Oyama: Her Story

CHAPTER 5

I have heard of the Kolobe’s before, but it was through passing. So Qhawe is the first born son of the leader that makes him the heir to a literal Empire. Yeah no, I need to go, I really need to go. I walk into the house and pack my toiletries, the last boy who was from a rich and powerful family, I ended up crying every single day and living in constant fear for my life. Never again.
I put everything in my car, Mxolisi walks towards me, “What’s going on?” he asks.
“Work just called they need me back earlier than expected” I say.
“Can’t they find someone else to do it, I mean a drive from Joburg to PE is about 12 hours” he says.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, I did it before” I say, well technically, Qhawe did it but I helped the first 2 hours.
“OK, be safe, call me every 3 hours, when you rest, ok” he says hugging me. Ever since our father passed away 5 years ago when I was 21, he’s been a deputy father in a way. Our mother then passed a year later after I Graduated from, University of Cape Town. It sounds but they did their jobs they raised us till the end, I only wish it would be my father who would one day negotiate my Lobola instead of Mxolisi, but if I know him, he would make it very hard for any family to take me away. So yeah, it’s just me and him against the world, he has been trying to convince me to move to Gauteng saying there’s nothing left for us in the Eastern Cape. He may be right, but it’s home you know.

I get on the road, and I driving on the N1, according to the Mercedes Navigation system it’s the fastest route. I have been on the road for about 4 hours. My phone gets a notification, it’s from Qhawe, “3hours before our date, I hope you are as excited as I am”. I switch off my phone, I keep driving.
This is for the best, my life doesn’t need another rich bastard who’s gonna try and control my every move. Plus, by that picture they looked strict as fuck, like there are rules and regulations that they have to live by. I’m pretty sure that biker who only switched on his bike when he started pulling out of the driveway, was some sort of bodyguard. I didn’t get to see him face though. I’m 8 hours into my trip, home is just around the corner. Last 200km and I can walk into my comfy bed, my Netflix and The Big Bang Theory.

As I continue driving, the weight of the past begins to press down on me. The memories of Ayanda flood back, unbidden and relentless. He was the last man I allowed myself to fall for, and he broke me in ways I didn’t think were possible. Every glance at the road in front of me blurs with the images of his anger, his fists, the dark days spent hiding my bruises from the world. The thought of going through that again, with anyone, terrifies me more than anything.

Qhawe may not be Ayanda, but he’s too close to what Ayanda was—rich, powerful, and surrounded by a world, I don’t understand and don’t want to be part of. The Kolobe might be different, but how different can they really be? No, I won’t do this to myself again.

It’s 3 am and I’m pulling into my driveway. Xolani’s car, is parked in my driveway. What is he doing here? I tap on his window and he shuffles like a mad man.
He sees it’s me and steps and immediately hugs me, “Your brother told me, that you might come back early” he says.
He lets go and I look at him, “Yeah, I needed to get outta there, you know women and their loudness and kids too” I say.
“What kind of Pediatrician are you that hates kids?” he asks stretching.
“I don’t hate kids; I just don’t like them like that” I say.
“Yeah sure, but when a baby is in front of you, you just have to pick it up and cradle it, even if that’s not part of the examination” he says.
“Whatever man” I say. Walking to my door. He walks in with me and throws himself on the couch he knows that’s his designated area when he visits.
I head to my room and switch on my phone and its starts going crazy with messages starting to flow in, “2hours until our date…1hour until our date…30minute until our date…I’m outside” he sent all these in the timely intervals. 10 minutes later he sent another text, “Are we still on, I don’t see your car” another 5 minutes and another text, “Heyyy talk to me” that was the last text he sent. I just get in my bed and take a deep breath.