CHAPTER 67
SHLOBOSENKOSI MAVIMBELA

I hate this coming and going, I just want to be
in one place with my wife but there’s an
emergency I have to attend at home.
MaZikode called and told me Nhlangano has
been a pain in the arse; I know how hard my
mom can be so I called my little sister to ask
what has been happening and she told me
that Nhlangano has been a totally different
person. Thalente said he has been talking back
at them and coming home late at night from
God knows where. I’m angry but mostly
disappointed, that’s not the kind of child I
raised. I know this behavior has everything to
do with Mphikeleli, Nhlangano has never even
rolled his eyes at us before that man came
into our lives. I have to do something about it
and fast, there has to be a way to get
Mphikeleli’s claws out of my boy before it’s
too late.
I am in the Uber headed to my house, I landed
at king Shaka not so long ago and I’ve spoken
to my wife on the phone. She misses me
already but at the same time excited to spend
some time alone with Basetsana. The princess
and I met that night at my mother in-laws
house and she was a little awkward. The
second time we met was a little better, we
went out for ice cream and she started telling
me about school and her friends. Naledi
assured me that she will warm up to me
eventually and I’m holding on to her words.
God knows that I want to have an amazing
relationship with my wife’s daughter. I want
her to know that she has one more person she
can count on in this life.
The cab drops me off at home and I pay the
guy and thank him. I press the remote and
the gate slides open, my Range Rover is
parked in the driveway, so he has been using
my cars and coming back late with them. I
feel a little anger bubbling in my stomach,
what has gotten into this boy?
I find MaZikode and Thalente in the lounge,
watching a Nigerian movie, nothing new
there. I greet them and my sister gets on her
feet, hugging me with the biggest smile on
her face.
“Bhut’Shlobo, I’m so happy you’re home,” I hug
her back then kiss the top of her head.
“As happy as me, Thale? I don’t think so my
baby,” my mom says and I know the situation
with Nhlangano has been insane.
“Is he that bad?” I ask and they both nod.
“I’ve never seen him with that kind of
attitude. He snaps at us, uses inappropriate
language when we reprimand him for using
your cars and coming back at night. MaZikode
was asking him to stop galivanting and focus
on his studies as he is in the middle of exam
and he told her to focus on her business,” my
sister explains and my mother laughs.
“Thats putting it nicely, Thale. Your son told
me to mind my fuckin business Shlobosenkosi.
Nhlangano has put his hands on me and
insulted me, something you have never done
in your entire life,” I gasp in shock. What the
hell?
“Thale, call him now!” I order, settling down on
the couch. I’m shaking with anger, how dare
her swear at my mother like that? And he
touched her? Now he has crossed the line.
“Baba, you called,” He walks into the room
with his hands buried deep in the pockets of
his sweatpants. I raise an eyebrow.
“You hit and swear at my mother?” I ask and
he rolls his eyes. I am shocked to say the
least.
“Gogo is just exaggerating,” he answers me
nonchalantly and I chuckle in disbelief. This
one right here? This is not my son.
“You see? This is the attitude we told you
about,” I can see it and it’s taking everything
in me not to get up and slap him silly.
“What’s your problem Nhlangano? Why are
you behaving this way? And who gave you
permission to use my cars?” he licks his lower
lip and takes a step back.
“Baba, I’m not in the mood, please,” kahle bo!
He said what?
“Who do you think you’re talking to like that?”
I ask, this time getting on my feet. My son
doesn’t squirm or anything like that, rather,
he squares his shoulders and tightens his jaw.
“Hao! You’re puffing out your chest for me?” I
ask.
“I’m trying to tell you that I’m not in the
mood to discuss any of this but you want to
force matters. Why can’t you all just give me
space to breathe?” he shouts at me and my
mother claps once. We all cannot believe this.
“Nhlangano, what’s wrong with you? When did
you start being disrespectful to us?” my voice
breaks. What demon has possessed my son?
“Because I’m going through shit that you’ll
judge me for baba. Khwezi is pregnant!” he
blurts it out and my heart drops into my
stomach.
