Simbongile Princess Ntabeni: The Called

Chapter Ninety-Three

-Sibongile-

Sivuyisiwe came through and we rode in her car to visit her dad. It was his third day in the hospital and I hadn't been there, because I didn't see why I should until I got called by the hospital nurses saying that he requested she calls us. Sivu was just like me, she couldn't care less... he didn't deserve our time, he wasn't worth our time.

We walked into his ward and found his old friend, Musa's favorite. She smiled at us and walked out giving us privacy. Sivu hadn't met her, she frowned at me and I just smiled with a shrug. We sat on opposite sides of his bed, and greeted him, he smiled wearily, taking both our hands into his. Then he tried talking but coughed up blood instead. I cleaned him up, and Sivu helped him with water while I went to dispose of the bloodied cloth. I came back and joined in the silence...

Dad: Today I am happy, something I hadn't felt in a while, joy. It is really good for a man to leave his household in peace and harmony bantwana bam. Seeing the two of you here, feeling your free spirits, your calm energies around this bed... this is perfect.

Sivu: Uthini u gqirha? What got you in here?

Dad: Ah, food poisoning.

Sivu: You poisoned yourself?

He chuckled...

Dad: No, but I think your sister knows who did.

Me: Why do you still keep in contact with them? Ufuna bade bakubulale ukuze ubaqonde ukuba bayingozi?

Sivu: Who are we talking about?

Me: His ex-wife and her daughter.

SIvu: Miyola? Ah come on tata, really? After everything that has happened you still entertain them? What hold do these people have against you? What did you do to them le ibenza bakutshutshise kangaka?

He smiled, looking at the ceiling.

Dad: There was once a time in my life when I was desperate for anything... anything that would put food on the table, anything that would set me up for a month or so. I bumped onto an estranged and distraught Miyola at the train station. She was carrying Imi on her back and they were hungry, you could tell they were hungry even before she asked for imali ye sonka. I gave her my food, and a R20 to hike the train to wherever she intended on going. A few days later, I bumped onto her again, in a different train station. She looked ravishing and she recognized me first. We spoke for a few minutes and that's where she disclosed that she was married to an abusive mogul. She wanted me to paralyze him, so he could be bedridden and that would guarantee her freedom and that of her child.

I closed my eyes...

I had never seen my dad as a murderer, or anything close to that.

Dad: We came up with a plan, executed it and everything worked out just fine. He was at her mercy and I got my share of what was offered at the beginning of the plan. By now I had fallen for her, stupid I tell you, I mean, how do you fall for someone who wants to paralyze their spouse? But I was already in there, head first. We started out just being friends, kisses here and there and then we just went all out and had a relationship. We were not married a court, hence when we divorced she couldn't claim much, but depended on the law for customary marriages to settle her. All this while, her ex-husband, utata ka Imi is alive and breathing. Just permanently paralyzed.

Sivu: You married umfazi womntu tata?

Dad: Ewe mntanam, I had to take care of her children because her husband was bedridden ngenxa yam. Yes, it was under her instructions, but at the end of the day, I pulled the trigger and fractured his spine for life. She got frustrated that I couldn't give her children, and went back to him, bavelapho ke oo Cebo. In fact, bonke abantwana bakhe, ngabomntu omnye. She would have sex with him amshiye apho, ndibone ngesisu mna and I would know that she had been visiting him. When things fell out for us, leading to the divorce, she blackmailed me. She had been doing that all my life, but it became worse... she came up with threats that if I ever left her, or chose anyone besides her nabantwana bakhe, she would take all the evidence to the police and have me imprisoned for life. Now I know the law, but I also know Miyola. She would have me imprisoned for life, and walk away scotch free because she's a woman and she's Miyola. So, I chose that life. Ubomi bentshontsho.