Oyama: Her Story

CHAPTER 51

The Helicopter flies low, “Check it out” he points out the window, Oh my God, “This is our Legacy” he says, “Vigo please shine a light down there?” he asks.
The Pilot shines a light, and I look down and I’m seeing is fields of corn, then green hills and then Cows, they are laying down, like they are asleep. WOW.
Its beautiful, “If you want tomorrow, my father’s flying again in the morning, because he has a meeting in Mthatha, he’ll drive you from the airport to home and then you’ll unfortunately have to be stuck in a meeting with him, but you’ll see the land better during the day” he says. “That would be nice” I say, I look out the window still in Awe. I know Four Hundred Thousand Acres is a lot, on its own, but seeing it from up here, its actually breathtaking.
I now see why his father was so angry last week. When he found out, that a Mall was being built close to his land. I would also do anything if I had this much land.

The helicopter begins to slow as it approaches a landing spot near the family homestead. The house comes into view, As the helicopter touches down, the sound of the blades chopping the air fills the space, making it hard to hear anything else. Vigo hops out first and opens the door for us. He moves quickly, his jacket flapping in the wind created by the blades.
"Come," he says, holding out his hand. I take it, stepping carefully out onto the soft earth.
The air smells clean and earthy, mixed with a faint scent of cows. I inhale deeply, letting it fill my lungs.
“What kind of Helicopter is this?” I ask.
“A Sikorsky S-76” he replies as we walk closer to the Lodge.
“How much does it cost?” I ask.
He starts laughing and we walk into the house. That’s his way of saying he doesn’t wanna answer.

We walk into the Lodge and his mom is sitting in the living watching TV.
She looks at me, “Eh!!!” she exclaims, “Did you fight in the Holding cells as well?”
I start laughing, “No, ma, just at home”
She starts laughing, I sit down next her, “Next time you should call me, and not Qhawe, because just like his father, you get 2 strikes and then they no longer bailing you out” she says, “So call me next time”
I chuckle, “So what happened at the negotiations anything interesting happen?” she asks.
I’m about to tell her about Phiwe’s mother, because maybe she has answers that Qhawe doesn’t have, “Mama uphi uyihlo?”(Mom where’s dad) Qhawe interrupts coming back from the direction of the kitchen and shakes his head at me.
“Your father’s where you left him at the Pasture” she says.
“Oh,” he replies, “Eish, let me get out there” he walks towards me and kisses my cheek.
He walks out and I hear a car roar to life and drive off.
She looks back at me, now I don’t know what to do. Do I lie to the woman who’s become a second mother to me?
Or do I tell her what I know about Phiwe’s mother and her husband or do I just keep quiet?
“So did anything happen at the negotiations?” she asks.
“Well, your son proposed, properly, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him” I say, “And I pushed off a wall, because we weren’t supposed to see each other and then Phiwe called me and I had to push him off the ledge of our wall”
She laughs, really hard for the first time, this is the first time.
“Uhg I remember when his father asked me to marry him” she says smiling reminiscing, “He had just bought the house we live in at Sandton at the time it was smaller, but still big it had 8 bedrooms, then we expanded it, but he got down on one knee and gave me this little speech he prepared, about how now that I am in his life is he’s complete with me and that he bought the house for me and him, and then I told him that I was pregnant, and he did an actual backflip in excitement” she says, “30 years him and I have been married, you know what’s the best thing about him?” I shake my head, “He’s still the same, still charming, still smart, stalwart. I mean look what he has done for this family in 30 years”

She pauses, her eyes glimmering with pride and nostalgia as she leans back on the couch. “Thirty years... and in all that time, he’s been the pillar of this family. The one who stands tall when the storms come. He built this legacy—not just the land, but the values we live by.” She looks at me warmly, “And if Qhawe’s anything like his father, you’ll have a partner who will fight for you, stand by you, and love you fiercely.”
Her words make my heart swell.
I glance at the door where Qhawe disappeared moments ago, and a small smile creeps onto my face.
“He’s already like that, Mama,” I say softly, “I see it every day.”
She nods approvingly, her face lighting up, “That’s good. He has his flaws—don’t let me lie—but he’s a good man, my son. And with you, I think he’ll only get better.”
The room grows quiet for a moment, the sound of the ticking clock filling the space. I take a deep breath, the decision weighing on me.
Should I tell her about Phiwe’s mother? About what I heard? She senses my hesitation and tilts her head slightly.
“What’s on your mind, girl?” I glance at her, debating internally.
Finally, I decide to speak—I would want her to tell me if Qhawe was being shady in our marriage.
“At the negotiations... there was something about Phiwe’s mother.”
“Your sister-in-law’s mother?” she asks.
“Yes” I say calmly, “I don’t know the details, but u baba ka’Qhawe looked like he knew her, like they knew each other, even his uncles were talking about her”
“Did they say anything, about her?” she asks.
“I don’t know, they started speaking, in a different language, I think it was Sepedi, I couldn’t understand” I say.
Her face seems calm, “Is that all”
“Her name is Asemahle” I say.