When You're Bound To Love

Chapter 51

In the afternoon, after I'd cleaned the whole house. I was in the kitchen cooking Umphokoqo (Dry Maize and milk). I was craving it for some reason and I hadn't had it in a very long time. I had my earphones on while cooking. I tasted the fluffy maize meal. It was perfect. I turned around to take out a bowl, almost having a heart attack when I saw Sandile standing by the door. I took a deep breath and took out my bowl without saying a word. Sands: "So you're just gonna ignore me now?" the song I was listening to had just ended and that's the only way I could hear him. Me: "As you can see I'm wearing earphones Sandile. I'm not superman." Lakhe walked in. Lakhe: "Babe?" I ran to him and hugged him tight. Lakhe: "You missed me? I was worried when Dumi said you're not well. Couldn't get me out soon enough." Me: "I'm okay. How are you?" Lakhe: "I'm fine. I just need a shower and food. Haven't slept or eaten in two full days." Me: "What do you want to eat?" Lakhe: "Exactly what you made. Please dish for me baby, you'll find me in the bath." he kissed my lips and walked out. I took out the second bowl dishing up and put everything on a tray for the two of us. Sands: "Spho." Me: "Can you please just stay away from me from now on? Please." Sands: "We live in the same house, how will that work?" Me: "Then I guess its time for you to leave." I took the tray to the bedroom. Lakhe was in the bath. Lakhe: "Baby is that you?" Me: "Yeah." Lakhe: "God, the conditions in that place are repulsive." I mixed amasi and milk for him. Lakhe: "Hun?" Me: "I'm here." Lakhe: "Is everything okay? You believe I didn't do it right?" Me: "I know you didn't do it Lakhe. I trust and believe in you." Lakhe: "Okay. Come here, with my food please. I'm dying of hunger." I took his bowl to him. Lakhe: "Aren't you gonna keep me company? You don't look good? Are you still sick?" Me: "Yeah, I'll be fine. I need to get sugar." Lakhe: "Sugar for what?" Me: "My food. It tastes better with sugar." Lakhe: "I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. Sugar baby?" Me: "I crave all kinds of disgusting things, things that make you throw up in your mouth, just an hour ago, I had a peanut butter and gherkin sandwich. So the last thing I need, is for you to judge me. You made me like this..." I walked out. Dumi: "Spho? Please dish for me." I took out a bowl and dished for him. Dumi: "Thank you, are you okay?" Me: "I'm fine. I just need some fresh air. I'm suffocating." I walked outside the house. Sandile was standing at the far end of the yard. Next to the garden. He stared at me like a hawk. The gate buzzed. I went to answer. My father in law. I opened the gate and went back to the bedroom to tell Lakhe his daddy was here. Me: "Lakhe.." he was already out the bath. Lakhe: "Something is obviously wrong. I sense that you're probably untrusting of me and you want nothing to do with me because I spent a few nights in jail. Baby, I didn't kill Dez. I didn't do it, I swear." Me: "I know you didn't. You're not that kind of person." Lakhe: "Then why are you mad at me?" Me: "I'm not mad at you." Lakhe: "Why do I feel a vibe?" Me: "Your dad just arrived." Lakhe: "This is not about my dad. Is this another one of those pregnancy moods?" I gasped. Me: "So you think its a hobby for me to switch it on and off? Good God, Masilakhe!" I opened the door and walked out. Rob: "Hello everyone and my grandbaby. How are you Spho?" Me: "We're well tata. Can I get you juice?" Rob: "No, I'm fine. How's the baby?" for the second time. Really?? Me: "The baby is doing well. So far. How's things?" Rob: "Things are fine. I finally managed to file for divorce. I'm officially single and I have a date tonight." Me: "So quick?" Rob: "I've been waiting all my life. I'm so excited. I want you to help me." Me: "With what tata?" Rob: "I haven't been on a date in decades. I'm not sure what's the in thing." Me: "Tata there is no in thing. You just need to be yourself." Rob: "Honey, you're the only woman that finds me interesting. I need tips! Come, sit with me." So we're really doing this. I sat down with him. Me: "First tip, always compliment her about how she looks. Whether its her hair, her dress or her face. No intimate talk on the first date, you have to be a gentleman." Rob: "Okay, so I