CHAPTER 32
NALEDI MOLETSANE

“Manana, tell me you’re joking,” I say and she
shakes her head. Claps once!
“Your uncle left yesterday morning. I tried to
convince him to stay longer but he refused.
He didn’t want to emotionally blackmail
Maswabi into agreeing to forgive their
parents,” this is deep, “Nyeleti, his daughters
life depends on your mother letting go of the
pain those people caused her. I know the
damage that they caused Maswabi by
abandoning her but it’s not Mohale’s fault nor
his children’s. He shouldn’t get punished for
the sins of his parents,” she says and I heave a
deep sigh.
“I’m on the fence about this one. I feel for the
man and his daughter, they truly don’t
deserve what’s happening to them, as a
parent I’d lose my mind if anything like this
happened to Basetsana. On the other hand, I
understand why Maswabi is refusing to
forgive those people. They messed her up and
now they are trying to manipulate her into
forgiving them by hurting innocent people. If
they were good people or ancestors they
would have found another way to ask for
Maswabi’s forgiveness,” she’s nodding her
head. I’m not sure if she’s in agreement with
what I’m saying or she’s nodding to show that
she’s listening to me.
“Out of everyone in Maswabi’s life, I know the
pain she carries in her heart. I know the life
time scars she has; She is hurt Nyeleti and
that’s why she has been bleeding on people
who didn’t cut her, especially you. I want her
to forgive her parents because it will free her
from the shackles of hatred and pain. This
same thing might happen to her, she might
die and not find peace in the after life
because of how she has treated you in the
past, that’s not what I want for her. I don’t
want Bassie to be used to manipulate you
into forgiving her when she’s dead. Forgiving
her parents now will not only make her feel
better, it will make her realize her mistakes
with you and work on your relationship,”
Manana is making sense. My mother has been
a monster to me because of what happened
to her. She wanted to be a parent who was
there for everything but she ended up being a
monster who wanted to control every aspect
of my life.
“You have always wanted a big family,
Nyeleti. You can have it now, all we need to
do is try and convince Maswabi that forgiving
her parents is what she needs to do,” she says
and I nod, in agreement. I’m willing to sit
down with my mother and hopefully she hears
me and doesn’t dismiss me like she always
does.
A car pulls up in the driveway and I quickly
get on my feet, running outside to welcome
my princess home. She was with her father
and Karabo in Venda for the long weekend and
I’ve missed her so much. Basetsana and I have
never been apart for so long, she goes
everywhere with me. This was her first trip to
Venda without me but it had to happen this
way. I didn’t even call much because I was
afraid the attention will be taken from
Karabo and she was going to be mad at
Vhutshilo. I really hope and pray that this
weekend has gotten them where they need to
be.
“Mommy!” my daughter says, running to my
open arms. It has been the most beautiful
nine years of my life with this girl.
“Hey baby, did you have a good time?” I ask
and she nods vigorously.
“The best, I just wish you were there,” she
says and I kiss her forehead.
“Mommy will join our next trip,” Vhutshilo
says and I narrow my eyes at him.
“Bassie, whose car is that?” I ask and her eyes
twinkle.
“I saw it when daddy drove in, Manana is
here,” she says and runs towards the front
door. We both love that Tsonga Queen so
much.
“Don’t make such promises to our daughter, I
won’t be going to Venda anytime soon. That is
what’s best for you and Karabo’s relationship,
she finally understands our dynamic but that
doesn’t mean she needs to see me
everywhere,” I say and he holds out his hands.
“You’re right, I shouldn’t have said that,” I’m
glad we are on the same page. I’ll get my ass
to Venda only when I truly need to be there.
“Thank you,” we share a hug, “So, how was
your trip?” he scoffs then chuckles, shaking
his head.
“Overall, it was great. But it got off to a rocky
start, Mmemuhulu mentioned that everyone
thought we’d get married and Karabo took
that to heart. She started acting up and I had
to set her straight for the last time, Naledi. I
didn’t speak to her until Saturday afternoon, I
was so pissed. She came to me and sincerely
apologized and promised to truly let this issue
go,” oh modimo! Will Karabo ever stop
thinking this way? Her obsession with me and
Vhutshilo being a thing will be the end of her
relationship.
“I desperately hope she’s letting it go,” I don’t
know what else I can do to help her overcome
that insecurity.
