Oyama: Her Story

CHAPTER 24

I get to the groundfloor and the Bentley is gone, I walk closer to the Black Range Rover and get in. I grip the steering wheel, feeling the cool leather under my hands, and take a shaky breath as the Range Rover’s engine purrs to life. The quiet hum fills the empty space around me, but it doesn’t drown out the storm inside my head. I turn onto the main road, the city lights flickering past, but I barely notice them. All I can think about is the way things shifted between us. We used to share everything—our hopes, our fears, even the small, insignificant details of our days. But now, there’s a wall between us, one I never saw coming. I swallow the lump in my throat, trying to focus on the road, but it’s impossible to outrun the thoughts swirling in my mind. What happened between him and Keabetswe? Why is he so adamant about shutting me out? And more importantly, what else could he be hiding? I reach my brother’s neighborhood and slow down as I approach his house. I pull into the driveway, and for a moment, I just sit there, staring at the front door. The weight of everything hits me again, and I feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, but I blink them away. I can’t break down now—not yet. I step out of the car and walk down to the house.
He’s already at the door, “Oyama, what are you doing here?” he asks.
I keep quiet, trying to find my words, “We getting breakfast then gonna go shopping later on” says Phiwe saving me.
“Oh, OK cool” he says, “See yall later” he kisses her cheek then kisses her stomach. He pats my shoulder and off he walks.

I walk into the house, and throw myself onto his couch.
Phiwe walks upstairs and comes down, looking and smelling fresh, “Let’s go” she says.
“Go where?” I ask.
“To the Mall, so we can talk about whatever has you leaving your boyfriend’s house so early in the morning coming to my house” she says.
“Phiwe, I don’t feel like walking around a lot” I say.
“Yeah well I do, plus I know you haven’t bought your unborn nephew a present so let’s go” For someone who’s the same age as me she’s really bossy. As much as I don't feel like moving, Phiwe's determined gaze leaves no room for argument. I sigh, standing up slowly from the couch, my body still heavy from the night’s restless sleep—or lack of it. Grabbing my bag, I follow her out to the car. Her energy is the opposite of mine, light and excited, and I can't help but feel a little envious of how easy she makes things seem.
We walk outside, “You didn’t come in the Bentley?” she asks a bit upset.
“No, he handed me the keys to the Rover because, I told him I was gonna stay here for a few days and he just was like, take these keys” I say.
“Oh” she replies.
“What?”
“Nothing, I’m just wondering what could’ve gotten yall to fight like this” she says. I roll my eyes not at her but at the situation.
“Well, lets get to it” she gets into the passanger seat. I switch on the car and we are off.

“Look for Sandton Mall on there” I say.
“Darling, I know I’m a lawyer and you must think, I have that kind of money, but I’m a public defendant. I can’t afford Sandton Mall” she says.
“He gave me his card as well” I say.
She claps her hands, “Thank you Lord for extremely rich men” she says and I start laughing, she searches it and I’m following the directions. She’s staring out the window while I grip the steering with both arms. We continue driving in silence as the radio plays music. We arrive at the Mall and its actually a bit full, its mostly Middle Aged White women and Black women walking around the Mall. They are mostly wearing flashy designer clothes, and handbags.
Me and Phiwe stick out, we are just dressed normally, but we are Black women, so you know we are gonna walk with the stride of Queens, unaffected by the stares we are somewhat getting, “Let’s eat at Mugg and Bean” she suggests. I nod and we start walking in the direction of the Café.
They lady at the shop looks at us funny, but sits us down, we think nothing of it, “So you wanna tell me why you came?” she asks, she has that look she gives when she wants an answer and isn’t gonna let go until she gets one.
“Me and Qhawe had a fight” I say.
“Ok, all couples fight so what” she says.
“I found out he has a brother” I say lifting a lot of weight of my shoulders.
She just looks at me and shrugs her shoulder, “OK and doesn’t he have like 11…”.
“Why didn’t he tell me” I say.
“Oyama, darling, that’s what’s gotten you so upset?” she asks.
I take another deep breath, “He speaks… no they speak of him in the past tense, like he’s dead, but he’s out there somewhere” I say, the waiter drops our food off and walks off; I got Egg Benedicts and she got Omelets.