COLLATERAL LOVE

CHAPTER 31

LONDIWE

My phone rings and it's my mother. I wonder what does she want because I'm on my to her, or maybe she wants me to pass by the mall and buy her something...

“Mama,” I answer.

“Londiwe, please come to my house right now. Vatiswa it's here, and she says that she has something big to tell us. She said she can't tell me if you are not here.”

Me: “I'm actually on my way there, give me 15 minutes,” hanging up. I wonder what's so important that Vatiswa want to tell us, and why does she require my presence.

Minutes later I'm pulling up on the driveway, I step out of the car, and head to the garden where they are at, I know this because I can hear them laughing all the way here. I can't stand Vatiswa, especially after the way she treated Esethu, I really can't. Guess I will have to suck it up and preserve it until she tells us whatever it is that she wants to tell us.

“Sanobanini,” I greet sitting next to my mother. They greet back, I'm surprised to see the Gunqula's uncles here, this must be a very important matter, but about what because their son divorced my sister, and stripped her of everything leaving her nothing in her name. “What's going on here?” I rotate my eyes in all six of them.”

“Vatiswa here, has something very important to tell us,” my mother informs.

Me: “I wonder what is it. What do you want to tell us?” She clears her throat, looks at me, then at my mother, and shakes her head.

Her: “It's about Esethu.”

Me: “What about her?”

Her: “Well, she's alive and has a baby now,” everyone gasps in shock. She takes a sip from her cold tea.

Me: “Pardon?”

Her: “Esethu, my daughter-in-law has a son with another man. Not any man, but an Italian man!” I laugh, how absurd. I can see it all neh, but Esethu being their daughter in law? She's insane!

Mom: “So, you took two taxis, all the way from your house just to lie about my daughter? Are you crazy? And the last time I checked she was no longer your daughter-in-law, your son divorced her, or have you forgotten?”

Her: “They might've divorced, but they are still traditionally married. The ancestors still recognize their marriage!” I chuckle, it's her insolence for me.

Me: “That's bullshit. Stop spattering bile, you too old for such nonsense. Anyway, where did you see Esethu?” The only Italian man I know it's Billy, and Esethu doesn't know Billy. And Billy would never go for someone like her, I wonder who is that Italian man and where did she find him. Whoever he is, I must applaud him for his bravery in dating Esethu, because wow.

Her: “We will talk about this issue some other day.”

Mom: “Did I hear you saying Esethu has a baby?” She nods. “A baby as in an infant?” She's clearly not believing this. Everyone knows that Esethu is barren, multiple doctor's told her. This just doesn't make any sense, not unless she stole the baby or adopted him/her with this so-called Italian man If hers.

Her: “Yes, and a newborn.”

Me: “And you know this how?”

Her: “I was supposed to babysit her son, her fiancé had already reimbursed me the money we agreed on, and gave me a place to sleep. I was so excited that I'll be finally working after so much suffering, and my son not supporting me as he did before. But that's not important right now. Anyway, Esethu got angry when she saw me, I was too shocked to do anything, I couldn't even bring myself to utter anything. She fired me on the spot, and just like that, I lost my job. She's heartless and evil. I never thought I'd see the day Esethu becomes someone else, she practically took my bread and butter out of my mouth. And for what?”