INCLINATION

CHAPTER 38 | 2 Years

EMIHLE

My brother pulls up and a smile forms on my face. I love it here, it's always home and I miss it. I missed them. The little devils are running around the yard and some of them are close to the kitchen. God how the hell am I going to step out of the car with those little devils everywhere.

They step out of the car while I stay in. My brother looks at me then bursts out laughing. Aya tries to fight the smile off his face but he fails.
" Ma, they are just chickens. They are harmless"
" To you they are" they laugh.
My grandmother walks out and she's surprised to see Aya. A smile forms on her face.
" Ayabonga? Is that you?"
" Yebo gogo" he goes to her, she cupped his cheek then they hugged. My brother chases the chickens away and when they are far, I step out of the car.

I walk towards my grandmother and hug her too. She holds me tight then we head inside the house. My brother takes our bags to my bedroom, my grandmother frowns.
" Aya, your great grandfather is at Uncle Siya's house. Why don't you go to them while I talk to your mother"
" Yebo gogo"
He gets up and walks out. My brother joins us in the kitchen and sits down.

" Emy, is everything okay?. Aya looks like he was crying. Is his father okay?"
" Hlanga is fine gogo but I'm not and so is Aya"
" Why, what happened?"
My grandfather walks in with Siya and Aya who looks like he is crying again. Damn that woman.

I get up and walk towards him" Aya…"
" I'm fine ma, can I go and take a nap?"
" Ok, you still remember where my bedroom is?" He nods. " ok go"
He headed upstairs. We all watch him.
" He'll be fine, Emy" my brother says.
" Emy?"
" Sanbonan mkhulu" he smiles. He walks towards me then we hug, tightly.
" It's good to have you home"
" I missed being here, I missed all of you"
Siya and I hug too then we sit down.

" What's going on with Aya? He burst into tears as soon as he saw me." My grandfather asked.
" Long story short, one day he came home and was very excited talking about this new art teacher they have at school and all the learners like her. Then it was the parents ' meeting. Hlanga and I attend the meeting and they introduce the new teachers and one of them is Hazel Ndamase, the art teacher. We head home and the next day Hlanga tells me that the art teacher is Aya's mother."

" My God Emy" my grandmother says. They are shocked.
" The whole thing was just wrong gogo and so I called ubhut' Melusi and asked him to get me anything about this woman who suddenly just appeared out of the blue."

" What did you find out, Mshiza?"
Melusi sighs then tells them what he found out.
" Why did she pretend to be her sister? Aya would have accepted her as his aunt and I don't think the two of you would have had a problem with that. Why lie?" Siya asks.
" She lied because Aya doesn't mean anything to her. Liesel was stalking me"

" Uthini manje Emihle?" What are you saying?
" Linda said she was stalking me, getting information about me and our family. She even asked Aya about my cases and the cases ubaba was handling."
" Who is that girl exactly, Melusi?"
" uLinda says that while she was in jail Mshiza, there was a woman who took her under her wing and even after she was released. That woman is Gabisile Thwala Mkhulu….We think she's the one who got Liesel to stalk Emy and while she was busy with that, she found out that Emy is in a relationship with Hlanga and Aya is her sister's son"

" No….it can't be. No…" my grandmother says and tears stream down her face.
" Is he sure, Melusi?"
" He is Mkhulu." He pulls papers out of his back pocket and gives them to our grandfather.
He reads them, looks at his wife then sits  down.
" Siyabonga, call your father and uncles. Tell them I want them here before the sunsets. Melusi, call your father and tell him to come here with your mother."

" Who is that woman mkhulu and what does she want with me and why use Aya?" My grandfather goes to my grandmother and holds her hand, consoling her.
" Maybe she wanted to get close to you through him or maybe her plan was to kidnap him. That girl sounds like a psycho. Where is she now?"
" Gwabini said he has her. I don't know where he's keeping her"
" Mkhulu, who is that woman because today wasn't the first time I heard her name. I have heard it before" Melusi asks them.
" We will talk when your parents get here."
My grandfather then takes his phone and steps out of the kitchen. Melusi, Siya and I look at each other.
" Gogo?" Siya says
" No Siya, not now"
She gets up, looks at me then walks out.

" What's going on guys? Who is that woman that would make gogo cry like this?" Siya asks.
" Are you two telling me that you absolutely know nothing about this woman?"
" I swear to you Emy, I don't know anything about that woman," Siya says.
" I don't know her either and like I said, it wasn't the first time I heard her name. That's why I wanted us to come here because our grandparents might know something and they obviously do."
" I know we broke your trust, Emy and it's hard for you because you didn't expect us to hide things from you and we are sorry. I will earn your trust back, no matter how long it takes me. I am sorry, I miss my sister Emy"

It's like Siya has been wanting to say this to me for a while because he seems relieved that he finally got it out of his chest.

