MELAMINA THE QUEEN

CHAPTER 23

“Fuck. My head.” My husband groans from my lap and I chuckle.
“Serves you right for celebrating your gift for a whole weekend. I mean, who does that, Kuhle?” he has been drinking with his friends none stop since I bought him that car. They even drove to Johannesburg for a boys’ night out. Yes, they still have a ‘boys’ night out’ in their late thirties. Men. Luckily their fun did not involve topless women or we would be having a totally different conversation right now.

“You are not helping, mkami.” He sits up and groans again. He then lays his head on my shoulder. He got back home this morning and we had to drive to Nongoma palace with him hungover and sleeping the whole journey. The kids thought he was sick and so they stayed out of his way.

The door opens and Nqaba walks in with a mug in his hand. “Fakazi gave me this. Apparently someone is in need of a hangover cure.” He grins and hands me the cup. I just chuckle and pass it over to my husband. He sits up and drinks the cure in one go. He burps and gags.

“God. Is Fakazi trying to kill me? That was awful.” He makes a silly face that babies usually make when you feed then bitter medication. “But I am already feeling the effects of this ugly thing.” He looks at his brother. “You are too ugly to be one of the helpers, so what do you want?”

Nqaba laughs and sits down on the couch opposite us. “It’s good that I found you both here. There is something I would like to discuss with you guys, or rather inform you.”
“Did you impregnate some girl?” Kuhle interrupts and I roll my eyes. Nqaba wouldn’t look this chilled if he did something stupid like that.

He smiles. “Not something like that, but I am likely to impregnate her after we tie the knot.” I frown. He is in a relationship? Since when? “I will just cut straight to the chase. I am in love with Zisanele and I wanna pursue a relationship with her. I just want your full support regarding her. I know you are not going to marry her and I am not taking her just to avert a crisis between you two. I genuinely have deep feelings for her. Have had them for a long time. The timing is weird but I have met with her and judging from our encounter, I know she feels something for me.” Wow. That’s a lot.

My husband sits up straighter. “Ndabezitha, are you sure this is what you want?”
Nqaba nods. “She is my better half and I want to marry her as soon as possible before some other prince takes her from me. I love her, bhuti. I really do.” This warms my heart. Nqaba is in love and that’s so cute and heart-warming.

“You have my full support, bhut omncane. I haven’t met the princess yet but after you make things official, I would like to see her and get to know her better.” I state and he blushes. He is a gone boy.
“Just as my wife said, you also have my full support. I will even speak to Inguga on your behalf. Explain things so that it doesn’t seem like we are disrespecting him and passing his daughter around. If this is really your forever, bafo, then I am happy for you and I wish you all the best. Finding your insignificant other is the most amazing thing ever. You get to share your life with someone who understands you, who loves you unconditionally and sees you as a God. It’s a gift and I hope you find that in the young princess.” Why does he always say things that makes my heart all giddy and leaves me blushing? This guy.

“That means a lot. Thank you Mageba.” They both stand up and share a cute brotherly hug. The door uprubtly opens and Nompilo barges in. she exhales in relief.
“Thank God I didn’t find Mela riding my brother. That would have traumatized me for the rest of my short life. Anyways the Cele family has arrived and the meeting will be starting in five minutes.” She announces and I chuckle. She once found me and Kuhle in a rather compromising position. Kuhle was eating me out in a counter at our palace. She ran out screaming and later came to ask me for tips. Turns out her husband only muffs her on special occasions. I would die. My husband turns and pulls me up.