Amile The Queen

Chapter Seventy-Two

***Langalethu Zulu***

He’s never been happier to see Amile like he is now. He finally gets to get out of this place.
“I know it’s no use asking you to take it easy my prince, I know you won’t listen.” he folds the towel on his lap and stands up.
“Ngiwumqemane mina! I’m as healthy as an ox.” he says fixing his shirt.
He definitely needs new clothes, he can’t be dressing like a commoner anymore, especially now that he’s going to be seen with someone like Amile, she’s always looking on point, even when she doesn’t put in any effort.
“I’ll make sure he rests doctor.” she said grabbing the small bag that was on the bed. He didn’t stay for too long, but it felt like he was here for years.
They walk out of the hospital after he signs his own discharge forms. Amile is still considered a minor in South Africa, not looking at the fact that she is about to get into her second marriage. Jama is standing there waiting for them, and when he sees them approaching, he quickly takes the bag from Amile and opens the door for the both of them.
“Thank you Mzizi.” he said as he climbed in after the lady.
As soon as they are settled and the car is moving, he asked:
“So what did I miss?”
“Not much. Just that people are accusing us that we killed Zwelibanzi. Or rather, I instigated everything so I cold keep the throne. I’m also being dragged for being a plain jane who doesn’t put that much effort into dressing up. That’s just the gist of it.” he laughed.
It wasn’t because what she was saying is funny, but her attitude towards it.
“People will always talk MaGumede, don’t pay any mind to them. I think you have an amazing dress sense.” he means it, he’s not saying it just to cheer her up.
She smiled a little and looked out the window. Maybe it actually bothered her more than he thought. He caught a glimpse of Jama staring at them in the mirror with a look that he can’t fathom.
“Is Thulisile at the palace?” he asked looking directly at Jama.
Not that the question was directed to him, he just wants to understand what his problem is.
“Yes, she’s been doing something, I don’t know what it is.”
“I have to set up a meeting with the MEC so we can discuss the proceedings of the ceremony.” she shook her head.
“You just got out of hospital, you need to take it easy. Maybe I should handle all of those things.”
“I don’t want to put pressure on you. You still have to go back to school after your results come back.” she frowns.
“I don’t want to go back to school.”
Maybe there is a lot that they need to discuss in private, the extra pair of eyes are making him very uncomfortable. Also, there is more than school things that they need to discuss, like the baby matter.
“School is the last thing on my mind right now, especially now that I’m supposed to be running a whole kingdom. I can’t do it.”
“I understand.” he’s closing the topic, but only for now, he’s going to bring it up later when they are alone.
When they arrived at the palace, he felt relieved to finally be home, he hated the hospital with all his heart. The helpers were already standing at the door awaiting his majesty’s arrival. He was shocked to see them all looking so neat and smart in their uniforms and he felt a sense of belonging, something he hasn’t felt in a while, something he longed to feel when he first arrived here. He’s been feeling out of place for so long.
They praise him as he stands in front of them and smiles. This is the first time he’s actually meeting them all, and now they are aware that he is to become the head of this family for good.
“Thank you so much for the warm welcome, I really appreciate it.” one rushed to take the bag from Amile who was standing just behind him.
They made their way in, and Amile followed him to his bedroom. It’s not something permanent, things are supposed to change now, even his place of sleep, but he feels it’s still too soon for him to be moving into the room his brother shared with his ex-girlfriend. But he’s settled into this one, Thulisile already packed all his clothes into the wardrobe. When Amile closed the door behind her, he exhaled.
“I was thinking that trip wouldn’t end.” he sat on the bed.
“Jama?” Amile asks sensing the discomfort on his face.
“What is his issue?”
“I don’t know. He’s always like that. I know you should be resting and taking it easy, but I need you to please speak to Mandlenkosi. He likes you, and me, not so much. He is plummeting into a borehole of depression and dragging bottles of alcohol along with him. I don’t know what to say to him anymore, just two days ago, he was drunk here when the media was here and he made a complete fool out of himself. He is bringing our reputation to shame, and we are already doing that ourselves.”
