JOYS OF LIFE -2 [NOT EDITED]

12

SWELIHLE MAJOLA

I had such a bad hangover and worst of all I had an exam this morning. A whole 4 hour paper! The weekedn away was so much fun, LJ got some time to not think much about his lying boyfriend, Xoli got to unwind and not think too much about her idiotic stepdad and altogether we got to have a break from our demanding schoolwork. We explored the resort, ordered food and alcohol well just juice for Xoli and we would just binge watch series and also just chat nje. It was so nice.

Right now, I'm seriously exhausted and drained, I just need some wine right now and junk food. Just as I was about to open my room, I bump into Xoli. She looks like she has been running and she's breathing heavily.

Me: "And then?!" she has bruises again.

Xoli: "Your brother! Someone leaked a videotape of him blowing his boyfriend in the bathrooms."

Me: "What?!" I give her my bag and run to the boys building. I get to my brothers room ignoring all the mocking and judgemental stares. I try opening his door but it's locked.

Me: "Junior please open bhuti wami." i hear shuffling then the key turning, he opens and just walks back to his bed. I close the door behind me and then get in bed with him.

Me: "Do you want me to kick his ass?" I ask him, he just stares at the wall with tears streaming down his cheeks. I cup his face and wipe his tears then kiss his cheeks.

Me: "Please say something."

Junior: "I feel so stupid." he crys. I just hold him tight.

Me: "Don't feel stupid babe. He is the idiot and it's his loss. We all didn't know he would play you, he had us all fooled."

Junior: "Worse, his friends acted as if they knew how much he was inlove with me and how i was his only love kanti ngiyislima nje sabo. His 'cousin sister' was actually his girlfriend cabanga! I'm so dumb."

Me: "Don't cry babe, this happens to the best of us. Boys will always be boys and just dogs. Don't let him bring you down like this."

Junior: "I guess that's why he always preferred that we be indoors all the time."

Me: "I'm sorry baby."

Junior: "I'm scared of the parents finding out about my sexuality through social media. How will i even get out of this room?!"

Me: "Stop worrying so much." I grab his phone and order some junk on ubereats with my card then send Xoli a message to come over here with my phone. She arrives shortly and we chill together, our order gets here finally so we binge watch some series and i'm glad my brother is a bit distracted right now.

Junior fell asleep while we were movies. I ordered an uber for Xoli to her home since it was already late and went to my room to shower and get dressed in some comfy clothes. I grab my laptop and locked my room. I will sleep in LJ's room tonight. A call from Dev comes through

Me: "ya?"

Dev: "Can i please see you?"

Me: "I can't."

Dev: "Just two minutes please." I go downstairs to see him. He smiles when our eyes meet. He hugs me tightly sniffing my hair before kissing my forehead.

Me: "I'm not your girlfriend njalo." he smiles.

Dev: "I'm taking you out tomorrow. Here's some food I got for you." He hands me a paperbag.

Me: "Thank you. I have to leave now, I left my brother alone and he wasn't feeling so well."

Dev: "Okay. I will call you before bed." I nod and leave him there and walk to my brother's room. I open the door and immediately my heart beats faster as my blood runs cold. LJ is laying on the floor passed out with a bottle of pills next to him and his wrists are bleeding. I quickly run to him, I check his pulse, it's there so I quickly dial Dev and ask him to drive back and come to my brother's room. I give him the room number.

**********

My brother was immediately admitted when we arrived and I am so anxious and scared. I dial mom's number with my shaky hands. I can literally feel my head spinning right now.

Mom: "Sweswe?"

Me: "Mama, please fly over here." I just cry, unable to hold my tears any longer.

Mom: "Baby calm down, what's wrong?"

Me: "A lot is going on and uJunior tried committing suicide, he's currently admitted and I haven't heard anything from the doctors." I hear mom gasp and dad questioning her in the background.

Dad: "Swe kababazi? Please stay calm angel okay?We will be there right away."

Me: "I'm scared babazi."

Dad: "We will be there." I hang up and sit on the damn cold bench. Dev sits next to me and hands me a cup of coffee before hooking his arm around my shoulder, I lay my head on his shoulder.

Me: "Thank you. My parents will be here shortly." he nods.

Dev: "I will leave once they get here."

Me: "Thanks but you do know that you and I can never be right?!"

Dev: "We not having this conversation here, we are here for your brother." he says brushing my hair back. A text from Mels comes through saying they are in town and are on their way to get us. I text her the hospital address and tell her to drive here.
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After a few minutes, my siblings walk in following each other. I nudge Dev who has fallen asleep.

Sqalo: "Wewe? what happened?!" I just throw myself in his arms and cry.

Mels: "What's going on baby?"

Me: "Junior tried committing suicide and now he is inside. The doctors haven't said anything."

Sqalo: "Don't worry, he will be fine. No news is good news hey." he says with his arm around my shoulder. We turn to sit on the benches and only then I notice that Dev has left. Mels and Fana are both quiet for the first time ever, if it wasn't such a somber moment, I would laughing at them, since they're always bickering.

After another two hours of silence, our parents walk in and I immediately run into mom's arms. She brushes my back as I weep, dad brushes my hair.

Mom: "Don't cry baby." The doctor comes towards us right then.

Doctor: "Is this the Majola family?!"

Dad: "MAJOLA. Yes." mom shoots him a look.

Doctor: "My apologies for the bad pronunciation. We have managed to cover his wounds on his wrists and also pump all the pills he consumed out of his body. Since we have drained all the pills and gave him something to clean him on the inside, we will have to keep him in here for some time."

Fana: "Is he okay now?!"

Doctor: "Yes sir, as I said I will keep him for a week max in here well it'll mostly depend on his progress. We are also going to have to organise a therapist for him."

Dad: "Thank you so much man. Can we see him?" the doctor then leads us to his ward. We find him connected to machines, his face looks so pale. Mom starts crying in dad's arms when she sees him.