[MABONTLE]
Not this girl dragging me on an impromptu trip all the way to Cape Town only for her to sleep in this manner. I have noticed that this is a habit of hers. She oversleeps when she’s in her feelings so I am waiting for her to wake up and tell me what the problem is. Her not wanting to bring Tlhari with was enough confirmation for me that something is up. She’s not quite herself but I can’t exactly pinpoint where the issue is. I am not even sure how long she plans on staying here but if she needs me, I will always drop everything on her command. She asked to go to the beach by herself yesterday upon our arrival. I’m waiting for our Checkers delivery so I can make her breakfast. I had to cancel the meeting with Khensani because I wasn’t feeling well. This pregnancy is showing me flames and all I can do is wait for it to be over. I don’t want to add unnecessary stress onto an already existing mess. Mhan’ Maria’s home remedies are not working. I always have to go around carrying an Eno sachet in my bag because of the indigestion and heartburn.
Let me call this man while I wait for Kuli to wake up.
‘My beautiful wife’
‘Morning baby. How are you?’
‘I’m not coping. Anir you just decided to up and leave me’
I laugh out loud.
‘It was an unplanned girls’ trip. Thank you for booking our accommodation baby’
‘Anything for my angel. Slept well?’
‘Heartburn’
‘Still?’
‘Yup. It keeps fluctuating from better to worse’
‘I’m so sorry baby’
‘This is the only baby we’re ever gonna have’ I kid around. He laughs.
‘In your fvcking dreams. You’re a future mother to a soccer team my love’
‘Do you enjoy watching me suffer?’
‘Maybe the coming pregnancies will have mercy on you’
‘Ohho. What’s your day looking like?’
‘I have a meeting at around one. Yours?’
I’m tempted to ask who he’s meeting with but I don’t want to be that person. He would’ve told me if he wanted me to know but curiosity is clipping me by the ears.
‘I think we’ll stay in. I’m not sure. I think Kuli’s not feeling well’
‘Oh? Is she sick?’
‘I’m not sure. I think something happened between her and Kurhula. Did he say anything to you?’
‘Nah. He has disappeared again. I’ll speak to him when he’s a lot calmer. Don’t want my day getting ruined by a single sentence’
I chuckle. Kurhula and snubbing people…
I wish my husband a good day when Kuli comes out of the room – yawning. Those eyes? She’s been crying. I tell her to come sit next to me. I get her to lie on my thighs and brush her hair.
‘Are you ready to talk about it?’
I see by quick head movement that I’m not about to get through to her anytime soon.
‘Why is your phone off? Dad called this morning…’ I inform.
‘And?’
‘He says he’s organizing a thanksgiving ceremony and he wants us there together with Vutlhari’
I already know it’s going to be a big deal. I had asked him nicely not to make a big hoohaa of my welcoming ritual but did he listen?
‘When?’
‘Next weekend’
‘I’ll think about it’ her response is flat.
‘You know very well he won’t take no for an answer’
‘You need a cleansing, otherwise you’re going to kill someone’
Huh? Is she talking to me?
‘What?’
‘Fikani has a past and it’s now catching up to him, or you rather because you’re sleeping with him’
‘I don’t understand sis…’
‘It’s not my place to tell you. Just ask him’ she says while switching her phone on.
‘You can’t just drop a bomb and leave me hanging’
‘I had to. People’s issues are weighing me down. I’m sick and tired of it!’
‘Hebanna. Why do I feel like this is not just about me?’
She goes silent. The delivery arrives and I fetch it from the door.
‘Omelette or French toast?’ I ask after putting the brown bag atop the kitchen counter. I don’t have the energy to putting together an intricate meal but she still has to eat. She’s frowning at her screen. Whatever is on there must be quite upsetting.
‘Babes?!’
‘Hm?’ she comes back to earth.
‘What’s wrong?’ I approach her and she locks her phone.
‘Nothing’
‘That cannot be nothing. Let me see or this trip is over?’
