing me from these activities and I rush to take it and it has a number that is not saved on my phone. 
I answer it.
“Hello”
“Nomvelo”,I hear the baritone voice on the other end.
“Oh Hi”,My mind is trying to register who it is.
“I hope I am not disturbing you this morning”
“I was preparing for work”,I mention.
“Oh okay. I would like to fetch you and take you to work. I need us to speak”,He mentions.
“About?”I ask.
“My fiancee would like to meet you and get to know you”
“I don't think I would like to for now. Please understand”,I say.
“Oh, okay I do understand”,He mentions. 
“Okay,Thank you”
“Thank you for being honest”
“You are welcome”
“I will see you”
“Sure”,The call ends and I save the number before I get any more surprises.
I put my phone down and I get on with what I was doing.
I do not think it is a good idea to be friends with my bosses fiancee even after what he said to me.
Maybe he told her what he said to me and now she wants to see me face to face before she strangles me. I do not know what to think at the moment or maybe I am just overthinking things and she just wants to know me and see if I am a threat in her relationship by being friends with her husband to be. Well she should know that I am not threat and have no intention of coming in between their union for silly reasons or whatsoever.
Ithe kettle finishes and I prepare to bath. 
.
I would say that my work day went faster today than I had really anticipated or rather should I say that it went quickly than any of the other days. Some days I enjoy my job and some days I do not. I mean sometimes a person can get tired from cleaning the whole day. 
It is lunch now and I decided to call back home and check how everyone is doing while at that. I got my food and went to the back side of the place outside and I sat there. I wanted a bit of privacy while at that. 
I call my mother and her phone rings a couple of times before she answers the call.
“Nomvelo kamama”,I smile.
“Mama, how are you?”
“I am good, how are you holding up my child?”,I sigh.
“Ngiyancenga Kodwa akufani(I am trying but it is okay)”,She sighs on the other end.
“I am sorry, you do not deserve this”,No one does.
“My job keeps me active”
“How is it going so far?”
“It is not something glamourous but it is something that brings in money”,I say.
“It is a start my love. You will get somewhere one day. Why don't you start sewing again”,My mother mentions and my heart goes through a little heart ache.
Sewing. One thing that I used to love very much and was very good in it.  I stopped because It didn't help me anyway at all. Nomvula bought a sewing machine for me when she saved enough of her bursary money. I made alot of things. Clothes, curtains, Cushion covers, beddings all of that and I mostly made things for my sister as she would go to university with them.
Yes some university students from her school helped here and there by supporting but it did not grow but was rather stationary.
I stopped when I got married and my mother in law never really wanted me to do my sewing in her house so I was limited and ended up stopping along the way.
I never went back. Never had the heart to do so and never thought of doing it again. 
I do not even know if I am still as good as I was before.
“I do not know Mama”,I say hesitant about her idea.
“You were very good in it Nomvelo plus you are in Johannesburg, who knows maybe just maybe you will grow your audience”
“But I have a job now. I do not think I will have time”
“Try it please”,I sigh.
“Okay”
“Oh thank God!”,I giggle at that.
“I will send some money for you to buy the things you need”
“You do not have to”
“You are my daughter Nomvelo. I want to”,I smile.
“Thank you so much”
“I have to go, I will call you later”
“Okay Mama”,the call ends and I look at the phone.
I smile at myself and shake my head. Knowing my mother she has been persistent about this for the past years and I have been hard headed that she gave up.  I do not know why I gave in easily but maybe it can also help take my mind off things and keep me busy from the loneliness that lurkers in the room I live it.  
I eat my food and I decide to call Nomvula and check how she is. 
It rings a couple of times before it takes me to voicemail. 
I try for the second time and it rings too and after some time it gets answered.
“Nomvelo”
“Sisi how are you?”
“I am okay Nomvelo”
“I am okay too, I wanted to check how you are it has been some time since we talked”
“Now you know that I am okay. I get busy at work Nomvelo”,She says a bit harshly.
“Hawu Nomvula I know.”
“Okay”,There is silence between us.
“Is there something I did in a way that I ever wronged you? If so please I please for forgiveness”
“Nomvelo I have work to do,bye”,She hangs up after that. 
I breathe in and out and look up to the sky. 
