THE OTHER BROTHER
CHAPTER 41
KHANYISILE
Amanda didn’t tell me that she will be going home today. I find it very odd for some reason. She has been behaving very strangely lately. Maybe it’s the schoolwork getting to her or maybe it’s her brother’s lifestyle affecting her. I can't deal with her moody self. Honestly, they are starting to annoy me in some way. I also have a lot on my plate. Ngcobo stopped giving me that lousy allowance. I'm glad he stopped. Nothing relates me to him at this point. If he thinks I will come back crawling to him he has another thing coming. I am just glad that everything has been revealed. He is not my father. Thabi had her doubts about the whole paternity shit. We ended up going some DNA tests and they came out positive. I couldn’t be happier. I was hurt and felt like the world had wronged me. I felt like I was born at the wrong time. Learning to hear that – that woman did not give birth to me. That alone gives me so much joy. That woman has been nothing but a pest to be honest. I am where I am supposed to be. With my father. I am moving out of Res today. I am just here to fetch some of my stuff. Well, most of my stuff that is here belongs to me. With the attitude that Amanda has been giving me lately – I am going to be selfish this time around. I will take whatever shit that belongs to me. I dare her to ask me, and she shall see the other side of me. I lift the mattress up. There are some letters that I need under this bed. I pulled the envelope and a small book dropped on the floor. I pick it up and open it. I see Skhonane’s name.
“Huh?” I decided to flip through. If I am not mistaken. This is Amanda’s handwriting. I sat on the chair and read through. What have I been keeping this whole time? A friend or a snake?
I have been keeping her like a sister kanti yena ufuna ukungidla ithende. I feel my heart sink. Not because she is now dating Skhosane. That she has been eyes the man I was dating ever since. Now that she has him, she decides to give me this stinking attitude. If she thinks I will come begging for that stupid friendship – she should lick her elbow. I am writing her off my life for good. I thank God, she showed me her colors before I invested a lot in this friendship. It’s true when they say them itshe. Amanda did me dirty. Skhosane managed to destroy what I thought was friendship. I shake my head in disbelief. I threw her stupid book on top of the bed and continued to pack. Mkhuleko will be coming by to fetch me. I cannot wait to tell Thabi all about it.
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As promised Mkhuleko came by to fetch me, and we went to the hospital to take pic up Thabi. She opens most of the time there with Manqoba. I just wish that he could wake up and get to see his son or daughter once they get to be born. Ay cha I yes him. He has very strong sperm. How did he manage to get her pregnant when she was already pregnant. Some things are just shocking and confusing. And for me to tell of Amanda and Skhosane. She ignored me like I did not say anything. Guess these kinds of news is the news that she doesn’t need. But she looked unbothered about it. Did she even care for the guy? I wanted to ask but decided against it.
“How is he today?” I ask the minute she jumps in the car. She has lost so much weight and it bothers me. She is just not taking care of herself like a pregnant woman is supposed to. She is not eating healthily. If not for Mkhuleko she would have lost herself a long time ago.
“I am beginning to lose hope. I thought that maybe he would wake up after me telling him that I am pregnant again with his child.” She says. Tears fill her eyes and she sniffs. “What if he wakes up and doesn’t want all of this. What is I am just leaving in the spur of the moment. Maybe I am just being forward and he...”
“What I know is he loved you even though your relationship was two minutes. But he truly adored you in a way. Wena just make anything that will make him warm and for his memory to be one. I know it hurts. But we are both here for you.” I love how Mkhuleko is looking after her. Am I jealous? No, I am not. I know that Manqoba would do the same for me if Mkhuleko was not around.
“You think so?’ She asks.
“I know so. Now stope stealing my cologne.” He groans making Thabi to laugh. This is the laugh I love. I am glad that she is putting the pain aside and laughing for a change.
“It was just that last time.”
She explains. The first one she stole – she broke it. I don’t know how it fell but she murdered it. She called us in the middle of the night crying her lungs out. Mkhuleko had to drive down to her Eshowe just to put that smile on her face. Imagine being woken up in the middle of the night just because the cologne fell. And you will not be able to live without it. Ngathi kumithe abanye lana inkosi impela. The drama we get to face every day and all day. Mkhuleko drops us home. I am happy to announce that my own father – our Babana bought himself his own home. It’s so beautiful, no lies. It has a basement. That is where I get to spend most of my time alone. My room is big enough for two people. Mkhuleko doesn’t enter the yard. I love that he respects my father despite the shit that is happening. He still stays in the flat alone.
“When are you driving your car again?” She asks. I am still afraid. I just get to have flashbacks of me flying out of the car. I've only seen cars explode in movies – my two eyes witnessed all of that. I have that feeling that when I enter the car it will just explode. I have never told Mkhuleko about this. I don’t want to be labelled as a weak woman.
“When the time is right.” I lie. I don’t see myself driving anytime soon. He asks the car outside the gate. The security is so tight. Making me feel weird. We punch the code and enter. We see a car we are not familiar with. Did this old man but a car? I look at Thabi and she is looking back at me.
“Whose car is this?” She asks me.
“I have no idea.”
She held my hand and walked to the house. Two gentlemen sitting on the couch with files on the table. Okay there is some shit going on here. Babana stands up and smiles. His face is neutral expect the pride of seeing us.
“Gentlemen - these are my kids. Ladies these are my business partners.”
The house now the business partners. Woah. What the hell is going on with this man?
“Baba. A re you selling drugs?” That is the only logic explanation. How does he have to explain this? I wear if Mkhuleko is behind all of this he will have me to deal with. This man is old to be chasing guns. His laugh is melting but I will not buy this one.
“Your father will never go against the law. Let’s take a seat.” He offers. We sat on one couch and stared at him. “This is Jackson my lawyer.” He smiles widely.
“You have a lawyer?” I am shocked.
“Yes. My old time friend.”
“You have a friend?” Thabi.
“Okay. What the hell is going on here. We demand an explanation!”
I didn’t mean to raise my voice but I am going impatient and agitated. I can't lose him just when I have just found him. He smiles.
“Jackson is my lawyer and is helping me to claim all of my assets back.”
“Assests?”
“Yes. The two companies Eshowe and the farm.”
“They were already yours just that your brother decided to be greedy and voted you out. He thought that he managed to change documentation of the properties but I gave them the fake documentation. All these years he has been barking on thing he does not even own. So now it will be easy to arrest him for fraud.” The lawyer Jackson explains.
“So Ngcobo doesn’t own anything?” I ask.
“He doesn’t.”
“Amen.” I clap once. How evil is this man. I was leaving with a monster under one roof. Jackson hands my father the envelope.
“Everything is still there as it was thirty years ago. I knew that this day will come.”
“I almost lost my mind. Right now, I want him to suffer bit by bit until he begs to the world for mercy. The old Dumisa is gone. Hope he will manage the challenge I am about to challenge him with.”
“Why not let him rot in jail?” Thabi. She is irritated.
“No. You see the way he treated me for those past years. Would be the very same way I will treat him then send him to jail. I want to play God to his life a little. The investors have already started pulling out. I sent this fake document anonymously. Once the company is on the ground I will the show myself.”
He may explain his plain but I am not understanding it one bit. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Our lives feel like a movie. All of this is starting to get to me. I need to sleep a little before my life burst because of stress.
