ADDICTED

CHAPTER 17

A WEEK LATER
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UYANDA
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It’s a Saturday and the weather is nice so I’m taking Danny to the beach, a day at the beach just the two of us.  It is has been a difficult week for the four of us.  Mrs Bhengu is really making our lives a living hell especially for me and Vuyo.  I really don’t know what her problem is.  She is really on their cases about us.  She is worse than the paparazzi.  That’s just another thing that’s driving us crazy.  I’ve come to learn that Vuyo is not your normal average business man that can afford his lifestyle.  The man is moneyed, seriously moneyed, both him and his brother. I’ve never really paid attention to his company, I never did a detail background check on it and him.  Argh at least now I know why the paparazzi is always following us.  The question remains though, what’s his mother’s problem, because his father doesn’t have a problem in fact the old man is happy for his kids.  It’s amazing how much they look like him and look nothing like their mother.

Our relationship is still good but there’s just something with Vuyolwethu when it comes to his mom.  One minute he is standing up for us and fighting for us and the next minute he doesn’t know what to do.  it’s almost as if he wants to do what his mother tells him to do  but he is fighting it.  I love him very much and I don’t see myself living my life without him but the way things are going it’s as if Vuyolwethu doesn’t know what he wants.

Danny:  Mama may I have ice cream?
Me: Sure.  Let’s go find an ice cream shop. (when we get to the ice shop, we get the ice cream and I hear someone calling my name when I turn to see who it is, it’s one of Mzoxolo’s friends, Lumko, he is with a woman.)
Lumko:  Uyanda hey, how are you?
Me:  I’m good Lumko and you?  “Hello” – I say referring to the lady he is with and she just scowls at me.  I wonder what did I do for her to give me such attitude.
Lumko:  I’m good.  Can we talk I promise I won’t take up much of your time.
Me:  Sure we can sit.
Her:  What could be so important that you have to interrupt our time Lumko by wanting to talk to this bitch that sleeps with kids?  (Did she just call me a bitch in front of my son?  What’s it to her who I sleep with?  My life is none of her business.)
Lumko:  Did you just call her a bitch?
Me:  Danny go play in the play area.
Danny:  Are you sure mama?
ME:  I’m sure baby, mommy will be able to see you, I’ll be watching you all the time.  Mama just needs to talk to uncle Lumko ok.
Danny:  Ok mama. (and he runs off)
Lumko:  I asked you a question?
Her:  I did and I’m not about to change that.  She is one.  What is she thinking sleeping with a man almost half her age?
Uyanda:  Do you know what’s funny about people like you, you me my relationship as an abomination and yet look at you.  How old are you again?  Because I’m sure Lumko is very much older than you and you are just in for the money and the life style.  Lumko you really need to stop dating these girls.  Find yourself a mature woman.  Call me a bitch again and I will have cleaning the sand off this floor with your tongue.
Her:  Are you calling me immature?  I would like to see you try.
Uyanda:  However you want to translate what I said, that’s your problem not mine.  Lumko you wanted to talk to me.
Lumko:  Nomsa go wait for me in the car.  I am going to deal with you later.
Her:  Why do I have to go?
Lumko:  I said ‘GO”  (He half shouts at her, he is angry at her) what we have to talk about is none of your business.  GO!!! (she gets up, takes the keys and leaves.)
Me:  What’s wrong?  You have this worried look on your face.
Lumko:  It’s Mzoxolo, he has gone AWOL and it’s not a good thing. 
Uyanda:  What do you mean it’s not a good thing?
Lumko:  Mzoxolo suffers from O.L.D
Uyanda:  what in God’s name is that Lumko?
Lumko:  Obsessive Love Disorder.  He thinks he loves you but in actual fact he is obsessed with you.  When you broke things off with him it made it made worse.  He is very jealous of the relationship you have right now. He is possessive of you which makes his jealousy extreme.  He feels the need to protect you all the time. He wants you all to himself Uyanda.
Uyanda:  You said it got worse when I broke up with him, elaborate please.
Lumko:  I’m sure you were receiving endless calls from him and texts and right now you are probably receiving endless emails from him.  That’s because he has disappeared, switched off his phone and only communicates via email just to let us know he is alive.  What I really want to tell you is that, you need to be careful, watch yourself and Danny.  This is not the first time he has done something like this and it only happens when he stops taking his meds and it’s obvious that he stopped taking his meds a while back.
Uyanda:  what happened the last time he was like this?
Lumko:  He kidnapped the girl forcing her to recognise him as her man, forced himself on her.  He becomes dangerous Uyanda.  You need to tell your boyfriend.  I know what you are thinking.
The girl never wanted to press charges against him instead she left town saying she to live her life in peace without having to go in out of court for a case that she won’t get justice for. We tried to convince her to press charges but she flatly refused.   As his friend we did what we could do for me at that time.  We had him admitted in a mental hospital got him the help he needed.  He spent three years in there.  He’s been doing well until he met his new obsession which is you.  Please watch yourself Uyanda and tell your boyfriend.  I have to go, I need to deal with that girl for calling you a bitch.  Maybe one day I’ll find myself a girl like you.  Take care Uyanda and take care of your kid.  I’ll see you soon.  (he gets up leaves me there still trying to digest everything he just said to me .)

