Ugly Duckling: No One Wants Me [Completed]

Chapter 11

While I'm staring at Smanga not knowing what to say, Njabulo calls me asking to bring his siblings over since his place is small for Sunday supper. I don't like his nasty siblings but I know he likes spending time with them so I agree. Two hours later the apartment is filled with so much noise. I'm helping Njabulo and Smanga cook. The rest are watching soccer, I hate soccer but I decide not to be nasty and let them watch. I'm grinning at Smanga tickling her little brother, when I see an incoming text. It's from my mom. Well that's a surprise. I'm praying it’s good news but like always God doesn't answer my prayers when it comes to this family.

There's a family meeting. COME HOME NOW.

She can't text me demanding me to come to a family meeting when they didn't allow me to enter the last time I went there. Because I'm not going and I know they'll want to come here, I switch my phone off. Njabulo is watching me. I just mouth “later” and he goes on with frying the fish. I go to the bathroom and sit there. I want to be alone, I'm used to being alone. But I have to tolerate his family. So after 20 minutes I walk in and one of his brothers is arguing with Joyce about her being bossy because she's the first child. I just go to Njabulo I need a hug, as if reading my thoughts he asks Smanga to look after the pots, he takes my hand and leads me outside. When we get there he hugs me and asks what's wrong. How do I tell him that I want my space, I don't like his siblings? I just say I'm okay I'm just tired he goes mute. Maybe he knows I'm lying but he just hugs me and we stay silent for like 5 minutes. I love that about him, he knows when to go mute. After some time we go inside and Smanga is taking the plates out. I help them dish and we sit. I'm already digging in when Smanga nudges me, I look and I see everyone starring at me.

"What" I ask them.

"Can we pray?" Joyce asks.

"Okay sure" I reply and continue eating. They still don’t pray, these people and asking for permission for every little thing they will drive me mad. When I look up Smanga and Njabulo are trying hard not to laugh.

"What's going on" I ask them confused.

"Baby, can we pray and you will eat after?" okay this is the first time Njabulo has called me that. Oh shit this is embarrassing. "Oh no problem" I tell them while I put the food on the table. After praying we all proceed to eat. They are chit chatting, but I am bored because I don't know who they are talking about. Joyce's phone rings she puts it on speaker and continues to eat. Okay this family is strange, who does that.

"Joyce, you need to come home quickly" comes a very loud voice. The person is panicking and judging from the voice, the person is trying so hard not to cry. This must be the husband, the bustard who tried to rape Smanga and placed the blame on her.

"What's wrong" Joyce answers panicking.

"It's Joy, I can't tell you. You need to come now" he yells over the phone.

"How am I going to get home? The train leaves in 10 minutes and you know I can't afford to take a taxi I don't have money" she replies.

"You have to come now" he yells again and the line goes dead. We all go mute.

"How am I going to get home, this time when I don't have money" she asks her siblings.

If she wasn't a bitch I'd book a flight for her but I won't. So I leave the room to give them some privacy. I have been in my room for 5 minutes when I hear someone screaming. Oh God I walk to the lounge. It's Joyce they are all tryna console her, they look helpless. She needs help let me put the negative things aside. I take Njabulo outside and I ask him what's wrong.

"It's her daughter, she was hit by a car about 30 minutes ago, she's critical. The Doctors said she might not make it, so Joyce needs to be there as soon as possible" he tells me.

He looks sad. I'll do anything to wipe that sadness in his face. I take his hand, he looks surprised well I've never done that but right now I feel that he needs that.

"I'll help her" I tell her siblings. They all turn to look at me. They look surprised. I rush to my bedroom and take my laptop, I book her a flight, she's lucky there's a flight leaving in an hour. I rush her to the airport and we get there in time. I give her another R500 just in case she needs to use uber. She opens her arms to hug me but I just push her towards the gate before her flight leaves. She waves and runs towards the plane with the promise to call when she gets home. Njabulo hugs me again.

"I love you" oh shit, I know we have been dating for like 6 months now, but this is the first time he has told me this. I don't know what to say so I just cry. I tell him I love him too through the tears. This is the sweetest that he has ever said to me. I always wanted him to tell me this. After some time he takes my hand and leads me to my car. I know he won't drive until I ask him to. I take him out for coffee we stay there for almost 3 hours, he's quiet, so I give him space. I'm too emotional to even drive and concentrate on the road. He drives after some time he thanks me for helping his sister even though she was nasty to me. I didn't do this for his sister but I did it for him I tell him. When we reach the apartment Phindile the other sister and Mpilo are crying.

"What's wrong" Njabulo asks them.

"Joyce called 5 minutes ago, Joy passed away” Mpilo answers. I don't know what to say, when I see tears in Njabulo's eyes. I feel helpless, I just hug him, Smanga joins us, they are close.

When the family turned their backs on her, Njabulo was the only one who supported her and believed her when she told her that Joyce's husband wanted to rape her. I just hug him without saying anything. I don't know what to say. After some time, they all calm down. I don't know what to do, so instead I make them coffee. We all sit in silence. After some time Mpilo says they need to leave first thing in the morning, but they don't have money for transport because they were planning to go back home by train after 3 weeks. Apparently they visit Njabulo during this time for 3 weeks, but their stay was cut short. There are 6 of them, they won't fit in the car. I decide to let them sleep we will leave first thing in the morning. I give them my phone so they can call their annoying big sister and I give them privacy.

I prepare the guest room for Njabulo and his 2 brothers Mpilo and Simon. Then I prepare my room for all of us, Smanga and I will sleep on the floor. Then Phindile, Mary and Sweetness will share the bed. I go back to the lounge when everyone is in bed, to tidy up and wash the dishes. Njabulo joins me, he was planning to do the same. I wash the dishes he dries them. After 30 minutes of washing the dishes and tidying, we sit in the couch. He's too silent, I just hug him. I check the time it's after 12 midnight. I tell him to go sleep we'll leave after 8 in the morning. I join Smanga on the floor, as soon as my head hits the pillow I fall asleep. Njabulo wakes me around 4 they need to leave and fetch their bags. There are no taxis around this time, so I force him to take my car. I wake Smanga up, we bath. Then I wake her sisters while they are bathing, I am packing. I want to support Joyce even though she's annoying, she needs my support right now. At 7 we have already had breakfast. Njabulo and his brothers walk in after 10 minutes, they eat. While they are eating, I'm organizing a trailer for the bags. I ask Njabulo to drive. I sit in the passenger’s seat, his sisters behind us. Simon and Mpilo are sitting at the boot. I'm praying we aren't stopped by traffic cops. We leave at 9.

We stop at 4 garages for food and the bathroom, 8 hours later we’re at Joyce's gate. She lives in

KwaMashu, never been to this place. We enter her house, all eyes on me. God I won't get used to this. There are people where Joyce is so we wait. Njabulo asks me if I want take a walk. I tell him to go ahead, I'll sit here. After 20 minutes they leave, her siblings are nowhere to be seen. So I enter alone. I put my R200 on the saucer; I greet her with a hug. I ask how she's holding up, she's holding back tears. I tell her to cry and I hold her, and when she does. I can't stop myself I join her. After some time she thanks me. We sit there in silence until she shows me her daughter's pictures. She was an adorable 10 year old. Too sad her future was taken away from her so quick. I tell her that if she needs anything, she can tell me.

I leave when some family walks in and they start crying. This is too sad. I leave and find Njabulo standing with a very cute girl. I just decide to sit down I don't want to disturb him. When he sees me he waves me over, I join him. He introduces me to the girl, she's Nobuhle his ex. He introduces me to her as his girlfriend, I can't help but smile.