When You're Bound To Love

Chapter 74

Saturday afternoon. After the police had taken down all the statements and verified alibis, the forensics took the mysterious box. We all sat in the lounge. Sandile brought the cognac bottle to me. Sands: "Now can they drink?" I just shrugged. I don't know why he was so obsessed with getting others drunk today. Hlumi was seated next to her husband and kept glancing at him. Me: "Would you like some chamomile tea?" she shook her head. Sands: "Cognac?" Hlumi: "No thanks Sandile." Lakhe: "So what now? You gonna live in a house that is someone's so called nest?" Babalo didn't respond. I was sure he didn't even know how to. Hlumi: "Maybe we'll just move in with our parents for now. I can't stomach the thought that someone was butchered in my house." Sibulele was oddly quiet. I wonder if Lakhe was right. He claims to have seen Komander but he's alive. Why? Plus he didn't even get to tell me how he "escaped". What if they striked a deal and now he's part of their clique? So we're living with a soldier of Satan now? Oh my God why did it have to be my brother? Sibu: "What's wrong?" he looked at me. I realized I'd been staring at him for too long. Me: "Nothing." I got up. Me: "I'm going to feed the ducks." This was just scary. What if Sibu killed Miriam and created a distraction by his screaming nightmares? My mind started reeling. Was it possible that he could've killed his own mother? I don't even know who to trust anymore let alone who to talk to. A person could go crazy. Is this why he didn't want me to tell Lakhe about his experience with Komander? I got the girls food from the kitchen and went to the garden. There was at least 30 guards around the yard. All armed and ready. I went about my business to the duck penthouse. I fed them quietly. Sands: "Everything okay?" he had followed me out the house. I looked at him and smiled. Me: "Of course." Sands: "You don't have to lie to me. We're family." Me: "I know." Sands: "I saw you staring at Sibulele as if he was a terrorist. Why?" I chuckled. Me: "You have a wild imagination. I was just thinking." Sands: "That he may be working for Komander?" Me: "You're a witch." he laughed. Sands: "Witchcraft? Me? No." he looked around then took a step closer to me. Sands: "You're not the only one that thought that by the way. The night of his nightmare. I fell asleep deeply, waking up feeling a bit dizzy during the night. I can almost assure you right now, he was never in bed." he whispered. I looked at him completely surprised. My heart stopped. How come he never said this before? Lakhe appeared. Sands: "So they're shooting the new season now, I can't wait for it to come out. Look at my arms? Tingles. Anyway, nice chatting. Bye." he rushed back to the house. Lakhe: "Gossiping again I see." Me: "How is talking about a series gossiping, baby?" Lakhe: "You two were whispering like mice before I got here. It must be really juicy." Me: "Hehe." Lakhe: "Baby, tell me." Me: "About Empire?" Lakhe: "You and I both know you weren't talking about Empire." I was scared to tell him actually. If I told him, I'd have to tell it all. Sibu's life was on the line. Whether or not he was working for Komander, I didn't want his blood on my hands.