He can’t miss the worry lines on her face. This must have been stressing her the whole time he was away. Among all the other things stressing her.
“He hates me too, but I’ll try to talk to him. He’s not that young Mandlenkosi who would easily listen to me, but it’s worth the shot.”
She came to kneel next to the bed and buried her head in her arms. She looks exhausted, how come he didn’t notice this earlier. He placed his hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry if this is all too much on you.” he said suddenly feeling bad. He thought they were getting somewhere.
Maybe it’s wrong of him to assume that she is always going to have it together. She is human after all.
“Can you please cut my hair.” he frowned.
“What?” she looked up at him
“Can you please cut my hair. I don’t want it anymore.” he wasn’t expecting that.
“Uhhm, okay, but we don’t…”
“There is a machine in Banzi’s room, can you please get it.” her voice is suddenly breaking.
He doesn’t think twice, he stands up and walks out the room. It’s like she was waiting for that moment where they were all alone for her to let it out like this. As he was walking out, he saw Thulisile sitting on the floor in the lounge, she was doing that thing of rocking herself back and forth, singing. He knows better than to disrupt her when she is doing that. She isn’t here, she is in another world and no one can get her to come back. What the hell is going on around him.
When he walks into the main bedroom, he is overcome with emotion, but something heavy sits on his shoulders as he takes small steps towards where he could possibly think to find the shaving machine. He looks at his reflection in the mirror and he sees MaNdlela standing behind him. She has a green scarf on her head, wearing a black dress. She’s dressed just like Amile is right now. He freezes on the spot and takes in a deep breath to try and fathom what this might mean. She then slowly starts to unwrap the scarf from her head and it is bald, not a single hair on the head.
He closes his eyes shut, hoping to open her eyes and the reflection will be gone, but he opens his eyes to see her rubbing her bald head, now with a smile on her face. It’s not a wide smile, it’s just a sign that she’s happy.
He ignores it and opens every single drawer searching for the bloody shaving machine. When he finds it, he rushes out the bedroom. Things in this place are getting weirder by the day.
When he passes the lounge, Thulisile is still trapped in her spiritual world, and she’s humming a familiar tune to him, he just can’t put his finger on where he’s heard it before. He rushes past, and into the bedroom, where he now finds Amile, in her black dress and a green head scarf, standing in front of the mirror, tears cascading down her face.
“MaGumede.” he called out to her.
Why does she look  exactly like MaNdlela, even the way that she’s staring at him through that mirror.
She turns and looks at him, wipes her tears and removes the scarf from her head, revealing her long luscious straight hair.
“Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent.” He nodded.
He went to go plug it in on the wall before he came to sit on the edge of the bed. She sat down on the floor, in between his legs, with her knees on her chest and watched their reflection in the mirror. He turned on the machine and took a second breath before he ran it through her hair.
“All of it?” he asked as he left it short.
“All of it.” she murmured in her little voice.
He’s heard that a woman cutting her hair is symbolic of healing, a new start, and maybe a fresh perspective on life. She’s starting afresh.
A smile slowly emerged on her face as all of her hair fell onto the ground, and by the time all of it was off her head, the smile reached her ears, much wider than the one MaNdlela had.
“You look beautiful.” he said running his hands on her now bare head.
“Thank you.”
“Please don’t cry anymore.” his mouth slipped.
Her smile broadened.
“I won’t.”
“We are doing this life thing together, I’ve got you and I’ll hold your hand whenever I can, I promise. I just need you to ride with me and I will ride with you.” 
She nodded and got on her knees, facing in his direction.
“So it’s a forever thing?” she asked with her eyes glistening.
“For as long as I’m around, it’s a forever thing.”
“Thank you kaMhlaba.” she lowered her head.
That feeling he felt when he walked into that room, that heaviness and darkness he felt, it’s gone. He feels lighter than he’s ever felt before. KaMhlaba, he’s never liked anything that has to do with his father than he does now.

