Umfelokazi

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I knock on the bedroom door lightly and then the I move the handle and the door opens. I see him lying ontop of the bed staring at the ceiling. I walk inside the room and I go closer to him and I sit on the bed beside him. We stay in silence for a while before I let out a sigh. 
“Are you okay?”,I ask.
He keeps quiet for a while.
“I am okay”,he turns his head to look at me and I give him an encouraging smile.
“Are you scared of me?”,He asks.
“Why would I be?”,I ask
“I just, I was beating up a man not so long ago”,He mentions.
“I don't condone violence but I am not scared of you. You are not a monster”,He lightly smiles.
“I love you so much Mvelo”,He sits up and he comes closer to me and we are now seated closely to each other.
“I love you too Ntaka”
We look at each other and then we lightly laugh after that.
“Why are you laughing?”,I ask.
“I am laughing because you are laughing”,He mentions. 
I hear my phone ringing and I get up from the bed and I walk out of the bedroom. I get it from the kitchen and I answer it.
“Hello”
“Nomvelo”,It is Nomvula.
“Hi”
“Ma...Ma told me that you are getting married again”,She mentions.
“Yes”
“Congratulations”
“Thank you”,There is some silence between the both of us.
“I will come down for the negotiations. I hope you don't have a problem with that”
“Not at all, I would love that”
“Okay, see you then”
“Nomvula”
“Mmmh?”
“Do you hate me?”,I ask.
I hear her sigh on the other end of the phone.
“No I don't, why do you think so?”
“Ever since I was with Jabulani things changed between us”,I mention.
“I...I”,She sighs again.
“I guess I should come clean”,She mentions and I nod.
“Mvelo when you were getting married to me that meant that I am no longer your best friend anymore but your husband. That things will never be the same between us. Also the fact that mom always told me that if I work hard in University I will find my husband there. Someone who will appreciate and love me because I am intelligent but I never found that yet you did without even making it to University. I wish I also could find someone who will love me and see me worthy to be his supporter forever. I guess I was just jealous of not having everything I was promised”
“I am sorry”,I mention.
“It is not your fault. You just didn't know”
“Still, I didn't think for a second of neglecting you. You are my sister. We shared a womb together”
“I know. I am sorry”
“It is fine. I love you”,I hear her lightly giggle on the other side of the line.
“I love you too, I have to go now”,She mentions.
“Okay”,We end the call and I am feeling happy. 
I place my phone down and I go to the living room and Jump on Thulani's lap as he is seated on the couch watching some tv.
“Someone seems to be in a good mood”,He says.
“Well aren't you supposed to be going to work what will your boss say with you not coming?”,I ask.
“I am asset to the company baby plus I am ahead of my work. I will just work from here”,He mentions.
“Okay if you say so but I don't want you getting into trouble"
“I won't trust me”,I nod my head.
“So what has got you happy”
“I got a call from my sister”
“You really love your sister?”,I nod my head. 
“I am happy you are not feeling sad after the call”,I nod my head and I lean in and give him a kiss on the lips before running my hands on his head.
“You need a hair cut baby”,I mention.
“I am trying to grow some hair like you so that I can have braids”,I frown and he laughs.
“I love you but I love you more with your bald head”,I mention.
“I am joking, I will get the hair done tomorrow”,He mentions and I nod. 
He runs his hands along my thighs and it makes his hands feel warm against them. 
“Your hands feel warm”,I mention.
“That is because they are against your skin”,I just shake my head. 
I perk his lips and rest my head on his shoulder. 
“You haven't tried on the shoes I got for you Thulani”,I say and look at him.
“I forgot, I am sorry”,I get off him.
“Let me go and get them”,He nods and I quickly go and get his sandals. I then come back with the plastic and I take the shoes out and I go on my knees infront of him. 
“You are going to put them on me?”
“Yes”,He nods his head and let's me be.
I take off the shoes that he is wearing and slide in his sandals and they fit perfectly on him. 
“I like them”,He says as he does an observation on them.
“Really?”,He nods his head.
“Thank you baby, I want to wear them at the negotiations”,I take his feet and take off the shoes and put on the ones he was wearing. 
“Well you can”,I say.
I put the shoes inside the plastic and then I look up to him and he smiles. 
“What?”,I ask.
“Nothing”
“Ayi ngathi ngibambe elingadonsi ulayini (I think I got a crazy one this time)”,I hit him with his line and he shakes his head.
“You are copying my words”
“I am not, simply it is from the originator”
“That originator is you?”,I nod my head.
“Wow Mvelo”,He laughs and shakes his head.
He gets up from the couch and he offers a hand for me and pulls me up. 
“Come let's go and get lunch”
“Thede is food in the house”
“I want to sit across a table and look at you”
I smile. I end up agreeing and then I go and put my things away before I came back and we soon left the house. 
I noticed that Thulani's house has an outside building but the last time I was here he told me that it is empty and he hardly uses it so it is always locked. I thought maybe he is renting it out and he has a tenant. 

