THE OTHER BROTHER
CHAPTER 32
MANQOBA
We look at the laptop crashing. Just like that - the information we worked for so hard to be restored for the past forty-four hours has gone to waste. I look at Sthembiso and he has his eyes fixed on the crashing laptop. This cannot be happening! I feel like breaking something right now. I wanted this information so bad for my own use. I hate people who take advantage of other people. I wanted Ngcobo to suffer bit by bit. But I can't do that without the information. Now my plan has failed just like that. I feel devastated. Sthembiso was out hope in pulling this through. He is a qualified Technician, and his IQ skills are top notch. This is beyond us.
“Shit!” I curse underneath my breath.
“Okay I believe my work here is done. Clearly it shows that this man has his information handy capped. I tried everything I could right before your eyes, and nothing happened. I even lost my laptop in the process. RIP my lovely spy.” He pretends to be wiping his tears. I look at him in disbelief and shake my head, what do I tell Thabi? I think honesty will do. I must call the girls in and update them.
“I must tell Thabi. The reason why she is still here is because she was waiting for data.” I take a deep breath and stand up. The sleepless nights were all a waste. There is more on this phone. This phone has a lot of information and I wonder what it is. I stepped out of the room and found Dumisa trying to stand. It’s good seeing him trying to keep up. Yes, he was shot in the chest and arm, but he is still weak to stand on his own. He needs a support system.
“Need any help?” I ask. He looks at me and smiles.
“No. Was just testing my back if can it be of good use again” I look at him in shock. This man almost died, and he is here thinking about sex. I'm sure his nigger no longer gets any erection. He is too old to be pumping someone. I can’t imagine my mother riding my... you know what, this is just too much for my mind. He sits down and smiles again.
“Tell me what in the God’s name are you doing with my daug...Thabisile?”
“Your daughter? I see pain in his eyes. He nods his head and takes a deep breath. “Tell me, what really happened for your own kids to be raised by that man. Everything is just confusing and nothing is adding up here.” I speak.
“I can’t tell you know. I promise to tell you one day once I am fit enough to face the trauma I went through.” I nod my head in understanding.
“I assume you did not tell Khanyi that day?”
“Tell me what?” She asks from behind; I turn around in fast mode and I see her frowning looking at us. I don’t know how much she heard. “Is there something I must be told?” She asks.
“I just want a can of beer and he is refusing.” Dumisa chirps in. I look at him and he is looking back at me with a terrified look. I pray she did not hear our conversation. Imagine finding out like this that the man you thought was your father is not your father.
“Ow that. You heard your doctor. No acid until you are fully recovered. Manqoba, I am going out to the shops. Do you guys need anything?” She asks. We both say no, and we watch her as she limps towards the door. I bet that walk has Mkhuleko written. I need to have a word with him. He can't go hard on Khnayi and later expect her give bear him children. I know he is going through a certain phase, but Khanyi is a no-go area. Cha, ngiyala. I turn to face Dumisa.
“I bet you haven't told her?”
“I got afraid. Telling her will require me to have all the strength to start from the bottom and for now I am not ready for that. I still need evidence on a lot of things I want to claim back.” He responds. Makes sense. We will be here for him no matter what. I tap on his shoulder on walk past him. I will leave him to his exercise routine. I need to see Mkhuseli and find out what is wrong with him. I knocked once and let myself in. I found him asleep.
“Mkhuleko, we need to talk.” I woke him up. Without fight he listens and sits up straight. “O’sharp?”
“I hate my life. And somehow, I think we are cursed.” He responds. I sank on the floor right by his feet. I want to hear it all.
“What happened?”
“Telling you this will be like repeating what happened years back.” He responds.
“Tell me. It’s just the two of us.”
He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. “My brother was molested. He was only ten years old when all this happened, and the trauma still haunts him till today. All of this happened in one room. My mother was also molested right in front of her son. After that they were never the same again. My mother finds comfort in hurting herself. She has deep scares on her thighs. Trauma triggers for the both of them and they both find ways of dealing with the trauma in wrong ways. Mkhuseli recently started attending therapy and my mother on the other hand – I feel like she is losing touch with the world. I don’t know what to do. How will I move on from this knowing what happened to my family?” A few tears fell. I am consternation - all of this is just too much for one person. I stand up, pull him up and give him brotherly love.
“I am here for you bro. Just know when you need me, I will always be there for you.” We break the hug off. “Close your eyes. Take a deep long breath. And exhale as you’re allowing your sufferings to let go, with the air you are breathing out. Start everything afresh. From now. Okay?”
He looks at me in the weirdest way possible.
“Manqoba it’s me Mkhuleko. Your BROTHER!” He pushes me aside and goes to the bathroom. I laugh my lungs out. I believe my friend is back. He comes back shortly wiping his face. “Khanyi.”
“What about her?”
“What you did to her is a no. I told you to get a punching bag to release all the pain and stress you feel. Bheka manje umntana bantu is a walking duckling.” He throws his towel in my direction. I duck and continue to laugh.
“I agree with you. It’s high time. Khanyi cannot handle the pained me.” he replies. I’m glad that we are on the same page. Now he needs to move on from whatever he is feeling and let go of what was and focus on what is.
“Any luck?”
“Nope. The laptop crashed before we could even reach any info.”
He looked at me astounded. That is exactly how I felt at the time I was told.
“So, you are trying to tell me that everything we did just went to waste?”
“Yes, I want the old Mkhuleko back and not this sissy.”
I am sure he could have done something. Khanyi’s pussy is really making him a dough cake. We were supposed to do a diamond heist days ago, but nigger is here in between her thighs crying his lungs out. I am happy for him to be this alive and happy. And that reminds me.
“Awusho, where is that Violet chick?” I see him swallow. The murderous look he gives me says a lot.
“Don't want to talk about it.”
“You do know you cannot have them both, right. One must go.”
I see him looking at me. I hope he will consider leaving that Violet chick. I don’t like her; she is pretty yes but she just – she is just not the right chick for him.
“I hear you.” He walks past me, and I follow him behind. Since we failed on the mission to get information on that stupid dead phone. It’s time for option two. Diamond smuggling.
