Unhinged Love

CHAPTER 73

MELISIZWE MZIMELA

I don’t know how I never put the pieces together. I had never met Lethuxolo’s daughter before. But I had met his son a couple of times. I remember that his name was Mndeni and Lethuxolo’s wife’s name was Slindinkosi Mabuyakhulu. Fuck. That all makes sense now. Lethuxolo just downplayed their disappearances with something like they went overseas to study and start a life that side. I never thought I would find myself dating his daughter in the future.

“Are you dating my daughter?” he asks me just as we both watch Hlengiwe run out of the room.
“Man, that is not important. Right now, I need to be with my woman. please, show yourself out. We will talk.” I leave him there and rush outside to find Hlengiwe holding the car keys but going around in circles. She is mumbling stuff to herself. Seeing her like this breaks my heart. “Ntokazi.” I start off, walking closer to her and she looks up. the look she gives me shatters my heart into a thousand pieces. She looks so lost and so afraid.

“I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to see him.” She keeps saying that and I close the distance between us, wrapping my arms around her. “Please get me out of here, I don’t want to see him.” I can see that she is inconsolable and being here is obviously making things worse for her. I lead her into the car and make sure she is secured before climbing into the driver’s seat.
I drive off, not knowing where I am going but I do know that I need to go to a place where she won’t feel suffocated or anything like that. I do remember her telling me bits about her past and what went down with her father. She didn’t go into details but I know that it was really bad. I do want to know the whole story but I am not going to rush her. I will just be there for her and let her come to me when she feels like it.

Somehow, I find myself in a secluded beach and I think that is a nice place to bring Hlengiwe. She needs to be in an open space where she won’t feel watched or suffocated. The moment I park the car; she climbs off and runs into the ocean. I am about to run after her when I see her stopping near the water but not going inside. She starts screaming loudly and cursing at whoever is listening and I just sit on the bonnet of the car and watch her. She needs to do this alone. I can’t crowd her. She needs space and that is what I will give her while hoovering around in the side ways.

When my body gets a bit sore from sitting in one place for over an hour, I get off the car and move down to the ocean. Hle is still standing near the water but at least she is not screaming now. she is just sobbing. I still don’t want to move closer to her. She needs to do this for herself and not for anybody else. I keep my distance and just look ahead at the calm ocean.

I never really thought in my forties, I would find myself falling in love again. Hlengiwe is the most amazing woman I have ever met. She is kind. She is caring. She is loving. She is giving. She is very respectful and she is so mature. Her life experiences have shaped her into becoming this extraordinary woman that she is today. If it were up to me, I would have proposed to her months ago. But with a woman like her, you have to move carefully. You shouldn’t do something that might risk her running off and never wanting anything to do with you. She does not fear commitment; however, I know she is not ready to be married. I don’t mind waiting until she is ready. I am here for the long run.

“He is a monster, you know.” I hear her voice closer to me and I turn my head to see her standing a few feet from me. “He is a psycho. He didn’t want actual kids. He wanted soldiers that he will order around and that would be loyal and obedient to him. The minute he didn’t get that; he switched up on his kids. He wanted my brother to follow in his footsteps. He even set him up with a potential wife. When he didn’t do as the master said, he beat him up and left him for dead. My brother had to live like a phara and eat crap for years while the master was living lavishly in his castle.” She chuckles bitterly and shakes her head.

“He set me up with a husband, you know. At a young age, he wanted to make sure I am controllable and obedient. He didn’t want me learning anything that might sway from his scope of how a submissive wife should be like. He didn’t even want me going to varsity. Not even to study fashion. Can you imagine?” she laughs, but I can sense a lot of anger in her voice. I, myself, am getting angry at all the vile things I am hearing about this man who was supposedly my friend. “After mom died, I realized I had no one. When Mndeni left, I felt so alone. I thought he died. He made me believe that he died. The nerve of that man.

“It wasn’t until I saw my mother’s son in the streets of Durban selling things that I remembered the feeling of not being alone in this world. I left home as soon as I finished matric. He was going to sell me off the next month, but I ruined his plans and went to a small town to start a new life. I stole some money to help me transition into the new life that I was forced to live.” She then turns to look at me. Tears are streaming down her cheeks but she is not sobbing and her voice is void of any emotion.

“I never wanted to bump into him ever in my life but now that I have, I wish that he can suffer like the scumbag that he is. I wish that I can send him to prison so that he will pay for his sins but I know a man like him won’t stay in there for long. Right now, I am going to beg you, Melisizwe. He may be your old pal, but he is the monster that ruined my life and my brother’s life. All I ask is I never want to see him again. I don’t want you doing anything to him for me. Karma will get to him one day. I just don’t want to see him ever again and I want your hands clean. Can you do that for me?” with her looking at me like that, I can never deny her anything.

“My love, I am sorry that you had to go through something like that in life. You have actually shown me how strong and resilient you are. I admire you and I wish I can take away the burden from you. I promise you that you will never encounter him again. I won’t even be in contact with him again. I can’t believe I had a friend like that. I can’t believe someone would treat their own blood like this. he doesn’t deserve to be a father and I wish he can rot in hell.”

I really do wish that. I wish I can kill him with my bare hands but I am going to respect Hlengiwe’s wishes. A strong relationship is built on trust and transparency. I will never do something behind Hlengiwe’s back. Especially something she feels strongly about. I wish I can have him framed for murder and rape but I won’t. Every dog has its day and Lethuxolo Vilane already has a date with the devil.