Ntsumi ka Moreetsi

Ntsumi

“I will, so that you can drive me to the pension office. Get in the drivers side and fix the seat.” Babe.
We adjust the seat and the mirrors. The car is an automatic, I put it on reverse. He instructs me to gently let the brake, the car moves back until it is out of the garage. My foot is shaking from the adrenaline.
“Good girl, I will see you later. My number is on the fridge.” Babe says driving out the yard. I wash our cups and watch the news, I am woken up by the phone ringing.
“Ntsumi, your uncle is outside, please buzz them in.” Aunty calls out.
I get up from the couch and open the gate, then the front door. I stand outside waiting for the car to drive in.
“Avuxeni.” The man greets.
“Ninjani Babe?” I shake his hand, a light skinned girl with an afro, pulls her bag towards me and greets with a high.
“I am uncle Benjamin, I come after your father. You must be Ntsumi, you look beautiful my girl, I see you have our family hair.” Uncle Benjamin says walking into the house, I follow him and offer him a drink, which he politely declines.
“Nhlamulo, I am leaving now.” Uncle Benjamin.
“Nata papa.” The girl.
“Nhlamulo, this is Ntsumi. I will leave you 2 to chat or whatever you girls do and I will see you on Friday.” Uncle Benjamin.
“Can you drop us off at the complex ? We will walk back or bolt, Ntsumi go put on some shoes.” Nhlamulo.
“I don’t think Babe will be okay with us leaving the yard.”
“He won’t mind, call him and confirm then.” Nhlamulo.
“I don’t have a phone.”
“Oh my gosh, what? That’s so strange. Put on your shoes and I will call him.” Nhlamulo walks with me to the bedroom, she puts the phone on speaker.
“Nhlamu, is everything okay?” Bab’Derek answers.
“Papa, everything is fine. Ntsumi and I are going to the complex for lunch, she wanted your permission.” Nhlamulo says with a duh tone.
“At least one of you is responsible, you may go. Aunty won’t be home when you get back, please take out some meat and I will cook when I get home.” Bab’Derek.
“Thanks papa.” She hangs up, I apply hand lotion and we leave, her father gives her cash before he drives off. The complex doesn’t have a lot of stores but it’s fairly big. We get to the burger place and take our seats.
“Tell me about yourself, how did you find your dad? We all thought he would never have kids. How was the village?” Nhlamulo.
“It’s a quiet place, with 2 schools. Life well, has been life, you know how it is when your mother dies, but I worked hard in school. I was on the top of my grade since grade 7. Tell me about you?”
“I am Nhlamulo, 17 years old. I have a boyfriend and 2 best friends. You will meet them, they live near your house. Who did your hair?” She asks and we thank the waiter for our food.
“I plait my own hair , that is how I got extra money at home.”
“Wow, that’s beautiful. Please do mine and I will pay you.” Nhlamulo.
“You don’t have to.”
“Never say no to money.” Nhlamulo, we finish eating and she pays. We walk around the stores and I see clothes that I like, I make a note to come back when I have enough money, she buys me denim shorts and a t-shirt. It's almost 4pm when we leave. She requests a ride for us.
I put my bags in the bedroom, and take out some chicken pieces and place them in water, before closing the curtains and lighting the passage. Nhlamulo is watching a series. I start chopping onions for the gravy I will make.
“You can cook?” Nhlamulo.
“Yes, you can’t?”
“No, aunty cooks at my house.” Nhlamulo, I nod and start cooking. I make a potato salad, beets, mixed vegetables in mayonnaise, rice and I put the chicken in the oven after spicing it. I washed the pots when I am done transferring the food in containers, only the meat is left.
Bab’Derek comes home at 5:50pm. Nhlamulo goes to the garage to meet him, I stay inside watching the movie. “Nom nom” Bab’Derek greets from the door.
“Babe, how was work?”
“It was good thanks and how was your day?” He asks taking off his tie.
“It was good thank you. I didn’t close the curtains in your bedroom, I didn’t know if I’m allowed.”
“You are being silly, you can enter any bedroom in the house. Let me quickly change and start on dinner.” He disappears before I can tell him I cooked, I get up and take out the meat then switch off the stove.
“You cooked?” Bab’Derek startles me.
“Yes, I thought you will be tired from work.”
“That’s so thoughtful of you, you can dish up for us, I am starving.” I dish up and we sit on the dinning room table.
“This food is delicious, thank you my angel.” Bab’Derek says.
“That’s literally her name in English papa.” Nhlamulo laughs.
I quietly finish my food and take my plate to the sink, I dish up lunch for Bab’Derek and start washing the dishes.
“I will wash those, you cooked for us.”Nhlamulo says taking the dish cloth.
I join Babe in the lounge, he has the television on the news channel. “Babe, Nhlamulo bought me clothes. I didn’t have money to pay her. May you pay her, and when I get my pay from Bab’Chauke I will pay you back.” Bab’Derek laughs so hard that he starts choking on his water.
“Babe, are you okay?” I ask, his laughter has died down.
“I am fine, that was very funny. The money you earned is for your Nom nom, I will give Nhlamulo her money back.” He laughs shaking his head. Nhlamulo joins us and we watch a drama series.
“Come let me plait you.” I say to Nhlamulo, she fetches her hair products and I start plaiting her straight up with 2 lines coming to the front.
“This hairpiece is beautiful, when I have money I will buy some.”
“It is neh. I will tell my friends and you can plait them tomorrow.” Nhlamulo.
“Thank you.” I finish plaiting her at 11pm. Babe already went to bed, I clear the floor and then set the alarm and get to bed, Nhlamulo promised to pay me R200, if her friends pay me as well. I will have R600 when the schools open.