Oyama: Her Story

CHAPTER 28

As I watch him disappear into the dust with Mzi and Mogale, my heart does a strange little dance. The guys are still laughing and goofing around, with Qhawe trying to keep them in line, and it’s kind of adorable to see him like this. I sit back in the car, closing my eyes for a second, breathing in the countryside air and listening to the faint, fading sound of their truck. The silence falls as soon as they’re out of sight, and for a moment, I feel a tug of loneliness. It’s strange — I know I’ll see him again soon, but already, I miss him. Gathering my things, I step out of the car and take a deep breath, letting the scent of the soil, the sun, and the faint smoke from nearby fires fill me. I feel grounded here in a way I rarely do back in the city. This place is rooted in history and stories — the kind my parents told me and the ones I’m rediscovering now as an adult. My father’s homestead isn’t far. As I drive up the dusty path, I see Mxolisi standing outside the gate, hands in his pockets, looking like he’s been waiting for me. He grins as soon as he spots me, waving like a kid even though he’s much older.
“Hey, look who finally decided to come back home!” he teases, opening his arms as I get closer. I wrap my arms around him, feeling his warmth and strength, and I laugh.
“Yeah, yeah, save the speech,” I say, pretending to roll my eyes, “It’s good to see you, Mxolisi.” He pulls back, inspecting me with a serious look in his eyes, “How was the drive?”
“Good, where’s Phiwe?” I ask.
“Inside, feet elevated” he says.
“NOICE” I say, like I said, he’s really leaning into being more vulnerable.

“Give me your bags, I know you wanna see them” he says. I nod and pull off my hoodie and walk around the house and walk up the back yard closer to their resting place.
I let out a small sigh, sitting on the soft soil, “Molo Mama, Molo Tata” I whisper, feeling the silence settle around me as if they’re listening, their spirits near, “I’m back.”
I let the quiet of the land seep into my bones, allowing myself a moment to just be, to feel their presence and the love they left behind.
“I met a boy” I say smiling, “A good boy, his name is Qhawe, he comes from a Good family, he has 11 siblings can you believe that Ma, just like in that movie we used to love, uhm Cheaper by the Dozen” I scoff, “I wish you could’ve met him, before leaving”
After a while I stand up and walk back into the house and walk into the living room with Phiwe’s legs elevated, “Hey you” I say.
“Heyyy” she says.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
She sits up more comfortably, “Well, I’ll give the Homelands one thing, its always cool, unlike Gauteng” she smiles at me, “So how’s you know?” she gestures with her eyes.
“Oh he’s good, woke me up at half past 4 today, pissed me all the way off, because he looked like it didn’t affect him, I mean he even drove from PE all the way”
She looks at me confused, “No ways”
“Yeah and worst part, we only slept for 2 and a half hours” I say, she looks at me crazy and a bit disgusted, “No, not like that, we just stayed up real, late”
She takes a breath of relief, “Good really didn’t need to know all that yall are up to” she says.
I side eye her, “You’re one to talk”
“What?” she asks sounding offended, I point to her stomach, “This is different, ok”
“Its my brother, oh, I can’t get the descriptions you used to use” I say.
“OK, but that was last year” she smiles.
“It’s still my brother, I didn’t need to know how big his penis was” I say.
“I mean…”
“NOOOO” I cry, “Here come the flashbacks”
“OK, I get it” she says and we sit watching, one of her K-Drama, “Can I ask you something?” “Sure” I reply skeptical.
“How big is he?” she asks.
“No, that’s enough of that one” I say, “Where is my brother?”
“That’s not important right now, how big are we talking, because he looks like he’s packing” she says.
“I mean…” I tilt my head, she’s not wrong, the boy is packing. Hehe.
She gasps, Phiwe bursts into laughter, clutching her belly, and I can’t help but laugh too, even though my face is hot with embarrassment.
“You’re unbelievable,” I say, shaking my head.
“Come on, you left the door wide open for that one!” she says between giggles, clearly enjoying herself, “Besides, isn’t this what sister-in-law are supposed to do? Ask intrusive questions?” “Absolutely not,” I reply, throwing a cushion at her, which she barely deflects, “You’ve lost your mind. Blame it on the pregnancy hormones or whatever, but I am not indulging you.”
“Fine, fine,” she says, holding up her hands in surrender, “I’ll behave. For now,”