Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called

Chapter Fifty-Four

Ubhuti came to fetch us, we left for school knowing that sizobuya umama engekho.
On our way from school, Siya was too quiet that ubhuti kept on asking if we were sure we wanted to be at home? I mean, where else would we be besides home? We had nowhere else to be. I dragged myself to my bedroom and undressed, Siya was making food still fully dressed in his school uniform. When I was done, I called Qhamani, I just wanted to see if he was okay, that's all.

Qhamani: Princess, hey.
Me: You are still permitted to call me Simbongile torho, don't do me like that!

He laughed, ah, I missed that.
Hearing his laughter, smiling to myself as his voice echoed in my ears.

Qhamani: What's up mntu wam?
Me: Don't make me regret calling you Qhamani NTABENI!
Qhamani: Ufana nam u Ntabeni? Hay sisi sundigezela emva kwemini, how are you doing? I miss you yazi.
Me: Qha uzixelele ba you won't call me?
Qhamani: I was going to call you nge weekend, I've been busy juggling the new environment and stuff.
Me: Oh shame, otherwise u right?
Qhamani: I'm good, I'm alright. Wena?
Me: I'm okay, surviving just fine.
Qhamani: You sound exhausted, did you go to school?
Me: Yep, I'm emotionally exhausted though. Ngaske ndiye kwi vacation far away from everyone.

I told him about what was happening and the possibility of mom being arrested, he listened attentively and then when I was done, he cleared his throat and just went silent.

Me: And that?
Qhamani: I want to say something, but I don't want to offend you.
Me: Offend me mntase, let me lie on my back for this one.
Qhamani: I feel like zonke ezi zinto zenzekayo are a result of your ignorance towards your calling. I know you have your reasons, and I fully respect those reasons but if I were you, right now? I'd get myself in check.

I huffed.

Qhamani: You know you have the gift and it is not necessarily for your own benefit but for the people around you as well, what if yonke lento ubuyibonisiwe and given a direction to deal with it? Counterattack? What if you were inclined, kungenzeki yonke lento yenzekayo? Will you be able to live with yourself if you were to find out that your negligence and ignorance is actually the reason why kusenzeka ezizinto? What if your mom gets arrested for something that could have been prevented?
Me: If mom gets arrested it is on your dad and my granddad bhuti, sundosulela ngamavutha ndingatyanga nyama mna.
Qhamani: If that makes you feel better, okay.

I wanted to just cut the call and pretend we didn't have that conversation, but he was making sense. A whole lot of sense futhi.

Qhamani: I still love you.
Me: You have to, blood is thicker than water.

He laughed...

Me: I have to go, ndikuvile neh, and I will reply to this when I'm okay, like when I'm in my right mind. Okwangoku, bye bye.

Qhamani: Undibulisele ku Musa obuya kwakhe.

Me: Most certainly.

We hung up, I jogged down the stairs and went to eat whatever Junior was making. We shared his meal, and a couch. Just as we finished eating, minding our own business, dad rocked up. He hooted every other minute for fifteen minutes full. We just pretended as though we were not home, Siya on the other hand wanted to go and attend or rather listen to whatever he wanted to say, but I stopped him. We couldn't afford him getting into more trouble, we had mom in trouble with the law already. Two hours later, granddad called me, to check up on us, I guess. I ignored the phone, but Siya saw the screen and answered it on speaker...

Siya: Tamkhulu?

Granddad: Junior, unjani kwekwe?

Siya: Si grand chap unjani wena?

Granddad: I'm good, I'm alright. Where's your mom? I've been trying to reach her since last night.

Siya: She went to the Eastern Cape Tamkhulu.

Granddad: Eastern Cape? Kukho ntoni? Unishiye nabani kengoku nina?

Siya: Bhuti Masi is in ICU so uyokroba yena.

Granddad: Haibo, niphi nina?

He rolled his eyes, but I applauded him to keeping the conversation as respectful even though I knew how he felt ngo Tamkhulu that moment.

Siya: Silapha endlini, we're safe if that's what you're asking Tamkhulu.

Granddad: Nishiyeke nedwa? Ndiyeza I'm coming to fetch you guys, why didn't she come and drop you off? Heh u Sibongile.

Siya: There's no need for you to drive all the way Tamkhulu, we're fine. Umke nabo umama oo Musa, it's just Sim and I.
Granddad: Even so, anikho safe for uhlala nodwa.
Sim: Uphi u makazi Tamkhulu?
Granddad: use roomin yakhe.
Me: Then we wont be able to come to your house, if we need anything, we will call you. Ungazikhathazi, sibadala noko.
Granddad: SImbongile mntanam, uyayazi I love you, but iinkani azizokunenzela nto right now. Nishiywe nodwa, without adult supervision, whatever happened between your mom and your aunt aningeni ndawo nina. Sanungenza izinto zabantu abadala.
Me: Izinto zabantu abadala sizingene the minute umakazi ebetha u Siya nge glass Tamkhulu, asisukanga sazitsibela. My brother had inxebakazi on his forehead, caused by umakazi.
Siya: And it would be betrayal to our siblings and mom to sit around dinner table with the very same person who tried to poison our siblings. So with all due respect and love Tamkhulu, we'd rather stay here until mom advises otherwise.
Granddad: Until she advises otherwise?
Siya: Yes.

He didn't respond, we looked at each other, counted to ten and then hung up.

Me: I don't understand u tamkhulu mna, why does he keep choosing u Imi and not his daughter? Like, what's wrong with him?
Siya: If umama gets arrested uyayazi mosi ba we will be forced to grow up and take of the other two? Even if we are taken to a safe home, we will have to grow some spine.

I nodded, thinking of the tough times ahead.
My only prayer was that ubhuti avuke, that's all. I just needed him to be okay, I felt like mom needed him more, she needed someone other than us, in her corner.