“Me too, Naledi. If she starts one more time
then I’m done with her. I swear to God, I
won’t say a word to her. I’ll just leave the
room and forget about her and what I feel for
her,” Vhutshilo says and I can hear the
seriousness in his voice. Karabo is going to
lose a great man over nothing.
“Otherwise, how did your weekend go?” he
asks and I heave a sigh.
“Kat invited me for a braai at her house, she
promised that Mongezi wouldn’t be there but
he showed up. He had flowers and a gift bag,
he thought he could buy my forgiveness. I
meant it when I said I’m done with him and
our friendship,” he drapes an arm over my
shoulder.
“Kat was just trying to be a good friend, don’t
be mad at her,” he says and I roll my eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll start answering her calls
sometime next week, she has to sweat a
little,” I say and he is thrown into a fit of
laughter.
“That’s it, your modus operandi.” he knows me
too well. He has been on the ignore list
throughout the years. We have a great
relationship but it’s not perfect too.
Sometimes he pisses me off and I block him
everywhere.
“Manana missed you?” he asks as we walk
towards the door.
“Yep and she brought some revelations with
her,” I say and heave a sigh.
Vhutshilo stops walking and holds my hand,
there’s genuine concern in his eyes,
“What’s going on? Will you and Bassie be
affected by this revelation?” he asks hurriedly.
“Not directly, I’ll let you know about it later.”
He releases a sigh of relief.

SHLOBOSENKOSI MAVIMBELA

Nhlangano’s loud laugh startles me and
Thalente, this child! We are trying to focus on
the movie we are watching, he should go to
his bedroom to laugh like a hyena. He’s laying
on the couch with his legs raised up; Whoever
he is texting with has him laughing and
smiling like a fool. It can only be a girl, that’s
for sure. I wonder if he’s still dating that girl
he once showed me a picture of; I don’t want
him to have multi-concurrent partners.
Besides unwanted pregnancies with girls he
doesn’t even love, there are filthy infections
out there. I’ve taught him about safe sex and I
hope and pray he is practicing it with only
one partner.
I would have loved for him to abstain but we
are raising a generation of explorers.
“Baba, can I please borrow a car for a couple
of hours,” he says and I narrow my eyes.
“Haibo! It’s 4pm already and tomorrow you
have school,” I say and he nods.
“I know dad, I’ll be back before 8, I promise,”
he has a desperate look in his eyes, “There’s
nothing much happening at school, we are
just revising chapters for the final exams and
you know I’m good and ready for them,” he
coaxes me with the little story and I’m sold.
“Fine but tell me where you’re going,” I say
and he shrugs his shoulders.
“Meeting a friend in Musgrave,” he answers,
getting up from the couch.
“That’s all I’m getting?” he chuckles.
“Need to know rule, remember that?” I roll my
eyes. He leaves the lounge singing at the top
of his lungs, haibo! What’s happening with
Busisiwe’s child?
“What’s the need to know rule, Bhut’Shlobo?”
Thalente asks.
She came earlier today to see Nhlangano and
I, I’ll be driving her back to her apartment
later on.
I clear my throat and answer, “As you have
seen, I’m trying to have an open and honest
relationship with Nhlangano. I don’t want him
keeping any secrets from me and going behind
my back, but I also realized that he is young
and deserves some privacy. I have to respect
that and he also has to respect that I’m the
parent and I worry about him. The need to
know rule simply means that he tells me
things I need to know so I don’t worry about
him. Like right now, it’s obvious he is going to
see a girl but he’s not comfortable telling me
the whole story, so he gives me the location
of where he is going so I don’t worry or go
behind his back to find out, invading his
privacy. I don’t know if that makes sense to
you, MaZikode says I give him too much
freedom,” she smiles then reaches for the
remote and pauses the movie.
“I understand why your mother thinks it’s too
much, she’s old school. A child is a child until
they move out and make their own money.
But what you’re doing with Nhlangano is
amazing, you are raising an honest child, he
won’t find himself in trouble because he
wanted to explore life behind your back.
Strict parents raise liars,” that’s very true.
Holding a child hostage will not do them any
good. When you finally let them out to the
real world they don’t know how to handle it
because they were shielded from it all.
“I hope to raise my children like you one day,”
she says and I smile, I’m flattered.
“Don’t rush into it. Finish school, establish
your career, have fun and then think of
settling down and having kids. It’s a big
responsibility,” I say and she presses her lips
into a thin line.
I smell my son before I see him.
