[LARONA]
‘Knock knock’ that’s definitely Kuli’s voice. We yell for her to come in because between the kids screaming around the house and the music, she might not hear us. I can’t see her because I’m sitting on the make-up chair, facing the other direction. If I move I might get gloss on my cheek.
‘Are you done?’ she asks. She’s already dressed and looking like money.
‘Almost’ Gao, the make-up artist answers on my behalf. ‘There’ she says, seemingly proud of her work.
‘You look stunning!’ Kuli compliments. I receive with a smile and she asks Gao to excuse us for a minute. After my MUA leaves, Kuli sits on the bed next to me.
‘How are you feeling?’
I sigh.
‘I don’t know. A lot has happened in such a short space of time. I actually do not know whether I’m numb or overstimulated’
‘That’s to be expected. Listen…’ she looks at the open door and goes to close it.
‘I’m not sure what’s going on or what’s in the air but please make sure that this room remains locked for as long as you’re outside. This is your change room, right?’
I nod. I’m getting worried now.
‘Don’t look so tense. Enjoy your wedding day but don’t sleep. Lock the room and give the key to someone you trust. With the food as well, I’m assuming you already have someone assigned who is going to be dishing up for the both of you?’
‘Yeah, it’s my cousin, Tlholo’
‘How old is she?’
‘She’s twenty two’
‘Please be careful, Lala’
I get off from the chair so I can hug her. Kuli has this… motherly aura about her. Her presence has a way of saying everything going wrong is going to be alright. I don’t know if it’s from seeing how she takes care of the kids or it simply emanates from the inside. I can’t quite explain it.
I think we both got lost in that hug. We only break it when my dressmaker walks in and greets us happily.
‘Okay, let me love and leave you. AK must be driving Mhan Singi’ crazy outside’
‘Asking her about everything and everyone he sees’ I say and we laugh. AK is too curious for his age. If he sees something he doesn’t understand, he’s going to ask about it. I took him to the mall two weeks back and when he saw a lady in a blue wig, he immediately asked “What kind of hair is that?” with an unimpressed tone. Like he wondered why someone would walk around looking like that unprovoked.
The lady heard him and luckily found it humorous. I swear, one day, we’ll get beaten in public because of his filter-free mouth.
The dress gets fitted on and I fail to believe how much of a dream I look. I did not want a white one because that colour is too bland for me. I asked for a modern Tswana wedding dress and B Mashilo did not disappoint!
The song playing outside changes midway to ‘My baby’ and I just know. Oh my God…
The people’s crush is here. The taxi Lord. Motho wadi Swiss cologne.
I look out the window and see the convoy of quantums in the street. Mara malome! I just knew gore ke ena because I’m convinced he thinks Brenda Fassie was his soul mate since they’re even peers. He loves her music the same way he loves Patti LaBelle’s.
I see him dancing his way through the gate with his friends and everyone seems entertained. Go lla Florsheim and scotched pants.
Bathong, these old men are seriously getting down. He leaves them there and walks towards the direction of the house.
‘Go nyalwa daughter van my vandag! My daughter is getting married today. Asseblief, mpheng ngwanake! Give me my child!’ I hear him walking in. ‘Larona? Nnana??? Where are you?’
I face-palm and laugh. I’m so defeated, I’m even lazy to speak.
‘She’s still getting dressed, Sam. Wait on the couch’ I hear someone say.
‘LARONA??’
Let me just go see him. Everyone in the house is in awe of my dress when I step out. I still need to change my shoes because I’m still in slippers.
‘Ahh bona fela! Look at all this beauty?? These are all your maternal genes. These other ones mustn’t claim this face!’ He says and puts his arm around my shoulders.
‘And these curves! This is all us’ My aunt supports and laughs out loud. She’s nicely tipsy.
We walk to the end of the corridor.
‘It hurts my heart to see how much you’ve grown. You’re no longer nnana ya malome, hey?’
He mustn’t start because he’s going to make me cry.
‘Do you remember our report culture?’
‘I do’ I start reminiscing. He used to always give me R100 whenever I showed him my progress report.
‘Here…’ he says and gives me a R200 note. I laugh and receive it.
‘Thank you mamone’ I say and he laughs, apparently I couldn’t pronounce malome when I was still a child.
‘I love you, my child. Your proper gift is at home. I didn’t want to bring it here because you know how some people are. I’ll have it delivered to your place there in Mpumalanga, maybe on Wednesday’
‘What is it?’ I’m very curious right now. He imitates the motion of driving with a fist and I almost scream.
‘Don’t jumpisa. I saw your WhatsApp status at the beginning of the year and I decided you should have it’
‘You got me a Cooper?’ now I’m emotional!
‘We are the village that’s willing to pick up where my sister left off, even if you’re a married woman now. Okay let me leave before you blame me for your messy face. Love you, bye!’
He tries to dash off but I manage to get a hold of his arm.
‘Wait! I want you to be the one taking me out of the house’
He frowns. One lady I don’t know greets him and tells me I look like a movie star.
‘Ao, swidat. How are you?’ my uncle returns the courtesy.
‘I’m okay thanks. I remember your face but I don’t quite remember your name wa itsi’ the lady says.
‘Mara Sally. It’s Sam hao’
Rex Rabanye’s O Nketsang starts playing outside.
‘Oh yeah. Kana ke Sam as in Samuel? Or Samson? High school was a long time ago bathong. I’m so happy to see you’ she goes in for a hug.
‘What if I say ke Samanyobinyobi? Kidding, it’s Samson’
She laughs and pulls a bored face. I’m embarrassed on her behalf.
‘Mciim, you’ll never grow wena. Bye bye!’ She leaves before he says even crazier things. He then remembers what I had asked of him.
‘Mara nnana. How when your father is still alive?’
‘I know he is but I still want you to be the man for the job’
It takes him a minute to consider, then he agrees. ‘Anything for you. You know’
‘The groom and his men have arrived’ my stepmother comes to report. I nod and go put on my shoes. She screams for Kago, Andy, Tsholo and Rori to come out. I lock my room and give the key to my grandmother. She’s not even surprised by this act. She takes it and ties it to her waist in the cloth she uses as a pocket for money.
The DJ is notified that I’m ready and he starts playing Mmatswale by Malaika. My dad seems disappointed that I ‘demoted’ him but at this moment, I don’t care. He’ll have this moment with his other daughters, those he always chooses over me aker I’m the child of the unloved wife. My bridesmaids go before me so I can come out last. Kurhula is in a white jacket while his brothers and friends are in black. The ululations go crazy as we dance to go meet them and this makes me nervous. There are many people here, I hope I don’t mess up.
While I’m still thinking of that, the step does get messed up by Kago and Mac. They’re fighting over which direction who was supposed to take at what moment. The perfectionist in Kago is furious right now. Mac’s countenance spells unbothered.
‘I don’t have the words to describe how beautiful you look right now’ Kurhula whispers to me and I smile. The last time I spoke to him was last night when I called him crying because my feelings were all over the place, but he managed to calm me down.
‘Okay, okay. Let’s start over’ Fikani contains the situation and we do that, then things start going according to plan. I spot my mom’s best friend and I wave. She waves back and blows me a kiss. When people catch on with the dance routine, they join us as we go out of the yard. It isn’t that intricate because I did not want to be sweating like an athlete here. Kuli is part of that squad and her partner is Aunty Lydia. Things are going well so far and I’m elated. I actually feel like my heart is going to burst because I’m overwhelmed.
