His Love Healed My Heart

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THE LION’S DEN
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MCEBISI
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When Lina told me about her family being over protective I thought she was exaggerating, never thought her mom could be my boss.  I just never connected the dots. Now I’m sitting with all these men in front me and I’m about to grilled.  If I said I wasn’t scared I would lying but I have to man up because I love this girl.  I’ve dated girls but all they ever wanted was my money, was for me to do things for them and Lina is different.  Yes she is still in school, she never asks me anything.  Anything I do for her I do it because I want to do.  I take care of her because I want to.  I know she gets an allowance from her parents, I mean they do everything for her but I till take care of her.
Qhawe:  Gentlemen you remember Mcebisi right
Bandile:  yes, we met at the hospital.  I must say I was impressed with how he wanted to deal with Nkosikhona, I’m sure if he didn’t walk out with Khaya at that moment, he probably would have given Nkosikhona that beating.
Eddie:  he is just like Lwazi.  They’ll probably be best friends.
(these guys are talking about me like I’m not even here.  Lina’s mom and her aunts are really enjoying this.)
Andile:  and thank you for your quick acting that day. Mama bear and her babies are ok.
Me:  it was nothing really. I did what any of you would have done.  Do you mind if I have something to drink.
Andile:  Beer? 
Me:  No thanks, anything non-alcoholic.
Andile:  what you don’t drink alcohol
Me:  actually I do, I just have a rugby game tomorrow
Lwazi:  I see.
Qhawe:  Lina you know what he drinks, please bring him his drink.  (my baby immediately gets up and goes to the kitchen and everyone is quiet until Lina comes back and she does what she always does when she serves me. She gives me my glass of juice placed on a small tray, looking at me and slightly bending her knees as if to bow at me.)
Bandile:  did she just?????
Qhawe:  Yep exactly how her mom serves me.
Sizwe:  wait a minute, what’s going on, are you dating my niece?  That kind of respect is not just given, she wouldn’t bow unless……
Qhawe:  yes he is dating my daughter
Sizwe:  Who are you again, just so I know what to put on your tombstone? (Lina and Khaya were not lying, these guys are hectic. I take a sip of my juice)
Me:  I’m Mcebisi Mkhize, born and bred in KZN moved to Cape Town when I went to varsity been living there ever since.  My parents are here, they live in Tongaat.
Lwazi:  is my niece still intact boy?
Me:  very much so.
Lwazi:  what’s wrong with you, are you gay and using my niece to hide it.
Me:  no I’m not.  I just respect her.  she says she’s not ready, so I’ll wait.
Bandile:  How long have you been dating her?
Me:  a year now.
Sizwe:  and you haven’t had sex in year?
Eddie:  that’s impossible
Me:  actually it’s not when you truly love someone.  It’s not that I didn’t try to have sex with someone.  I did with one of my ex fuck buddies and I couldn’t get it up.  All I could see was Lina’s face, all I could here was her voice.  And yes she knows about it I told her about the incident I must say the punishment I got made me never to look at another woman.
Andile: what punishment.
Me:  she told her brother and I would rather not talk about what happened afterwards.  (I look at Khaya and he shrugs and gave me that look that says I told you so.)
Qhawe:  Good.  You are not breaking that cookie ever.  I don’t care if she doesn’t give me grandbabies, I have enough kids
Lina:  DAD!!!
Qhawe:  what Princess, it’s true.  I don’t want him touching you that way, I can’t deal with it.
Lina:  You and mom are being impossible.  I want to have kids and that’s not up to you
Khanyi:  Hayibo Princess, I didn’t say anything (just then the sisters walk in and they are so shocked.  I met them on a video call they had with Lina a few weeks ago, they saw me in the background and wanted to know who I was and Lina had to tell them)
Them:  OH MY GOD!!!!
Khanyi:  wait, you know him, you knew and none of you said anything
Zenande:  it was not our news to tell mom and you know it.
Sibahle:  it’s true, it was not our place to say anything.
Lisakhanya:  I want to watch this.  He’s getting deep fried tonight
Lwanele:  Unless he talks his way out of it just like uncle Lwazi, who always tries to talk his way out of a sticky situation but somehow remain in that sticky situation.
Lwazi:  How did this become about me
Me:  It’s not, they are just comparing me to you, I don’t even know why, we are nothing alike.
Lwazi:  you can say that again.
Me: We are nothing alike. (khaya looks at me with a raised eyebrow)  what?  He said I should say it again.
Khaya:  not literaly you dim wit
Eddie:  we definitely do not need another Lwazi in our lives, let’s get rid of him.
Me:  You can’t do that.  ( I look at Lina and she smiles and nods.  She taught me a few things about her uncles and right now I might just be able to save my ass.
