INCLINATION

CHAPTER 25 | You're Nothing To Me

 

EMIHLE

 
We head upstairs and I am feeling scared right now. I wasn’t expecting his mother to slap me like that in front of all those people and especially Aya. My cheek is still stinging. I look at him and he’s watching me. I stop walking then cup his cheek. He looks so sad and I’m angry at his grandmother for doing this. Aya wasn’t supposed to hear everything she said and witness what she did.
 
“ Next time when I tell you to go to your room, you will do that and not eavesdrop on adults conversation Aya. Do you understand me?” I sign.
“ Yes mom” his eyes shift to my cheek. I think she left her hand print on it.
“ I’m sorry you had to see that okay?”
“ But why does Gogo hate you Ma? I don’t understand”
“ Your grandmother is…she’s just thinks that I’m not good enough for your father that’s all”
He signs. “ But the things she said….”
“ Aya, you will ignore all those things she said to me okay and you will not get involved in our fights. She loves you and your father very much and that’s what’s important. I love you and your father and I’m not going anywhere okay, I promise you"
He nods. “ Pack am overnight bag because we won’t be sleeping here. We’ll come when back when you father gets back" I sign.
“ Ok, I’m sorry ma. Gogo is wrong about you.” He hugs me then walks towards his bedroom.
 
I heave a deep sigh then walk to our bedroom. I go straight to the closet and pack and bag and what I might need. I walk out and Aya is already waiting for me. I take his hand and we leave. When we walk in the living room, they are still there and it looks like they are having a serious meeting about me obviously.
 
“ My grandson is staying but you can leave. You’re not wanted here”
I tightly hold Aya’s hand then we pass them but Siza stands in front of me, blocking me from leaving.
“ Didn’t you hear what my mother said? Aya is staying”
“ I’m leaving with mom. I’m not staying here"
I look at Vino. He needs to get these people out of my face.
“ She’s not your mother Aya! She is just….” Aya tears up.
Fuck this woman. I push Sizakele to the side and drag Aya behind me. His grandmother tries to pill his arm but Cleo steps between him and her. We walk out of the house with them calling me all kinds of names. This woman hates me with passion and she is never, ever going to accept me no matter what I do.
 
The car is already waiting for us outside and we step inside. I pull Aya to me and he sniffs softly. He was hurt by his aunts words. Sizakele honestly didn’t have to say that when she knows about Aya’s situation. She wanted to hurt me by saying that but instead she hurt him more. I hold him, apologize to him for what she said and tell him it wasn’t directed at him but to me.
 
“ Oh my God" Cleo gasps.
I look through the window and see Hlanga’s mother with her daughters throwing my clothes out of the house. Aya tries to look but I shield him from seeing what is happening..Blessing and Walter are trying to stop them but it’s no use. I watch as his sisters rip my portraits into pieces.
 
My heart breaks because my baby took those pictures of me and they meant so much to all of us. What kind of people are they to not respect other people’s property. Cleo switches off the engine, looks at me and I see pity on her face.
Vino is on the phone and talking to someone, Hlanga I think and he’s telling him what’s going on. He talks for a while then hangs up looking at me. “ Don’t go to them, they are just clothes. Let’s go, please” I sign. He looks at then for a while as they tear my clothes then gets in the car and they drive out.
 
It's happening for the second time that someone shreds my clothes into pieces. I thought that maybe one day, Hlanga’s mother and I will get along and have some sort of a relationship but now, that bridge has been burned. It’s never going to happen. I am never going to forgive her and her daughters for what they did to me. Their hate for me is too deep and it’s scary because they might hurt me.
 
“ Ma, Are we going home?”
I shake my head, Vino frowns. “ Take us to a hotel, they will follow us to his house in the city too.” I sign, He nods.