UMSHADO

CHAPTER 91

LUNGI.

Gogo Xulu, sbani and sipho walk further away, like deeper to the forest and I think close enough to the river. My husband and his brother are quiet too. I don't know if they are worried or they just want all of this to be over. Sbani and sipho come back. Sipho comes to us while sbani goes to scelo's car where the twin grannies are.  I gave all of them the five rand coins to throw in the river and I hope they still remember to throw it in the river before they go inside. My husband gets out of the car and busani does too and he tells them that when sbani and gogo are done sbani will come to them. My brother and bonga join them too. No one is talking, they are all just silent.

I watch sbani opening the door and she talks to the twin grannies. They step out of the car. Owami looks nervous and I think it's because this place is bringing back bad memories. They walk to where they have prepared their things and then we hear someone crying loud and I think it's owami. The way she's crying is making me feel for her and you can feel her pain and the memories she’s having being back here again. Sbani and my mother in-law hold her and they walk until we don't see them. My husband gets in the car and looks at us.

" Baby? Are you okay?." I ask him.

" I don't know. Hearing my birth mother cry like that was hard. I feel sorry for her and my brother."

" This hard on all of us. We will get through this baby."

" how love?." I sigh. Truth is I have no idea how we're all going to get through this."

" We have no choice baby. We just have to be strong for everyone." He looks at me.

" You are crying again in your sleep." He takes my hand.

" baby...."

" Love talk to me. I know you didn't sleep after your nightmare. What did you dream about?."

" Can we not talk about this now?." 

" You'll tell me when we  are back at the lodge?."

" No. I'll tell you when we are at home."

" why that long?."

" When we leave this place, we will drive back to Durban."

" Huh?."

" I wasn't having a nightmare. I was with your great grandmother. She told me when are done here we must drive straight home and I must help you with the boys because they won't go in the river without me. I have already told lesego and sims that we are coming. I asked the nannies come with our bags when scelo comes to pick them up."

" Did she say why we must leave?."

" I don't know."

" Love?."

" That's all I can say for now. The rest I'll tell you when we get home."

" She said something bad didn't she?." I look at our kids and they are quiet. They are worrying me because they never stop talking.

" She did. The boys are too quiet. Do you think something bad is going to happen?."

" Don't worry love. They are just anxious like us."

" I hope so."

The grannies come back and they are wearing white cloths. Bonga goes to the car, they get in and drive out.

" I guess we are next. I'll be back. I think you should get the boys ready."

" I'll do that when we are in the river."

" Ok love."

He steps out of the car and sbani comes in. Sipho, my husband and busani leave.

MBUSO.