MELAMINA THE QUEEN

CHAPTER 26

JABU AND NDOSI APPRECIATION CHAPTER

JABULILE CELE

Sometimes I wondered what would have happened in my life when I hadn’t fought to come to KwaDlangezwa and further my studies. In a way, I know my husband and I would have crossed paths in the future and end up together eventually. I still remember the day like it was yesterday, when the cocky, arrogant but good looking Cele young man approached me. He was well known at varsity because he was friends with the Zulu crowned prince who was a big deal. I was only doing my first year and he was a senior while the king was a post graduate student. I had seen him three times up close before he just cornered me outside Bhekuzulu Hall and offered to carry my books. I was a very prideful virgin back then, so I just ignored him and continued walking. There were no earphones, so I couldn’t just tune him out with loud music. My friends went crazy upon seeing this and they basically attacked me with their words when we got back to our dorms. There was something about Siya that just intrigued me but I didn’t wanna seem like all the girls who were interested in him. Or else I would have found myself running after him after he had taken what he wanted from me. What I didn’t anticipate was the guy being persistent. When he first approached me, he had multiple girlfriends all over campus but little by little they faded until I was the only girl he was interested in. some even called him ‘isishimane’ but that phase never lasted. They called him u Magaye back then and you couldn’t pick on him unless you really wanted a fight.

One uneventful Saturday, he came to our dorm and basically demanded that I accompany him to the beach. The nerve the guy had. But I was slowly caving in, so I agreed. He didn’t try to touch or kiss me. We just talked about ourselves, our families and studies. He did Political Sciences while I did Marketing. It was quite amusing how opinionative he was but chose to remain neutral in Students Politics. Once, he even contested to be an independent presidential candidate when he was doing his Honours and he actually won. Anyways, the guy won my heart few weeks later after our beach date. He was the type to invite me over to his room just so he would cook for me and tell me all about his cows and goats which had their own names.
His brother was getting married September that year and he asked me to accompany him. Ndosi had guts, even back then. I respected my culture too much to just arrive at his brother’s wedding just like that. I wasn’t even his fiancé or anything. But the guy was persuasive. He persuaded me until I agreed, but took my best friend with. He said he was going to introduce us as his friends from varsity when we got there but he changed tunes on us. He started by telling his brothers that I am his wife to be and that’s how I was introduced to everyone. The way I was so livid at him, I couldn’t even speak. I ignored him until we went back to varsity. Well our conflict was resolved and it actually led to our first sexual encounter where Busi was conceived.

Before we both knew about the pregnancy, he wanted to make things right, so he sent his uncles and brothers to my family. I hadn’t seen them all year and hardly wrote to them. So imagine our surprise when I got home and discovered that my father had negotiated lobola on my behalf to some pastor from church. Our family was religious and my dad didn’t believe in most Zulu ceremonies or practices. He was a well-known Christian and prioritize the church above our culture. He married me off to this pastor who had a huge family that he brought to church with. They had agreed that the wedding would take place as soon as I had completed my studies. I wasn’t happy about that but Siya went nuts when he heard the news. First, he paid the pastor back his cows and paid full lobola for me to my father. Dad wasn’t happy because the pastor left church, taking his family along, but he loved money more, so he accepted it. But he made it clear that he was going to cut ties with me as soon as I was Mrs Cele. Shit happened when my mom saw that I was pregnant during December recess. She told my father and they sent me to Ndwedwe with all my belongings as soon as they could. When I gave birth to my hyper baby girl, Siya’s mom ordered me to finish my degree and I was really grateful for her. After the wedding, my family really cut me off and as much as it pained me, I was still mad at dad for selling me off because of the church.

“You better be thinking about me and not some other man who is about to become an ancestor.” Siya’s voice startles me and I turn to see him leaning on the doorway of my office. My husband doesn’t mind coming to my workplace unannounced. Noma’s mom said he thinks he will catch me cheating on him one day but it doesn’t bother. He started doing this three decades ago when we started dating, so it doesn’t surprise me anymore.

I decide to tease him and just shrug. “If he dies, I will find another one.”
He rolls his eyes. “You care about other people too much to let them die for nothing.” I just laugh. He steps inside my office and closes the door. “You have that worried look on your face, though, and you know it also makes me worry. What is going on?”
I shake my head. “Nothing, babe. I just took a trip down memory lane. You know how hard it took for us to get here but we did, eventually, and I am grateful that we are still together.”

He smiles and those killer dimples that Lele took from him shows. He extends his hand and I head over to him. He hugs me and perks my lips. “You know that I love you, right?” I nod. “You are my number one lady. All the kids and their rascals come second.” I laugh and nod. “I am the one who is more grateful in this relationship. You have extended my bloodline and out of you came 13 people. You are phenomenal and anyone who doesn’t see that is really visually impaired.” Somehow he manages to make me fall harder for him every day. He is awesome, I won’t lie.

“So what are you doing here looking so handsome?” I ask, assessing his dress code. He is wearing a golf t-shirt, some chinos and sneakers. Yes, my strict husband wears sneakers. Blame Lele. He always bring him limited edition when he comes to visit.

“I am taking you out. There is this new restaurant in Ballito that I want us to try out. This little girl from work tried it out and said they serve very nice food. So, be my date.”
“As if you have anyone who can tolerate your during lunch hour.” He laughs and spanks my butt when I turn to collect my things. “For that, I am not going to give you some tonight.”

“Mkami, you will beg for it. Plus I shaved this morning.” He grins and I laugh. Never a dull moment with this weirdo.
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A once off Jabu/Ndosi appreciation post. Hope you enjoyed it. Next time, we are continuing Mela’s journey. It’s about to get bumpy, so hold on to something.