CHAPTER 63
SHLOBOSENKOSI MAVIMBELA

I walk back inside the house with a huge grin
on my face. Talking to Naledi just lifts my
mood, what am I saying? Since I’ve met this
woman I’ve been at my happiest and now that
she’s my wife I feel like I’m on top of the
world. I look at my silver wedding band and
smile, my heart swelling with pride and joy. I
still cannot believe that we did it, but I know
deep down in my heart that this was the
right decision. Naledi is everything and I didn’t
have to wait a couple of years to confirm it.
Making her my wife was just inevitable, so
that’s why we went for it.
Naledi wants to wait till later in the next
year for me to pay lobola but that’s not
happening. Mid-January I’m sending a letter
to her mother and doing the right thing. I
hope and pray that she doesn’t hate me after
finding out that I dragged her daughter to
home affairs before doing things the right
way. My wife told me that my mother-in-law
is a tough cookie and I didn’t doubt that one
bit. I mean she is a politician after all.
The smile on my face fades when my eyes
land on my mother. She’s sour, sitting on the
couch with a tray that has beans, she’s
picking them out. Oh God, she’s been in a foul
mood since I got here this morning. We
haven’t exchanged a word, except for
greetings. I know she’s still mad about the
whole Nonku and Naledi situation but I’m a
grown man and I can choose my own woman.
She needs to respect my decision and cut ties
with Nonku. I know I might sound hush but
my mother has no business staying in touch
with an ex of mine.
“So you’re going to stay with that girl? Why
Shlobo? Why would you choose a forward
Johannesburg girl over MaSibisi?” she
obviously heard me answering Naledi’s call
when I walked out of the lounge, leaving her
with her Nigerian movie and beans.
“Ma, I love that woman and nothing is going
to change that fact,” I mutter, settling down
on the couch opposite hers.
“Aww Shlobo! Why did you bring Nonku to me
then turn around to fall for that girl?” I heave
a heavy sigh.
“I was never in-love with Nonku, ma. I just
gave the relationship a chance because of you
guys. Everyone wanted to see me moving on
from Melamina and the pressure got to me so
I ended up giving it a short. It was wrong of
me, I shouldn’t have done that to Nonku and
most especially to myself. I wish I had waited
because now I know that my heart beat was
out there waiting for me. Naledi is amazing
mama, she’s my everything. The minute I laid
my eyes on her in that elevator I felt my soul
move. I felt things I never thought I’d feel
again but way intense,” I pause and take a
deep breath. My mother is looking at me and
her eyes have softened.
“Naledi is the reason why I want to get
married and give you a soccer team of
grandkids. Ma, please give her a chance. She’s
the love of my life,” she swallows hard.
“What about Nonku? How will she feel when
she learns that I’ve suddenly accepted that
girl?” I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“MaZikode. I am your son, my happiness
should be a priority to you not loyalty to
Nonku,” that’s a fact. She cannot choose
someone else over me. I know she likes Nonku
and knows personally how it feels to be
cheated on, but I’m happy and she should be
in support of that.
“Let me be the one to carry the guilt of
hurting Nonkululeko. I’m asking you, on
bended knees, to not hate Naledi because of
my mistake. She did nothing wrong, she didn’t
know about me and Nonku. Her only crime
was falling in-love with me too,” I’ve said my
truth and I’m hoping and praying that it
touches my mother so she can accept my
baby.
“I want to pay lobola mid-January and I need
your blessing for that,” she gasps in shock.
“So soon?”
“I’ve waited 18 years for her mama. I don’t
want to waste any more time,” I watch her
close her eyes and when she opens them they
are glistening with tears.
“I always wanted to hear these words Shlobo.
As a mother I wanted you to find happiness
and love again. I will try to get over what
happened and give NoGoli a chance,” she says
and I chuckle.
“Her name is Naledi ma, MaMoletsane,” I say
and she claps once.
“You went out there and got a Sotho woman
with the biggest behind I’ve ever seen,” I’m
thrown into a fit of laughter.
“She’s sexy out of this world ma,” I say and a
second later a bean hits my forehead.
“Ouch!” I yelp, looking at my mother. What
was that for?
“You’re talking about sex with me? Am I your
friend? I don’t need to know what you do with
her in the bedroom. Her big belly carrying my
grandchildren will let me know that your
machine works perfectly behind closed doors,”
I shouldn’t have used the word sexy, I got a
little carried away. The thought of my
woman’s body leaves my brain dizzy.
“I wasn’t even talking about that… You know
what let’s just leave that,” she clicks her
tounge and I smile. I am happy and relieved
that she’s going to give my wife a chance.
“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way I
have something really important to tell you,
it’s about Nhlangano,” she puts the tray of
beans on the table and shifts until she’s
sitting on the edge of the couch.
“What’s wrong? Is he okay?” she asks hurriedly
and I shake my head.
“Your grandson has been sleeping with his
teacher, the one he was pushing me to date. I
think you’ll remember her, she was at my
house attending the braai we had to celebrate
the soccer club,” I say and her hand is on her
head, jaw on the floor.
“Shlobo no!” it comes out in a whisper.
“How can…what happened to girls his age?”
this will shock her even more.
“Nothing, he had a girlfriend and it turned out
the teacher is the girls mother,” she leans
back, screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Oh Busisiwe! What is your child doing to us?