A few hours went by. Tata Robert's phone rang. We were still in the lounge, just after a late lunch. Each of us were scared to do anything even if it meant going to our bedrooms. The only free people here were Lakhe and Sandile, they roamed around freely without thinking. Rob: "Robert speaking." he listened. Lakhe: "Maybe we should watch a movie to get our minds off this madness. There's a cinema in this house that's barely ever used." Sands: "I'll get the snacks." Rob hung up his call. Rob: "Not just yet." Stella: "Good grief, what is it now!" Rob: "That was the mortuary that I'd chosen to store Miriam's body. It has gone missing." Lakhe: "What has gone missing tata?" Rob: "Her dead body, Masilakhe." Lakhe: "You cannot be serious! Somebody had better come up with a fucking good explanation when I get there!!" he grabbed his keys, storming out. Sandile followed him. I looked at Dumisani. Me: "What was in the box?" Rob: "No Spho." Me: "Tata, I need to know." Rob: "What was in that box has nothing to do with Miriam." Me: "I'm not so sure tata." How does a dead body go missing? Nosi came to the lounge. Nosi: "What's going on?" I would so love her sleep schedule. I envy her so much. Stella: "Sweetheart, I think its best you sit this one out. This is adult business. Go back to your room." Nosi: "No mama. You're scaring me. Where are my brothers?" Sibu: "They're fine. Just running some errands. We're just having an important discussion right now okay? Everything will be fine. Go back to your room." he assured her. Strangely soothing. Nosi: "Alright then. I'm going back to my room." She went back to her room. I sat in my spot and did some calculations. Nothing came up in my head but something was so off. Something about following that instruction, that assuring calm voice. Lakhe and Sandile came back after almost an hour. Rob: "What happened?" Lakhe: "Indeed she's missing. There is no sign that she was ever there." Rob: "That's impossible. I was there!" Sands: "So was I." Rob: "What the hell does this mean!" Oh my God. Me: "This means Komander took her. Cut off the essential parts. Sent them as a package to Babalo's house because he knows they'll come straight here." Its not rocket science really. They all stared at me. Sibu: "Spho you can't think like that." Sibu: "That is our mother not some piece of meat. We must have hope." Me: "What hope Sibulele? You think Jesus himself came to fetch her? Hope is the last thing we have. Its painful but there's no avoiding it." Lakhe: "They said they'd contact us when they get hold of the guy that was in charge of locking up last night. We have to wait." Sands: "I'm not going to wait for that bullshit. I'm going to look for him myself if I have to." Sibu: "If you find him." he got up. Lakhe looked at his phone. Lakhe: "Let's go. Baby, we'll be back, lock these doors." he kissed my cheek and left. I had to do something about Babalo. He needed to sleep. I called Hlumi to the kitchen. Me: "I have a pill that can put him to sleep, he needs to close his eyes Hlumi." Hlumi: "I agree but he doesn't want to take a pill." Me: "I can crush it into his juice." Hlumi: "That's a good idea. Please do it Spho, I'm really worried about his sanity." I crushed the small pill and put it in his juice and stirred. Yes I was drugging him but he needed this. As small as this pill is, it would knock him out in minutes and for long hours. Hlumi took the juice and gave it to him. Thankfully he drank it all. Me: "You can use the same room as last time." Hlumi took his arm and they went to the bedroom. She came back almost immediately. Hlumi: "He's asleep. Thank you Spho." Me: "Good. Now, you need to eat." Hlumi: "I can't." Me: "Its not optional. You can help me cook, then we sit and eat, here's some ice cream for now, tell me more about you. We need to get our minds off this situation." Stella: "Can I join?" she walked in the kitchen with Vicky. Me: "Yes. The more the merrier." I clenched my teeth and took out the pots. Hlumi dished up the ice cream for them all. I took out a bottle of cream liquor I couldn't indulge in. Hlumi: "What's that?" Me: "Chocolate sauce." she chuckled. I poured a bit in all their bowls of ice cream. I chopped up the beef into chunks and put them on boil with water and a bit of worcster sauce. Me: "Where did you grow up Hlumi?" Hlumi: "In Cape Town. Only until I was 9 then my family moved here. I attended Pearson High, then I went to NMMU. My dad bought a house in Rowallan Park. That's where they live now." Me: "What were you studying?" I chopped the vegetables. Hlumi: "I was doing Public Relations. I met Babalo, in my second year, he was working for an insurance company then. Studying part time. We fell in love immediately. After I'd graduated, I got a job. He wanted to study full time but obviously he was used to being independent I offered to support him and he said no. Then we started fighting and broke up for the first time. I moved to Bloem, and worked there for a while. About a year later we met up again when I came to visit PE. We chatted and fell back in love again but never pursued a relationship. He graduated finally and started his own business. We decided then I'd move back to PE and try again. So I did, now here we are." Me: "That's so sweet Hlumi, its a good thing you didn't give up on him." I absolutely love love stories. Hlumi: "Oh but I did. In Bloemfontein I was dating this great guy. Everything about him was perfect. He frustrated me so much because he had no faults. It was the best relationship but I didn't feel enough for him. I'd always wanted to marry someone like that, but when I got him it just didn't feel right. With Babalo, he has faults, always fighting but I felt passion with him. He makes me feel so incredible. So I left perfect guy for my Babalo and I've never been happier." Stella: "So you married for love?" Hlumi: "Yes." Stella: "Well, its understandable because your love has money too." Wait.... Hlumi: "So you never married for love?" Stella: "Robert was anything but in love with me. He was a superstar. Every single woman wanted him, when he asked me out. I wasn't interested because he was such a drag queen." we laughed. Stella: "I'm serious. Your father in law loves attention Spho. Cameras followed him. Journalists wanted interviews. Only after 3 months of dating he asked for marriage. He said he needed to settle down. He wanted kids, a family. That's it. Not love and fairytale endings. Just a family." she stared at her ice cream. Stella: "I guess in the end he ended up with what he's always wanted. A loving supportive family. You take good care of them Spho. I'm sorry I treated you the way I did." Me: "Its in the past now." I took out the dough in the fridge. Me: "how about you sis Vicky? Tell us about your love." she laughed. Vicky: "Khayeke udlala man Spho. I don't have a love. Never had." (Stop playing.) Me: "No sisi, we must get you a date." Vicky: "with what!" Me: "A man." they laughed. Robert stood at the door and looked at us, with a surprised look on his face. Me: "Do you need anything tata?" Rob: "No sweetheart. Just checking if you guys were alright." Me: "Yes we are. I'm making dinner so long." Rob: "Okay." he walked back out. Stella: "How do you get them to be so polite?" Me: "I don't, mama. They're all like that." Stella: "I call him Risky Robert. You never know what mood he's in. It was always risky." Me: "So mama, do you want to find love sometime? Now that you and Mr Sobz are officially divorced." Stella: "I'm not a love person dear. I need security. Someone to take care of me. When I say this, people like to think I'm greedy, do you know I met Robert while he was a boxer? I was the one who encouraged him into investment and studying further then opening his own company. I groomed him to be a businessman. He just wanted to box, nothing else. Seeing him succeed was the only fuel I needed, not this love nonsense." Me: "Awww. That's what love is though." Stella: "No its not." Hlumi: "It kind of is. If you didn't love him, you wouldn't put that much effort in ensuring he has a great future." Stella: "Well, it wasn't just his future but our kids' and mine too. I couldn't just let him waste it away. Look how comfortable he is now. He's a multi millionaire. He's happy. We would be living in a four bedroom house in the township had he not listened to me. Look at his boxer friends. Are they millionaires? No." there comes the snob again. Me: "So you still love him." Stella: "Don't be ridiculous Spho. Robert is a ghoul. Impossible to love. He makes everything difficult." I giggled. She's so in love she can't even hide it. Me: "Ma, you need to be nicer to him and see how he reacts." Stella: "I tried that once he accused me of trying to poison him." I burst out laughing. Stella: "You don't know Robert like I do. That man is crazy for cray cray." she had finished her ice cream. Stella: "I'm feeling a bit tipsy, what did you put in that ice cream?" Me: "Cream liquor. I'm surprised not one of you noticed." Stella: "Hmm... Is there still some left?" Me: "Of course." I gave her the bottle and she gulped it twice. Stella: "That feels good." then dished up more ice cream. Stella: "I think I need something stronger." Hlumi: "There's the bottle of cognac Sandile keeps dangling in my face." Stella: "Yes! That!" I just looked at them. I didn't even envy them drinking. I was happy they were letting loose despite recent events. Who wouldn't get drunk after witnessing someone's body parts? Vicky: "I'll have a small drop. That's enough." Stella: "Nonsense darling. Here, bottoms up!" .......

