[KULANI]
I have another visitor today. The only difference is that I did not see this one coming. Nikiwe is here – looking like she carries a heavy heart. We are sitting on the balcony and she’s been holding that glass juice like that ever since she arrived – silently with both hands. I am just glad Kurhula is at work because I am in no mood to be putting out fires between him and the mother of his child. She’s waiting for AK because he went out with Fikani and Mabontle.
‘The fact that I have to give on my son Kuli…’ a tear drops.
‘But no one is forcing you to’
‘He falls sick when he’s at home. I am obviously being forced to choose between his presence and his health and I’d never choose the former over the latter. What kind of a mother would I be?’
‘It wasn’t the first time?’ I ask. She shakes her head.
‘It was the third. He was still a new-born the first time it occurred. I had to bring him here so he could officially be introduced and have ritual done for him. Kurhula and I were already over by then’ she takes a biscuit from the plate in front of her.
‘May I ask what went wrong?’
She throws her eyes to the far mountain. She keeps them there and I understand. I love sitting here because of the scenery.
‘Besides his arrogance, we were just never meant to be. Are you sure they are on their way back?’ she checks her watch.
‘Let me call them’
I try Mabontle and she guarantees me they’re coming.
‘You can always call me if you want to spend some time with AK whenever you’re home’ I assure. She looks at me and smiles.
‘You must think I am a terrible mother…’
I bring my juice to my lips. I have no answer to that. I actually do, but if I speak my mind we might fight.
‘I am not an irresponsible slay queen Kuli. I know that’s what he told you. I have a job that keeps me away from home’
‘A job?’
‘I am a flight attendant. Been one for two years now. I just don’t want to prove Kurhula wrong. I want him to continue believing the crap he wants to believe about me’
‘And Dubai?’
‘My boyfriend works and lives there’
Wow. It’s true when they say there’s always two sides to every story.
‘I know that I could’ve spent more time with my son but I cannot cut myself into three’
I am having an unsolicited reading of her. Her lips are moving but I can’t hear her.
‘Nikiwe?’ I call and she stops talking.
‘Yes?’
‘Where are your parents?’
She frowns.
‘Uhm… what do you mean?’
‘Where are your parents?’
‘Why are you looking at me like that, Kuli? You’re scaring me’
She’s about to get on my nerves. Why is she not answering the question?
‘They died’
‘In a car accident?’
She nods. I burp and she almost stands up from her chair.
‘This is getting creepy’
‘Sit down’
She sits and I massage the middle of my brows. This part hurts when I’m struggling to see the full picture. Kokwan’ Mavengana once told me that this is where my third is and it made sense.
‘What did you do after the incident?’
‘We buried them’ she speaks like I’m asking a dumb question.
‘You need to fetch their spirit from the R537’
‘Fetch them how?’
‘I’ll help you if you—’ – a strong burp leaves me again – ‘If you allow me. You also need to make sure that your big brother ensures that they get married so all your paths open. For all of you’
‘Marry while dead?’
I nod.
‘But Jake is unemployed’
‘You can help him financially as sisters but the cow needs to come from his pocket. If he asks well, he will find the means to buy it’
Fikani appears with AK and he immediately runs into his mother’s arms.
‘Mom!!’ he screams in pure excitement. She receives him with the same energy, so much that her beverage spills.
‘Where’s Bontle?’ I ask.
‘She had to dash to the loo quickly’
From his facial expression, I can tell that she couldn’t hold it in anymore. Pregnancy? The pits. I developed a habit of slightly peeing on myself during my last trimester. The bladder just starts malfunctioning.
‘Hi. You must be Nikiwe’ Fikani humbly greets her through a handshake.
‘Yes. I heard Kurhula has a twin. Didn’t believe it at first’ she says and he laughs. Fikani is shy around strangers, which is another difference between him and his brother. Kurhula gets strangers to be shy around him. That look in her eyes? This girl is visibly mesmerized and I’m confused. How are you going to be charmed by a person who is a duplicate of your ex? An ex you hate?
‘God really hates me because why were you not the one I met first?’
He gets awkward and scratches his neck.
‘It was nice meeting you, mhana AK. Work needs my attention so let me…’ he points inside the house with his thumbs.
‘He’s so humble oh my word. You’d swear they’re born from different wombs’
‘He is married to my biological sister so I am not going to allow whatever it is you’re trying to do here’ I warn. I am not joking.
Besides, this is literally her child’s other father. What the hell does she mean? Nxn, she has ruined my entire day. She is now covered in shame. As she bloody should!