____
Today I am leaving, I am quiet saddened about my departure from Thulani but knowing my mother well she would come down from Mooi river to fetch me personally if I don't bring myself back. I wish I could stay long and the weeks are just going by slowly in my defence.  I have packed my bag and Thulani is ready to drop me off at the taxi rank just to get my transport. A light knock comes from the door and I look towards it and he is standing there.
“Don’t be sad”,He mentions and I look at him.
“How can I not?”,He chuckles lightly.
“I will visit you soon I promise”,He mentions.
“But our time in Mooi river is much limited than here”
“You are going to move in with me in the next few weeks. Don't worry”,I smile.
“Okay”,He chuckles.
“I didn't think I excite you that much”
“Argh please let's go”,I take my bag and we make our way out of the room and he goes to the living room and takes his car keys from the coffee table.
I walk out of the house and he opens the car before locking the house. I put my things inside and I get inside too and then I wait for him to come inside the car. He gets inside and he starts the car before he reverses and the gate opens automatically. When he is on the road he drives off after the gate has closed. 
I will really miss being here. I am all alone back home during the day while here he pops in much more. 

NONKONZO MVELASE

I have to do some last minute shopping for the trip. I still need to get some things that I feel like are missing but I will get them when I knock off work. Today I am not driving myself to work instead Qophelo is taking me to work. Nomvula’s sister is no where to be seen and I am happy about that. I have been to the Pub and I haven't seen her. I even asked the manager about her and he informed me that she moved back to Kzn. Good,she really did herself a favour before I did things to her. I have came a long way with this man to just have another woman have a bite of him. 
I am at the dining room and I am placing my paper work inside my bag while I am waiting for Qophelo to come down from where he is.  I finish up and I give him about 5 minutes to come down the stairs.
“Qophelo what is holding you up?!”,I shout from down stairs.
“I can't find my Powder blue shirt baby!”,He says.
“It is on the left side of the wardrobe babe!”,I say and there is some silence and I wait for him. 
After some time he comes down the stairs all dressed up in his powder blue shirt and navy formal pants. This man of mine is really good looking, at times I ask myself how did I get so lucky in getting him and he is the most successful sibling amoungst his siblings too meaning I got the best pick out of them.
“You look amazing baby”,I mention and he reaches me and gives me a kiss on the cheek. 
“Not like you”
“Come we are going to be late. Well I am”,I mention.
“Okay”,We go and take our things before we walk out of the house.  We get inside the car and off on the road we go.
“Has your p.a settled everything that needs to be done?”,I ask
“Yes she has. Don't worry everything is ready for the trip”,He mentions.
“I cannot wait for the wedding the most”,I mention.
“Me too, I want everyone to see how lucky I am”,He mentions and I just laugh. 
My phone rings and I take it out of my bag and It is one of my friends. I answer it that moment as the car drive commences.

NOMVELO GWALA

I departed from Thulani with food. He made sure that I have something along the way when I am hungry or feel like chewing something and having something in my stomach. If he was not a person who liked being in a gym from time to time or a person who was not very active and kept a look out on his weight I would get that he would be quiet bigger than he is right now but I have gotten used to the habit of eating.  I do miss times when I used to be in Johannesburg because I had Rethabile to keep me company but also I do have some sewing waiting for me when I get home. I have to finish my mother's dress and my dress as well too. I cannot wait for the day of my negotiations, I just wonder how it will turn out but I do not have much of nerves and being scared because it will be done at home and not at the Gwala house hold where my mother in law would've tortured me. I wonder how Thulani's parents feel about all of this, Qophelo is the last person on my mind. He has his own issues and I have my own too. Even if he was not with his fiancée I would've chosen his brother over him any time. Thulani is such different air, his is much different from Jabu too. I am used to making collective decisions with someone who I am in a relationship with. Do not get me wrong that Thulani does not include me in decision making but what I mean is that he takes up the space of leading and being in charge where it needs to be and he makes things ease up when he ensures that everything will be okay. That gives me a little faith that things are going to be okay. 
I look outside of the window as the taxi is moving. 
I wonder what the future now has in store for me.