The Joys of life

00

Lethokuhle Khumalo

A young smart girl raised by her grandparents, the parents of her absent mother. She was dumped at her grandparent's house when she was a little girl by her mother. Her mother then never looked back. Her mother's absence in her life never really bothered her because she didn't even know what she looked like anymore besides the old pictures in her grandmother's photo album. Her grandparents are the only parents she knows. Her real father? that's something she was never told about so she didn't bother bothering about issues that were lying down.

Letho: "Mah?" she calls out to her grandmother.

MaKhumalo: "Yes baby?" she turns to her smiling.

Letho: "Mkhulu and I are going to the shops."

MaKhumalo: "For what?"

Letho: "For some fat cakes mah."

MaKhumalo: "I'm already making lunch nje.."

Letho: "Hawu mahhhh." she whines.

MaKhumalo: "Ay it's fine, I won't even stop y'all."

Khumalo: "We will eat when we come back, I promise you sthandwa sami." he kisses her before they leave.

Khumalo: "Have you received any responses from schools?"

Letho: "No mkhulu, even my bursary applications nje, there's nothing. I am scared now. I don't want to be stuck at home for the whole year mina."

Khumalo: "It's still kind of early though for bursaries to respond baby girl, your results are not out as yet."

Letho: "But still mkhulu.."

Khumalo: "You won't baby girl. Even if you don't get accepted in these schools, there are private colleges."

Letho: "Those are expensive mkhulu and I don't want to strain you and gogo."

Khumalo: "Your mother offered to pay for your fees."

Letho: "I can't let her mkhulu, her business isn't doing that well as it is so I can't put that kind of pressure on her..."

Khumalo: "I'm not talking about your grandmother, I'm talking about uAyanda..."

Letho: "Who's that?"

Khumalo: "Your mother. My daughter."

Letho: "No, she's not my mother mkhulu! You and Gogo are my only parents please!"

Khumalo: "Kodwa MaKhumalo.."

Letho: "Cha mkhulu! Ayanda is a stranger to me, angimazi so please stop."

Khumalo: "I'm sorry sthandwa sami. I wasn't trying to upset you."

*************
MaKhumalo: "What did you bring for me?" she asks as Letho enters the house, Letho walks away without even noticing her.

Khumalo: "My wife."

MaKhumalo: "Baba. What happened?"

Khumalo: "I just.."

MaKhumalo: "Usumenzeni Mntungwa!"

Khumalo: "Ey mnkami. I mentioned Ayanda."

MaKhumalo: "Why though?! Why cause I told you don't even mention what she said. We don't need her money, uLetho doesn't need her money! Only now does she want to come and act like some caring mother?! nxay! akahamb'ofa!"

Khumalo: "Hhayi MaKhumalo! She is still our daughter."

MaKhumalo: "A daughter that abandoned her own? mxm!" she walks off.