FORCED TO MARRY AND I CHOSE YOU

18

"Uthini kahle kahle Nomzamo,uthi ngoba size ngawe lana awufuni ukusebenza wena? Uzohlala nje ungayenzi lutho?" My aunt shouts at the top of her lungs to grab everyone's attention. Now all eyes are on us, including those of my mother's. She can't be serious,I have been working

"Angazi imphela ukuthi uchaza ukuthini aunty. I can't do everything at once and by myself" I defend myself then look around me,when I don't see the person that im looking for,I look at my aunt in front of me and ask. "Kahle kahle uphi uZinhle? Why isn't she helping..." I am about to go on but my mom stops me.

"Zama just do as you are told" she interjects with a stern tone. Yhooo its in situations like these that I despise my mom. Like why isn't she defending me? Why is she so scared of her in-laws?

Okay lemme explain what's happening here,I'm at home,eZola. Its three days before my lobola negotiations. Obviously we have guests who chose to come days before to help with the preparations.  And RN those guests are my least favourite aunt and her annoying daughter who's 2year younger than me. Ubab'Zondi finally responded to the letter and accepted their request after a week. So here we are...getting married in 3 days well traditionally that is.

Now we are in the kitchen,and u-aunty is acting up because I haven't done what she asked me to do 5mins ago. I have been running around like a headless chicken while she chills where's Zinhle even? "Kodwa mah I'm still busy doing other things" I whine and my mom casts her eyes to the floor in defeat and shakes her head.

When I see Mbuso,my little cousin running inside the house I ask "Mbuso have you seen Zinhle?" "Yah she's outside" he answers as he halts. "Doing what?" My mother asks. "She's just sitting busy with her phone" he says ohh really now!? "Ohh so she gets to chill while I slave around? Emzini ka baba?" I ask in a mocking tone.

"Nomzamo its not a competition mntanani,hambo yenza lokho u-aunty athe ukwenze" shame on my birth giver! She allows her in-laws to tramp all over her. Its a good thing that my dad knows how to defend her against his family otherwise... I immediately walk out of the house,I'm going to take a long walk around my neighbourhood. I don't have time for kak!

Ngeke ngisebenze ngedwa mina. One way or another Zinhle will have to get off that bloody self phone of her's and work like the rest of us. "Uyaphi?" I hear her voice question me from behind as I'm about to open the gate. "I'm going to buy live chickens,wanna come with?" I lie knowing very well that she's scared of chickens.

"No! I will go help around endlini" she says and ohh if only you could see my smile. That No! came out so fast. For the next 30mins I will be walking around aimlessly as they do majority of the work.

"Hau Zama I had since asked you to offer Zinhle a job til now you haven't done that" again wu aunty sipping on tea and eating scones. Now she's ranting on about me refusing to offer her child a job. I look to my mom who's sitting next to me but she ignores my gaze. "Why can't she apply for a job at other companies?" I ask but I know the answer already. "But child you know that she doesn't have matric" now its my turn to laugh,I crack up until I'm in tears.

They are all giving me funny looks. "So kahle kahle wena aunty uthi my business is deserving of hiring under qualified people?" I ask her in a calm tone. "But she's your cousin" she argues. "Ohh so now I must promote nepotism?" With a shocked tone I ask her.

"Nomzamo uziyenza ncono ngoZinhle,if I remember correctly you also failed matric" I just look at her with a bored facial expression like bitch what are you trying to prove!?. "And im proud to say that I went back and rewrote,why can't she?" She fails to answer my question. After a moment she opens her mouth to speak but "I'm not going to hire Zinhle" with that said I stand up and go to my bedroom. Its not that I don't want to help my cousin,its just that she can't be helped.