Marriage Or Exile

No Attraction

Ncwala finally shows up at the braai area in his traditional attire. He had a red and black wraparound cloth that fell below his knees tied on the side. 

On top of it was a brown loin skin that was secured on his waste. His upper body was not covered save for the purple and white beaded ornaments that went over his right shoulder going across his chest showing off his well-built arms and dropping to his underarm down to his bare waist. 

He had a big black fur necklace around his neck and was carrying a knobkerrie for the final touch.

He spotted his friends sitting among the group of old men, Djemba was already drinking traditional brew, laughing at the top of his voice clearly blending in nicely with everyone while Ngadla was sitting next to Djemba faking a smile whenever anyone cracks a joke. 

Ngadla was unhappy to be here and Ncwala understood very well why his friend was in this state. The moment Djemba saw him approaching, he stood up from the group and went to him grinning like a cheshire cat.

Djemba tapped his shoulder, He was too excited for his own good, the traditional brew already taking effect. 

"Mamba the man", Ncwala was usually addressed by his last name at work and among his friends. 

"So when are we meeting the wife" Djemba asked expectedly, he was quick to catch up and get into the festivity's spirit without even finding out how Ncwala feels about all this.

Ncwala's eyes fell onto Ngadla, his heart sank when he realized how lost his other friend looked.

"Please stop Djemba, there is nothing funny about  this, I have been tricked into all this" he tried to stop his friend from being hyped up by the situation. 

"All I am trying to say is that it was about time my friend, I always wondered when you would actually decide on having a wife too. 

It isn't too bad you know" Djemba had married not so long ago to the love of his life and he wanted the same for his friend too.

"Don't you have any sympathy for Khabo at all" "You have been with her like forever and you never made any moves or even talked about making her your wife, not once"

"I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment and I am still not, I don't even know the first thing about being a husband and I am not even attracted to the woman" they were getting closer to Ngadla and the other old man sitting under the shade.

"Djemba man, you better go over there and say your goodbyes to the old men you've already made friends with, I need to steal Ngadla for a few minutes" when Ngadla lifted his head, Ncwala waved and called him over.

"What is going on man? What is all this" Ngadla sounded defeated. "I am really sorry man" they walked away from the crowd and stood at the other side of the kraal next to the small entrance to the Mamba homestead. 

"I didn't plan any of this, my old man tricked me and when we got here, everything was already in motion" he explained.

"And can't you say no?"

"It's not that easy man, my old man needed this and I am doing it for him"

"What about my cousin then, what are you planning to do with her" Ngadla asked folding his arms over his chest.

"I haven't thought that far yet, I am still as confused as you are. But what I do know is that I will be married only by name. I am not attracted to that girl at all" Ncwala was facing the kraal and he was not aware of the two people passing behind him until it was too late.

Sindile heard the last part very well as they passed behind her husband and the other man she did not recognize. She was not happy about their union either but hearing the man reject her like that broke her heart and she felt a huge lump of pain settling in her throat. 

Sindile tried so hard not to cry in front of Zuzi. This kidnapping was supposed to be fun, they were supposed to sneak out of the home hand in hand with her helping child while everybody else was focused to the festivities. 

They only had to just go past Ncwala for her day to get more worse than it already was. She have been away from home for a day already but if felt like she's been away for weeks, she was exhausted from this rituals activities, her back was just catching a break from sitting down for too long. 

She really needed to stretch her legs and this kidnapping game was a welcome challenge until she heard her husbands words of course.

"Honorable forefathers who is this Goddess" Ngadla was mesmerized by Sindile's appearance at first glance, he was still looking at their backs in an awed expression as they picked up their pace heading for the stream.

 "She is your wife isn't she?" "Isn't that obvious, she is the only woman covered in red ochre around here" he threw the knobkerrie out of rage hitting the kraal and it dropped to the ground. 

"So what's your plan man, what are you going to do" now Ngadla was concerned about his friend. "You know what, I don't know either. But for my father and whatever deal he made with the poor girls family, I have to play along until they get what they want then I will be out of this shit hole.

"Do what you have to do man" he shook his head in defeat as he leaned on one of the logs used to make the kraal. "Your family did you dirty, that much I can tell you my friend"

"Understatement of the year" Ncwala couldn't help but agree with his friend, his family played him good and there was no escape, he was a husband.

"And with the change of clothes I suppose that means we are leaving you here today"

"Eish, I think I should stay only for today man. I wrote a missive, I would like for you to deliver it to the human resources department at work, I won't be able to go to work tomorrow. I will come back to Manzini around noon tomorrow. It will already be late to come to work. And besides, I will need a lot of time to talk to Khabo about all this. Please don't mention it to her, just wait for me to come back man ok"

"Well, I guess I have to avoid her until you get back then" they went back to the braai area to get Djemba who was already ready to go. Ncwala saw his friends off, he was relieved by their departure because now he wouldn't have to babysit them. 

Ncwala had so much going on in his mind and he needed to talk to his father about everything.

Meanwhile, Sindile and Zuzi were at the stream washing off the red ochre while waiting for the family to call them back into the home with Sindile's mother's gift. 

Sindile was focused on washing her feet as she thought about Ncwala's words 'I will be only married by name' whatever that means Sindile thought. 

She wondered how one is married only by name and it never got passed her the fact that Ncwala mentioned that he was not attracted to her.

"Well, I am not attracted to you either", she rolled her eyes. 

"Sister In-law who are you talking to?" Zuzi asked, perplexed by Sindile's sudden strange behavior.

Sindile was embarrassed for a second, she wasn't aware that she had spoken out so loud. She just gave him a weak smile and continued washing her feet. 

Zuzi was already done washing up and was waiting under the blueberry tree.

"Look, they are coming" Zuzi announced. 

They saw a group of young girls approaching them, Sonto was among them. When they got to the blueberry tree where Sindile and Zuzi were now waiting for them. They dressed Sindile with new clean clothes. 

A blue African print dress cut in princess line style with a matching head scarf to cover her head because now she wasn't just a village girl but a 'make', a married woman.

 After she was adorned in her new attire they were called back home by the Gozolo who showed them the cow that is to be gifted to Sindile's mother. 

Now Sindile was accepted back to the family as a wife but the teka ritual wasnt over yet.

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