tell her she looks beautiful. Noted." Me: "Ask her how she is doing, what she has been doing all day, be interested in hearing what she has done. Find something in her day to pick a topic on. Let's practice. You walk in." he stood up and pretended to walk in. Rob: "Hey there..." Me: "No." he went back again and tried. Rob: "Good evening miss." Me: "Molo bhuti." Rob: "How are you?" Me: "No." Rob: "What's wrong?" Me: "Looks before feelings." Rob: "Oh!! You look beautiful, I love your hair." Me: "Try again. Rob: "You look stunning. How are you?" Me: "Thank you so much. I'm fine how are you?" Rob: "I'm well. So, what have you been up to all day?" Me: "Oh nothing much, took the kids to school and came back to iron my laundry from yesterday. Then Queenie from next door asked me to help her hang her curtains, which I did. I went to the salon to have my hair done afterwards so here I am." Rob: "And the hair suits you well. You're gorgeous." Lakhe: "Excuse me? You couldn't even wait for me to die tata?" Rob: "Dying is a bit strong don't you think?" Lakhe: "Why tata are you hitting on my wife?" Sands: "He did what?!!!!" Rob: "As loud as these two are, they sure as hell move like cats." Lakhe: "Don't change the subject!" Me: "He wasn't hitting on me." Lakhe: "I know what I heard." Rob: "Its not what you think. We were rehearsing. I didn't wanna tell you, I'm going on a date and I don't want to discuss it with you." Sands: "And me? Why? I'm your favorite." Rob: "You are, son, but this time I just don't want the both of you involved, Spho knows how to make me cool." Lakhe: "I'm not sure what part of that confession hurts the most. Thanks dad." Sands: "But she's a woman." Rob: "That is the key reason why I chose her, now scooch. Go." Lakhe: "Spho hasn't eaten. So... Unfortunately I can't scooch until she does. Here baby." Me: "What did you put in this." Lakhe: "Love and forgiveness. I'm sorry I was insensitive earlier." Me: "It still doesn't have sugar." Lakhe: "Sandile, sugar." Sands: "Hm?" Lakhe: "Please get me sugar?" Sands: "oh I thought you were calling me." he went to the kitchen. Lakhe: "So.... he's your favorite." Rob: "You're all my favorites Masilakhe, come on. You know Sandile is unstable. Drop it." he whispered. Dumi came in. Dumi: "So this was nice. Molo tata." Rob: "Where is mine?" Me: "Nobody has ever said in this house has ever asked for this meal tata. I cooked it for my baby." Lakhe: "And husband." I looked at him. Lakhe: "Baby I'm sorry." Me: "Please stop apologizing." Sands: "Sugar for my sugar." he gave me the sugar bowl. I still don't agree with what he did. I thanked him and started eating my food while they talked about Rob's date. I received a message on my phone I read it. Lakhe: "please meet me in the bedroom." I looked around, when did he go? I went to the bedroom. Lakhe: "I can't take this anymore. What is wrong Spho and please don't say nothing. If I disgust you, I'll understand. Just please tell me. I promise I won't get mad." Me: "Its not you." Lakhe: "Okay. Okay.. Then what is it? Is it Peanut? Is she making you uncomfortable?" Me: "No." Lakhe: "is it my dad?" Me: "No." Lakhe: "Should I go through the whole register now?" Me: "Its me." Lakhe: "Why are you mad at you?" Me: "I'm not mad at me." Lakhe: "Now I'm confused. What's happening mntu wam? Please let me in." Me: "I found out last night that Sibu is my brother." Lakhe: "Which Sibu. Our Sibu?" Me: "Yeah." Lakhe: "How?" Me: "I offered to go drop him off at his mom's last night and I did. The woman that opened the door for him is the woman who brought me into this world." Lakhe: "Are you serious? Did you get to talk to her?" Me: "I have nothing to say to her. I left. I ended up in my old driveway. My old house." he kept quiet and stared at me. Me: "Simphiwe came outside and we spoke for a while." Lakhe: "What could you possibly speak about." Me: "Well, for one, my past. I told him what happened. He understood and tried to calm me down. He then apologized for how he treated me." Lakhe: "Of course he did." Me: "He told me to tell you Congratulations on marrying me, the best man won." Lakhe: "Indeed he did." Me: "Then....something happened." he breathed slowly, putting his hands in his pockets. Lakhe: "What is something." Me: "He started acting weird. Almost scared. Rushed me out the