Happily Ever After?

(7)

Narrator 

"Ntsikayomuzi I wonder what it is that's making you zoom in and out of our conversation keh sana." Yandisokuhle looked at her brother knowingly. Ntsika tsks and shook his head, returning to the conversation he was having with Yandisokuhle. "It hasn't even been a day bhuti. Just call her and ask her out because it's clear, you have some kind of feelings for her." Ntsika let out a sigh. "Maybe you're right. But, I will call her when we are done bonding." Yandisokuhle shook her head and let out a laugh. 

"We are done 'bonding'. You're not even focused on what I'm saying bhuti. Bye." Yandisokuhle left Ntsika in the living room. He sat by himself and let his thoughts wander for a couple of hours. "You're still here?" Yandi shook him awake when she found him fast asleep on the couch. "Shucks! What time is it?" Yandi shook her head laughing and placed Melokuhle on her brother's lap. "Bond with your niece while I make some food." At two years of age, Melokuhle had already decided what she loved and what she hated, food wise. 

She was obsessed with chicken nuggets and noodles so that's what Yandisokuhle was going to prepare, and like any mother, she wanted her baby to eat veggies, so she made sure to blend them in with the chicken nuggets before cooking them. "Lume, ah luv yu." Ntsika smilled and kissed Melo's forehead. "I love you too Nugget." The giggling baby made him smile. "When are Sandile and Simz coming back?" Yandi asked from the doorway. "I will have to ask them that." She nodded and went back to the kitchen to continue cooking. 

About an hour later, the main door opened, and the hallway was filled with loud chatter. The rest of the Mthethwa clan had arrived. "Hello my little love!" Simz picked Melo up from Ntsika's lap and began kissing her face. "Nuuuu Numeee. (No Malume)" Sandile just smiled at Melo, pat her back and then went upstairs. 

You'd think he'd be used to his niece by now, but he still wasn't. Simphiwe, with Melokuhle on  his hip, walked to the kitchen to kiss his only baby sister's forehead. "What are you making Marshmallow?" Yandi allowed her body to rest on her brother's side. "I am making pizza and chicken nuggets for the princess." Simphiwe kissed her forehead again before sighing. "You do know that we have people who can easily cook for us, right?" Yandisokuhle pulled her weight onto her feet and continued placing the toppings on the dough. 

"I know bhuti, bhut I want to cook." He hummed and stepped back, giving her the space to continue cooking. "Well, I have a date so don't wait up for me." Yandisokuhle turned to watch her brother's retreating form. "I hope it's with Sis'Cebo!" She shouted behind Simphiwe. Things were still icy between her and Sandile, so she gave him his space. She didn't allow herself to dwell on it much because it only resulted in her being sad. The notification on her phone brought her back to the current moment so she picked her phone up with flour on her hand. 

Irritation filled her body as she read the text. "I don't have time for this shit!" She was angry at how he still managed to infuriate her. When he said he couldn't be a father and walked out on both her and their new born, she didn't cry or beg him to stay. She let him leave because she had accepted that he would never be able to live up to his fatherly duties. 

"Hey sis, come see this!" Ntsika screamed from the other side of the house, as to how and when he got there, she didn't bother herself to know. With Ntando now on her mind, she was half listening to what Ntsika had to say. "Yandisokuhle you're not even listening to me. It's fine, I'll handle it." She nodded and left. There was nothing for her to say because she honestly hadn't been paying attention. 

She went back to the kitchen to finish cooking and soon plated the food. Ntsika, during that time, had been entertaining his niece. "Lume, uAndi uphi? (Uncle, where is Andi? [Sandile])" Ntsika picked Melokuhle up and walked down the hallway to Sandile's room. Melokuhle loved Sandile more than she did any of her other uncles. "Do you want to knock?" Melokuhle nodded enthusiastically. With her small hand forming a fist, she gently knocked on the door.