She brought us together

CHAPTER 51

My phone rings next to the sink,I quickly wash my hands and grab a dish cloth to wipe them dry before accepting the call. Instead of speaking,I say nothing.
Mom: "what if ke bosiu hona mane Italy (its night in Italy). I hear her ask,til now no one knows that we are back. Its only Cebo who came to fetch us from Lanseria.
Aunty: "or maybe we are disturbing them?" That's mangwane,they are whispering and do sound like they wouldn't want to intrude. I laugh announcing my presence,well that I'm listening.
Me: "you are not disturbing ladies and Italy's time zone is the same as South Africa's." I'm in the kitchen making food for this man of mine,who doesn't seem bothered by the silence between us. Til now no one has spoken to the other and by the looks of things...no one is willing to speak first. 

Once we get over the how are you doings and whatnots,they ask if Nqobi is near because they would like to talk to him. I move to the lounge,sit on his lap without asking or looking at him.
Me: "ke nale yena mona,leng ka bua(I'm with him right here,you can speak)" I say putting my phone on loud speaker. I feel comfort when he puts his hands around my waist pulling me closer to him. As if he hadn't done enough,he sends tingles down my body when he gently bites my earlobe before licking the crook of my neck.

Mom: "Sawubona mfana wam" she greets. Yes unlike her sister,she can speak isiZulu. She dated a Zulu man and got pregnant by him...so its nothing shocking. Nqobi responds and both mom and aunt start talking stories eyy y'all know how parents are moes? It finally comes to an end.
Mom: "ndodana besikwazisa ukuthi angikamtholi ubaba kaAmo ocingweni. Abakini abangayi thumeli manje incwadi(son we just wanted to let you know that I haven't been able to find Amo's father on the phone. Your family shouldn't send the letter now)." What letter is she talking about...I haven't told anyone about my engagement.

Nqobi: "okay ma ngiyezwa,uma uzongazisa umese mtholile(okay ma I hear you,you will let me know once you have found him)." I wonder ukuthi bam'funelani uPhilasande.
Me: "nikhuluma nge ncwadi yani" I ask hoping that I will like the answer to my question.
Aunty: "ncwadi yamahadi" she says and I turn my head to look at Nqobi.
Me: "mahadi!" I pretend to be shocked, Nqobi doesn't have my parent's numbers so I can't assume that the million phone calls he has been making and getting today are in any way related to this. 
Aunty: "yes,Nqobi came to ask for permission to ask for your hand in marriage a few week before y'all went to Italy" she informs me. Is that so...so they knew all along?

I can't help but melt at this,he went to ask for permission. This just shows how much he respects my family. Although there isn't a male figure at home,he still respects both my mom and aunt. I look at him with a smile of gratitude.
Me: "well y'all ruined my surprise,we were supposed to come over tomorrow and share the news of our engagement. And to show off my ring!" I say in a high pitched voice which results in them ululating in joy and congratulating us.  When the commotion dies down my mom continues to say.
Mom: "but ngendaba kaNonjabulo,you can proceed as long as her mother agrees"

More secrets now? I choose to act like I know about this 'issue' they are talking about is. I feel like asking them would seem disrespectful to Nqobi so I will ask him once the call is concluded.
Nqobi: "okay ma,ngiyabonga kakhulu"
Mom: "kubonga thina mfana wam" and that's how the call ends. I move to sit on another couch as he is sitting on a one-seat. He does look a little disappointed by this. But who lied to him and said that me sitting on him means all is forgiven and forgotten?

"Thank you,for respecting me and my family" I say trying to hide my blush. "What can I say,my parents did a good job with me...won't you say? Im not so bad after all" he smirks,its not a sly one but one of pride. "Yah you not bad at all my love,just a few loose screws,a bad temper,possessiveness,protectiveness and a loving heart." The idiot winks leaving me stunned but in stitches,what is he doing?  "So what's the big "issue" surrounding Joy?" I finally voice my thought. "I want her to use my surname, abe wuNdlovu" yah he just likes dropping bombs unexpectedly. 

"Why?" "What do you mean why?" Shit did I say that out loud? He doesn't sound pleased with my question. "What I mean is...are you sure about this?" I rephrase making sure to use the correct word choice. "As sure as I am about marrying you" he's looking at my face,not with adoration but its more like he's trying to read me. "Why did you speak to them first before speaking to me?" I want to know why I,the mother wasn't consulted first.

"Because they are your elders" he responds casually with a shrug. "And I am her mother,everything concerning her goes through me first. With the lobola issue I understand why you spoke to them first but with this,I don't" I really don't. I don't want to sound angry or dramatic but I don't appreciate what he did. "I don't expect you to understand vele" he says calmly with a IDC attitude. Am I being dramatic or he takes pride in provoking me? "Should I dish up for you?" Before things go south I better calm myself down. I heard that hunger can make people speak nonsense, let's just feed him.

"So lento isimply moes,siya eHome Affairs,get her a new birth certificate and that's it?" I ask removing my head from his chest to have a proper look at him. He forced me to see logic behind his reasons about this well he didn't literally force me,what he said just made perfect sense and compelled me to agree with it. "Then sim'yenzele umsebenzi simbika emadlozini yah thats about it" ini? When he sees the shock on my face,he laughs. Forgive me but I'm kind of clueless when it comes to traditional things or rather rituals. "Ngiyi ndoda yomZulu phela MaDlamini" True that.

NARRATED
Its the next day,Nqobi receives a call from an anonymous caller while he's working out in his house gym. Simphiwe has left for work already. "Ndlovu hello?" He says answering the phone and a voice which he thought he would never hear again 4years ago booms from the other side. "I heard about what happened in Amalfi,is my sister okay?" Asks Lesedi who even though Nqobi conversed with and touched. He still finds it hard to believe that he's still walking in the land of the living and breathing the same air as them.

"Yah she's okay" he says dryly why didn't he just call her to find out if she's safe or not? He thinks to himself. An awkward silence falls upon them,Lesedi knows that Nqobi is expecting answers and because he wants to mend their relationship,he will gladly tell him what he wants to know. "I should be back in Jo'burg next week,come see me" he says. "Why should I?" Nqobi's stubbornness gets in the way. "I know you have a lot of questions,I could tell that you were just putting up an act because my sister was there at the restaurant" he's not going to make it easy for me,now is he? Lesedi thinks to himself as he shakes his head.

"I guess I can spare you a minute" Nqobi's sour behaviour is justified according to him. Accepting the death of a close friend,a mentor and a brother at least he thought they were was a bitter pill to swallow. That was one of his lowest and darkest periods. "Bring Cebo with,I'm sure he'd be happy to see me." Lesedi is trying to act like Nqobi's behaviour doesn't wound him,but he can't exactly blame him for behaving this way. "I'm sure he'd be" sarcasm is very much evident in his tone. "I will send you my location when I'm around" he says before hanging up with a heavy heart.