house into my car. Then all of a sudden got in telling me to drive away. I did. In the car he told me that a few months ago he went away with Noma, leaving a key for the gardener. When they came back a few days later, they found all the grass in the back yard removed, there was only soil. The gardener can't be found anywhere. Ever since then he's been hearing things at night, grunts and noises like there's someone in the yard. In the morning he sees footsteps. When he looks out at night, he sees nothing. He decided to stop living there." Lakhe: "This is a whole load of bullshit. You know that right? All this is a way of trying to get into your head and bring you closer to him. Do you really think this is true? Its crazy!" Me: "I told Sandile this story." Lakhe: "And let me guess, he says its stupid too." Me: "actually no. He says, it serves him right." Lakhe: "And it probably does." Me: "I said maybe the gardener was killed and buried in the yard. Perhaps by mistake or someone covering it up." Lakhe sighed. Lakhe: "There's no such thing Spho." Me: "Sandile said. Its not the gardener that was buried there." Lakhe: "See??" Me: "You're not understanding this sentence Masilakhe." Lakhe: "I understand it perfectly." Me: "Masilakhe. Sandile buried my father in that yard, didn't he." Lakhe: "Pardon?" Me: "The dead body I found in the lounge months ago. Sandile buried it there. He knew what he was doing, getting rid of it and making it Simphiwe's problem because he hurt me." Lakhe: "Is that such a bad thing?" Me: "Masilakhe. A dead body. How is it a good thing to put a dead fucking body in my ex's back yard!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW!!!!!!!!" I screamed. Lakhe: "Sphosenkosi, I'm gonna need you to calm-" Me: "I'm not gonna fucking calm down!!!!! How is it a good thing!!! Tell me!!!! I let go of him months ago!!! Why couldn't you just let it the fuck go!!! Instead you had to fucking torment him!!! WHY!!!!!!!" Rob: "What the hell is happening!!" he rushed in. Lakhe: "I have no idea tata. She just started screami-" Me: "You know!!!! You and your brother did this. And you know! You made me go to a cemetery at night to dig a grave for money! Who the Hell does that!!!!! Why !!!!! I can't even look at you right now!" I almost ran out of oxygen. Lakhe: "Spho." Me: "Don't." Sands: "What's happening." Lakhe: "Get out." Sands: "bu-" Lakhe: "Get the fuck out!!!! Both of you! GOOOO!!!!!!!!" I packed a bag. Lakhe: "Baby, please listen-" Me: "I don't want to hear a word, Masilakhe." Lakhe: "You can't just leave me like this. Spho, I didn't know what Sandile did. I swear." Me: "ecause I'm the idiot in this family." Lakhe: "You're not. Please don't go. Spho please." Me: "Why. Why would you put money in a grave and introduce me to it? Why me? Why couldn't you do this with your brother!" Lakhe: "Because I didn't think it through. What if Sandile got in trouble with me? Then who would kn-" Me: "Don't you fucking give me that! Masilakhe, something vile is hanging on you. I don't know what the fuck it is, but the minute I figure it out. I am not staying a second longer. And I swear solely on my dead father's fake grave." I zipped closed the bag. Lakhe: "baby where are you goin-" Me: "I'm not going any damn where. You Are. Here. Get out!" Lakhe: "You're throwing me out of my house?" Me: "s that the attitude you want to keep?" he took the suitcase and walked out. Sands: "And now? Where you off to?" Lakhe: "She kicked me out." Sands: "I'm probably next. I already got my first warning." Rob: "Hahaha... Exciting times. I've heard pregnancy makes them go coocoo. That's why I took the easier road with you two." Lakhe: "You may want to lower your voice before you join me at the hotel." Rob: "So you're leaving?" Dumi: "I used to sleep in the spare room. For about 3 months before Zimi was born." Lakhe: "She said I disgust her. You heard her scream at me like a........crazy person. I'm not going to wait for her to stab me in my sleep. Sandile can we talk outside." Rob: "If you leave, its gonna be another fight. Trust me. Just stay in the spare room, keep out of her- ." Me: "Didn't I tell you to leave?" I walked into the lounge. Rob: "Yeah. You should go. I can't believe what you've done." Sands: "Geez Lakhe. How could you?" Lakhe: "Sandile. A word." he walked out.