“Okay, I’ll see you guys later,” Jesus!
He has a new girl, there’s no way. He is all
swanked up, Nhlangano always looks good
but today he went all out.
“Is that my watch?” I ask and he makes a
funny face.
“I won’t lose it, I promise,” wonders shall never
end.
“I have always taught you to never
misrepresent yourself to anyone. Putting on
my expensive watch is doing exactly that,” I
say and he heaves a sigh before taking it off.
“You’re right, I’m sorry,” he says and opens the
drawer to take out the car keys. He holds out
the BMW keys and I nod.
“Take my watch back,” I order him.
He walks away in silence. I hope I didn’t ruin
his good mood.
“He wanted to impress her very bad,” Thalente
says and I nod.
“That’s true, but he shouldn’t use things that
don’t belong to him to do so. Let whoever it is
like him for who he is and not what he has;
He will attract the wrong people if he uses
materialistic things to get attention. This
world is full of vultures,” I say.
“I can’t believe Nhlangano has a girlfriend and
we don’t have partners,” she says with a
chuckle.
“You should date and have fun, Thalente,” she
takes a sip of her juice.
“I don’t have the time, the person will feel
neglected by me,” she pauses, “I still maintain
that you should find someone and be happy,”
she adds and I cross my legs and lean back on
the couch.
“I was seeing someone, we were on the same
page but now she wants more. Thalente, she
wants my heart and I don’t know if I can ever
be able to give it to someone else,” I say and
she looks at me with pitty, I hate that.
“You loved my sister and she loved you too.
She’s not coming back, Bhut’Shlobo. I know
she would want you to be happy; There’s a
reason why you chose the lady you’re talking
about. Give yourself and her a real chance,
you honestly deserve it,” she says and I close
my eyes. The situation with Nonku has been
heavy on my mind, I’m not even sleeping well
at night.
I feel like I’m at the cross road and I don’t
know which way to go. Nonku is the first
woman to understand that I want my space
and definitely no marriage. The ones before
her wanted the whole package and I had to
end the relationships. All she wants is for us
to blend our families and for me to be
emotionally invested. We get along very well
and maybe Thalente is right, I should try
giving Nonku something more than just my
dick and expensive gifts.
“I guess you’re right. I will call her tomorrow,”
she smiles sweetly at me.
“You deserve to be happy. Please don’t feel like
you’re betraying my sister by giving love
another chance,” it truly feels like I am but
everyone is right, I need to move on with my
life or at least try to.
Thalente’s phone rings, she picks it up from
the arm rest and rolls her eyes.
“She just won’t give up,” she says, sounding
annoyed.
“Who?” I ask.
“My mother, she has been blowing up my
phone and I’m not ready to talk to her. I still
can’t believe that she wanted to destroy your
family to build ours. She hated you and
stopped you from attending my sister’s
funeral because she felt betrayed by your
father,” yeah! It still feels surreal to me too.
“Don’t hold it against her Thalente, sometimes
life happens in ways we cannot understand,” I
say and she swallows hard before breaking
eye contact.
“Do you know what she did when we got
home after the confrontation at your house?”
she asks and I shake my head.
Thalente wipes her tears and takes a deep
breath.
“My mother wanted to destroy sis’Mela’s
tombstone because it was bought by you. I
couldn’t allow her to do that because my
sister deserved what you did, so I told her to
consider herself dead to me if she destroyed
the tombstone. I was just bluffing to get her
to drop the pickaxe but mama didn’t
Bhut’Shlobo. She allowed her anger and pain
to destroy something we both dreamed of
giving sis’Mela for years. Your father was
never hers to begin with but she decided to
destroy my sisters final resting place and be
dead to me just because bab’Mavimbela’s son
loved her daughter and even paid for her to
have a beautiful final house. A part of me
feels like mama is jealous of what you and my
sister had, she hates you for being the man
she wished your father was to her,” the last
part just made 100% sense to me.
“So Mela doesn’t have a tombstone again?” I
ask with a heavy heart.
“Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t
know how to bring it to you, Bhut’Shlobo you
were so relieved and happy that my sister
finally had her house done. You paid so much
for it and my mother didn’t think twice before
destroying it,” it feels like someone plunged a
knife in my heart and now they are twisting
it. How could mamu’Gasela do this to me, to
Melamina? She’s cruel, she really is.
“Excuse me Thalente.” I get up from the couch,
I need to be alone in my bedroom and cry. This
hurts so much.