"Bathong Lehumo, what is it?", Mashoto asked as she stirred the gravy in a pan. Lehumo couldn't stop pacing and roaming about in the room in her cotton pyjamas, popping her knuckles. They lived as roommates in the nurse quarters.
"I did something really stupid", she fessed up. Mashoto closed the pan with patience and said:"Okay...?", leading the way to the couch. Humo followed her there. She dumped herself on the old couch and rubbed her hands in frustration.
"Aowa mosadi bolela tlabe ka fisha dipoto kua"(Speak before the food gets burnt)
Humo suspired before turning in her direction.
"Promise you won't tell?"
"I promise. What's going on waka?"
Humo swallowed before she could speak.
"So, remember when we were in varsity and I told you about this other half-sister of mine?"
"You mean the one you were religiously stalking?"
"I wasn't stalking her!", Humo defended. Mash dropped her eyes in ridicule.
"I just enjoyed watching her pictures on social media that's all. Anyway, that's not the issue here"
"You still stalk her but anyway continue..."
Humo clucked and looked away.
"It is the truth and you know it. Tell me what's going on?"
She sighed heavily once more.
"Her husband was involved in a car accident and went into a coma"
"He was admitted at our hospital?", Mashoto asked while scratching her itchy faux locs. Humo nodded.
"Okay. And?"
"He... I don't know what was going on with him but he used to sustain an erection and ejaculate minutes later, especially very late at night", she divulged.
"Wait. He was in a coma and he would do all that?"
Humo nodded in agreement. Mash was confused.
"Okay. And?"
"He's a handsome man Mash. He's rich. He's built. He's... Lord!"
"Don't tell me that you had se--", Mash was about to fire flaming coals over her head.
"I couldn't risk that"
"So where exactly is this going?", Mash dug into the matter. "Wait! Don't tell me you're speaking about Mr Khumalo?"
Humo threw her head in between her thighs and placed her hands over it.
"Humo!"
"I did something and I'm hoping he doesn't remember being touched inappropriately because if he does and Mr Bokete investigates into the matter I will definitely get fired"
"Just tell me what you did and stop beating about the bush"
"I took his semen", she gave a regretful straight smile.
"Why? What for?"
"I gave it to Kedibone to keep it safe for me"
Mash drew her face back and shrunk it in bafflement, till the equation hit her and it made sense.
"Doesn't Kedibone work at Marilyn and Stokes? The fertility clinic?"
"She does"
"Humo. What is in that busy head of yours?"
"Look I am not going to use the semen anymore. This whole situation led to me finding out that I'm barren I never even... I'm worried about my job. That's the only thing that's stressing me out right now"
"What were you even planning to do?"
"He didn't look like somebody who was going to make it out of that coma so I wanted to get pregnant by him before he died"
"By him? Humo this is your sister's husband are you sick in the head?!"
"I wasn't thinking straight! All I saw was me and my child living comfortably because I know Betso. She wouldn't have turned his child away even if I told her he cheated on her with me. It would've been very easy for me because she doesn't remember me. She last saw me when we were kids and we never even had a single conversation"
"You really are sick..." Mashoto had her hand over her mouth.
...
Nomcebo blew her curtain to the side to see who was parking at her gate. Ndalo was at school and her grandmother went back to her house. Manqoba stepped out and he was by himself. She wondered why. The late chief Khumalo always had a mini entourage escorting him. He watched him fix his cufflinks as he walked in.
"Knock knock", he went as he stood in front of the open door. She appeared.
"Mbulazi", she humbly greeted.
"May I come in?", he asked politely and she nodded, wondering what it was he wanted. Could Mxolisi have told him about what she specifically mentioned to be a secret? He walked in and she offered him a seat by the table in the living room. He pulled out a chair and settled there.
"Can I get you anything?"
He just raised his brow and stared. She then realized that she asked a stupid question. He doesn't eat anywhere and everywhere apart from his house. Everybody knows that. She cleared her throat and also took a seat. He lifted his leg off his other knee before he could start speaking. The more she watched him sitting there was the more she reminisced about the stolen times between her and Mbuso. His body structure and the bottom half of his face, starting from the nose down. The resemblance was there. Even how good he smelt. Mbuso always, always smelt good. There was never a miss.
"Are you listening to me?", he asked and she popped her eyes.
"Hm?!"
He sighed.
"I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind", she said and ironed the table cloth with both her hands.
"We all do. Mxolisi told me what you mentioned to him"
She puckered her speechless lips.
"I hear you want to take uNdalo away?", he questioned with a very subtle yet threatening look on his face.
"It is the best thing to do. For everyone"
"Ndalo is our future bride. Mxolisi loves and is willing to do right by her. I am not trying to dictate to you how you should do things in your house but I hope I will only have to say this once, Ndalo is not going anywhere"
She wore a look of confusion on her face.
"She can never know who her real father is. If she continues this nonsense she's doing with her brother it'll only spell a catastrophe!"
"Ndalo did nothing wrong. You are the one who created this mess. Now it is coming back to bite you", he said and stood up.
"But--"
"But nothing. The only time I'm going to come back here is on her wedding day. Don't make me come back prematurely. It will not end well"
"Mbulazi. How do you expect these two to--"
"Leave everything in my capable hands. Okay?", he calmly said and looked in her eyes, searching for understanding. She was frustrated. Her in-laws can never find out about this.
She eventually nodded for the hell of it. He said his goodbyes and left.
