LULAMA
We all fix our eyes on old and dramatic beauty queen and she stands there with her arms folded while she stares daggers at everyone in the room. The "father" in question? He's standing there like some lost errand boy and that's because he knows he and his mistress turned wife are about to get it. He legit let her lead him to the valley of the shadow of darkness.
"Gladys, I'm dissapointed in you. I thought you would know how things are done in our culture," She guns for my mom, she's trying to be strategic simply because my mom has let a lot of things slide where she's concerned.
I'm about to get real with her when my brother beats me to it" What are you doing in my house? Who asked for you to be here? "He gets up from the couch and takes a couple of steps closer. Hands in his pockets and a jaw that looks like its about to pop any second now, he turns his attention to Kenneth" What the hell is this? Does your wife have no manners or boundaries? "
" Hey! Vukosi! I'm - "
" I'm not talking to you, know your place,"
" That's not how you address your mother, " Kenneth says.
" Does it look like I'm talking to my mother right now? " He challenges.
"I've been saying it to you, Kenny. These children are disrespectful. Vukosi even thinks he can talk to me like I'm his age mate or girlfriend,"
"You're nowhere near a woman I'd ever set eyes on. Violet, look around you and listen to me carefully. This isn't your husband's house, this is my house and you don't strut in here like some hooligan and think you can throw insults at our mother. You're not required to be a part of this, if you were then you would have been told now I'll repeat myself. Know your place, know exactly which man it is that you control because it can never be all of us,"
" Oh, so we are not required to be a part of my daughter's negotiations? That's why everyone, including my own brother and his family are here yet I have been excluded. U vulavula thyaka, [you're speaking nonsense]. This is my child, " Kenneth wallows in self pity.
" Child? Which child? "I get up too, I've just about had another of this nonsense" so now I'm your child? Since when because I don't remember having a father, "
" Yes! Since when? I'd also like to know because you've never bothered with Lulama. All of a sudden she's yours? "my sister asks and his brother immediately gets up.
" Okay, this isn't supposed to be happening. We are gathered here for a good thing and we shouldn't going at each other like this. Boti [brother], Lulama is no longer a child. She knows the truth about your absence in her life and as you can see, emotions are high. This is also a household, you wouldn't want anyone walking in your house the way that Violet has just done, " my uncle speaks very calmly yet firm enough to get his message across and his big brother nods.
" I agree, this isn't the occasion to have family fights but don't you think I should have been informed? Kasi Lulama ahi waka Kubayi? "[isn't Lulama a Kubayi?]
"I did inform you when her mother notified me of the letter, as for you being here, I left it up to them to decide especially with the broken relationship that you have with your daughter"
"So why are you here, Richard? Isn't it that they don't want the Kubayi family here? How can you be in a place where your brother is unwanted?" Violet asks him.
"You better watch your tone when you talk to me, I don't report to you. These are my brother's children and I've never not been involved in their lives. This is no different,"
It's not a lie. There's not a time where my uncle has not been there for the three of us. Him and his wife have always shown up for us even after the divorce was final. They also advocate for him too here and there because they believe that Violet has bewitched this grown man because according to them there is no man who will just turn on his family the way this one did, they believe that one day he will come back to his senses. Personally, I don't care. He denied me, it really doesn't get any worse than that.
