Ugly Duckling: No One Wants Me [Completed]

Chapter 12

My parents have been calling me non-stop so I decided to switch off my phone. They always have family meetings without me, so why change that now? It’s 4am and already people are up and cooking, do these people ever rest. I am sharing the room with Njabulo’s 3 sisters and 4 cousins there’s no space. They wanted me to have the bed since I am the guest but I refused. So I slept on
the floor with Njabulo’s sisters. I need to bath, so I wake Smanga up to ask her to help me I need warm water and a bath tub. I am a visitor, I can’t be walking around here as if I own the place. So

Smanga leaves to fetch water for me. She comes back with water in a bucket plus a plastic tub. I take a bath and change to the grey dress Njabulo bought me. When I was packing I came across lot of clothes I don’t wear, some of them still have price tags so I don’t know what to tell Smanga when I give her the clothes, I don’t want her thinking I look down on her or that she’s some charity case, I only bought 4 dresses with me.

“Smanga would you like to have this dress, I never wore it” I turn to Smanga holding a black maxi dress across my chest.

“Oh yebo (yes) sisi I would love to” she smiles and hugs me.

“Do you have other clothes, you no longer want” asks Phindile.

“Yes, here” I answer her while looking through my bag.

“Here you go” I hand her one dress. I also give Sweetness the dress, I’ll give Joyce the 4th one, I hope she’ll like it. After taking a bath, I walk to Joyce’s bedroom. I knock she answers. It’s 4:36am.

Gosh the last time I was up at this time was on my wedding day.

“Good morning sisi how are you holding up?” I ask her. Never been to a funeral before, so I googled what to say and what not to say to a grieving parent.

“Morning to you too, I’m not so good. I wish I hadn’t left here. I should’ve taken her with me. My heart is sore” she replies.

“I’m so sorry, I wish I could help” well I didn’t google that answer.

I really feel bad for her, even though she was nasty.

“I bought you something, I hope you’ll like and it will brighten your day” I tell her and give her the dress. For the first time ever, I see her smiling. Such a beautiful smile pity she doesn’t look like she smiles too often.

“Well I was just checking up on you” I tell her, I suck at making conversations, I just want to leave now.

“This means the world to me, thank you so much. Even when I was nasty to you, you still helped me. I am sorry for acting that way” she replies.

“No, it’s cool” I tell her and leave. I miss Njabulo I last saw him last night around 8. When I leave Joyce’s bedroom I bump into him, I take his hand and lead him outside.

“I missed you” I tell him as soon as we’re outside. “Missed you more” he tells me while hugging me. Oh boy I love Njabulo yazini.

“How are you, how did you sleep?” he asks. “I’m good thanks, I slept well. Wena?” I ask him. “I hardly slept, but I’m okay. Thank you for the support. I will repay you the money you used for the plane ticket and the extra R500 you gave Joyce for the taxi as soon as I can” he tells me.

“Nah it’s cool. You paid the driver that day I forgot to” I tell. He’s still hugging me. I think I’m getting used to being hugged. “I love you” he tells me kissing my forehead. There goes my heart.

“I love you too” I tell him.

“I have to go. I’ll see you later” he tells me then he walks out with some guy I’m assuming is his cousin. I go inside and I find the sisters and cousins already preparing breakfast, I join them and before we know it. It’s 7am. Joyce’s husband walks in, smiling and he sees Smanga the smiled is wiped off his face and he disappears to the bedroom. Joyce’s neighbours are coming for ukududuza. I serve them tea and biscuits. Njabulo’s siblings are really good at cooking hey. Their mother must be proud. Speaking about their mother, I haven’t seen their parents. This is strange. We’re busy serving people I don’t see Mcebo and his family coming in. Smanga is trying to distract Mcebo until I leave the room but it’s too late. I feel tears in my eyes. I can’t help but think about the cruel things he said and to make things worse he remembers me. If we met under different circumstances and in a different place I wasn't going to be polite. “Hello, Mcebo how have you been?” I ask him.