Jenna: “why is it any of our problem that she is getting married? She should hire people to negotiate for her since she has all the money in the world.” I just chuckle and shake my head. Gran had broken the news about my lobola negotiations after dinner. The family is gathered at the lounge.
Thabisa: “when did you start dating this man?”
Gran: “if you were an active mother in her life, you would’ve known the answer to that question.” Yoh I felt that.
Aunt Sabathile (Nkateko’s sister): “when exactly is the Ndaba family coming?”
Gran: “in 3 weeks.”
Uncle Siyazi (Nkateko’s brother): “are they going to negotiate at your place or here?” he says looking at gran.
Gran: “if Nkateko is not comfortable with hosting the negotiations here I guess they will happen at my house.”
Uncle Siyazi: “so what is your say in this brother?”
Nkateko: “I have no problem with the negotiations being held here. It’s the least I can do for my daughter.” I chuckle and shake my head. Daughter huh?
Gran: “they are also going to bring izibizo so we must compile a list.”
Jenna: “are you sure granny that she is ready for marriage? She is young and entitled and power hungry. I am sure she doesn’t even know how to do house chores. She is going to drag our name in the mud at the Ndaba homestead. When she finally learns the importance of family, maybe then she should consider being in a serious relationship.”
Me: “not long ago you wanted to kill me with your family because of my inheritance. Now you wanna teach me lessons on the importance of family? Wow.” I stand up. “Gran you will update me on how this meeting ended. I have better things to do than sit here and be insulted.”
Nkateko: “please sit down Oyintando.” I look at him and he looks at me with pleading eyes. Is he really kissing my ass? I sit down.
Gran: “Nkateko, Siyazi and Londani will negotiate on Adriane’s behalf. You can also tell the whole Shabangu family. Thabisa you will take care of the invites or should i?”
Thabisa: “we can just take care of them together.” Gran nods.
Gran: “ladies let’s go to the kitchen to compile the list and leave the gentlemen to discuss a few things.” We stand up and head to the kitchen. I take a glass from cardboard and fill it with tap water. I take a sip while watching them compile the list.
Jenna: “are we boring you?” I just roll my eyes.
Me: “I know you hate me. Just go and paint your nails or something.”
Thabisa: “girls stop fighting.”
Jenna: “she is the one who is not cooperating. This is her ceremony, not ours. She should be more active.”
Thabisa: “you know very well that your sister is a woman of few words. Cut her some slacks.” My parents are being weird today, they are standing up for me. They must be up to something. The ladies finish compiling the list.
Gran: “Adriane will come here two days before the big day to prepare everything. I will come with her to oversee everything. We will also hire a catering company. You don’t have to do anything.”
Jenna: “that’s good to hear.”
Gran: “thank you for having us for dinner. We will be on our way now.”
Thabisa: “go well.”
We say goodbye to the men and then we leave. We arrive home and find Dominique, our butler, in the dining room laying out dinner.
Gran: “I hardly ate there because I was afraid of being poisoned.” I laugh at her as we sit on the dinner table.
Me: “Thabisa and Nkateko were acting weird today. They were nice. They scared me.”
Gran: “those two are conniving snakes. We shouldn’t trust them.” I chuckle.
Me: “what kind of a mother that doesn’t trust her own daughter?”
Gran: “what kind of a mother that plans to kill her daughter because of inheritance?”
Me: “okay you win.”
Gran: “as always.” I roll my eyes.
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Sange: “he cremated his family this morning and he is planning on moving to India tonight.” I laugh and shake my head. It is the following day and Sange is updating me about Bo. We were at my apartment which is at Randburg.
Salizwa: “such cowardice. What do we do boss?”
Me: “grab him before he boards his plane. How many men are guarding him?”
Sange: “10 men. 5 of them are leaving with him.”
Me: “take all of them out. Even the ones staying behind. Just end Bo’s reign for good.”
Seipati: “it’s about time.”
Me: “what did the Equatoguineans say about Lesley?”
Salizwa: “they killed him and hanged him in public and branded BETRAYER on his forehead.”
Sange: “that’s how they roll.” I turn to Salizwa.
Me: “did you find any loopholes on the financial report?”
Salizwa: “yes. They moved the money so well that if I was an amateur u wasn’t going to notice.” I frown.
Me: “how much money did they steal?”
Salizwa: “about R3.5m this year.”
Seipati: “damn. How stupid are they?”
Me: “who are involved in this?”
Sange: “Miss Mdinga, Mr. Mlungwana and Caleb Sefoloko.” I clench my jaws. These motherfuckers are shitting me.
Me: “let them fool me again this week. Next week we are having a year-end party. I will include the police in this. I want to humiliate them because they have made me a fool. I will make sure that they don’t get bail.”
Seipati: “I need a show stopping dress for that event. A dramatic one. A Durban July dress.” We laugh at her.
Sange: “I want that huge dramatic Durban July hat that will cover most of my face.” We continue laughing.
Salizwa: “they will literally never see you coming.”
Me: “that reminds me. I should go. Today I am checking up on the law firm.”
Sange: “good luck with that diva brother of yours.”
Seipati: “you are only calling him a diva because he is one of the few men in Mzansi whom you haven’t slept with.” Sange rolls her eyes. If it was someone else, they would’ve been offended, but not her.
Salizwa: “what would you do if you find out that Cole is also stealing from you?”
Me: “is he?”
Salizwa: “I don’t know.”
Me: “if he is, then I’d let gran handle him. There is a presentation at the advertising company later on. You guys should come.”
Sange: “I will definitely come. And I will make sure I come.” We burst out laughing because the first come and the second come contains different meanings.
Salizwa: “you need serious prayer and holy Ghost intervention.”
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#TheEmpress
