JOYS OF LIFE -2 [NOT EDITED]

57

BAFANA MAJOLA

I huff putting my phone away after reading mom's text. Sqalo found a new job at the Dlamini hospital and he has been having crazy shifts. I put my phone aside and slowly get out of bed, carefully enough to not disturb my woman. I go take a shower quickly and change into comfortable clothes. When finished, I head to the kitchen and warm up the food we left earlier on. I walk to the bedroom and wake Ntokozo up who groans turning away from me.

Me: "Babe?" I lightly shake her.

Ntokozo: "What's your problem ngempela?"

Me: "Come eat. We have been sleeping the whole day babe."

Ntokozo: "and whose fault is that?" she snaps.

Me: "Come eat so you can shower and we leave."

Ntokozo: "Siyaphi?"

Me: "At home. My parents are not home. It will be us and my siblings."

Ntokozo: "No. I don't want a repeat of last time. I'm not coming with you."

Me: "Okay, come eat and spend some time with your man before he leaves."  I tell her leaning closer to her for a kiss.

*******
When I get home, I'm glad to find Junior and Xoli cooking while Swe feeds Iyana. Iyana immediately cries stretching her arm to me when she sees me. Swe is really holding her down but I don't blame her, getting Iyana to eat is sometimes a job and a half.

Me: "Sanibonani." they all greet back in low voices. I frown.

Me: "What is it?" I ask settling on a couch next to Swe. Xoli brings me a glass of juice and settles next to me, cuddling up on me.

Swe: "Bhuti, who is that woman that Babah keeps coming here with?!"

Me: "Why?!"

Swe: "We all see it but it's like everyone thinks we are blind in this house. You guys treat us as if we don't see everything going on around us. Everytime babah comes home with that woman, he and mom argue. Like today, when they were arguing, we were able to hear them and that woman sure did look happy about it." she says then clicks her tongue.

Junior: "Do you think their arguing will lead to divorce? we don't want that."

Xoli: "I also noticed a few nights ago that dad didn't come home at all. The next morning mah's face and eyes were evident that she had been crying the whole night."

Me: "Listen, I don't know what is happening between mom and dad but I can assure you that they will be fine. They always deal with their conflicts and I promise you that there won't be any divorcing. And that woman? She's my birth giver." they immediately frown except for Swe.

Junior: "Bhuti, your birth giver is our mom nje." I chuckle shaking my head.

Me: "She is my mom in all aspects but I didn't come from her womb. Mandisa is just dad's ex-wife and apparently she 'died' while giving birth to me but here she is." I shake my head chuckling.

Swe: "Does that anger you bhuti?"

Me: "Not really because I grew up being told she died and that is what I always knew. Then mom came along and I never longed for a mother's love ever again. Mom filled that void when I was little anyway and I grew up holding on to it, I still am futhi. Mandisa is nothing but a stranger to me." I shrug. They all throw themselves at me, hugging me.

Xoli: "That explains the picture I once told you about Sweswe." they both nod at each other.

Dad: "I'm really sorry to have made you guys feel this way. I also promise you that there won't be any more of that woman around here."

Xoli: "Why was she here in the first place dad?" I also raise my eyebrow in anticipation with a smirk, waiting for dad to explain himself.

Junior: "Why would you keep bringing a woman that continuously makes you argue with your wife?" dad scratches the back of his head.

Dad: "I know I acted like a jerk and I apologise bantabami."

Swe: "Where's mom?"

Dad: "She's not back yet? but it's almost 21:00." he says frowning.

Dad: "Try calling her Fana, she will definitely answer. She is ignoring me." I scoff looking away from him. Mom is fine and he should let her be just for tonight.

Swe: "Baba?" she calls out. Dad looks up from his phone and looks at her.

Dad: "Yes babygirl?"

Swe: "Please don't sleep in this house if mom isn't here." she tells him with a straight face. Internally? I'm rolling on the floor with laughter and happiness. I love how they are all ganging up on him.

Me: "Mom is fine." I tell them and leave it at that. Iyana climbs on my lap and looks into my eyes, batting her eyelashes.

Iyana: "snack." she signs.

Me: "Nope! It's bedtime now." she frowns at me before getting down from my lap and walks to Xoli.

Xoli: "Please go fetch her wherever she is babah."