THE OTHER BROTHER
CHAPTER 7
SKHOSANE
He woke up with a banging headache from all the sniveling that had happened all night. How did he get here again? He should remind himself. He went willing to her home and dumped her right after confessing his love for her. He sharply closes his eyes and glances at his phone. Khanyisile hasn’t tried to contact him and that hurts to the core. Will he survive after this break up? How will he even look at her fully knowing that he's about to be married to her sister. Sighs! He gets off the bed and holds his head with a picture of her stumped reaction after leaving her standing there. He was not a man enough to sit her down and tell her the reason behind the breakup. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t bring himself into doing it. He is so shattered - it feels like his heart has cracked inside his chest. The knock on the door had jolted him out of the memory of sorrow. It could be his mother – he thought. Today, he is not really in the mood for her. That woman can flaunt something meaningless and gobbledegook. It's his mother yes, but sometimes he wonders how she raised her kids when she has such poor motherly skills. Maybe she should go back to colleague and learn a thing or two.
“Come in.” He says in a wistful tone. The door cracks open and surprisingly today it's his father. His father smiles a little and sits on the plastic chair that is beside the bed.
“Son.” His father Gumede greets. Skhosane sighs in exhaustion and takes a deep breath. He can't possibly eat and drink this stupid agreement of marriage. Can’t he be left alone just for a second without being reminded all the God damn time!
“Baba.” They fall into comfortable silence. Why is the old man here if he has nothing to say?
“I ended things with her.” Skhosane breaks the ice. He shamefully looks down and gloomy takes over. Everything is bursting his head to the outmost pain.
“How are you feeling about that?” Gumede asks, looking at his son intensely. As if he cares. It's all about satisfying them and their needs. They never cared about him in the first place.
“Heartbroken. Lonely and empty.” Skhosane.
“I understand where you are coming from.” Skhosane tilts his head to his father and looks at him. What does he understand when he is happily married to an annoying wife.
“What do you mean?” He asks. They have never really had a heart-to-heart conversation before. Their conversation is always based on general stuff. Livestock that was stolen. Drama within the community. Come to think of it, he has never sat down with his father and have a civilized chat with him; This right here, is very strange to him.
“We all lose the one’s we love son. But we must suck it up and grow to love the ones that are Infront of ours.”
“I still don’t get you baba.”
Gumede chucks. “You are still young to understand. Some love might always scratch at your heart. Some relationships, especially those that were an integral part of growth at pivotal times in our lives, thread through the inner makings of who we become. Letting go of a meaningful love can make you feel like you’re also letting go of everything it once was. But try to take the opportunity to acknowledge the good things about the relationship, including anything you might have learned from it. Validate those feelings. Give them space in your heart.” Just like that he stands up and leaves him swimming in thoughts. Now that is a statement he doesn’t understand. Confusion... He will not dwell on it. He has bigger issues to deal with. He needs to go out for a run before the sun gets to be extremely out.
With his headphones buried deep into his ears with DVSN playing on loud range. Running has always made him calmer and made him think rationally. Right now, he believes he made a wise and bright decision. Yes, it hurts but there was no other way to slip his motion into it. Unfortunately, an innocent heart was meant to be hurt in the end. He will be taking another route, surely Khanyisile is on her way to school. He couldn’t bear to see her face. The hurt in her eyes. That tiny, sweet voice of hers. His chest burns. The pace slows down as he holds his chest through the burning sensation. Maybe going out for a jog was not a good idea. He options to make a U-turn and go home. He turns and slowly walks on the side of the road. He is dizzy. A car parks further away from him but the driver reverses...
“Are you oaky?” Asks a woman in the car. She hops out when she notices him struggling to breathe. She advises him to do some breathing exercises until his breathing goes back to normal. He tilts his head up and looks at the woman Infront of his eyes. He freezes on the spot and takes a close look at her. He cannot mistake her at any cost. He staggers back losing balance, but the woman was fast enough to catch him.
“Halo. Are you okay?” The woman asks again.
“Just having hard time to breath. I feel dizzy.” He says.
“Where do you stay?”
“Just down the road.” Skhosane.
“Okay, since I’m going that side will give you a lift. Come, let me help you.” She wraps her arm around his waist leading him to the car...
