Dear Deceit: A Short Story by Sihle Kheswa

Chapter III: The New Beginning

We left the yard hastily, with Jongikhaya driving recklessly along the poorly lit dirt road. The air was filled with a sense of disarray, giving the impression that even uMakhulu, in her eternal rest, must have been disturbed. As we left our family home, it felt like everything around me slowed down, every moment ingrained in my memory forever. The house shrank in the side mirror until it was just a blurry image of streetlights disappearing in the distance. This departure from our familiar surroundings felt like a betrayal of the teachings and values that uMakhulu had instilled in us, carrying a heavy weight of sin.

My brother was very determined in his decisions, which didn't leave much room for deviation. I felt devastated, but at the same time, a glimmer of hope whispered that we could still salvage the situation. The foundation of our existence lies in the teachings, values, and love that bind our family together. The conflict with uMalume Charles felt like a betrayal of those principles. I pleaded with tears streaming down my cheeks."Our family is all we had. He probably didn't mean the words, Bhuti. We were wrong. This doesn't feel right. Can we please go back and mend this mess?"

Jongikhaya, who had been silent until that moment, began to slow down the car and prepared to stop on the dark road. His response was veiled in the weight of the unspoken. As the car came to a complete halt, a rush of anxiety surged through my entire body. I had no idea what was going through his mind, and the silence in the car only added to my unease. Jongikhaya took his hands off the steering wheel, turned around, and stared blankly at me. All I could see was darkness in his eyes. Although Jongikhaya's demeanour was calm, his voice was very commanding."Listen here, you crybaby. This is the last time I will ever let you speak to me like that ever again. The next time you dare raise your voice at me or challenge my authority, we will have a serious problem and trust me, little brother, you do not want to see the ugly side of me."

I nod my head reluctantly, admitting defeat. The car engine starts humming as he drives us back on the road. Jongikhaya and I sit in silence, with a massive gap of unspoken words between us, ever since he stopped the car to reprimand me. We may be grappling with the weight of recent events in our silent ways, lost in contemplation of what has transpired. Somewhere on the way to the city, I feel exhausted and fall asleep in the passenger seat. The day has taken a toll on me, and I badly need some rest.

I wake up to the sound of muffled voices and soft music playing on the radio. I rub my eyes and realize that we've stopped at a petrol station, but Jongikhaya is not in the car with me. I start to worry until I see him walking over to the passenger side where I'm seated. He hands me a container of fast food through the window and says, "We're only 10 minutes away from my place. Eat something and get your energy up, my boy." He is smiling as he says this, and I feel relieved that we're almost there. His mood has significantly lightened up since our last 'conversation'. I cannot wait to learn how to drive, if I could drive, Jongikhaya and I would take turns driving.

We continue to drive for a short while until I can hear the sound of police sirens and loud dance music. The streets are abuzz with entertainment, you would not think that it is almost midnight. "Bhuti is it always this noisy at this time of night? How do you even sleep at night?" I curiously ask Jongikhaya. He looks back at me & bursts out in laughter. "Do not worry little brother, you will get used to it soon." It all looks exciting but scary at the same time, I nervously clutch onto the seatbelt and lean back.

We arrive at our destination, and my brother Jongikhaya welcomes me to Grahamstown Central. After parking the car, we start unloading our bags and walking towards the front door of his unit. Suddenly, a neighbour approaches us. She is a beautiful petite woman with long hair, and her stiletto heels make a slightly hollow clicking sound on the ground with an echo that reverberates around the parking lot. She recognizes my brother instantly and exclaims, "Hey Jay! Oh my goodness, you're back sooner than I expected, and who's this tall glass of cold water you're with?" I extend my arm for a handshake, and she jokingly asks if I'm single and in need of a sugar mommy. I blush and don't know how to respond.