I am hurt, I wonder where it went wrong between us. We used to be the best of friends. Everything and anything we did together if not we supported each other. We were as thick as knives but ever since I moved from home and went to live with the Gwala's after I got married it was never the same.  Things were not as good as they were between us. 
I love my sister. She is the only sibling I have in this world and my mother always told me that we only have each other and we should stick together. 
I poke my food with the spoon and I try to eat but I cannot even stomach the food well.
I send a message to Nomvula apologizing for any sins I have commited and maybe if I have ever stepped on her toes without acknowledging it. 
“Why are you crying?”,I look up and wipe my tears away quickly.
It is my boss. 
He sits down next to me in his suit and he brings his knees up and places his arms over his knees.
“Nothing”,I mention. 
“Are you sure?”,I nod my head.
“Yes sir”,He smiles faintly. 
“For a woman you do not know how to lie well”,He mentions.
“What does that mean?”
“That I can see that you are upset and not okay but I will not bombard you with asking”,I just nod my head. 
I breathe in and out and inhale his perfumed scent in the process of it. 
“Nomvelo”,He speaks after the long silence.
“Yes sir”
“Atleast call me Mzimela”,I lightly chuckle.
“I thought we agreed that I call you Sir at work Qophelo”,He smiles wider.
“Would you ever give a relationship another go after you husband?”,I stare at him for a moment before I look away.
“I-I don't not know. I am not thinking about at the moment but I still love my husband and I do not think that would change anytime soon. I spent great days with him and some bad days but I have great memories of us. I do not think I am ready to let go of those for now”,He nods his head. 
Tears stream down my cheeks and I quickly stand up. 
“I have to go”,I say wiping them.
He stands up too as well.
“I am sorry for touching a sensitive topic”,He mentions and pulls me into his arms for comfort.
I cry.
I miss my husband. Each and every passing day, at times I wish he was next to me when I lay asleep and sometimes I wait in anticipation that he would walk through that door at our place and tell me that he is here and that he loves me. I miss him, so much. Touching him and kissing him. 
I wish I was never afraid of having children because I could not afford them, I wish I had atleast one child with him to remember him by but all I am left with are the memories and the last name he gave me. 
____
Today is my day off. I had nothing else to do but than to go to town and get the money my mother sent. Yes she sent some money that she had promised and I also promised to get the materials with that money. I cannot go against my word at this point. I wish that I had left with Rethabile. Her talking self helps me with not feeling alone when I am here in town but she has school and I am alone in this today. 
Qophelo sent a good morning text and all it consisted off was wishing me a great day ahead. 
I go and knock on Mimi’s door and she opens it. She looks a mess today.
“Are you okay?”,I ask.
“Yes, just hangover”,She mentions.
“Mmmh”,She has a sparkly dress on.
“Come in”,She moves aside and I get inside.  Atleast it is clean in here.
“I wanted to ask you to accompany me to town to go buy a sewing machine but I can see you are not well”
“Sewing Machine for what?”,She asks and throws her body on the bed.
“For Sewing”
“Mmmh,well I wish I can go with you but I have a really bad headache”,She grunts after that holding her head.
“I can see that”
“Ask your boss friend to accompany you”,She mentions and slowly sits up.
“No, He is at work and I do not want to do that"
“He is your friend and a boss I am sure he can squeeze you in your schedule plus it is hot”,She mentions.
“No Mimi,Drink water you will be fine with the headache”
“Thanks for the advice”,She mentions. 
“Before you go can I borrow your phone for a second. I cannot find mine”,She asks.
I take my phone out of my bag and give it to her. 
“I do not know how much airtime I have left",I say. 
She presses the little buttons.
“You need to change your phone. Who is Qophelo?",She asks.
“My boss”,She looks up to me and smiles. 
I hear the phone ring a couple of times and His voice booms through the room.
“Nomvelo”,I rush to Mimi but she stands up and pushes me away.
“Hi, are you free today?”,Mimi no!
I try to get my phone and we fight over it rolling over the bed.
“You want us to meet?”,Qophelo’s voice speaks.
“Mimi bring it back”,I mention.
“Yes!”,Mimi shouts loud enough.
“Okay, Where should we meet?”
“At the CBD.!”,I take my phone from her hands.
