Oyama: Her Story

CHAPTER 32

I move back to the porch seat and look out at the setting sun.
“He loves you” she says sitting next to me.
I slouch back, “I know, like an older sister” I smile.
“No” she says, I turn to face her slowly, “He loves you, like he would love a girlfriend”
“I doubt” I say trying to be polite by offering a smile.
“Yeah” she smiles and stands up again, and walks to the cars boot and takes out more Pizza boxes, “You tell me when you want to come inside” she says then walks into the house.
I sit outside looking at the sky, thinking about his mother’s words about, Lebohang loving me like I was his girlfriend.
The boy has a girlfriend already, and I’m not gonna be caught, catching feelings for my boyfriends under aged little brother.
But I will admit, this place is beautiful, I could see a little baby Qhawe running and tumbling down those fields, with his father and uncles.
Here he comes, along with Kagiso, Mogale, Mzi, Mazwi, Lwandle, Thapelo, Mandla, and Lethabo, along with their fathers.
They are speaking in hush tones, but they go quiet when they see me sitting by myself. All of them are clenching their fists and their eyes are burning with rage, they walk up the porch and walk inside.
Qhawe stands in front of me, and puts his hands in his pockets, “What are you doing outside?” he asks, gently.
“Needed the air” I say.
“You need food and rest, not air” he says, holding his hand out.
“Are you guys done with the cleansing ceremony?” I ask.
“Nah, we gonna do that tomorrow morning, can’t be killing a goat at night and talking, ba tlare rea loya”(they will say we are practicing witchcraft)
“What does that mean?” I ask on my feet with his help.
“Bazakuthi siyathakatha”(they will say we are practicing witchcraft) he smiles.
I chuckle as we move one step at a time to the door and inside we go.

“They bought pizza” I say.
“Oh shit for real” he says as he helps me through the door and into the warmth of the house. The smell of melted cheese, tomato sauce, and fresh herbs fills the air, a surprising but welcome comfort after the tension of the day.
“You know I can walk on my own right” I say as we get closer to the dining room, which is a room not too many steps from the kitchen or main door. Plates clink, and someone bursts into laughter—probably Lerato, judging by the high-pitched giggle that echoes off the walls. The men who had stormed inside moments ago are now seated around the large wooden table, their imposing presence softened as they dig into the stacks of pizza boxes. He helps me sit down and Moqhaka, yess finally can say the name without stumbling, but Moqhaka sees my face for the first time and he looks at me confused, ‘Like when did you get that?’ Qhawe sits next to me and Mogale and Mzi are siting directly in front of me, Lwandle is sitting next to me. Haven’t been at a dinner table like this, since they time they all showed up unannounced, “You hungry?” he asks.
“Yes, I’m starving” I say.
He places a plate in front of me, I grab a slice and move towards my mouth, but I can’t bite into the food without being in a world of hurt. The whole table is noticing my struggle now, I put down the slice and smile. The table grows uncomfortably quiet as everyone watches me.
My cheeks burn with embarrassment, I lean towards him, “You a chef right?” I ask.
“No I just be chilling in, kitchen and toss fruits around” he smiles.

“You think you can make me something both filling and delicious, but in a liquid form, that’s not soup?” I ask.
“I could make you a protein, oat, milkshake” he says.
“Could you bring it to the porch” I say standing up on my own.
Qhawe rises with me, his hands instinctively moving to steady me, but I wave him off with a small smile.
“I got it,” I say softly, and he nods, letting me go.
“I’ll bring it to you in a few,” he says, his voice calm but warm. He turns toward the kitchen, I walk down the hall balancing myself on the wall and eventually making it into the room where his mom cleaned me and now I’m outside again.
I take a few more steps, but I sit down on the steps, I think I could’ve made it to the oak tree in front of me with lawn chairs.
My phone rings, I look at the ID, shit been meaning to call him, I answer it, “Hey” I say trying to sound normal.
“So you get home, and don’t call and ask where we are?” he asks.
“I just thought you were at our grandmother’s house” I answer, “Where are yall?”
“Oh yeah well, we had to go back to Gauteng, my boss called me, we are in Bloemfontein right now” he says, “Hold on Phiwe wants a word”
“Hey you, did you finish my wings?” she asks.
“No, I uhm only ate 6, gonna finish them tomorrow” I say laughing, but cough and groan.
“You ok?” she asks.
“Yeah, hotwing went down the wrong pipe” I wheeze.
She starts laughing, “OK, we’ll talk neh”
“Sure no problem” I say, “I love you guys” I say.
“We love you too” they both say and hang up.
A few minutes later, the door opens, he walks out holding a large glass, with a milkshake in it and straw.
He sits down, “4 scoops of Ice cream, 5 Oreo biscuits, protein powder and 3 shots of vodka” he says handing it to me.
“Vodka?” I ask.
“I saw the glass earlier, so I made this delicious piece” I take a slurp and its sooooooo good, its not funny. 