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VUYOLWETHU
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It’s happening again and I don’t know how to fight it.  Sometimes I feel weak and just want to do everything she tells me at the same time I feel strong to fight her.  She is my mother, shouldn’t she be supporting me and being there for me.  In as much as I love her but I have this hate growing inside me for her for what she is doing.  Every time I talk to her I feel like there is a battle going on in my head.  One voice saying listen to her and it’s more dominant than the way that tells me not to.
I’m at the car wash having my car washed and this girl walks up to me.
Her:  Hey lover boy
Me:  You don’t know me well enough to call me lover boy, so don’t call me that again.
Her:  come on loosen up, you are too uptight and I can help with that.  (she says stroking my arm from the shoulder to my hand.)
Me:  I would stop doing that if I were and walk away.
Her:  what’s wrong, doesn’t she give you enough sex?  What is she always tired or something?  It is to be expected she is old.
Me:  If you ever talk about her like that ever again, I’ll make you wish you were never born.  Leave now.
Her:  It’s the truth and you know it.  I’m pretty sure she can’t satisfy you whereas I can do a better job.  I’ll make sure you are always smiling.  (I smile looking at her thinking of what Uyanda would say right now. I get up to leave and she grabs my arm, I look at her hand and look at her and at her hand again and she slowly lets go) You can’t really be walking away from all of this.
Me:  I am.  I hate it when a girl throws herself at me especially when she can see that I am not interested, but she persists.  I do the chasing not the other way around. Another thing is that I don’t sleep with street whores.   Besides you wouldn’t survive even one session with me.  Go back to the grandpa that you came here with and keep him happy.  I’m not about to become one your statistics that you can boast to your friends.  Look at what in front you and know that you will never have it.  It belongs to her.  Now if you’ll excuse my woman is waiting for me at home.  ( I walk away and when I get outside my care is done.  I pay and leave. I hope she is home.  She was going to take Danny to the beach today.  She sent me pictures of him playing in the water.  He looked so adorable.  I must ask her what the story is behind the adoption.  My phone rings and it’s my mother.  She has been calling non-stop lately.)

Me:  Mother!
Mom:  is that how you answer your phone when I call Vuyolwethu?
ME:  what do you want mama?  Is dad ok?
Mom:  Your father is fine.  I’m coming to see you tomorrow.
Me:  You were just here with dad, what could be the reason behind this sudden visit?
Mom:  I don’t need a reason to come see my kids.  I’ll be staying with you.
Me:  and dad agreed to this?
Mom:  he doesn’t have a choice.  I want to my kids.
Me:  do whatever you want mama.  Even if I can tell you not come, you will come anyway.  Just know that I won’t be wasting my money paying for your travel costs and I am also going to tell Bathandwa not to pay for you.
Little voice in my head:  she is your mother; you have to pay for her.
Me:  Bye mama (I hang up immediately before I find myself agreeing to pay her trip.)

Great my people are home.  I pull up and park in the driveway.  It smells awesome in here, she is cooking and I can here Danny’s voice, he is talking non-stop as usual.  I walk to the kitchen and lean on the door frame, they haven’t seen me but I know she knows I am here and she is not going to say anything until I do.

Danny:  Daddy!! (he comes running, he smells fresh.  She bathed him already.)
Me:  Hey Champ.
Danny:  guess what?
Me:  what?
Danny:  mama took me to the beach, bought me ice cream and a waffle.  I also played in the water.
Me:  did you have fun?
Danny:  I did but I missed you.
Me:  I promise next time, I’ll go with you and mommy.
Danny: Ok Daddy
Me:  (Put him down) Let say hello to your mom and talk to her for a bit.  (he runs out of the kitchen.)
Me:  Hey (I walk up to her, hold her waist, pulling her to me and kissing her) Sounds like you guys had fun but something is bothering you.  What’s wrong?
Uyanda:  Sit I need to tell you something.
Me:  Sounds serious
Uyanda:  It is.  When we were at the beach I saw one of Mzoxolo friends and told me that Mzoxolo has disappeared and it’s not a good thing.
Me:  what do you me by “not a good thing?”
Uyanda:  He told me that Mzoxolo suffers from O.L.D.  it means ……… (I don’t let her finish.)
Me:  I know what it means
Uyanda:  he told me that it’s not first time he has done something like.  The last time it happened,  the woman ended up leaving town.  (I listen to her speak and she tells me everything that she was told.  Ok this is just becoming too much now.  if it’s not my mother, it’s the paparazzi, it’s the community and now this.  I have to speak to Bathandwa.  We have to find this idiot before he does anything.  We must get to him first.