iFAIRYTALE KaMAGEZA
𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 37
MAHLATHINI
"Wehh! Nomeva is smarter than uchakide, she doesn't want to come here and face her sins, she's perfectly sane I tell you, I know my sister from A to Z" Coshiwe says as Mahlathini tells her everything that happened in Richards Bay. The whole family is the sitting room, the guests have left but the party is still on. Gebhu and his grandkids, Thando and Nhloso are still on the dance floor.
"When I stop caring it will feel like I'm abandoning her but she's pushing me"
"I say focus on your family, after everything she put you through, she deserves none of your care. Don't feel bad nakancane nje" Mahlathini heaves a sigh. If Nomeva is really lying about her sickness then it clearly shows how less she cares about what she did. She can stay away, Mahlathini will continue paying for the old age home but he's done caring. Until she comes back here and apologises for what she did, he's not going to bother himself about her. He has people who love and care for him, he will focus on them and building a life with the woman he loves.
He stays up until midnight talking and catching up with his siblings. The next morning him and his brothers drive to the rank. He just wants to thank everyone for being present at the birthday party. He felt very special.
"Ey ndoda, wamnqamula ipipi ngempela uSmiso?" one of the drivers says and the others laugh. Mnelisi and Mhleli join in on the laugter. He throws his eyes at Vusi who shrugs. He was supposed to shut up about this. Now he's going to be known KwaDukuza for cutting people's dïcks. It had to be done but that doesn't mean he's proud of it. "Uzobhebha ngani ngempela?" They continue laughing. Mnelisi and Mhleli better not say a thing about this to his mother.
He leaves them laughing and goes to the older and matured group, that's Shibase and his friends. Shibase was present at the party last night and he's telling the other guys about the white Makoti and how she's impressed by her.
"She has learnt our ways so quick, she's very respectful too. Don't fumble Mahlathini because you will never find a woman like her in this new generation of women" he says and they all agree.
Mahlathini knows how lucky he is. There's a part of him that is still in disbelief. Somedays he wakes up next to her and just smile. It's a dream and he's living it. Connie came into his life and loved him for who he is, he never had to change anything about himself.
"I'm not going to fumble Baba. I'm going to treat that woman like a queen until the day I die" he says with a smile "...another thing bahlonishwa, I've talked to Coshiwe about the negotiations and she gave me a greenlight. I wanted to wait until I finish my treatment but I've changed my mind. I want to marry Connie. I don't like this moving up and down. I want to settle down so my child to arrives at a stable environment" Shibase looks at him for a brief moment.
"I hope you know how proud you make me. With you I know my teachings didn't fail. You've grown up to be the man your father wanted you to be. And I know he's proud of you. Ukhulile Jama" Shibase says to him with a shoulder tab. He nods suddenly feeling emotional but he manages to hide it.
He bids his goodbyes and calls Mhleli and Mnelisi who have turned into taxi Marshalls. He almost bumps into a child. He looks around for the parents but he sees no one. She's too young to be wondering alone. He squats down to talk to her.
"Where's your mom?"
She points at one of the taxis, he picks her up and they go there. They steal children these days, her mom needs to be more careful.
"Eh sisi ngifuna imali yami!!" Spanela is shouting at one of the passengers "You said we'll find the money here, if you don't have it, I'm taking you back to Johannesburg, angeke ngidlale wena mina"
Mahlathini stops as soon as he sees the face of the woman Spanela is shouting at. He can't believe his eyes. He puts the little girl down and she runs to her. This is the woman he once loved with all his heart, the mother of his daughter. She's almost unrecognisable.
Besides the little girl he found wondering, she has another one in her arms sucking on her breast.
She's busy explaining herself to Spanela that she doesn't notice Mahlathini standing there looking at her in disbelief. As soon as she sees him she stops. It's as if her body has frozen.
"Jama, asifuni ukukhokha lesfebe" Spanela says to Mahlathini in irritation. Knowing him he's going to beat Nobuhle right here right now until he gives him his money.
"I'll pay" he says taking out his wallet. He pulls out R400 and hands it to Spanela "You can keep the change"
"Ngiyabonga Bafo" he turns to Nobuhle "Wena! uyohamba usinda" he points at her before hopping inside his taxi.
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[NARRATIVE]
It's the next day at the old age home and Nomeva has decided she's not staying. It's still early, she can still get to KwaNongoma, her sister will never abandon her. Yes things between them didn't end great but she has nowhere else to go. This place is not only bad, the food is horrible with a capital 'H'. They don't know how to cook, at all. Even the hospital food was better than this.
She's sitting on her bed packing when the disrespect girl walks in "Haybo! you're packing? where are you going Mevelin?"she asks with her hands on her hips.
"I'm leaving"
"Iheeeh! wahleka ngane kamaThusi" she walks over to her and grabs the bag. She deals with crazy old people everyday, it's her job.
"Bring back my bag!" Nomeva tries to grab the bag.
"You can't leave here until your family comes to fetch you"
"I don't have a family, bring back my bag mani!" she's shouts in frustration and tries to take the bag back but she fails, her 70 years old bones are tired. She doesn't want to stay here. She starts crying.
Someone knocks at the door "Who is it?!" the caretaker yells.
"Plumber!"
"Come in!" she turns to Nomeva "You're not going anywhere. Your grandson brought you here because you didn't want to go home, I don't know what you're crying for"
"Sanibonani" the blumber greets putting his tool box down.
"Yebo Sipho, I'm going to lock the door, she wants to leave but I'll leave you with the key"
"Alright Sisi" the blumber politely says. Nomeva moves to sit on the bed and continues crying. After everything she did for Mahlathini. Raising him alone he does this to her?
Sizakele has succeeded in turning him against her. She has lost him and there's nothing she can do about it.
The plumber locks the door and puts the key in his pocket. He squats down and start taking out his tools from the tool box, he keeps looking at Nomeva. They are locked together in this room and she doesn't feel uncomfortable.
He gets up and disappears to the bathroom with the tools. Nomeva lies down on the bed and tries to construct an escape plan. She always has a way out of things. She will be out of this place by the end of this week.
The blumber is back from the bathroom. He sets his tools back into the toolbox but his eyes are not on what he's doing, they are at the old lady lying on the bed.
