Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called

Chapter Thirty-Six

-Masixole Ngqotyana-Her head on my chest, arm, and one leg across my body I felt her body relaxing and her breathing normalizing. I kissed the crown of her head and she mumbled.

Me: I love you. Sibo: I know, and thank you.

She responded with her eyes closed and I smiled to myself. That was always the case with her, two to three rounds and she'd feel sleepy. Her phone rang, and I reached for it. It was Sim, so I woke her up and gave her the phone. She answered while on my chest and then sat up looking confused. My own phone rang, and it was in my pants. I got up and went to take it across the room, it was the office.

Me: Ngqotyana? Dave: Mr. N, I just received a call from the offices in Mitchersplain. Their electric room burst bu-Me: What? Dave: No one was hurt, chill, they are just out of power.

Dave was our accountant, for all three firms. He had his attitude, occasionally he'd lose it but he knew his work and I knew I could count on him all the time.

Me: Okay Dave, I'll go and check it out, in the meantime, can you organize a generator? One that will be able to carry the entire building. Dave: We're going to need three. Me: Okay, organize three then. Dave: Please come by to authorize payment BEFORE you drive down to Mitchersplain. Me: Okheyi Dave, yho!

He hung up, I looked over at Sibo and she was already heading to the bathroom. I followed her, join in her shower and kissed her back noticing that her mind was miles away. When I was done I left her there and went to get dressed because I was needed at Mitchersplain. She came out with a towel wrapped around her body and gave me a quizzical look...

Sibo: Uyaphi?Me: I have to start at the office but I'm going to Mitchersplain, ku blast'e la room inezinto zombane. Sibo: Yhu, akhomntu wonzakeleyo?Me: Fortunately no, but I'll know the damage ofika kwam pha. Sibo: Okay, I'm sorry. Me: Argh, don't worry yourself, these things happen. Did you bring your keys or should I leave you with mine?Sibo: I left mine in my car... Me: Okay, I'll leave mine ke. Please come and open the gate for me.

She followed behind me, and as I walked out, I realized the hassle it would have been had we really left for that getaway. I knew she would understand because it was business, but with getaways, we usually turn off our phones and this one was no different, especially with Bonga around the kids were going to be well taken care of kungabikho need for us to keep tabs. I turned around and kissed her on the lips as we reached the front door, and then drove out of the yard in a minute. I reached the office and went to authorize the payment with Dave, and then took a drive to Mitchersplain. Fortunately, the people from the municipality were already there as the burst affected the power supply for the neighboring houses and businesses and according to their assessment it wasn't our fault. The current was just too strong. I spent the entire day in Mitchersplain, on my way home I got a call from my little brother. I sighed, whenever the little ramp called I knew it was because he needed money.

Me: Ndoda?Xola: Gama wam, unjani?Me: Oh bawo, ufuna ntoni Xola?He laughed, I waited with a pokerface on!Xola: Nd'cela undongeze i-five klippa bhuti. Me: Uzayenzantoni? Xola: Ndizothenga eny'iway. Me: Xola? He sighed... Xola: Ndizothenga iphone bhuti, I want to upgrade. Me: Uhm, shouldn't you be focusing on your upcoming matric exams kanene? And I'm still waiting to see your midyear report, the same report that is going to be needed for your varsity applications for next year? Xola: Yho u bhuti. Me: Bye?Xola: Okay yhima bhuti, the report doesn't look good okay, that's why I haven't sent it. I'll try to do better next term and use that one to apply.Me: How about I give you le R500 after you've done better ke? Because I cannot waste my money you. If you want better things in life, you work for them, just like the rest of us.He didn't respond, Me: I think we're done?Xola: Yeah, thanks. Me: You're always welcome, ubulise kumamakho. Xola: Will do.

Then he mumbled right before he hung up. I called his mother right after that phone call ended.

Mama: Hello? Mabaxole kamamakhe? I laughed, yes I was having a bad day but hearing that would always cheer me up. Me: Mama ka MaSIxole, unjani?Mama: Ndiyaphila mntanam, unjani wena? Me: Ndiphilile nam, I just got off the phone no Xola. Mama: As expected, did he tell you he failed his midyear exams?Me: No, he said the report doesn't look good. But eyona reason why he called is that ufuna iphone entsha and he needs R500 from me. Mama: Yho andoyiswe!Then she went silent after that exclamation. Mama: Inene wandeza u Nokuzola Masixole. Me: Okay, what's going on?Mama: Masixole lomntwana failed because he has been missing classes, he failed because he has now started smoking. Andinaxesha lakutshaya kwakhe ke mna, kodwa I will never understand umntu athi eqala utshaya ashiye i-entyi nezoli yentsayo asuke atsho ukutsibela i-mandrax!

I swallowed hard, feeling anger rising not from my chest but my loins!Mama: Unento ahamb'eyithetha ke ba yena akana mama, and lonto iyamhlupha because if ebenomama naye ngefana nabanye abantwana. Yintoni esingamenzeli yona u Xola Masixole? Yintoni le kucaba iyashota pha kuye? Because mna ngokunokwam ndizamile, ndisazama kwaya ndaw'fa ndizama ukumenza angayiva indawo ka Nokuzola kodwa hay, andiyithandi tu indlela andiqhuba ngayo. My next question would be to ask her why didn't she tell me earlier that uxakwe ngu Xola, why didn't she speak up? But I decided not to, she was hurting.

Me: Maybe I should come down and have a word with him. Mama: Inoba ucing'ba uzokuva wena. Unento ne studio ke ngoku int'wentsha. Inoba nalo phone afuna ukuy'thenga uzo record'a ngayo. Me: Myeke, and don't tell him I called. I'll come down and have a word him. Mama: Okay. Me: Other than that, usahleli right? Mama: Hay ndi right mntanam, akho nix. Me: Okay ke, bye. Mama: Bye.

I hung up. Now I had to plan a trip home? All because of an ill-mannered, ungrateful teenager?