Umakoti Ngo Wethu

6

Saying goodbye to family that actually loves us and a house that actually felt like a home was one of the hardest things anyone could do. Especially going back to a mother like mine. I didn't know what to expect going back into that house. I really hoped my mother was in one of her moods where she didn't care where we were and if we were home or not.

I drove my new car following my father all the way. When we got to the city we stopped to eat and then said our goodbyes. My sister and I went straight home. I started cleaning immediately because my mother left the house in a disgusting state. I spent the whole day cleaning while I forced Nthombifuti to rest. I started dinner before my mother got home. Luckily for us, she completely ignored our existence.

"Who the hell ate my wings!?" I heard her shouting, and then the door to the fridge slammed shut. I ran to the kitchen because I knew for a fact it wasn't me, so it had to be Nthombifuti.

"It was me."
"It was me."

Nthombifuti and I said at the same time, and my mother's eye twitched. "I will smack you both. Don't try me." By her low tone, I knew this wasn't going to end well. "It was me, ma. I ate them just before you got home. I'm sorry. You should punish me." She was already crying, and I didn't know what to do.

"Now you know I can't punish you the way I want to because you laid on you back, opened your legs, and got pregnant with the bastard you're carrying. On top of that, you're a minor. What do you think is going to happen when you have to go to the hospital because I beat you? Do you want me to go to jail!? Do you!?"

"No, ma." She cried. "So, as usual, who has to take the punishment for your stupid actions?" She started crying even harder. My mother did this on purpose. She got to beat me, and she got to torture Nthombifuti at the same time. "Ma, please." Futi cried. "Shut up! What did you think was going to happen when you ate my wings." She shouted at her, but I felt the sharp stinging of her slap on my face.

I knew very well that I wasn't allowed to make a sound. "Ma!" She cried again. She was balling her eyes out. I felt another slap. My mother slapped me, so hard tears escaped my eyes. I thought I was used to this by now. I wasn't. "Say one more thing!" She shouted at Nthombifuti and slapped me at the same time. Nthombifuti had to hold both her hands over her mouth to stop her sobs. "Litha, dish my fucking food since this thing ate the food I was keeping to eat after work. You better not have cooked some bullshit brown stew." She pushed me out of her way and went to her room.

Nthombifuti's sobs grew louder once she was out of the room. I ran to her and clutched her mouth close as I did many times before. "Please, Nthombi. Please." I pleaded with her and she nodded. "Please, nana." I whispered and she nodded. She knew if she cried loud enough for my mother to hear it would be over for me. She walked to her room and luckily I didn't hear anything.

I dished everyone a plate of food. We didn't eat together. My mother always ate in her room while watching tv. I knocked on her door. "Come in." I walked in with her tray. "Thank you." She said as if nothing happened. This was normal. "My baby." She said as I was leaving. "Yes, ma." Before I could turn around properly she threw her plate of food at me.

"Who the fuck is in my house!?" What just happened.  I couldn't even think straight because she threw her glass of cooldrink at me. "You think I don't know there's a man in this house! Who's car is in my fucking driveway!" Oh shit. "It's mine ma! It's mine!"
"And who's husband did you have to fuck this time to get a car!?" She ran up to me and slapped.

"Baba bought it for my birthday!"
"Liar!" She pushed me against her cabinet and I fell. "I'm not lying! Check social media!" She narrowed her eyes at me and walked to her bed. I screamed when she pulled out the hammer from her bedside table. I tried getting away but was relieved when she went passed me.

But...

"Nthombifuti!" I screamed trying to warn her. I ran to her room hearing crying and muffled talking. She had her door locked. "Nthombi!" I screamed so hard I hurt my throat. She opened her door with her phone in hand. "Did ma come in here?" She shook her head looking at me with big eyes. "Lock this door!" Just as I said it I heard glass break and a car alarm go off. "Lock it and get in the cupboard." She nodded. "Baba's on his way." She said softly and I could almost scream.

I left her and went outside. My mother was busy breaking the windows of my car. Neighbors came outside to see what was happening. "Ma please. I'm not lying. You can ask baba. He's on his way." She stop mid air. "What?" I knew this could be really bad for me in the future but for now it would get her to stop. "Go inside." She said softly dropping her hammer. I ran back in and she followed me.

"Bathroom. Now." I did as she said and went to the bathroom. "Nthombifuti! Get your sister some clothes!" She came to the bathroom and started filling the basin. I heard Jabu crying. He was so used to chaos that it didn't wake him up. The silence after the chaos woke him.

My mother started wiping my face careful. "I didn't mean to baby. You know that right?" I just nodded. Nthombifuti came in with some clothes for me. "Nthombifuti, go make sure the baby is okay." She nodded still having tears running down her face.  My mother cleaned and clothed me all while making sure I wouldn't tell my father.

"Now when he gets here. You better make sure that he doesn't take you. Your sister is still a minor, and that would be kidnapping. Do you want your father to go to jail?" I shook my head as she applied some makeup on my face. "No, you don't. If he takes Nthombifuti away from me, he will go to jail. So what are you going to tell him?"

"You thought we were getting robbed, and that was the getaway car." She had been coaching me the whole time. "Good baby. Good. You look so pretty. See?" She moved me in front of the mirror, and I nodded. "Okay, let's go wait for your daddy. Come. You can make mommy some tea and dish me another plate of your delicious food."