What is it that he wants and Shlobo doesn’t
provide? The fridge is always full, he buys
clothes every other day. My son pays for DStv,
he also pays for that DVD he plays soccer
with. Recently he bought him a real soccer
club. With all of those things he couldn’t find
one to keep busy, he thought playing in bed
with his teacher was better,” my poor sister,
each time Nhlangano messes up he’s her child.
I’m guilty of that too.
“I reported it to the school and a hearing was
held yesterday. She was found guilty and fired
on the spot. The matter is with the
department of education now, they will
decide if they take her certificate or not,” I
explain and she wipes her tears.
“You need to take me to that harlot. One slap
from me and she will not look at another
young boy,” violance solves nothing MaZikode.
“That’s not where your grandsons drama
ends,” I hate stressing my mom but she needs
to know.
“Call an ambulance please,” she says, clutching
at her chest. “Don’t tell me the teacher is
pregnant,” I shake my head.
“No mama. I don’t think Khwezi would be that
stupid,” her shoulders relax but I’m afraid the
relief won’t last long.
“Well, Mphikeleli reached out to Nhlangano
and lied to him about what happened with
Busi. He twisted the whole story and made it
look like I sent Mela there to fetch Busi while
it was raining heavily because I hated him for
being poor. He mentioned nothing about
almost beating him to death in my sisters
womb. And guess what? My son believes him
ma and things between us have been
awkward for a couple of weeks now,” it’s not
everyday where my mother has nothing to
say. She’s starring at me with tears streaming
down her face.
“I don’t know what to do ma.” that’s the
honest truth. I need her to tell me what to do
with Nhlangano.
VHUTSHILO MOUFHE
I drink straight from the bottle and the
cognac burns my throat, causing me to
wrinkle my face. I’ve drank half of this thing
and it hasn’t numb my pain. I won’t lie, my
heart is broken. I don’t remember ever feeling
this way, it feels like I have lost the biggest
part of my soul. I still cannot believe that
Naledi is married, I mean how can she do that
to me? After everything we have been
through together.
She only just met the guy. What if he’s just
another jerk who’s going to hurt her? I can’t
sit back and watch her make the biggest
mistake of her life, for our daughters sake I
have to do something to put an end to this
madness.
“Vhutshilo, what the fuck is wrong with you?
I can’t take this drinking and crying one more
minute. Tell me what’s going on or I swear I’ll
pack my shit and leave this house for good,”
Karabo bursts in the bedroom that belongs to
Naledi. I have been in here since Thursday
evening, the day all hope got destroyed. I only
leave to get more alcohol and use the
bathroom. I didn’t go to work yesterday and I
didn’t bother reporting because nothing
matters anymore.
“That would be the best thing you have ever
done in your life,” I say and she gasps in
shock.
“What did you just say to me?” she asks,
sounding pained to the core. Right now I don’t
care, she’s annoying me. The sight of her
makes my stomach turn.
“I said you can pack up and fuck out of my
house, Karabo. This relationship is not gonna
work, I’m not the man for you. I thought I
could do this but truth is…”
She quickly interjects, “This has something to
do with Naledi. Only she can make you act
like someone died. What has she done this
time Vhutshilo?” there’s so much hate laced in
her voice.
“Do you really want to know?” I ask, getting
off the bed.
“I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t,” she folds her
arms across her chest.
“I don’t think your heart will handle the
truth,” I take another gulp of my cognac then
groan deeply at the burning sensation. I
wonder why my taste buds and throat haven’t
gotten used to it, I mean the bottle is almost
at its knees now.
“Just tell me, Vhutshilo!”
“You asked for it. My daughters mother went
on to get married to her new fling at home
affairs. She was going to keep it a secret but I
saw the marriage certificate when I went to
see her on Thursday,” I say and she laughs.
“Good for them. Now, what made you think I
wouldn’t handle such amazing news? You
thought I’ll demand that you marry me too?”
she asks with an attitude and I scoff.
“No, Karabo. The whole thing made me realize
that I’m not over Naledi,” I say and she
quickly grabs the door handle for balance.
“You don’t mean that. You’re just drunk, you
should sleep it off and I promise you will feel
better,” I shake my head and blink, causing
my tears to fall. Karabo doesn’t understand.
“You don’t get it. I’m still in-love with her, it
looks like I have always been. You were right
to feel the way you’ve always felt where she
was concerned. I was just in denial, I didn’t
want people to see me loving someone who
was living her life and loving someone else,”
she puts a hand over her mouth.
“Vhutshilo, please stop. I can’t hear this,”
“Well you need to because it’s the truth. This
thing between us won’t work out, it’s Naledi
that I want and I’m sorry for stringing you
along,” she stands up straight before wiping
her tears with the back of her hand. Her eyes
darken, I can see nothing but hate in them.
She strides towards me and stops just a few
inches infront of me. Karabo takes the bottle
of cognac from my hand, not taking her eyes
off mine. She takes a sip and does something
unexpected, she pours the amber drink on my
head and I close my eyes, shocked as hell.
“You stupid fool. You will never get her back.
She doesn’t see you like that, you’re just her
baby daddy, one she remembers when she
needs an erand boy. A real man came into her
life and she didn’t waste anytime with him.
She’s his wife now and you can only cry about
it like a little bitch! I don’t know what it is
that I saw in a pussy like yourself. I wish you
nothing but misery Vhutshilo.” she drops the
bottle and it breaks all over the floor. Karabo
turns and walks out of the bedroom. I’m left
with her vile words ringing in my head.