The Joys of life

70

LETHOKUHLE

It is a Saturday morning and I'm preparing breakfast with my girls. The boys are all still asleep.

Melody: "Buka nje mama, we are already awake and clean but the boys are still sleeping."

Me: "They are lazy baby, that's why."

Melody: "No, it's because we boss." she high-fives Swe who doesn't even understand anything. They both set the table while I finish up on the food. My door opens and Lwande, Portia, Nqobile, and Londi walk in.

Londi: "Hi beautiful people!!" she shouts.

Me: "So much noise Londi."

Nqo: "She's drunk lo, she has been drinking all night yesterday. She hasn't slept a wink." I frown confused.

Portia: "How are you friend?" she hugs me.

Me: "I'm okay."

Lwande: "You didn't kill your husband right?!"

Me: "If I didn't kill you all these years Lwande, why would I kill him?!" he scratches his head sheepishly. I just laugh joining the girls that were already laughing at him.

Portia: "We have such good timing. We eating the Majola breakfast today! It's been long!" they take their seats on the table beside Londi.

Londi: "Mina, I'm going to sleep sis, see y'all later."

Melody: "Not in my room girly!" she shouts after her. Lizwi finally comes down with his sons and joins the table. I take the kids to the movie room, so they can eat there.

Me: "When y'all finish eating, leave your dishes on that table and I will come to get them okay?!"

Fana: "Please bring us snacks then mama."

Me: "Okay love."

LJ: "Lavuu mama."

Me: "I love you more sweety." I kiss him then walk back to join the others.

Lizwi: "Your text sounded urgent bruh."

Lwande: "Because it is. Amahle and your baby mama are plotting to destroy your marriage. Well it was the three of them, we overheard them like two days ago or so, they were in some kind of meeting I guess." he continues telling us what they could hear.

Lizwi: "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

Portia: "Earlier?! Wait you know?!"

Lizwi: "Yeah we know. The other lady is that bitch's mother."

Lwande: "I had been trying to call you but you ignored our calls."

Nqobile: "I'm sorry to jump in but why would her mother be part of their scam?!"

Lizwi: "I'm still trying to find out who is this woman."

Me: "Shouldn't you know her? considering that you were married to your ex-wife?"

Lizwi: "I only knew that she never had a relationship with her mother. I only met her father."

Me: "Mmhm"

Lizwi: "I will ask Baba'Nsizwa to help me gather information."

Nqobile: "Worry not, here." she places a sealed envelope on the table. Lizwi opens it, it's pictures so I also peek to see. We glance at each other shocked.

Me: "Ayanda?!"

Portia: "Who is she?!"

Me: "My apparent carrier!" I say rolling my eyes and drinking my juice.

Nqo: "Ayanda?! Ayanda?!" I nod my head. I used to talk to her alot about Ayanda when we were growing up.

Lwande: "I can't believe this." My phone rings disturbing us. I glance at it and it's Michelle, I haven't spoken to her for so long after she moved to the Northern Cape with her husband.

Me: "Sis, hey."

Michelle: "Hey little one. I just received some bad news and I know nobody has said anything to you." out of all my siblings she was the only supportive one after my argument with Dad. The rest of them, we haven't spoken since three years ago when I cut off their father hence my shock when I saw Lloyiso that day.

Me: "What is it?!"

Michelle: "Amahle's flat burned down last night and she was inside. The guy who tried to save her was already too late because it looked like she was already dead from being stabbed. It was a break in so I guess the thieves killed her and just burned her down with her flat." I gasp.

Me: "Oh my god!"

Michelle: "So now, dad received the news and had a heart attack which also killed him. Bathi, the doctors said that he was already experiencing some heart problems and sooner or later his heart was going to fail him." she tells me sniffing. She sounds so sad and broken which only breaks my heart more because I know her to be one of the strongest people.

Me: "I didn't know he had heart problems!"

Michelle: "He's never babes. They found some type of poison in his bloodstream that was slowly killing his heart."

Me: "Uhh thank you for letting me know." I say as I feel myself about to break down.

Lizwi: "Baby?" I just bury my face in his chest and weep. I quickly compose myself when I remember that they have hurt me so badly.

Me: "Amahle was found dead in her apartment and dad also died this morning of a heart attack." I leave them there and just go prepare snacks for my kids. I go give them and then collect the dishes.

Lizwi: "Baby, don't you want to lie down?!" I shake my head.

Me: "No." my phone rings again, this time it's Bhut Luyolo. I answer just out of the respect I have for him.

Me: "Bhuti."

Luyolo: "Lethokuhle." he says coldly.

Me: "Michelle already told me the news. How..." he cuts me off before I can even continue.

Luyolo: "Good, saves me the time. Since you disowned Dad, you are not allowed here."

Me: "What?!"

Luyolo: "Don't even bother coming to the funeral."

Me: "That's crazy! I'm also family!"

Luyolo: "You should have thought of that before acting like a crazy white kid. Mamela bruh, nobody wants you here please." he cuts the call. I groan in frustration throwing my phone on the counter.