narrated**

Masilakhe sat in the underground basement of his warehouse. The team walked in and lined up. Lakhe: "Does anyone of you have information for me?" Nobody responded. Lakhe: "I gave you a task." he stared daggers at Black. Lakhe: "I believe you owe me a limb." he stood up holding his saw. Black: "Mr G, now hold on." Lakhe: "For what reason." he stood up to grab a hand saw from the table. Black: "I may not have Komander, or his whereabouts BUT, I have some info." Lakhe stepped closer to him. Lakhe: "What did you do." he hissed. Black: "I didn't have a choice." Sands: "Oh my God he didn't." Black: "I don't want to lose a leg man! Look, I got initiated yesterday, they see me as one of them. I'll get you Komander come hell or high waters." Lakhe: "Are you fucking insane!!!!!!!" he roared. Black jumped back. Black: "Sir-" Lakhe: "Do you realize what the fuck you've done!!!!!!" Black: "Sir, Komander is not in this city. He travels under the radar with a different alias." Sands: "What do you mean?" Black: "I mean, its almost impossible to track him down. He doesn't use the same name twice. He has a right hand man, named Komodity. He is the leader of Ultimates. He is the one who does the rituals. He is the only one in the world that knows where Komander is and the only one that Komander trusts, he does the name changes and plans his routes. Plus, he lives right here. In Port Elizabeth." Lakhe: "That's the name Timothy gave. Who is he?" Black: "I haven't gotten to that yet." Sands: "You do realize that if and its a matter of when, these people find out you double crossed them they hang your balls on the electricity poles, and you won't be attached to them?" Black: "I know. I'm very discreet." Lakhe: "Get out of my sight." Black: "I promise I'll never disappoint you." he walked out. Sergio: "We're fucked." Kole: "Should just kill him boss. He's too much of a liability." Bull: "Seconded." Sands: "thirded." Lakhe: "Sandile, I want you to follow him, drag him back to me when he leasts expects it. I have plans for him." Sands: "Done." Sergio: "But don't we want to know who Komodity is first? How else are we going to know if we kill Black?" Lakhe: "Then we'll have to do it after he tells all. Either way, I don't want Black breathing." Sibu: "Wait.." they all looked at him. Sibu: "I'll do it." Lakhe: "You don't kill." Sibu: "I'm not going to kill him, you won't be able to get to Black without alerting the K.U.G. They'll be monitoring him even in his sleep. There's a good chance if you kill him, the entire group will come wipe us out. I can get him, and I can find Komodity too." Lakhe: "And what exactly is your plan Sibulele." Sibu: "To put it in your words? Drag him back to you. Kicking and screaming." the darkness in his eyes was absolute. In that instant the basement illuminated in bursts of stark white light, as a bullwhip crack of lightening thundered above them angling Sibu's face in a demonic rage filled emotion. Something about him had changed, Lakhe thought. Something deep and dark. This is not the same Sibu as before......