Ntsumi ka Moreetsi

No Maswazi

My cries seem muted. I feel like I’m in a mime movie. Where the characters all don’t hear. I hide behind one of the tall people who are looking at me and not doing anything to help me. The people seem to fade and the shadow is in front of me. Everything goes dark the street lights all automatically turn off. Not even the stars are out nor the moon.
The brightness is so blinding, I try facing the other way but that only helps for a moment. I shut my eyes and I hear the screeching of tires on the tar and the smell of a burning clutch plate .I try running from the bright light and it follows me like the shadow that I have been running from. I have no idea how long I have been running but I feel blisters forming under my right foot.
I hear a male voice speaking to me. It takes me a while to register what is being said to me. “Don’t look back, Nom nom, Come quickly I have been looking for you we don’t have a lot of time.” A male voice says. With his hand extended to meet mine.
“Nom nom, wake up sisi, you are safe now.” Bab’Derek wakes me up.
“You are safe sisi, I am here. Papa Derek is here.” Bab’Derek. His voice reassures me. He comes to the passenger side and I realize we are at a filing station. He holds me tightly and kisses my head saying he is sorry. Once I’ve calmed down he  tells me he is going to get us drinks.
I assure him that I am fine and he jogs to the store. I am startled a few minutes later when Babe comes back with pies and juice for me. His sipping on a cup of coffee.
“I got your orange juice and stake and kidney pie. We are almost home, you will get proper food there.” Babe says.
“Thank you Babe, I appreciate it. This is actually my favourite, when I visit Gogo Mnisi, she buys me this flavour. The chips though, I have never seen thank you. I’m sorry, I talk too much.”
Babe laughs and then he drives us to a gated community in Woodmead, near a Makro store. He takes out a set of keys and he opens the big black gate, that reveals a yellow big single story house, with light brown gutters, window seals and a swing door.
“Welcome home Nom nom, I live here with Aunty Hlayisane who is the house manager, I told her that you are my daughter from eeSwantini and that I am fetching you because your mother passed away. It will be the 3 of us. Bote said you are a good girl and I won’t have to worry about boys. I trust you know what’s wrong and right. Tomorrow after work, I will drive us to the uniform store and we can get school supplies with Aunty.” Bab’Derek
“I understand, I promise you, I will be well behaved.”
“I trust you will.” Bab’Derek. Steps out of the car, I follow him. He knocks on the door then he unlocks it when no one responds. He shows me 3 bedrooms to choose from and I picked the middle room with an ensuit that has a bath, the others have showers. This room will also give Babe some privacy. There’s a bedroom between us.
I take a bath then get into bed. My body shuts down immediately when my head hits the pillow. I am woken up by the sound of curtains being closed. I stir up and quickly sit, almost falling.
“I am sorry, I scared you NwaChauke.” Aunty says.
“It is okay, How are you Aunty?”
“Ni kona. I must teach you how to speak my language, English is a lot of work, yakarata.” Aunty.
“I will be happy to learn, I can understand when you speak slow. I just can’t speak Xitsonga.”
“Okay, I am off for the night. Tomorrow I am going home for Christmas, you and Chauke will be alone, if you need me to do anything please let me know before 12pm.”Aunty.
“Thank you Aunty Hlayisane.” She leaves the room and I follow her after washing my face. I find Bab’Derek cooking, this kitchen is huge. It has a fawn, white bits of black stone, the cupboards reach the ceiling and are cream white. The stove is gas and electric.
“Nom nom, you are up, supper will be ready soon. I hope you eat pork because I know you are allergic to beef.” He stirs his pot.
“I eat everything, well except beef. Did you sleep?”
“No, I will have an early night. I wanted to prepare you food first.” Babe.
“Oh, that is nice of you. I could have cooked, you drove all night, you must be tired.”
“I will be fine, so what are your plans for tomorrow? My niece is going to come stay with you for the week until you settle, I knock off early now that it’s December, and next week I am off and we can maybe go buy you clothes?” He says to himself more than me.
“Babe, what have you told your family about me? So that I keep the same story?”
“You are my daughter, and we recently found each other. I feel the less people know the truth the better.” He dishes up and we eat on the island.
“The food is delicious. I didn’t think a man like you could cook.”
“A man like me? What kind of man am I Nom nom?” He laughs.
“Khens said you are a doctor and you have money.”
“Doctors eat as well, you know when my wife died I was told to remarry and have kids because I would starve but I didn’t want a helper, so I took cooking lessons. Aunty is here for the management of the house and laundry but I can do all those myself, I enjoy knowing someone is home.” Babe, wipes the dishes as I wash.
“Is that why you took me in?”
“Sam loves you like his own, he told me about your hard work and how you don’t want people giving you hand outs, the plan was for you to come stay with me, while he pays for your university, he says you want to be a psychologist. I was he one who told him about the recruitment, when he heard you were taken as a bride, he called me and my colleagues helped track you down. We decided you would be safer here, your aunt didn’t even ask about you. Huh there’s a pool in the backyard, you can swim, my niece will be here around 11am. I will be leaving at 6am to make it to Pretoria on time. You can watch tv so long, I am off to bed.” Babe quickly says.
I switch on the television but I don’t know what to watch. We don’t have dstv at home. I end up watching a house renovation show. I go to bed at  midnight and I hear Babe pressing buttons, I’m guessing he is arming the alarm.
I wake up at 4:30am and remember that I am in the city, we don’t get water at the tap, I take a bath and wear the dress and socks from the sports bag, Babe gave me. I then wash the 2 I had on. I hear the alarm being disarmed then I take out my clothes to dry them outside.
“Why are you up so early?”  Babe asks, he is in uniform.
“My body is used to it, should I make you breakfast?”
“No, take those clothes outside and get into bed, you will wake up later.” He reprimands.
I run to the kitchen and boil the kettle  while I take out my clothes. I make us both coffee, he laughs when he gets into the kitchen and sees his cup. “You don’t listen do you?”  he shakes his head, I follow him to the garage, he starts the black car.
“Will you teach me how to drive please?”