The milkshake is heavenly, the cold sweetness washing away the lingering taste of regret and tension from the day.
“Okay, I’ll admit,” I say after a long sip, “this is way better without the oats.”
He chuckles, the sound deep and easy, blending with the quiet rustle of the evening breeze. For a moment, it’s just us, the stars overhead and the faint hum of the household inside. I glance at the oak tree in front of us, its shadow stretching long and dark across the lawn.
“I almost walked to that tree,” I say, nodding toward it. He follows my gaze, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Why didn’t you?” I shrug, taking another sip.
“Got tired. And sitting here seemed... enough.”
“Enough for now,” he corrects gently, “You’ll get to that tree. Just not tonight.”
Something about the way he says it settles the unease that had been bubbling in my chest. I nod, letting the weight of the words sink in.
“Your mom told me about Mpumi” I say.
“Oh yeah” he says.
“When do you think, I can meet him to thank him for saving me?” I ask.
“Tomorrow” he says.
I nod, “When did I get a bodyguard?” I ask.
“After the Ayanda thing, I wanted to make sure nothing happened to you so I asked Lwandle to hook you up with someone” he says.
“Lwandle?” I ask.
“Yeah, Lwandle is the ghost of the family, he’s quieter as well” he smiles.

I glance back at the house, the warm light spilling from the windows, laughter and conversation faint in the background.
“So, Lwandle... he’s the family’s quiet protector?” Qhawe nods, swirling the straw in his empty glass.
“Something like that. He doesn’t talk much, but he notices everything. If Lwandle’s around, you’re covered.”
“Good to know,” I say softly, the weight of his words settling in. It hadn’t occurred to me just how far they’d gone to keep me safe, even after everything. The thought sends a pang of guilt through me.
“I wish you’d told me sooner. About Mpumi, about Lwandle... all of it.” We sit in comfortable silence for a while, the stars above growing brighter as the last of the daylight fades. The distant laughter from inside filters out every so often, a reminder of the family waiting just behind the door.
Eventually, I finish the milkshake, setting the glass down on the step beside me.
“Alright,” I say, pushing myself up, “Let’s see if I can make it to that tree after all.” Qhawe stands immediately, offering his arm.
“No way you’re doing that alone. Let’s go.” I hesitate for a moment before looping my arm through his. Together, we take slow, steady steps across the lawn, the oak tree growing closer with every stride. By the time we reach it, I’m winded but triumphant, and the grin on Qhawe’s face matches my own.
“See?” he says, letting me lean against the tree trunk to catch my breath, “Told you you’d make it.” I look up at him, the stars reflecting in his eyes.
“Thanks for not letting me give up.” I say, “I love you, Kolobe” he smiles, “I know, I don’t say it enough, but I do”
“Well I love you too” he smiles.

We are staring at the stars, but he’s looking at me and my face, “I wish I got there sooner, I shouldn’t have left you alone in Mthatha” he says.
“You didn’t leave me alone, you left me with Mpumi, and what’s important is that, you found me” I move closer to him, and kiss his cheek, “That’s all that matters at the end of the day”
He stands up, “Lets get you to bed” he says. I stand up and now I realize that this was bad idea sitting underneath this chair.
He swoops me off my feet, “AHH!” I exclaim and starts carrying me, “Am I not heavy?” I ask.
He looks at me like I just swore at him, “You forget how strong I am” he says carrying me like, I weigh as much as a bag of potatoes, “But if we fall, blame the grass ok” he smiles, kissing my forehead. We head inside and sits me down on the couch, he walks away and comes back holding 2 pills.
“My mom calls these, ‘Fix anything pills’, I think, they just powerful sleep pain killers” he says handing them to me.
“Thank you” I say and take them.
“I’m surprised yall don’t have a TV in here” I say sitting more comfortably.
“Oh no this is just the chill area, our living room is down there and there” he points behind us, and upstairs, “So is the cinema as well” he continues.
“Yall have a cinema in here?” I ask.
“Yeah” he smiles, “Lets go” he carries me again. He doesn’t give me a chance to argue as he lifts me effortlessly, carrying me down the hallway.
“You know,” I say, resting my head against his shoulder, “You know I could get used to this form of transportation.”
He smiles, “Yeah it only comes after getting kidnapped” he says. I burst out laughing and start coughing.
Now he’s laughing.
I love this man.