“What did you say?” it comes out in a whisper
from MaZikode.
“She’s pregnant and I have to step up and help
her out,” my knees are wobbly, too weak to
carry me, I settle back on the couch and a
tear escapes the corner of my eye.
“That’s not your child. That drug addict harlot
is trying to pin her bastard child on you,” my
mother says and I totally agree with her.
“I thought so too but I met with her this
afternoon and she is open to doing a DNA test
to prove that the baby is mine. That made me
believe her, I mean someone who is trying to
pin a pregnancy on you wouldn’t be open to
that,” I cannot believe my ears. This is not
happening, he’s too young to be a father.
“A baby with someone old enough to be your
mother? Nhlangano what did you do?” my
mother joins me with the water works.
“I didn’t plan for this to happen. I am not
ready to be a father but there’s nothing we
can do,” he is no longer hostile.
“Uhm, there is. Khwezi can’t have this baby.
You’re too young Nhlangano and you have so
much happening for you in the next year,
Attending Wits and starting life away from us
as a young adult,” I mutter and he shakes his
head.
“She won’t abort and I can’t force her. But I
know I have to step up for her and the baby. I
got her pregnant and I have to help her out,
she has no one and nothing. You made sure of
that baba,” he says and I narrow my eyes.
“What do you mean step up?” I ask and he
takes a deep breath.
“I can’t go to Wits anymore. I’m going to stay
here in Durban, attend UKZN and find a job as
a soccer player and help Khwezi with
everything,” my heart drops into my stomach.
Is this a dream? It has to be because it’s too
painful to be my reality.
“Nhlangano, please don’t do that,” I beg.
“What else can I do? Will you help out? Will
you take Khwezi in and support her and the
baby while I’m Johannesburg?” oh hell no.
“Over my dead body!” MaZikode exclaims.
“Then Wits is down the drain. I have to be
man enough for my child,” I try to say
something but a huge lump is clogged in my
throat.
“That woman is old enough to figure things
out on her own,” my mother adds, “She is not
coming to this house to milk my son after she
seduced you, her student. I refuse to let her
ride us for a comfortable life,” I’m looking at
Nhlangano with a bleeding heart.
“She will have to figure things out until she
gives birth. Once the DNA confirms that the
child is yours like she claims then I will take
the child and raise him,” -MaZikode.
“You want to take a child from its mom?” he
asks horrified.
“A drug addict mother, yes,” I close my eyes.
The poor baby, what if Khwezi uses while
she’s pregnant and it affects the baby? Will I
be able to forgive myself? Maybe Nhlagano is
right, I can give her a home so MaZikode can
keep an eye on her.
“Ma, maybe for that reason we can take her
in. We wouldn’t want our grandchild to have
complications because she was using,” my
mother shakes her head.
“She’s not milking us, Shlobo. We will only
take the child and care for him once it’s
confirmed that he’s ours,” mama is mad right
now but I’ll try to make her see reason once
she has calmed down. I’m not ecstatic about
the situation either but an innocent life is at
stake here and if I don’t step up my son is
going to throw his future away.
“Khwezi won’t be your first victim. You did
that to my father too, painted him the devil
and made sure he wasn’t a part of my life. If
you think I’m going to allow you to do to my
child what you did to me then you have
another thing coming. Khwezi has her flaws
but I will help her stay clean and deliver my
baby alive and healthy,” my mother gets up
and stands inches from Nhlangano.
This reminds me of Busisiwe, she protected
Mphikeleli this way too and it was to her
detriment.
“You ungrateful child. You think you know
everything huh? You think Mphikeleli is an
angel? Well he’s not, he is the reason you
don’t have a mother, he beat her up with you
inside of her and left her for dead. If it wasn’t
for him then my daughter and Mela would
still be alive. The rubbish he fed you is not the
truth and I hope it’s not too late when you
realize it,” my mother says, livid.
I’m just stuck on this couch, not knowing
what to do or say. What I know, however, is
that I’m beyond hurt by Nhlangano and what
has happened in the last couple of weeks.
“I’m not doing this, I’m not staying for this
shit!” he says and storms out of the room. I
get up to follow him but my mother holds out
a finger.
