Azalea The Queen

Azalea

When I told my family that I was now jobless, they didn't take it well. I mean I didn't really expect them to. My mother deemed me useless, my father laughed at my me and said I deserved it for acting high and mighty. Alungile was concerned about herself and how was she supposed to survive without pocket money.
My sweet little brother was the only one who comforted me and told me it would be okay.

So here I was now, just laying in my bed and staring at the ceiling trying to think. Azola has been ignoring my calls, I tried to check if she was okay but she just declined every call I made. My room door yanked open revealing my mother.

"So is this what you have succumbed to, just lying there and not doing anything?" she clicked her tongue. I don't know what she wanted from me because I cleaned and did everything that needed to be done in the house.
"Here," she threw money at me. "Go and buy groceries, and stop being a potato in my house."

She banged the door. Soon I heard another door being banged, that was probably her room. I sighed, well at least I had something to do than lazy around in this house and depress myself with sad songs.

I got dressed in my tights, a baggy T-shirt, and some sneakers. I was headed to the shopping center, I needed to look decent. I tied my braids on top of my head neatly. I was on my way.

___

The lady in front of me at the cue started to rummage through her bag for something, probably looking for her wallet so she can pay. The cashier seemed to start getting annoyed.

"Mam, you not the only one on the line," she rolled her eyes. The lady kept apologizing as people started to mumble profanities at her for holding up the line.

"I'm sorry my child, I think I must have forgotten my wallet or lost it," she seemed to be worried and it gnawed at my conscience.

She didn't have that much stuff to pay for. It was just brown bread, a dozen of eggs, and juice. I felt bad and took out my phone from my breasts before opening my phone case and taking out a R100 and paying for the stuff.

"Oh thank you, child, thank you so much. I don't know what my kids would've eaten. May God bless you child." she took her plastic and smiled at me.

"Have a wonderful day mam and may God bless you and your children." I waved goodbye to her and paid for my stuff.
When I made my way to the parking lot to try and find my Uber, I saw the same woman I helped inside the grocery store get inside a black and slick Mercedes Benz.

Or it could have been my mind playing tricks on me. It couldn't be right. Somehow that lady couldn't leave my mind. A lot of weird shit was happening lately.

When I got home, my mother was nowhere to be seen and I had the whole house to myself.
I started to cook early to save time. By the time I was done cooking, there was a knock at the door. I opened the door and I sighed.

Not even long after that, my mother was also getting out of a taxi that dropped her off.
Can this day get any worse? The queen and my mother made eye contact. You could just see the way my mother was staring at her, all judgemental and disgusted.

"Hello, you must be Azalea's mother, I'm Thembeka." she smiled at my mother, despite the awful way she looked at her. When my mother just walked past her and got inside the room, the queen's smile wavered a little.

"I'm sorry about that, she isn't always like that." Why was I lying, she was always like that. But I didn't want her to feel bad.

"It's okay dear, can I come in," She brushed me off. I let her inside. "Thank you," she went and sat down. "I won't take much of your time Azalea. I was hoping you gave my offer a thought." she seemed nervous and hopeful.

I felt bad because I was about to turn her down. I did tell her the first time that I wasn't interested in marrying her son. She must have seen my face as she sighed and smiled sadly.

"What offer is that?" My mother came to the room and sat next to me. Why was she here?
"Azalea, what offer is that and why is that woman in my house with an offer yet she looks like someone kicked her dog?" I winced at her tone and words.

The queen looked at my mother and smiled once again. Did this woman ever get tired of smiling so much?

"My name-"

"I got that, what I didn't get was why you were in my house talking to my daughter, mind explaining?" I was beyond embarrassed. Oh, how I wish the earth could swallow me whole.
My guest cleared her throat and sat upright.
That aura of hers oozed beyond and slightly making me shiver.

I cast an eye on my mother and saw that she looked slightly surprised but annoyed most.
Nothing could break that woman.

"I want her to marry my son," She voiced out in confidence.

"And who exactly is your son?"

"The prince of this nation." The Queen assertively said. My mother didn't blink and just stared at the queen with a stoic face.
"I promise that I will take care of your daughter, she won't need anything and-"

"Okay," I snapped my head back to my mother.
The queen seemed to be as surprised as I was.
"You can have her, now can you get out of my house?" she stood up and went away.

The queen and I were left gaping. I couldn't believe this.

"Well, the selection process is tomorrow, please I would love for you to be there. I will send my driver to come pick you up." She got up and smiled at me before kissing my cheek. Then she left.

I slumped in my seat. Then my mother appeared again.

"You going to marry that prince whether you like it or not. I won't have yet another useless child living free in my house." she pointed her finger at me. "Pack your bags, tomorrow we going to that selection what not,"

She left as well.