KGOMOTSO: HIS FIRST

Chapter 18

KGOMOTSO

AUGUST, 2014

It's 10AM and Simphiwe is still sleeping.
Oh, nevermind. He's waking up now.

Simphiwe: "You're up?"

Kgomotso: "Mm."

Simphiwe: "So, you're gonna make breakfast now?"

Kgomotso: "Yes. Well, let me just get up." As I get up, he pulls me back. "Simphiwe, keng?" I'm annoyed now.

Simphiwe: "Haibo baba, yini? Talk to me." I sigh.

Kgomotso: "Do we have to go to your niece's party? We go there every year, babe."

Simphiwe: "Yes, babe. She's family, plus she's my brother's daughter."

He looks at me. He knows how much I told him about today - that's if he even listened.

Simphiwe: "Okay then, let's say we spend about three hours there and then we go to Limpopo afterwards. Is that okay?"

Better.

Kgomotso: "Okay."

Simphiwe. Oh, Simphiwe. Some days are good, other days we just argue over pointless things and it worries me sometimes. This relationship worries me sometimes. We still pray together and we can be romantic when we have time, but honestly, things are not the way they used to be, even when I finally moved in with him three years ago. These days he's just become really busy with his classes and me with mine. We try to make time when we can and that's like, 2 days a month or something like that.

These past 6 years on its own was just something else. My father doesn't like Simphiwe. Mainly because of the age him and I met. To him, I've betrayed his trust and he thinks that Simphiwe wants to use me. I keep telling him that I'm not 14 anymore. I'm already 22 now. Yes. It's about time he accepts that Simphiwe isn't going anywhere.
Also, my parents sorted out those financial issues. I wouldn't say it's really my parents because God was the one who answered them, but it's sorted. They now live under one roof and they seem to be happy. Mahlodi, she's 25 now. It was her birthday yesterday and that's why I insisted that we went home now. She likes Simphiwe, and so does my mom. She even wants us to get married before she hits 55, which is actually next year.

Twenty-three isn't a bad year to get married, but I want to graduate first, get a job and then we can talk marriage and children; which I want to have. My mother isn't exactly happy with this whole thing of Simphiwe and I living together, and I understand because it's not really the Christian way of doing things, but Simphiwe and I are trying to stay celibate. We both agreed that we'd be celibate until we get married. Yeah, that's my life up to so far now.

__________

Simphiwe: "Bafo!"

Sihle: "Bafo!" These two. They're still whenever they're together. "Sawubona makoti."

Kgomotso: "Yebo sbali. Unjani?"

Sihle: "Ngiyaphila." He looks at Gcinile. "Say 'hello aunty Motso'."

Gcinile: "Hello aunty Motso."

Kgomotso: "Hey!"

She's 5 today and she is absolutely adorable and looks exactly like her father. Yep, she is a Pholoba indeed.

"Pray for him."

Huh? Who was that?

"Pray for him."

This voice...

I feel a light breeze and suddenly I just feel... somehow. I'll try to be okay, though. But why must I pray for Sihle?