‘Come on Bontle… there’s nothing worth seeing here’
‘No. I am tired of you dying on the inside. I need to know what’s eating you and I am certain it has everything to do with what’s in there’
‘We need to get ready. Aunty Lydia has invited us over’
I give her a look. She swallows and just stares at me. She’s still not willing to hand the phone over.
‘Kuli??’
‘Okay fine. Just promise not to lose your marbles over this? It surely means nothing’
My curiosity shoots to the apex.
‘Kurhula and Fikani have been posted on Mkhuhlu Trending’
‘The Facebook page? Let me see’
She hands over the phone, although reluctantly. The caption is referring to them as “Taken but still eligible”. It goes on to speak about how Kurhula didn’t waste any time with taking a second wife and how Fikani is also on that path, how he has a type and it’s thick. The pictures attached are of Kuli and Kurhula on their wedding day and Kurhula and Larona in front of the law firm banner, with his hand on her waist. I think this was the work function Kurhula was speaking about a few weeks ago. The third one is of the brothers sitting on top Kurhula’s double cab – with a Hennessy bottle in Fikani’s hand and a half full glass in Kurhula’s. I am certain that it was taken on that bush trip they once took and it was stolen from Fikani’s socials. The last one almost brings my heart to a complete stop. It’s collage of me and a picture of a lady with the same body type as mine – wearing an orange maxi dress with a long slit with her whole thick leg out. Her straw hat is hiding her upper face but the lower part ascertains that she’s pretty. Is this what they mean by Fikani being on “that path”?
‘Don’t overreact. These blogs are always writing some bull about us’
I go straight to the comments and she tries to take the phone away from me. I turn away from her so I can continue reading. There’s a girl who mentioned Khensani here.
Lelo Khakhathi: “Khensyy Mav. LOL chommie? Are you thick?”
This post has been here for 22 hours. Khensani hasn’t replied.
Tokollo Atlegang: “ Lorraine? Isn’t this you in the picture? Sgaxa!!”
Kombelani Ngobeni: “One thing about the men in my family? They will grate your heart shame. I’m thanks on behalf of these women”
A few more people are mentioning this Lorraine account. I go into her profile to see her properly. Fikani is testing me to be honest. I see she’s a globe-trotter and that she’s into construction. The reflective vest, helmet and boots give it away.
‘She’s gorgeous…’ ‘I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
‘So are you! Give me that phone back’
I go back into the comments.
A Tinyiko is saying she’s “Team Mmabontle”. A reply under her comment says “Same”.
Some guy says “The Sotho queen will have to forgive me. I go with Lorraine. Swati women have my heart’.
What I know about smoke? It never arises where there’s no fire.
A Phumzile Rikhotso says, “I hear y’all going on and on about the king and his wives. I want to be the third party in the other household. Advocate Kurhula could do me any day. On the floor, on the bed, in the kitchen, everywhere!’
There’s a couple of laughing emojies under this comment. Someone is saying “Xivindzi xa wena girl???” meaning she has a liver for days, right?
Tinyiko: “Which one is the advocate?”
Kombelani: “The one in a navy blue golfer”
Tinyiko: “How do you tell them apart?”
Phumzile: “Haircuts my doll”
There’s too many comments here. This page has 11 000 followers and our business is all over it? I am not going to confront him. I need to calm down first. This meeting he’s going to is probably with this Lorraine lady. I give Kuli her phone back and we sit down on the couch.
‘How do you handle all this?’ I ask.
‘Ignore. I had deleted FB. I just downloaded it now when I got mentions on Insta stories’
‘How am I supposed to react?’
I hate the pitiful eyes she’s looking at me with.
‘We aren’t even sure if all this is true. There are no comments corroborating it from Lorraine’s side’
Ey, being married to Fikani is an extreme sport. I don’t know how to feel. Mhan Singi’s words keep haunting me. How she spoke about a beast and sexual appetite? Was she speaking from facts? Or was she hinting at possibilities?
‘Who finds a mistress for a king, Kuli?’
She looks away.
‘Answer me, please’
‘His uncles and aunts, particularly his father’s eldest sister’
I am glad he’s far from me right now. Lord knows how I would’ve reacted. He’s so… arggghh!!!!
