STORY OF MY LIFE: KEATLARETSI

Chapter twenty four

When I got home the boys were watching tv.
Me:where's your father?
Mnqobi:in the kitchen.

I went to the kitchen and there he was talking with Thando who didn't even understand a thing. I stood there and just looked at them in awe. My husband loves our children and that's what makes him more amazing. He does have his faults but he's a good person. Thando was laughing here and there and he'd check on the pot. She was sitting on her baby feeding chair drinking from her bottle. She has grown so much. Soon she will be three. I think now im done with having children. God has blessed me when I didn't believe. And for that i thank him. Which is why i had my tubes tied again. I went back to the lounge. Lindani was now alone.
Me:hey. How are you?
Lindani:im fine and you?
Me:how's therapy? We haven't really talked since I came back.
Lindani:it's going well. The next session will be my last then i will only go once in a while until the therapist says im good.
Me:that's good.  You will get there. You do know that im here for you right? Me and your father.
Lindani:yebo ma. And thank you for that.
Me:you're welcome. So are you going to the trip at your school or it's only the grade 9's?
Lindani:everyone is going.
Me:okay. Im sure you can't wait.
Lindani: i haven't paid...
Me:aow bathong. Didn't your father pay?
Lindani:i didn't tell him.
Me:you don't want to go?
Lindani:i do. I just didn't want to bother him.
Me:Lindani you can never bother him. He's your father and he will do anything for you. Your father loves you. If im not here you can tell your father if you need something. Don't ve scared of asking. You have to be free around us. You're not a visitor here. This is your home. Go and fetch the letter so i can pay for you. After that tomorrow you and your father will go and buy the things you need for your trip.
Lindani:you will do all that for me?
Me:yes. Go and take the letter.
Lindani:thank you.
He ran upstairs. A 15 year old doesn't have to go through what he's going through. I feel  bad when I think about what he's going through. Since he came here his mother hasn't contacted him. I don't blame him when he says she's dead to him. She doesn't even try to make an effort to show that she cares for her son. I remember one day Mpendulo called her and wanted to talk about Lindani and having his surname changed and she was literally shouting and said she doesn't care what we do with him. What kind of mother does that?
Mpendulo:baby you're back.
Me:yes. Been back for long. Didn't want to disturb daddy and his princess. You were having a lot of fun cooking and chatting.
Lindani:mom here is there letter.
He just called me mom for the first time. Im emotional but im not going to cry.
Mpendulo:what is it about?
Lindani:we are going to a school trip. Cape town.
Mpendulo:that's good. Go and open that drawer. I have something for you.
He went to open the drawer and came with a big gift bag.
Mpendulo:go on. Open it.
He opened it and jumped to hug his dad.
Lindani:thank you dad.
Mpendulo:i love you my boy.
Lindani:i love you too dad..
Mpendulo:a man never cries.
Me:don't listen to him. He also cries.
Lindani:lol...you know my mother never told me she loves me? Im happy to have parents who care.
Mpendulo:anything for you my boy. But me buying this doesn't mean you must neglect your school work.
He nodded. He bought a laptop and cellphone for him. He was so happy.
Mpendulo:i will set the laptop up for you.
Me:let me take this girl to bed.
I try to take her and she wakes up and starts crying. "Papa"
Mpendulo:they are making you cry princess.
Me:these kids are in a crying mood today. Listen to the other one in the kitchen.
Mpendulo:it must be the veges making him cry. You know Lu and meat. Every food must have meat.
Me:you made him like this.
He cane to where we were still crying.
Me:what's wrong Lu?
Lu:ayikho inyama.
Me:you don't have to eat it everyday. We are all going to eat the veges. We have to eat them so we can be healthy and grow big.
Lu:no!
He hit himself on the floor and rolled. Oh God. All this drama because of vegetables.
Me:baby come to mommy. I promise you we will have meat tomorrow.
Lu:i want it now.
Me:we didn't biy it. Stop crying please. Tomorrow i will make it for you.
Lu:you promise?
Me:i promise. Come.
He got up and came to me. I held him and he was still crying. I rubbed his back until he slept. I  went to put him to bed and kissed his head and left.
Me:all that rolling for meat.
Mpendulo: he must know he can't eat meat everyday. He must know that. You will see him at dinner time he will cry again. When you weren't around he did that and i let him be. He would cry until he stopped. You should have let him be.
Me:i can't take him crying like that.
Mpendulo:he'll be fine.
The others came with their food and started eating. After they were done they went upstairs to do their homeworks and Ayanda was following them around. Thando was still glued to her father's arms. She didn't want to hear anything. Mpendulo's phone rang and he put it on loudspeaker.
Mpendulo:Zolani. How are you?
Zolani:good. I have news for you.
Mpendulo:okay.
Zolani: i found her. The witch.
Mpendulo:really? That's good then.
Zolani:what should I do with her? Call the police or take care of her?
Me:what do you mean take care of her?
Zolani:i mean kill her. This witch killed your child and burnt your house which almost killed your children. She deserves to be killed.
Mpendulo:i don't care what you do to her. Call the police or kill her. As long as she pays for what she did.
I looked at him. He's unbelievable! How can he say that so calmly? He talks about killing as if it's something easy.
Mpendulo: okay don't kill her. My wife's looks could kill me. Make her surfer before you call the police.
Zolani:okay. I will keep you updated.
Mpendulo:why are you looking at me like that?
Me: youreally would have let him kill her?
Mpendulo:yes. That woman has hurt us. First she wanted to kill you and our children. Then she killed our child. Qhawe would still be here if it wasn't for her. We would be happy with our boy but she killed him. So don't feel sorry for her.
Me:does Zolani do these killings on his own?
Mpendulo:he has people working for him.
Me:and you're okay being friends with him? Please don't let him influence you into joining him in doing these things.
Mpendulo:baby relax. He was a gangster back then but not anymore. He was just doing me this favor. He's a good person.
Me:i hope so.
Mpendulo: please don't worry about it.