" I'm not going to lie and say what you all did didn't hurt me because it did. You all knew and did nothing, I felt bad that I was hiding things from you while you knew and saw what was happening and I still don't get why you never talked to Andile or threatened him, do anything to make sure that he stopped hurting me. Then the worst of all you knew what my father did to keep Hlanga and me apart. I thought we were close and we wouldn't hide things from  each other as siblings. As my big brothers it was your job to make sure that your sister is always safe and protected.

Is the same thing going to happen to Pale when she meets the man she loves?. Are you also going to turn the other cheek when you see what is going on in her life?"
" Of course not, Emy…"
" Good because I will never forgive you two if anything happens to her because of a man or the damn secrets our family keeps. I hope whatever secret they have been keeping this time won't make me cut this family out of my life for good."

" Emy, you don't mean that"
" Oh I do bhut' Melusi." They keep quiet. I sigh. " Look, I know it's hard going against our parents but when they are gone, it's going to be us who are left and we need to be there for each other. Not having all of you in my life the last months have been hell and I don't want to go through all of that again. I'm scared about what they are going to tell us since you also don't know.

I don't want to cut anyone out of my life but I also don't want to be hurt by my family. I hope whatever they are going to tell us won't divide us and make me hate anyone.''
" We hope so too," Melusi says. " Truce?"
I smile, " yeah truce." I tell them.
" So we can show up at your boyfriend's house at any time and you won't tell your bodyguards to not let us in?" Siya says and we laugh
" I can't believe she did that"
" Man I wanted to cry"
We laugh again " you deserved that but you're all welcomed now. As long as you call first."

" You look happy, you're glowing and you seem at peace. It shows that he's taking good care of you"
I smile. " He is, he's the best and I'm blessed to have them. I'm just worried about Aya though."
" He'll be fine. He has his parents and all of us."
" Thank you bhuti"
" Hlanga is a great guy and I'm happy that you two are finally together"
" Thank you bhut' Siya. Where's Nandi?"
" She went to see her parents. She's probably on her way here"
"Ok"

" So, when is he putting a ring on your finger because you can't keep cohabiting with him?" Melusi asks.
" I don't know, maybe I don't…."
" Ah ah, Emy. Don't even say it" Siya reprimands me.
" I don't think Hlanga wants to get married"
They look at each other. " Why? Did he say so?"
" No but I once proposed that we get married and he said no, he's the one who's supposed to ask me and not the other way around"
" And he's right. He should be the one to ask you Emy. I know you feel like you lost so many years with him. That's why maybe you said that but mtase, he's the one who should do it."

" I'm ready to be his wife Melusi, the tear is almost over and I don't see any signs that he wants to ask for my hand"
" Be patient sis, Hlanga will surprise you" Siya says and I sigh.
" I'm going to check on Aya" I get up and head to my bedroom.

I must have fallen asleep next to Aya because when I wake up I'm alone in bed. I get up and head to the bathroom and take a quick shower. When I walk out my phone is ringing. I quickly rush to my side bed then pick it up.
" Gwabini"
" Amore, how are things going?"
He sounds exhausted. " I took a nap after talking to my grandparents. We're waiting for my parents and uncle to get here so they can tell us who is Gabisile but judging from their reaction, they definitely know her or of her"

" Are you serious Amore"
" I am, my grandmother broke down when she heard her name"
" Wow, keep me posted and call me if you need me. How's our son?"
" Mkhulu said he broke down when Aya saw him but he will be fine."
" Ok love."
" Did Liesel say why she pretended to be Aya's mom?"
" She refuses to talk but she will. She will break down soon and start talking."
" Ok, well see you tomorrow then" ." I love you Emihle"
" I love you Hlangalezwe" we then hung up.

I take my clothes and go to the bathroom to wear them just in case Aya walks in. When I'm done, I hear voices of people talking softly. It feels like whatever they are talking about is serious. When I walk in, all eyes shift to me and they get quiet.
" Sanbona"
My mom smiles then walks up to me and we hug. She smells so good, so warm and like my mom. We hug for a while until Nandi starts complaining. She lets go and then cups my cheek.

" It's so good to see you. You're so beautiful"
" Thank you mama. I missed your hugs" she laughs.
" I missed you so very much. I'm so happy you're here with us."
" I am too."
I hug Nandi then greet all my uncles. Nandi walks out of the kitchen where my aunts are. I look at my dad and he looks nervous. I look at my dad and he looks nervous. He's still handsome and he's got more gray hair than I remember

" How are you?" He asked me.
" Ngiyaphila baba" I'm okay
" You look beautiful….as always"
" Thank you baba" he nods. I surprise myself by going to him and I hug him. He's shocked and doesn't do anything at first but then he embraces me and I feel something breaking between us, a wall that was between us falls down.