Qhawe:  and exactly why not?
Me: I love her so much that I don’t see a future without her in it, plus you love your Princess and you  wouldn’t hurt her like that.
Sizwe:  she’ll get over it, she probably hasn’t told you she loves you yet, you are probably just a learning curve
Me:  No she won’t  get over it, because she loves me ask her dad
Qhawe:  she told me she loves him
Little man:  I like this one, he is better than you uncle Lwazi.  Looks like he’s getting out of this one alive.  Let’s keep him.
Lina:  Lonwabo why would say it like as if he is some kind of pet.  (oh this is one of the little brothers, the one that comes after.)
Lonwabo:  hey don’t complain, I’m helping you out unless you want to spend the next month sleeping on a wet pillow.
Lina:  Mxm.  He is doing fine on his own
Little man2:  not for long dear sister, he needs to do better than this.  I’m Ntando by the way and that’s Lonwabo we are the little brothers and the twins are Bandile and Banele.  They are the big brothers, they come after Khaya.  They are just waiting for you to say all the wrong things so that they can kill you.  So far I must say you are doing good keeping yourself alive but the question is for how long.  (I have come to a conclusion that everyone in this house is simply just crazy.)
Bandile (Twin): Thank you Ntando for that statement  and for the introduction
Zenande:  I’m with Lonwabo, let’s keep him , look at how he is standing up to you, you’ve got to admire his courage. 
Sibahle:  I must say he met the family in the most unconventional way.
Eddie:  I’m still not convinced
Me:  Oh come on, what could I possibly say  more than what I’ve already said to convince you.  You are being impossible.  That woman is my future, I die where she dies.
Andile:  the kids are vouching for you, they want us to keep you, maybe we should .
Me:  (I turn to look at Lina)  You have one crazy family babe.  ( she walks up to me, stands between my legs and hugs me.)
Lina:  I’m so sorry babe for my family, besides all this they like you, they really do.
Thando:  hayibo Lina don’t speak for us, we didn’t say we like him.
Qhawe:  I’m putting him on prabation?
Lina:  dad come on, probation for what?  You know what you hurting me now.  this is enough, I can’t take it anymore, you’ve tortured him enough now.
Khanyi:  Hayi Lina, don’t be so dramatic.  We haven’t done anything to him.  We are just talking to the man besides I don’t see anything wrong with putting him on probation.
Me:  babe look at me. I can take it.  I handle this.  Don’t worry.
Banele:  what are your intentions?
Me:  (Lina moves back to her seat)  I want to make her my wife, I want to have a family with her, I want to take care of her as I am already taking care of her.  I want to love only her for the rest of our lives, grow old together.
Sizwe:  You are getting three months probation, one screw up and you are gone.
Me:  probation period accepted.  Can we eat, I am hungry from all this talking.
Bandile:  definitely another Lwazi.  Are you sure you two are not related
Me:  No we are not related.  He’s ugly and I’m handsome so we definitely not related
Eddie:  Definitely another Lwazi and he is going to make it for us to get rid of him
Me:  can we continue later, I’m really hungry and I can’t concentrate when I’m hungry
(her mom looks at me and shakes her head with a smile on her face.  I guess I was right, they like me.)
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SINDISWA
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I’m getting better everyday. I’ve been staying at Qhawe’s house. I haven’t spoken to my mom since I came here and I must say it feels good not to hear her voice in my head everyday.  I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight. Tomorrow I am meeting my father and I am so nervous.  I wanted to speak to Khanyi  and find out a little bit more about him since she knows him but they haven’t told her that Mncedi Tom is my father.  I am so scared.  I’m starting a new chapter in my life and it really scares me but there’s one thing I know for sure, I am not going back to stay with my mother.  I have never felt so free and amazingly enough the people I tried to destroy are the ones helping me now to get better and get on my feet.  Sipho said that meeting my father is the first I have to take on this road to healing.
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MNCEDI TOM
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Finally I am going to meet my daughter.  I have watched her grow from a distance.  She is such a beautiful woman and I pray and hope that Sipho will be good to her. I have fought for her and protected her from a distance but I failed to protect her from her own mother.  Wineka is a very cold hearted person. She kept her away from me.  I tried so hard to be a part of her life but her mother wouldn’t have me in her life.  Why did I expect her  to when she broke up with me because I was poor, she left me  for a rich man that she ended up killing.  I’m glad she left me otherwise that would have been me. I have been so scared to get close to my daughter, scared of rejection mostly.  I hope that she will accept me and accept my apology.  I know I should have fought harder but I didn’t and that’s probably one of the questions she is going to ask. I can’t wait for tomorrow.