NTOMBI (GIRL)

chapter 8

Hello guys. I know that this story has been written in third person. But that's about to change  (sorry for the confusion but pls bare with me). Each character will have their point of view from now on.

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Ntombi's POV.

My life as you've seen it has turned from up to down then back again. I'm talking about living with my grandmother to living with my step dad to finally living with the Prince. Today I told myself that whatever happens happens. Who knows maybe I could escape the flood that is about to drown me. The thing is before the Prince and I get married I have to do what we call a memulo. A traditional ceremony held to check if a girl is still a virgin and since I haven't had that I need one before getting married.

I just have to come clean. My mother has to know of this. Maybe if she knew she could help me. She's my mother after all. Today I will be meeting up with her to confess what her husband did to me. The journey there was not easy at all. Thinking of all the possibility that I could ruin their marriage. This is so un fair.

I arrived at noon when my mother was sitting under the big peach tree near the hut. She smiled and stood up to greet.

"Ntombi, its been so long my child. Is everything okay?" That's a first. My mom asked as we sat down the mat. This was it. Maybe she could stop the wedding before everything get worse for me.

"Mom everything is fine. It's just that i need to tell you something." This seemed to alert my mother a bit. She scooted closer as if to listen more attentively. "It's about dad. He... he raped me." The tears just came rolling down. I couldn't hold it anymore. This was so liberating.

"Ntombi, who else knows of this?" She looked so unfazed. I expects some sort of shock from her and mostly sympathy.

"You are the first." Where was this going?

"Good. Now listen.  You need to be strong my child. I'm not saying that what your dad did was right but no one can know of this. It will bring shame to his name. You will marry the Prince and that's that." This can't be. How can she be more concerned about that man right now. She doesn't seem to understand and that hurt even more. What kind of a mother is she.

"But mama, we know that people are going to know anyway at my memulo. The woman checking will see that my hymen is not intact anymore. How will we explain."

"Ntombi, i have an idea. Just behave and do what you are supposed to do. Make sure you don't tell anyone. I'll see what I can do just leave the rest to me." This isn't the woman I got to know over the years. How I'm I even sure that she is the one who gave birth to me.

"Mama I need to know..." before I could even finish she interrupted me. "For once Ntombi just listen okay!" She softly yelled at me making sure that nobody is around or can hear us.

"Mama I can't lie to the Prince. He has been so nice and I love him." For the first time in my life I wanted to slap that woman. She just sat there laughing her ass off.

"Love? Are you hearing yourself child. This conversation is over." Wow so much for a mother. I shouldn't have come here in the first place, i thought that finally someone was going to realise their role and act upon it.

I've reached to palace around the same time. My memulo is tomorrow and things have to be done. I'm going to go on because I for am a caward. I can't stand against anyone. This is me, following orders every now and then.

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Precious POV.

I know many of you hate me. This whole situation, from being pregnant at a young age and getting married to a monster, has brought the worst in me. For me, it's no longer about who and where or why, it's about making sure I don't get another beating and making sure I'm not homeless. I've got to do what I have to do to 'survive' and that includes compromising my daughter's comfort and happiness for my own. How ironic for a mother to do that but people I've suffered and I've endured .

When is my breakthrough huh?

Gawd I hate that man. How dare he. Anyway I'm not surprised. I can't believe I'm letting this pass by. I have to where will I go after all the same people that were supposed to be my family threw out when I most needed them. I'm literally alone right now. I'm such bad mother.

If there's one thing that man taught me is that money solves everything. Right? Everyone needs money, sipho would say, so use that to your advantage. My own daughter is in a mess and I'm going to solve that.

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Next chapter will be the umemulo ceremony...