LONDIWE
“ Honey,I'm home!”
“ Hey, you're home early.”, the baby brother looks at me briefly and then goes back to his video game.
“Yhea,now scoot over.” , I take my bags and put them on the coffee table and then sit beside Kwazi.
“ You've been scarce these past weeks ,your boss is overworking you.”, he switches off the video game and pulls me close to him. Living with Kwazi has made me learn and reciprocate people's love languages, his is physical touch and acts of service.
“ It can get really busy at work ,baby bro.”, I say trying to cover up my lies.infidelity.
“ if you get overwhelmed by the workload,tell me and I'll whoop his ass .”
“ Hehake sgora, imagine whooping a grown man's ass ,you're the one who's gonna be crying.”, we laugh, imagine nje, my poor brother would'nt stand a chance , yes he beat up that boy but this is my man we're talking about here.
“ Hey!! You're supposed to be on my side,you're my sister,hawu!”
“ You know I'll always be your cheerleader bro but you wouldn't win that fight.”
“Have faith in me Mzilikazi!”, oh no he didn't. Did this boy just call me by my dead name?
“ UMzilikazi yinzwane zakho wena masaka!”, grha!
He throws his head back on the couch, laughing.
“ Oh,you're having fun ngegama lam Jonathan?”, I smirk and look at him and he gives me the reaction that I wanted.
“ haaa? I'm not your brother ke,I'm disowning you.”, he keeps his face serious for a moment. We look at each other and then laugh again.
“ Two can play at that game,brother.”, Who in the world would give a Gen Z baby an English name? - oh yeah,it can only be her,my birth giver.
“Eyy, I'm tired mina Jonathan,I wanna go to bed.”, I say teasing him once more.
“ You're such a bore Mzilikazi.Konje nithini ngesiXhosa? Uyadika wesisi!” , this one has jokes I see.
“ Leave isiXhosa to people who can speak it webaba.”
“ You're gonna teach me ,angithi?” , he looks at me with soft eyes.
“ hehake,who are you trying to impress? I'll teach you.” , I say to him and he smiles making my insides melt. I love this person right here. “Thanks in advance, whuuu,I can't even see myself speaking isiXhosa fluently,cabanga nje I -”
My buzzing phone disturbs him . I take a look at the caller ID, it's Kwanele.
“ Pick it up.”, Kwazi says probably sensing my frustration. I don't wanna pick it up haybo ,not when he's watching me.
“ No, it's not important.” , I lie through my teeth.
“mhh”, he says . I switch it off. Here goes nothing.
“ Kwazi, what would you say if I told you that I'm seeing someone?”, my heart is pounding again my chest. I'm afraid of what he'll say,he is my family after all and being judged by him?
“ Nothing really, I mean it's your mjolo after all.” , seriously?
“ Kwazi ,man!”
“ Yini?”, he laughs. “ Okay, okay, sorry. I'd tell you to follow your heart ,even if it's with that douche.”
“ What douche manje?”, I ask in confusion,he knows him? He knows Kwanele?
“Huh? Aren't you back with Qhawe?”, hell no.
“ No, cha ,I'm seeing someone else.” , lol, I'd rather mop the ocean than be a step mother.
“ Ohhh,hayke I'm glad. Follow your heart dade wethu and tell that douche I'm gonna stab him if he tries anything funny.”, he says the last part imitating Wendy's coloured accent.
“ you sound like you're from Eldorado park”, we laugh. Minus one problem!
Now let me call my babe and explain why I rejected his call.
I go to my room and put on sweatpants and one of Kwazi’s baggy t-shirts that I stole from his closet.
I call Kwanele and he picks up on the second ring.
“Sthuthuthu sam ”, he says from the other line. Whoa when did we get there.
“Hay,hay Kwanele ,why am I a motorcycle now?”
He let's out his baritone laugh, I imagine his shoulders moving up and down as he's laughing, his Adam's apple that makes him look so manly.
“ It's a petname,love.” , uyahlanya lo
“ Hay no, Kwanele, think of something else, something sweet maybe hayi isthuthuthu.” , I don't wanna be called a motorcycle, Zulu men are not romantic shame!
“ Okay ke sthandwa,I'll think of something. You rejected my call earlier on.”
“ Yeah, I was telling Kwazi about us.”
I hear his breathing on the other line. He waits for me to say more.
“ He approves and also he said I should tell you that he'll stab you should you break my heart.” , I say. He laughs again. Lord , this man!
“ He wouldn't get the chance sthandwa sam ngoba ngizokuphatha kakuhle mama.” , my breathe hitches.
Kwanele and I talk for some time and then we bid farewell.
I have to talk to my friends and then call it a day. We've been slacking on your daily ritual.
“Heeey bitches!” , the ever so loud Gcina shouts when the screen shows their faces.
“hey babies.”
“Girl! Out with it, spit it out!”, Stacy is impatient.
“ Okay, okay,chill . Promise me you guys won't judge.”, I look at their faces on the screen.
“ Musa ukus'jwayela wena,when have we ever judged you?”, Gcina aks.
“ Yhu!! Wena wonke Randall?” , seriously, Gcina judges people like that Randall guys from idols.
“ Haybo, I won't judge ke!”
“ We promise we won't judge ,now tell us! I'm dying because of this suspense.”, Stacy says dramatically and puts her hand on her forehead pretending to faint.
“ Chill out divas!”, they look at me. Okay,one ,two, three! “ Kwanele and I are together”
These bitches scream making my ears buzz. “ Are you trying to make me deaf?jeez guys!”
“ I knew it, I fucking knew it! Pay up Stacy!!”, I rolly eyes at Gcina.
“ You sly daughter of a gun! Since when?”, Stacy ignores Gcina.
“ It's been a couple of week guys ”, I say
“ Wena na! I did say that boss Kwanza had a thing for you! Aphi amanga am,huh? Hehehe, claps once and never again! Abo precious won't see me coming sana!”
“ haybo Gcina! Precious won't see you coming ngani manje?”
“ You know your friend,next thing he's telling the whole world to not mess with him because his friend is dating the boss.”, Stacy is right, this bitch can be unhinged.
“ Don't even think of it Gcina, don't even.”
“Haa, I won't say anything ,naye uPrecious anganijwayeli ngoba ngizombonisa amabhilidi nama yakayaka.”
Goodness!
“ On other news future Mrs Jama, your friend ditched us, she eloped with her coloured man.”, Stacy says.
“ How could Wendy do that to us!”
“ It's the power of dick , friend , liyamhlanyisa umuntu!”
“ Ayy Gcina ,man!!”, I say and we laugh .
YOU ARE READING
Izindaba Zomhawu(Paused)
Non-FictionA young woman goes on a quest to find herself,to find who she really is. She meets love and has to face her past along the way. Will there be a happy ever after?
