Easier

pin drop

I drive to my house to change into a red dress that has white and navy flowers with white wedged heels. I drive to Lerumo's house because he is driving me to his church. I find Him putting Lesedi into her seat. He pecks my lips and gives me a hug. "You look beautiful, cherry yam." Lerumo.
"in this old thing?" I twirl around.
"If that is old then I need to buy you more. Did you take a jacket?" Lerumo.
"No, your mother will borrow me one if there's a need. Come we will be late." I get into the passenger seat and Lerumo drives us to his parents house.
"You look so beautiful." Lungi greets soon as I step outside of the car, she is wearing a peach lace dress.
"You are also beautiful, where is everyone?"
"I am going to the car wash cherry yam, I will see you later." Lerumo gives me a kiss then he drives out with Lesedi and Lungi's daughter
Lungi and I walk inside the dining room and the table has been extended from a 6 sitter to a 12 sitter. There's a white tablecloth and the chairs are all dressed in black and white seat covers, white roses are the centre piece, the cutlery is silver, the plates are white while the glasses and under plates are black with black and white candles on each plate set, there's a glass water jug infused with fruits and juice cans in a in ice buckets on the left.
" Good evening mama, this looks beautiful." I greet Lerumo's mother, and she introduces me to the ladies she is with.
"Hello, my love, come meet your other sister's. This is Dimpho married to my oldest son. Next to her is Didintle married to Lewatle you have meet him right Lerumo's twin brother?" She asks.
"Lerumo's what mama?" I ask frowning.
"His twin brother, the father of the twins? You will meet him soon. You know Lungi she is the 2nd born by marriage, then you and Didi. You also met the baby of the family right." Mrs Mags.
The rest of the introductions, I don't hear. Lerumo has a twin brother and he never told me. I know he has a lot of siblings hence the 8 grandchildren. But a whole twin? The brothers join us with their father. They ask me to start a song before we pray.
"healing power comes from the blood; it will never fail. Saving power comes from the lamb, it flows eternally." X2.
"Thank you, father, for your grace, we invite you as we start our evening, we ask that you please fill our hearts as you know what each one of us needs. Bless and fill us with your love. Amen." Mr Mags.
"Thank you, all for coming, I called you out to formally introduce Refilwe to all of you before the wedding." Mrs Mags.
"Hmm, the crazy getting married again. Hmm." The brother sitting next to their parents.
"Let's hope this one can keep her hands to herself." Dimpho.
"Your husband must keep his pants closed." Thapelo, Lungi's husband harshly says. Lerumo leaves the table, his mother and I follow him. He is outside pacing on the patio. I sit on the corner and watch him; his mother tries to give him a hug but he moves away.
"I am sorry, they promised me to behave." Mrs Mags.
"This is why I don't attend these dinners of yours." Lerumo. His mother walks into the house disappointed. Lerumo joins me on the corner, I give him a hug and kiss his cheek.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes, let's go inside." He takes my hand, and we walk into the dinning room, all eyes are on us, he opens my chair then he sits.
"I am sorry about that. Lewatle please stop provoking me because you will not like it when I retaliate. Dimpho it was not my fault your Nkanyiso felt the need to eat where I eat, please don't fight your battles on my expense." Lerumo spits.
"Or what? you are going to cry?" Nkanyiso and Lewatle laugh.
"Refilwe has been nice to all of you and wena Lewatle the only reason you could drive here is because of Refilwe so please respect her and from next week find a way to get to work because I am not bailing you out maybe your sidekick will assist." Lerumo.
"Bail you out from what?" Didintle asks.
"Can we eat." Nkanyiso says flexing his jaws.
"Bail you out from Lewatle? Answer me." Didintle barks.
"We will talk at home." Lewatle.
"No, tell me now." Didintle.
"Please go to the bedroom to talk." Mrs Mags.
"I am leaving." Didintle.
"See what you have done wena mental case." Nkanyiso.
"At least my wife doesn't sleep crying because I am out playing house with my Pa and son." Lerumo.
"Mjita let's take a walk." I stand up and take his hand. His parents have left the table, Lungi is drinking wine like nothing is happening. I see it now the division between the brothers. I thought my sisters had drama, we go to the car and Lesedi runs into Lerumo's arms. He smiles, his face relaxes as he gets into the backseat with her. 15 minutes later we walk back into the house, Lesedi is sleeping. We put her in the bedroom and join his family. It is tense.
"Refilwe, I would like to apologize for the dinner being ruined. I am to blame for my children fighting, I had Nkanyiso when I was still in high school and his family didn't want me because I was poor, I passed my matric and studied medicine in my first year, I met Thapelo's mother, and in my 4th year I met Lewatle's mother who was studying social work." Mr Mags clears his throat.
"She started seeing a dentist and dumped me, I moved on and met your mother, I cheated on her because she was a church girl and I was stupid, unfortunately she found out the Morning after she gave me her purity and she dumped me and fortunately she was pregnant. I charmed her and I worked extra hard to win her back. I took care of the baby after he was born.
"With my bursary money and got married after my community service. I paid maintenance for the boys, when Nkanyiso turned 14 his mother passed away and his aunt brought him to us, he didn't like Lerumo because he felt cheated. Mama convinced the other mother's to allow the boys to visit and they did every holiday. Mama loved them like her own but Nkanyiso started misbehaving.
"I sent him back to his mother's family after he stole my money and blamed Lerumo, Lewatle backed his story up. I had already done the damage by beating Lerumo up with a cable, the look Lerumo gave me , I will regret for the rest of my life. They felt intitled and I thought it was a sibling rivalry that would end. I should have stopped it, Nkanyiso impregnated Lerumo's wife and we only found out after the baby was born and she died."
"He wanted revenge for not growing up with me, Lewatle and Nkanyiso got more than any of my children, Nkanyiso got money to start his business, Lewatle registered for school which he didn't complete and got money for a car wash which he gambled, I gave him more money because mama said the kids needed it. Lerumo stayed far away from us, he worked for the Vilakazi's in exchange to pay for his studies." He drinks water.

Lerato, Lesedi le Kganya.