JOYS OF LIFE -2 [NOT EDITED]

82

XOLISA NOSIHLE MAJOLA

Honestly, Junior's outburst last night made me feel very uncomfortable, embarrassed and self conscious. I honestly was even planning on asking my mother to fetch me first thing in the morning but then it's like Mah knew what I was thinking. She was the one that woke me up today and asked me to join her for a jog.

Mah: "Let's sit for a minute, ngiyafa!" We sat on the benches by the bus stop. I handed her the bottle of water and she gulped it then released a huge sigh.

Me: "Umoya ushaya kamnandi la."

Mah: "Kakhulu. I want us to talk."

Me: "Yebo."

Mah: "I want to assure that you're okay and that you please don't let Junior and his nonsense make you feel any guilty for getting to know your father and his family."

Me: "But how am I supposed to not feel guilty or ashamed mah?! His points were valid, worst of all I came during a time he was going through trauma..."

Mah: "What if that was God's way of helping you find your father and for your father to know about you?!"

Me: "Maybe..."

Mah: "Listen, what happened with your mother and us in the past has nothing to do with any of you. Forgiving Thulile was a decision we both took time to think about noBaba wenu. You shouldn't even begin to blame yourself for how you were conceived. If your father could put it past him and actually accept you with open arms then I don't see why Junior should have a problem. I'm sorry he even said what he said yesterday, uyabheda uJunior!"

Me: "Thank you and it's okay mah."

Mah: "It's not okay! You should stop letting Junior do as he pleases la kuwe, uyezwa?" I nodded.

Me: "Yes mah."

Mah: "Let's go home ke baby."

****
Mah: "Good morning." She greeted as soon as we walked in. Everyone was sitting around in the lounge, in their sleeping attires except the makotis and the kids.

Auntie: "Yabo lendoda yakho mayizosivusa ngovivi, ngizohamba." She said with an angry frown on her face.

Mah: "Where is he?" Right then we heard his footsteps, we turned to him and he was carrying a whining Swe in his arms. 

Gogoh: "Lizwi ngizobhonya baba yezwa?! Why would you even take her out of bed so early in the morning when you know very well that she hasn't fully recovered yet!" She scolds him.

Dad: "I'm sorry mah but I have to address something real quick before going to work today."

Auntie: "Shesha bhuti please." She was really annoyed and it was kind of funny.

Dad: "Have I or my wife ever forced any of you to forgive Thulile for the past?" He asked calmly.

Bhuti Sqalo: "Cha baba, you and mom only told us to not blame our sister for what her mother did in the past." Everyone else agrees while Junior is just silent.

Gogoh: "What's going on kanti?"

Dad: "I thought maybe I needed to clarify something here. I will say this again, what happened in the past isn't anyone's fault in this room. Ukuthi how me and my wife decided to deal with it, shouldn't bother any of you. Mangabe uzizwa uvukwa ufuqu fuqu lomsindo, deal with it eceleni but do not take it out on my kids, senginitshela nonke ke nalapho."

Gogoh: "Ey mina, I'm gone bandla." She stands up and disappears to her room.

Auntie: "Wait for me mah." She follows her.

Dad: "It's now just you guys. Ngicela ukubuza kunina nonke la as my kids, do y'all feel ignored or sidelined by me or your mom?"

Us: "Cha." Dad then turns to Junior with a scary look.

Dad: "Junior."

Junior: "Babah?"

Dad: "What's the problem mntanami?"

Junior: "Nothing." He mumbles.

Dad: "Nothing kanjani when you have been mad at your sisters for months. You couldn't even be here to welcome your big sister home after she spent months in hospital. You then went on and told your sisters that thina we are sidelining you guys ever since Xoli's arrival layikhaya."

Junior: "I'm sor-"

Dad: "You know very well ukuthi i hate that. Don't apologise when you know you don't mean it! Tell us where we went wrong and I will gladly take responsibility mfana kaBaba." Junior looks down.

Junior: "Nothing."

Mom: "It can't be nothing Junior when you can't even sympathise with your sister who lost her child, it can't be nothing when you can't even be happy for your bestfriend that she has found her father. Akukwazi mntanami."

Dad: "Yini we don't give you enough attention?!"

Bhuti Sqalo: "Hhayi cha mah nawe baba, uJunior nje uyahlanya. He is the last person to actually say he feels neglected, Junior has always been treated like a baby layikhaya."

Mahle: "That's true bhuti and also, uJunior forgets that the same people he's mad at, are the same people who lifted him up after that scandal last year."

Bhuti Sqalo: "Wena Junior nje, ngizokufaka induku mina ngoba usuyabheda." Junior rolls his eyes.

Bhuti Fana: "Uyahlanya lo! Wenziwa ilento yokuthi udu-" dad cuts him off quickly.

Dad: "Vala umlomo wakho mawungazazi ukuthi uphawule uthini."

Junior: "Baba, mom, Xoli and Swe. I'm sorry for my behaviour these past few months, I just have been battling with some of my issues and i took them out on you guys which was wrong of me." He said trying to look sincere.

Dad: "Next time, you have an issue Junior. Come to us and talk about it ungenzi leNonsense oyenzile ngoba the next time, ngizokunyathela." He said pointing at him.

Mom: "Okay now I want you all to make breakfast for everyone. Angithi mangiqeda kogeza, ngibone ukudla etafuleni." She says sternly before walking away with her husband.