Gabsile

lobola negotiations

He comes in with dinner , a bouquet of roses and a gift box. I give him one look and close my eyes , 'Siya I'm sorry about today , I kept you from meeting my mother because I was protecting you from her. I took her out for lunch and talked to her and asked my brother to talk to her and she said she will apologize tomorrow before heading home so please forgive me . ' he says and I turn to the right to look at his face , he does look sorry and I forgive him. He sits down next to me and kisses my forehead and I grab the plate from his hands.

I woke up early , expecting Mma Khumalo to apologize but did she? No. She left early in the morning and maybe that's better. Maybe she's better being honest than faking it  but im not going anywhere , im here to stay because I love her son and I love what we have. She can run away for all I care and I hope a bus runs over her so she can stay in hospital and miss my wedding . I don't want her in my pictures.

The wedding preparations are draining me and I have to ensure that we do everything during these school holidays because I will be swamped with house hunting when the school opens. My uncles and I have met and we discussed lobola prices , I know my mans pockets and I think fifty thousands isn't a rip off while my uncles think im just giving myself away for free because im educated.

My lobola negotiations are happening in the other room and I'm not happy. I should be , I'm getting married to a man I love and we are going to start a family and buy a house or an apartment or a farm but I don't know. I think about how the only person that's really accepted me in that family besides my man and Bongo is Asanda , she is another bride and understands what im going through and she likes me . My mans mother isn't very happy and she seems to be causing chaos judging by how loud she is right now. My phone rings and I switch it off ,the doors open and close and my cousin who has been setting the food on the table walks in my room.
'Weh Yanda! Your mother in law is putting up a fight! Your uncles said fifty and she said no! The uncles tried to talk to her and your uncles increased the prize. The khumalos have askes to discuss themselves outside  and your mother is not happy ' she says as she sits on the bed. I don't respond because I knew it would never run smoothly.

I move from the bed and stand to look outside the window. I see them standing outside the car , talking about God knows what and I feel like dying. This is not the wedding I envisioned, sure that wedding dream changed after I met his mother but the chaos and the noise? Is that how its done ? Are they suppised to argue and raise their voices?. A soft hand pulls me into a hug and I allow it. I also allow myself to cry outloud and she doesn't say a word. We remain in that postion until we hear voices in the dining room.

I switch on my phone and I see fifteen missed calls and ten messages. I call him back and he picks it up quickly " Mma Khumalo? Are you okay? You don't sound okay, you're ussually very bubbly over the phone , talk to me" he says and I hold my breath for a second , " I am okay. I heard them argue outloud and I thought your mother would call it off but they have returned and surely we are going to get married soon' I say trying to sound enthusiastic and he reassures me a million times that we are going to get married.