SIKOLETHU MBATHA
We were walking towards the big house in silence following the king.
"Oh bantabami." Exclaims a beautiful voluptuous woman who looked so much like my brother. She threw her arms around me crying then broke the hug , she gasped loudly looking behind me before she sobbed so painfully.
King : "Mnkami ehlisa umoya , ngiyacela." He said softly picking her up from the floor. We all settled on the expensive looking gold couches. Everything in this house screams money. Another older woman waks in , she's thin and very fair in color.
Woman : "Ohhh nkosi yami , izingane zami." O-kay. I feel Thube gripping on my hand , i turn to her and she looks confused.
King : "Ey awukwahle kaMaDonsela." He says firmly still holding his wife to his chest.
Sijadu : "As we all sit here today , the ancestors are happy that the kids are finally home but there's still so much that needs to be done."
King : "I am ready to answer all your questions and i promise to answer them honestly." He says looking down , his wife was still crying silently next to him. We nod. Bhuti looked angry still.
Sijadu : "KaMadonsela , excuse us." He says looking at the other woman.
MaDonsela : "Excuse me!?!"
King : "You heard him! Please!" She walks out after clicking her tongue.
Sijadu : "Now you may proceed."
King : "I am Bhekikhaya Zikalala , your father." He says looking at Bhuti. "And im your uncle , your father's twin brother." He says looking at me.
Lwando : "I would like to know why did i grow up in an orphanage , being transferred from one home to another when i have two healthy parents." He asks clenching his jaws and his eyes are red
Zikalala : "Honestly son , We lost you when you were 3 years old. You were on your way home from visiting your grandparents but you never reached home. We were told that there was an accident and you were involved and by the time you got to the hospital , they couldn't save you. We were made to believe that you had passed on and we buried you , i can even show you where we 'buried' you." He stops and cries with his wife , its not everyday you see a whole king cry openly.
Sijadu : "Ndodana , your father is right. They had blinded me too , that's why i was never shown anything about you being alive."
Zikalala : "Im sorry son. I'm sorry for failing you." Bhuti goes over to them and they hug crying , its an emotional sight. We all finally calm down and bhuti returns to his seat.
Zikalala : "This is Thandeka , my wife , your mother and aunt. We call her MaXulu though."
MaXulu : "Hhayi I'm not Thandeka or aunt , i am mama." She says jokingly and we laugh a little.
MaXulu : "Sikolethu , come here baby." I go and kneel infront of her , she hugs me so tightly.
MaXulu : "Im your mother's sister , well we share the same father." I nod. I go back to my seat.
Lwando : "This is my fiance Thubelihle." The parents hug her smiling.
Me : "How come you are Zikalala and we have been using Mbatha all along?"
MaXulu : "Your mother and I's father is a Mbatha."
Me : "Oh. What happened to my father then?" They both exhale loudly.
Zikalala : "He is in a psychiatric hospital , he's been stuck there for years and whenever we try to get him out something always triggers him to be locked up again."
Lwando : "What?"
Me : "What caused him to be there?"
Zikalala : "After your mother ran away with you , he was shattered kakhulu futhi and a few months down the line he lost his eldest son during a shootout that happened in a mall that's when je lost it. We first thought he was doing okay but as time went by he started showing signs , always hallucinating ; seeing things that weren't there ; talking to himself."
Me : "Oh , I'd like to see him please." This doesn't sit well with me.
Sijadu : "I will take you my daughter." I nod.
