Ntsumi ka Moreetsi

Derek's

“You can speak Xitsonga, I understand you. I will reply in Swati.” I say to Sesi, she is struggling a lot with English. She wanted to ask if her pace was okay for me. We greet the ex who calls the son, then we leave.
“Your sister is beautiful, whose child is she?” An older lady asks near the store.
“She’s uncle Derek’s.” Sesi.
“I didn’t know Derek has a child, but I can see the resemblance. I will see you tomorrow at the market.” The lady greets and pushes her wheelbarrow.
Sesi finishes cooking and pours me bathing water in the main house. Babe is not in the yard and his house is locked, I bath and wear the same dress, I had on then we eat and wash the dishes. “Ntsumi, your father is back. You can go and change.” Sesi says.
I get up from the couch and go to Babe’s house. It’s a 3 bedroom house, with a kitchen and dining area. My bags are in the bedroom that’s open, I quickly change into my sleepwear and go back to the house. We play cards until midnight, Kokwana says we should sleep because we will be up soon. Babe is watching the a music show when I enter. “How is everyone treating you?” Babe.
“They are all good, Nombi thinks his older than me. I don’t mind, I like having a brother.”
“That’s good, Sam and the other’s are arriving later today. You will have more people to hang out with.” Babe.
“Thank you for saving me, I promise I won’t cause trouble for you.”
“Good night Ntsumi.” Babe brushes me off. I wake up early the next day, it’s Christmas eve. Sesi is sweeping the yard, I help her. The boys gather firewood and water from the tank. By 11am the house and yard are clean, we have a pot of pap and chickens on the fire outside.
“You must go bath and rest, your father will think we are abusing you.” Sesi.
“No he won’t, I prefer we all finish and bath at the same time.” She laughs, Nombi brings us scones and coldrink.
“I honestly don’t understand how you eat scones with sugar, I would rather have tea.” Nombi and Sesi laughs.
“You are definitely a Chauke, tea in this heat? Go and get from Kokwana.” Nombi. I take a cup and kneel under the tree, koko is sitting under, I pour my tea and leave.
“I knew you would fit right in.” Khensani runs to me says.
“You know me and pots, I should just be a chef.”
“Come greet your father, his been counting down the days. Nombi please come get the food out.” Khensani says, we walk to the front yard and Bab’Chauke opens his arms for me, I cry in his embrace. I missed him so much, the last time I saw him he tripped and fell.
“Hai Nomaswazi, stop crying so much now you want Sam to think I was abusing you.” Bab’Derek.
“These two, you won’t win papa.” Mrs Chauke laughs.
“How have you been my baby?” Bab’Chauke.
“I’ve been good, Babe bought me clothes, I plaited people and made money. Babe gave me money as well.” I narrate my activities since we parted, Bab’Chauke listens attentively until Sesi calls me, saying my pots are burning. I run off and help her dish up for everyone. We pour water to bath in urns, the meantime we eat. I sit between Bab’Chauke and Babe.
“Why is Ntsumi close to Sam?” A relative whose name I forgot asks.
“Sam lives near her mother’s house, she helped at their store.” Babe answers irritated.
“I thought maybe she belongs to him, she does look like Khens.” The relative.
“Sometimes I wonder how you are a teacher. Is Sam not my brother? Of cause our children look alike.” Babe.
I collect the dirty plates, the others follow suit. After washing the dishes, we all bath in our respective houses. Nhlamulo and her parents arrive later in the afternoon, her mother and Mrs Chauke cook dinner, the cousins and I chill under the tree. “You are really unfair Ntsumi you know, your hair looks more beautiful than mine.” Nhlamulo.
“No ways, you are prettier.”
“Please style me as well. I have a date on the 26th.” Sesi.
“With who? That coal guy?” Khens.
“Pay Ntsumi for my style and I will tell you.” Sesi laughs. Khens promises to pay me, Sesi brings her comb and I start plaiting her, listening to her story.
“Nhlamulo, since Ntsumi met you. All she does is plait, I hope the salon closes when the schools open.” Babe says, he is opening the gate to go collect scones.
“May I drive with you?” I ask testing the waters.
“Finish your business then we will go.” Babe. I nod my head and continue plaiting Sesi.
“Bring us snacks.” Sesi.
“Come with us, Babe won’t mind.” She refuses to come with, saying she can’t leave her kids. Nombi comes with, he knows the snacks they want. I drive us to and from the scone house, proudly.
“We must teach you parking next, well done.” Babe says parking the car in the carport.
Nombi and I join the others in the kids room. We bought ice lollies, chips and sherbet. We sleep in the early hours of the morning.
“Happy first Christmas NwaChauke.” Babe says, I am making us coffee, it was supposed to be in bed for him.
“Nakhensa papa.” I attempt, he gives me a hug and fetches a paper bag.
“I left your gift at home, I mean your house. You will get it when we go back, thank you.” I open the bag and find a smart phone and a router. I excitedly scream thanking him over and over again. He helps me set it up, I set my wallpaper as a selfie we take together.
The lunch is beautiful. A few neighbours join us, some ask why Babe was hiding me. Back at home people used to say I looked like Khens, I never saw it. Well even now I can’t, but almost everyone who has stepped in the yard, claimed we are the same. By dinner, I have eaten so much that my jeans don’t close.  The yard started clearing the early hours of the 26th.  We clean the litter then we go sleep, Khens and Nhlamulo sleep in Bab’Dereks house with me.
I wake up later than everyone else. Koko says it’s because I am in the land of my people, I think it’s the punch plus plaiting and working the yard the day before. Sesi goes to her date and I babysit for her. Babe takes me to the other relatives houses, Khens stays with the kids. I get gifts and money.