Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called

Chapter Seventy-Four

I tried my best uzulisela u Undi regarding calling bhut'Masi and he eventually forgot. Around 3pm, the gate buzz went off, Siya was outside so I expected him to attend to it. A few minutes later, he walked in looking so confused.

Me: Who was that?

Siya: Some girl, she's looking for me.

Me: And that face?

Siya: She looks like mom, she talks like mom.

I frowned, and followed him outside. He still hadn't opened the gate for her, because we don't open for strangers. That's the house rule. As we approached her, I could see the resemblance. She was mom, a younger version of her. I'd never thought I'd see someone more beautiful than umama, her skin, was perfect, but you could see that she wasn't okay. Emotionally, she looked exhausted. Drained.

Me: Hi, my name is Sim and this is my twin brother. How may we help you?

Sivu: Hey Sim, uhm, my name is Sivu and I'm looking for your mother. Her name is Sibongile, right?

Me: Uhm, yes. She's not home, maybe we could take a message for her?

Sivu: I'd like to wait for her if you guys don't mind. I really need to see her, it's quite urgent.

Me: Well Uhm, Sis Sivu, we don't really know you. Umama would kill us if we were to open up our home for a stranger.

Siya: A stranger that looks like her, are you her cousin or something?

Sivu: Uhm...

She smiled, wearily and I frowned at her. That was a simple question, was she mom's cousin? Relative?

Me: I suggest you call her and tell her you're here. If she gives us the go-ahead to let you in then we will. It's always safer to be cautious apha.

She nodded, taking out her phone and dialing mom and the phone went to voice mail. I looked at Siya remembering that mom would be on board, it was a few minutes after 3pm and she did say her flight was for 3pm.

Siya: You still haven't answered me, what's your relation to mom?

Sivu: I'd rather discuss that with her, that's why I'm here, to maybe find answers.

Me: Maybe we should uhm, let you come in. You don't look harmful.

Sivu: Oh that would be gre-

Siya: She's still a stranger.

I huffed, he was right, we couldn't trust her. Not after everything we've gone through.

Sivu: It's okay, I will come back later today. I hope she'll be back home by then.

Siya: Alright, be safe.

He grabbed my hand and dragged me back into the house. We watched her from the kitchen window. She didn't leave, she crossed the road and went to the park, where Qhamani and I used to sit.

Siya: Maybe she is harmless after all, she looks distraught.

Me: But even so, we cannot trust her. Sixakene ne family as it is, we cannot just add her. I hope she's not mom's cousin. And that she's not here to stay with us.

Siya: What if she's mom's sister?

I looked at his serious face, replaying Sivu's imagine in my head. She was mom, right through. Except for her voice, hers was hoarse and deep.

Me: What's if she's mom's daughter?

Siya: Now that's ridiculous!

I laughed at him and went back to what I was busy doing. Dad called, I ran outside, I didn't want to fight with Siya about the call.

Me: Tata?

Dad: Hey Princess, unjani?

Me: I'm alright Tata, wena unjani?

Dad: Better than yesterday, thank you for the text last night. I really appreciate it.

Me: When are you coming home?

He sighed...

Me: You will come back, right?

Dad: Yes mntanam, just not now.

Me: Kutheni ngoku?

He didn't answer.

Me: Tata? What's going on?

Dad: I uhm, I found out that Imi has been lying to me all this while. She just wanted to secure a future for umntanakhe, she didn't love me.

Me: And that surprises you?

Dad: I am not surprised, but I am upset. I just need to take a little break from everything. I will come back once I am in the right mental state. I'm not skipping the country, I'm in Durban.

Me: I know, Qhamani told me.

Dad: You two still talk huh?

Me: You made us siblings kaloku Tata, remember?

He laughed, I smiled to myself.

Dad: I'm sorry mntanam, for everything. I won't blame Imi, I was at fault. I should have acted better, I am your father and I failed all of you guys.

Me: Maybe you should do this when you're back, come and apologize to all of us in person.

Dad: Siya hates me.

Me: I hate you too, but you're still my dad. There's no river where I can wash you off.

He sniggled...

Dad: Thank you Princess.

Me: Hope to see you soon then.

Dad: Can I just say one more thing?

Me: As long as it's not a suicidal afterthought, yeah you can say it.

Dad: I don't believe Qhamani is my son.

Me: What?

Dad: I know he looks like me, kind of, but I don't believe he's my child. Yes, I have been a father to him the same way I have always been a father to you but whenever I ask for a DNA test his mother makes him skip town. What's she running away from? If he really was my son wouldn't she gladly allow me to do the tests?

Me: I don't know Tata, I really don't know shame.

Dad: Okay bye for now, I'll call you again some time next week.

Me: Okay Tata, bye.

I didn't bother telling him his girlfriend came looking for him, he didn't need to know that. I walked back into the house and found the siblings laughing with Granddad. I didn't even see him drive in, I greeted and walked upstairs. Then texted mom, I wanted her to be aware that her father was with us. She didn't respond.

"Can I come in?"

Argh I should have known. I sat up, looked at him and shook my head "no". He begged me with his eyes and lay on my back ignoring his presence. He closed the door, and walked back to where his other grandchildren were.