He holds me tight and my cheeks get wet. He plants kisses on my head and it takes me to all those times when I was hurt, scared. Just a high from him would make me feel better. We pull back, he cups my cheek then plants a kiss on my forehead then wipes my tears.
" My beautiful baby. I'm really sorry for all the pain I put you through. If I could go back in time and take it all back, I would. I hope one day you will forgive me."

" I have been angry at all of you for months and I'm tired of being angry. I miss my family, I miss my dad and I want us to be a family. I forgive you baba and I hope you won't do to Palesa what you all did to me"
His shoulders sag. " I promise you I won't. Thank you mntanam"
We hugged again.

" That's what Melusi and Linda found out," mkhulu tells them. It is absolutely quiet like everyone is holding their breaths. You could cut the tension with the knife.
My mother bursts into tears next to my grandmother and she wails, heartbreaking sobs on my grandmother's lap.
" Ma, what's wrong? What's going on baba?" Melusi asks them.

My father's head shoots up and looks at my grandfather like what he just said is crazy. A cold shudder runs through me when I see the cold look on his face, a look I have never, ever seen.
" Where is the girl Emy?"
" uGwabini has her baba, I don't know where he is keeping her"
" Probably at the same place he's  keeping Andile" he says. I keep quiet.

" Who is Gabisile baba and what does she want with me?"
" Ma, please don't cry,"  Melusi says. My grandmother is soothing her back.
" Zola, sit down and tell the children what's going on. MakaEmihle, I know this is hard for you but please don't cry"
My grandfather begs my mother. The only time a woman can cry like this is when her man cheated or when she was being abused. I've cried like that a thousand times when I was married to Andile.

Did my father have an affair with that woman and if he did, how did she end up in jail?.

" Your father left and went to study in Joburg where he met your mother and asked for her hand in marriage after she graduated from the university and it was my first time meeting your mother and I knew she was the one for him. Your mother came to visit us on the farm after we had paid amalobo for her and she was introduced to the rest of the family including the people who worked at the farm.

Gabisile Thwala used to work for us here at the farm. Her whole family was working for us for many years. She was born here and we took her like a child of this family cause she grew up here with your father and uncles. She was like our child in a way because her parents used to live in a house that we built for them here at the farm.

She also went to school to study and so the holidays your mother came to spend with us was when she met uGabisile." My grandfather stops and takes a deep breath.

" We hit it off, Emy. We got to be friends and I thought I found another sister in her. When your father and uncle decided to start their own law firm and your father  resigned as a judge, he gave Gabisile a job and she worked for them. We got close, best friends. She was there when I got married and had your brother a year later.

I got pregnant again, with you and I was so happy. I got sick a lot while I was carrying you until I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and we were so happy. You were 6 months old and I was taking you to visit your grandparents so Gabisile offered to come with us cause she also wanted to see her parents. Your brother was with my parents that time because he was close to my mother.

We arrived home safe then later we went to sleep. It was in the middle of the night when I was sleeping and I thought it was weird that I haven't heard you cry.m but then I thought that maybe your grandmother took you to sleep with them and I was tired. I slept the whole night…." She cries.

" Your mother's loud cry is what woke us up in the morning. I had thought that maybe you fell and she was scared so when I got to her she asked me if I had taken you with me and I said no. She lost it. We searched for you in the while house and you were nowhere to be found." Gogo says.

I feel my whole body shudder then my skin pebbles.
" We searched for you everywhere and you were nowhere to be found. We turned the whole farm upside down then we realised that Gabisile took you. We thought maybe she took a walk with you and will be back because it wasn't the first time she had been left with you but when the sunset came and and she was still not back, we knew she had taken you, kidnapped you at night next to your mother while you were sleeping"

Oh my God, I am so shocked. Gabisile is my kidnapper?. She stole me when I was 6 months old? My mother is silently weeping and they look like they are reliving that moment all over again.
" How did you find me gogo?"
My father stands up and sits next to me. He takes my hands to his.

" When we got the call that you were kidnapped, Emihle, I thought that maybe it was a mistake, that she just took you and you will be at night but she didn't bring you back. When my brothers and I arrived, we looked everywhere for you and we couldn't find you the whole night."

" But you found me baba because I'm here now, with all of you." 
Tears streamed down his face " We did ntombi but it was very hard. We didn't find you until you were 2 years old, Emihle. Gabisile kidnapped you until you were 2 years old while she was  pretending to be your mother." My mother wails so loud, breaking my heart.