“Don’t you dare. Nhlangano will not dance on
our heads.” she snaps and I sit back down. A
few minutes later Nhlangano walks past the
lounge with a sports bag. My eyes widen.
“Where are you going?” I ask, panicked.
“Somewhere I’m not treated like a kid,” he
snaps.
“Don’t touch my sons cars, let those that
don’t treat you like a child buy you one, usile
wena nonsense!” oh mama, that’s only going
to make things worse. We’re pushing him
right into Mphikeleli and Khwezi’s arms.
VHUTSHILO MOUFHE
I’m sober today, this is the first time since I
found out about Naledi getting married. I
wasn’t going to stop because it’s the only
thing that numbs my pain, but my mom and
dad intervened yesterday. They told me
alcohol wasn’t going to change the fact that
she has someone now and it hurt to hear
that. That guy came along and took
something I’ve been waiting for since Naledi
and I were forced apart 10 years ago. I know I
was planning a life with someone else but
that was only to hide the fact that I still
wanted my daughters mother.
I thought telling her mom about the whole
thing would work in my favor. I thought
minister would put an end to the nonsense
but it didn’t happen that way. The guy was
invited over for a conversation and then my
daughter was introduced to him. That was
like a knife plunged into my heart then
twisted. I still wonder why it was easy for the
minister to accept that guy when she fought
tooth and nail to make sure Naledi and I
broke up when the news of her pregnancy
broke. She claimed that I was too old for her
daughter but this guy is old enough to be
Naledi’s father but he gets the green light.
Johannesburg was too much for me so I got
someone to drive me home as I was too drunk
to drive myself. I needed to be away from
everything, I was avoiding more fights with
Bassie’s mother and to also protect my child
from seeing me drunk again. She was shocked
and scared on Sunday when I arrived at her
grandmother’s house, it was her first time
seeing me that out of control. I’m ashamed to
pick up my phone and call her, what if she
brings it up? How will I answer her? I’ve only
spoken to Manana since the incident and she
told me that they spoke with Naledi’s
husband and they are blessing their nonsense
marriage. She assured me that Bassie will
never move away and that the guy knows and
respects that I am Basetsana’s father.
“Morning,” I greet as I walk in the kitchen.
My mother is busy washing the dishes.
“Morning, you look well rested,” she says and I
nod.
“Yeah, I feel so much better,” I’m a little
hangover but I’ll give my mother a little hope.
“I’m happy to hear that. You need to snap out
of it Vhutshilo, you have responsibilities. Your
daughter has been calling, asking if you’re not
yet feeling better. I hate lying to my
grandbaby and its not fair that you’re
stressing her this way, she loves you and has
never went so long without seeing or talking
to you. Please don’t allow your heart break to
rob Takalani off her daddy,” she’s right, my
daughter deserves so much better.
“I’ll call her after eating, I’m famished,” I say
and she smiles. I was starving myself while I
was on a binge and that worried her.
“Let me prepare something for you. I’m sure
you won’t appreciate soft porridge, that’s
what I made,” I shake my head.
“I’d like something greasy, thanks mom,” I pull
out the bar stool then settle down and watch
mama take out English breakfast ingredients
from the fridge.
“You know Vhutshilo I’ve been asking myself
one question since you got here on Tuesday,”
she says and I narrow my eyes.
“What’s the question?”
“Why now? Why are you only being honest
about your feelings for Naledi?” she asks and I
swallow, causing my adam’s apple to bob,
that was not expected.
“I don’t know ma, I guess it’s because we’ve
been friends for so long and I was scared that
I would ruin things if I told her I wanted us to
try again. I don’t know how to explain it but
it has always been her, the feelings became
stronger along the years as I watched her
grow and mature,” I say, hoping I’m making
sense, “Her finding someone so serious just
made me realize how intense I feel for her and
how much I want her as my wife, raising
Takalani and our other children in the future.”
she nods, her understanding or what? I’m not
sure.
“I’m sorry, but you need to move on because
she’s his wife now,” that’s the bitter truth.
“I know and I’ll try.”