***Nambitha Makhathini***

I have a headache. I know I said I was avoiding Nkululeko, and I was here pretending to be mad at him after he came here the other day and made a fool of me in front of my parents, but I actually miss him. He’s been unavailable, I’m assuming he’s been busy with palace matters, or whatever else that could keep him busy in Zululand. Those are just my insecurities coming out to play. It’s no secret that Nkululeko is not a man that can be trusted easily.
I’ve been trying him on the phone the whole day, and it hasn’t been going through, that is why I have a headache.
“Nambitha, Amile is on the TV, come see!” that is my mother, forever spending her time in front of the television.
That’s what she spends time doing every waking moment, being a housewife does that to one.
I rushed out of the room either way and made my way to the lounge, where both my sisters were sitting on their edge of their seats, staring at the TV. I wonder what they are anticipating.
They are discussing her, the news people, apparently, she has said something controversial.
“There are quite a number of things that are going wrong in the palace, she’s a child, how are they going to but the whole of KZN on her shoulders?” one of the news people said.
“This is stupid mama, turn it off.” I said standing up.
One thing I cannot stand are people bashing my best friend. She has gone through a hell lot for that family, they should give her some form of credit.
“Yima, isn’t that your ugly boyfriend.” Zimi pointed out. I glanced at the TV and indeed, it is Nkululeko.
He’s just standing there next to Amile while she speaks. They aren’t actually playing the speech, they are just showing a clip and they are talking over it. When was this?I sat back down.
“What were you thinking vele?” Janet asks laughing.
It’s really not funny. And I don’t know where they get the audacity to call my man ugly.
“He’s not ugly, he’s made in God’s image.” they laugh even louder, the two.
Mom is just quiet, she seems pissed off in fact.
“What is your problem Nambitha?” mom.
The two hyena’s seized their laughter at the seriousness of mom’s voice.
“I send you to Zululand to support your friend, wena uqomana namadoda.”
“It’s not like that.” Janet and Zimi stood up and exited, leaving me burning alone in the fire.
“Do you want to embarrass me?”
“Ma, don’t say that. Is it because he is ugly?” she chuckled, but she wasn’t at all amused.
“I will slap you so hard you will see stars mntanami. Have you forgotten who I am?” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“You are too young for marriage, you should be concentrating on finishing school and getting a job. Nawe ufuna ukumitha ufane nalemjendevu eyodadewenu?”
“No.” I asnwer lowly.
“Awuziqoqe, this man looks older, he is using you, ayikho into ozoyishada.”
“I never said I wanted to marry him.” I mumbled under my breath.
“What did you say?” I looked away.
“Don’t provoke me. I’m telling your father, and there is no more going to Zululand.”
“Hhayi ma, you can’t do that!”
“Usuyaphendula wena manje?” she asks lifting her hand, almost slapping me. I was glad to use my reflexes and get on my feet.
She’s still sitting down.
“You are getting out of hand.” She pointed a finger at me.
I wanted to roll my eyes. I think I’m better off kwaDlamini.
“Ma, I’m old now. I’m out of school, I can make my own decisions. I never said I was going to marry Nkululeko, but I love him, and he’s my boyfriend he isn’t going anywhere. You won’t stop me from going to Zululand.” I say and folded my arms across my chest.
“You are having sex Nambitha?” she squinted her eyes at me, disappointment on her face.
My heart thudded and I quickly dropped my arms. She stood up and walked towards me.
“You are having sex?” I looked away.
What happened next was something I was not expecting at all. My cheek started burning and tears formed in my eyes immediately.
“Suka emehlweni ami. Manje! Suka!” she pushed me out the lounge.
I don’t want to cry, but I probably have her hand mark on my face, so I can’t hide that from my nosey sisters. What just happened has triggered me, it’s not like I wanted to, sex was forced upon me by the man I thought was my protector. I still love him, but I will always hate him for doing that to me, and if this drives a wedge between my parents and I, I will never forgive him.