STORY OF MY LIFE: KEATLARETSI

Chapter twenty nine

after i finished reading the newspaper Bongani came into my office. The door was not close.

Bongani:MamKhoza how are you?
Me:im good and you?
Bongani:im good. Im here to fetch you. Come Thandolwethu.
She ran to him.  I don't know why she always think Bongani is her father. His voice is different. But i know if her father were to come in here she would run to him. Siyabonga and Bongani are the ones who look exactly like my husband. The difference is their body size.
Me:why are you fetching me?
Bongani:the media is all over this place. Bafo sent me to fetch you cos he's not done with his meetings.
Me:i thought that article about Rapula helped.
Bongani:Rapula! Rapula futhi? When are you going to stop talking about this guy? Stop talking about him. If i hear his name again....Let's go.
We got out if the building and indeed the media was all over.
Me:can we please go past Hatfield festival street? I want to buy something.
Bongani:okay.
We gotoutthroughthe back and went to his car. I got to breathe when we left. We got to festival and i went to buy what i wanted to buy.
Bongani:is that what you were buying?
Me:yeah. She's the only  one i know who sells around here. I was craving it.
He took the two pockets of the brown soil that i bought and threw them outside the window.
Bongani:nxa!
Me:why..
Bongani:give birth first then you can eat your things in peace. I won't sit and watch while you cause damage to my brother's  babies.
Mnx. I was really craving that soil. Anyway we drove to his place first and i waite until he came back. He came back with a baby girl and stripped her in the car seat at the back. I didn't even notice that there were two car seats. We got to my place and he took the kids in with him. The twins were watching tv with Lisa. These three are inseparable.
Bongani:Lisa take your siblings and go watch tv in your room.
Lisa:baba who's this baby?
Bongani:your little sister. Take her too.
They went up the stairs and i just stood there surprised.
Me:whose baby is that?
Bongani: Khanyisile i am..
Me:what?
Bongani : she has nowhere to go. Her mother is dead and you will have to take her in.
Me:why me?
Bongani: i think we both know what's going on here. I will see you.
Me:you're not going anywhere. Take that baby with you. I don't want her here!
Bongani:so you want her to stay out in the streets?
Me:i don't know what you will do with her but i want her out of here!

NARRATED.

Mpendulo came back home as soon as he finished with the meetings. He found Bongani gone sohe had to call him to know what was happening.
Mpendulo:where did you get the baby?
Bongani:at your lover's place. That woman is dangerous. She fooled us by that baby she brought that time knowing that she was really hiding your baby. She wanted you to fight with your wife. She called me to fetch her. Just as i was about leave some white man came in and shot her. I just took the baby and the documents she gave me and left. She knew that she was going to jail and she'd have no one to take care of the baby. The documents are in her backpack.
Mpendulo:this is a  mess! This time Khanyisile will really leave me!
Bongani:bafo you're the head of your family. Don't allow her to leave. Don't let her to even entertain that idea. If she leaves it'll be the end of your family. Your family will come crumbling down. So do whatever it takes foe her to stay. Do whatever but don't let her leave.
Mpendulo: I've never been scared like i am right now.
Bongani:talk to her. She might understand
Mpendulo:shap.
He went upstairs and heard the kids crying. He started there. The baby and Thando were crying.
Lisa:they were fighting for toys.
Mpendulo:come Thando.
Thando:she took my toys.
Mpendulo:i told you you should learn to share okay?
She nodded.
Mpendulo:stop crying.
He got out and went to his room.
Mpendulo:Khanyisile!what are you doing!?
He shouted hitting her hand. The pills fell on the floor.
Mpendulo:do you think killing yourself will change things!? Why are you doing this?

Kea
I don't know what i was thinking. I just found myself taking all those pills. I don't know what would have happened if he didn't come in time. I wipe my tears and get into bed.
Mpendulo:im sorry. I didn't know about the child. Bongani called me and told me what was happening.
I couldn't answer him. I looked at him and his eyes were red. I saw the kid. She's almost Thando's age. She looks exactly like her. If you don't know you could say they are twins.
Mpendulo:let's talk about this.
Me:i know for sure if i cheated i would be out of here already. I would be humiliated. You wouldn't forgive me. Now i must accept your child? I don't want to lie. I don't want that child here.
Mpendulo:i can't abandon my child. Her mother is dead. Who will take care of her?
Me:thank God she's dead. I will rest. Her mother terrorised me and now you're rubbing it in that you were busy sleeping around out there while i waited? You even brought a child. This is beyond me.
Mpendulo: i didn't mean for this to happen.
Me:im sorry but I can't accept your baby. Take care of her yourself. And please give me space. I have to clear my head and decide what i want.
Mpendulo:are you going to divorce me?
Me:is that what you want?
Mpendulo:of course not.
Me:im leaving.
Mpendulo:you're not going anywhere. We will stay here and find a solution on how we will raise our kids and our family. In this marriage we said in good and bad times. Now that we're facing problems you want to leave? That is not happening. I love you and im not going to let you leave.
Me:so you're going to force me to stay here.
Mpendulo:if i have to.
He went out after saying that. I changedfrom the clothes i was wearing. I went downstairs to cook. I made pap and chicken feet and mala. After i was done i went to check on the kids and they were fine. I gave them their food and ate mine. I left for the others in the microwave.  After i decided to do my work. I focused on that. I had a lot of work to do. I couldn't let my team do it alone. Im just grateful Mpendulo managed to convince those clients to stay. After that i checked on how everything is going with my properties. Everything was going well and i was happy about that. After i gave the kids a bath. I don't know where Mpendulo went. He left with Thando and his other child. For dinner i ordered pizza and after that i went straight to bed. I woke up when someone was shaking me.
Me:ke eng?
Mpendulo:you were not waking up and i thought...
Me:that i killed myself? I won't do that. I don't even know what i was thinking. I would have killed myself and what would that solve?
Mpendulo:that's good.