THE HEIRESS

CHAPTER XXXIV

"You sure you have everything packed?" Mom asks, checking at my suitcase for the hundreth time this morning. I just chuckle.

She has never been this anxious about any trip I have taken before. Hell, I have been to Russia and all she said was 'safe travels. Call me if you need anything.' Only that. But a trip to the bundus has her going nuts and wanting to increase my security team ten times. She even has ordered that we take a private doctor and a private chef for emergencies. And they say gays are dramatic. 

"MaMyeni, relax. I am an adult and I am more aware of the danger I face. I know I may act ignorant on some cases but I am more alert these days. Nothing is going to happen, or even if it does, my security team will stop it. I got this."
She scoffs. "I am allowed to worry. I am your mother. Anyways, you said you knew who shot Nozizwe. Give me the names and I will handle it."
"Please don't judge, but Will got the identity of the shooter and his friend blackmailed him into giving us the names of the people who hired him. It was Simo, Esethu his fiance and Zibondiwe, the aunt."
She nods a couple of times, pacing up and down, mumbling some inaudible shit. She then stops and stares at me with a smirk. "So when am I meeting your politician? You two have been spending a lot of time together. You should introduce me."

I roll my eyes. "We haven't even put a label on our relationship, ma. Introducing you two would like be officialising it and I don't wanna put that kind of pressure on him. He has been through a lot. So we are just going to go by his pace."
"Just make sure he doesn't waste your time. I know how guys who have dealt with trauma can be like. They will feed off on your positivity and leave you empty and depressed. Be careful."

Pule opens the door to my room but doesn't come in. "We are ready for you, Miss Myeni. Minister." He nods at my mother. He then comes to take my luggage and heads out. My mother hugs me tightly before kissing my forehead.
"Any trouble you encounter, call me and I will send a chopper your way." Mama bear though.
"I love you, mom and I promise I will contact you if we encounter difficulties that are too much for us to handle." She scowls at me and I laugh before walking out.

***

When the plane lands at King Shaka International Airport, we get on the cars that are already waiting for us and they first drive us to Gateway Shopping Mall so that we can have lunch before proceeding with our journey. I am with Thobani, his wife and kids, Sne, Amahle, Mathenji and Nozizwe who got a free pass from the doctor as long as she takes it easy. She is still in a very bad shape but this ceremony requires all of Amos's children to be present, so she needs to be there. Zizile nearly blew up when she found out that Nozizwe would rather travel in my mom's private jet than flying first class with them. I haven't really had some alone time with Nozizwe but maybe we will get it when we get to the hotel we are staying in.

The Ntombela main household where the great-great grandparents were buried is in Eshowe and that's where we are headed. We booked a few rooms at the beautiful Aloe Lifestyle Hotel. I loved the pictures of that place that I saw on social media. It has a homey feeling that makes you feel comfortable. By the way, in addition to the dozen guards my mom sent, Nathan had to add two for his wife. If you don't call that drama, then I don't know what qualifies as it. But I guess that's just him looking after his wife, which is adorable if I may say.

After our lunch, all roads lead to Eshowe. It takes us almost an hour and a half to get to the hotel. When we are done checking in, we spend an hour enjoying sundowners before heading over to the Ntombela household, and during that hour, Nozizwe decides to take a nap. She was only discharged this morning and she has been napping each chance she gets, even on the flight. She is still medicated, so it's no surprise. This place is really beautiful and very peaceful. The pictures don't do it justice shame. I booked the presidential suite and that room is definitely suited for queens and kids. It even has a private lounge and a beautiful view of the hotel. Why would I wanna leave this place? 'Well you have a company to run.' A voice reminds me and I just roll my eyes. One can never forget that.

"I am definitely dragging my husband here for our first anniversary. Our honeymoon got interrupted because he had to rush back for work, so he owes me a lot of vacations." Mathenji comments and I just chuckle.
"The man can affordto take you to the moon, so why here?" I ask because I am surprised.
"This is our starting point. Then we go to Drakensburg, then we visit Jozini. Well I have a whole map drawn out in my closet and when I go back home, he will know about it."

Sne laughs. "You seem like a very demanding wife. I wonder how your husband keeps up with you."
Mathenji just snorts. "That man is obsessed with me. Don't be shocked if he just rocks up here and uses missing me as an excuse to stalk me." Sne's eyes pop out.
"It's true. He showed up when we were out clubbing. I think he has separation issues." I chirp in and they laugh. We are sitting with Amahle, Sne and Gouta who is having a mocktail by the way.

"My best friend, Chizoba, always teases him about that and he doesn't even care. I am worried about how clingy he will be once I get pregnant. I am pretty sure he will appoint himself as my personal guard." I laugh because that sounds like something Nathan would really do.
"If we don't leave now, we might end up getting too drunk to even get up from here." I state already standing up. They chuckle and follow suit. I head over to my room and wake Nozizwe up. I am sharing with her since I wanna look after her. She yawns before sitting up. She is only wearing a crop tube top and a huge bandage over her chest area. I think it's called a chest seal.

"What time is it?" She asks, with her eyes closed.
"Three pm. Let's go now. We don't want to get there late and give people even more reason to gossip about us."

She opens her eyes only to roll them and I chortle. She slowly gets up from the bed and put on a hoodie to hide her bandage. I hand her her crutch and we head to the parking lot. She directs us to the Ntombela home and we get there twenty minutes later. This place is really huge. It's like Zuma's home in Nkandla. There are a lot of huge rondavels in the yard and even a double storey house. We park outside and I help Nozizwe climb out. There is an old man standing at the gate with my uncles. Nozizwe rushes to them and I follow behind her slowly. She hugs the old man and ends up flinching a bit.

"Your brother is very stupid. Look. His actions has left you like this." The man mutters smiling down at Nozizwe and then he looks at me, then chuckles. "You brought the stubborn one with you. How are you, MaMyeni?" He greets me as if he knows me. I frown.
"I am good." What else can I say?
"This is Bab Mtshali, a traditional healer. He was also my grandfather's best friend." Nozizwe does the introduction. "He is a straight talker and he is unfiltered, so don't get too mad at him if he says something that you don't like and you are welcome to clap back." She winks and I just chuckle.

"Nice to meet you, bab Mtshali."
"Rinse your hands in that dish and then head inside. I hope you don't think you are going to sleep in that hotel you booked because this ceremony requires you to spend the night in this yard." He gives me a look and I just swallow hard. This man doesn't play.
"Let me make some calls, Baba." He grins and then turns to my uncles. Hhayi, am I about to be told what to do by some old man? I head over to my guards and tell them about the change of plans. Now they have to find sleeping bags because according to Nozizwe, the rondavel we are supposed to sleep in doesn't have beds and I am not about to sleep in sponges provided by the Ntombela family. I have been here for less than an hour and already there are challenges. Yuh. Kwangilaya ukufa kuka Amos.