“Okay then”,I hang up the call and I look at Mimi.
“I will talk to you once I am clam for now I am angry at you”,I say to her and get my bag.
“I am sorry Nomvelo”,I ignore her and walk out. 
Mimi does not listen sometimes. I understand that she does things her way but sometimes I feel like she should respect my boundaries and when I say No I mean that it is a no. 
I walk out and I go and catch a taxi to take me to town. I send a message to Qophelo as I had no airtime anymore stating that he should not come but it is not long before the phone rings.
“Nomvelo”
“We should not meet. It is not important do not come”,I say.
“No, I want to come”
“Qophelo”,I sigh after that while closing my eyes.
“I am not busy, what are you doing in town?”,He asks.
“Going to buy some things”
“It is fine. Let's meet and we can go together”,He mentions.
“Qophelo”,I sigh.
“Just as friends”,I sigh.
“Fine”,I will add in extra hours of being angry at Mimi. 
“Okay thank you”,He hangs up. 
I shove my phone in my bag. 

NONKONZO MVELASE

I have told my mother about what Qophelo and I talked about regarding the wedding and the lobola negotiations will happen just by next month and after that we will have umembeso too in the following months. 
“Why delay so long, why don't you just do umembeso and lobola together in one day?”,My mother asks.
“Mah, I want it seperate plus I have not talked to Qophelo about that”,I mention.
“You have to bring it up”
I spin my office chair around as I have my phone against my ear.
“Okay I will put it up with him and hear how he feels.”
“That is much better”.
“I have some work to do mom, I will call later”,I mention.
“Sure”,She hangs up. I place my phone on the desk and pull my chair in.
A knock comes through the office door and I tell the person to come in. 
My personal assistant walks in with a bouquet of flowers. 
“From your one and only”,she mentions and I smile.
“Thank you so much”,She nods and place them on my table before she walks out.
I take them and smile.  Qophelo is such a sweet gentle man that men like him cannot be found easily. I have had my fair share of relationships that were not at my best and this one has to be the one top of my chart that is why I cannot walk away from him. I love him.

NOMVELO GWALA

I cannot believe it. He arrived and just on time as well, he is not in his suit today but rather in a semi formal wear. I started with the bank and got some money that my mother had sent and then he took me around to where I could get a sewing machine. 
He asked the same question as Mimi about a sewing machine and I told him it is for sewing. I just settled for that and he just nodded. I do not want alot of people knowing what I will be doing in my spare time. Maybe I can make black dressed for myself that I can change and wear everyday instead of buying new clothes I just buy material.
I asked him if we can go and buy some material and he didn't mind at all. 
He seemed too happy to be here for my liking too. 
“You can drop me off here and I will take a taxi home when I am done”,I say unbuckling my belt as he is parked infront of the material store.
“I do not mind waiting for you and taking you home Nomvelo”,I look at him.
“Qophelo you are not on a day off like me”,I say.
“It does not mater”,I sigh.
“Okay”,I get off and rush to the store.
I get the things I need and after I was done I paid and went out and he got out of the car and helped me place it inside.
I thank him.  I have to give him some petrol money because he really helped me today. 
We got inside the car and he started the car before driving off. 
“Now we are done”,He mentions.
“Yes”
“I wanted to ask something”,He mentions.
“Uhm okay”
“I am paying lobola soon and I wanted to ask if you can make it to umembeso. I would understand if you...”
“I would love to”,He smiles.
“Thank you"
“That is what friends are for”,He smiles and nods. 
I direct him to where I live and he parks the car out. I see Rethabile is back from school.
I hop out of the car and so as Qophelo. 
“Hello Ausi Mvelo!”,Rethabile shouts.
“Hello !”,I wave at her.
She goes back to playing with her friends.
I take my things and go and out them inside my room and then I come back to Qophelo. 
“Thank you for today”,I take out R300 and hand it to him.
“Do not worry about that Nomvelo. I love helping you and taking time out of work”He smiles.
“Please...”
“Do not worry about it”,He mentions.
“Uhm Okay”,I sigh.
“Bye, I will call you”,He mentions and he hesitates in hugging me but eventually he does and then breaks it before he gets inside his car and I wave before I go inside the yard and he drives off.
Qophelo is a nice person.