Ziphozethu

19

I was finally given a room a week later but it had to be downstairs. I thought I would be able to go back for my things but Moses kept buying me new things. He even bought me a new phone.

We stole every moment we could and when his elders left we had even more time. Nozipho was growing more and more suspicious and she stayed home more. She even followed Moses around everywhere.

In the few weeks I was there I grew closer to Ma and Buhle. Buhle was already trying to crawl and every moment with her was amazing.

I hadn't been with Moses for a few days and I missed him. Nozipho was home but I was willing to risk it. "Baba." I said when I found him in the kitchen. "Mamakhe." He knew exactly what wanted and started kissing me and pulling my dress up. He lifted me onto the counter and spread my legs.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!" I jumped off and covered myself just in time because Nozipho lunged towards me. "I want this slut out of my house! Out!" Moses protected me from her.

"Get off! Are you serious! I have more dirt on you than you do me! I will end your career and cut you off! Don't try me Nozipho!" She calmed down and stood there breathing heavily. "Really Moses. You're choosing this whore?"
"Nozipho, I swear to god. Talk about her like that again. I dare you. I know for sure that if I have nothing, I will still have Zethu. You are nothing without me or my money "

Nozipho started tearing up. "Fine. We're even now. Have your mistress Moses. I guess you deserve to go through a midlife crisis after what happened. But you will not marry her.  I will never sign those divorce papers."

She left and Moses immediately checked if was okay. "I'm fine Baba. Are you?" He nodded and we hugged. "I'm going to marry you. I promise." He whispered in my ear. We went to my room and finished what we started.

I was in the kitchen preparing dinner when Nozipho walked in. "Who are you anyway? All we actually know about you is that your name is Zethu." Nozipho said taking a bite of an apple and chewing really loudly. "Nozipho, leave her alone." I thanked god for Ma. I didn't need this woman holding my sad life story over me.

"No, it's a valid question. What's Zethu's full name, Ma? Do you even know?" Ma just rolled her eyes. "Exactly. So, Zethu, who are you?" I guess telling her my name won't hurt. "My name is Ziphozethu Zulu." I answered and she hummed. I was getting a really bad feeling. "Okay. What about family. Mother? Father? Siblings? I'm just trying to figure out who the kind stranger is who's raising my child."

This was really suspicious but even Ma looked interested so I couldn't just ignore her. "I have a brother that I've had to raise on my own. Our parents left us at a very young age."
"Okay. So you're orphans. Makes sense. What's your brother's name?" This woman was scaring me. "His name is Sicelo." She hummed. "So Moses is paying for his school? Is that why you're here acting like we're in the eighties. Getting on your knees and serving my husband. Following him around like lost puppy. Everytime he makes a peep you say 'yebo baba' like a fucking servant."

"Nozipho!" Ma yelled and I just shook my head. "If you must know, Baba is not paying my brother's school fees. Sicelo has a full scholarship to a very prestigious school. After I lost my job Baba insisted on paying Sicelo's monthly allowance because he needs spending money." Nozipho just rolled her eyes. "Fine, but there's something about you Ziphozethu Zulu. I don't know what it is yet but I'm going to find out." She left the room and I could finally breath.

We were having dinner when Baba excused himself. He came back with papers and threw some of them in front of Nozipho. "Sign it. It's our divorce papers." He took a seat and continued eating. "You really think this is going to work. I'm not signing this. Do you really think I'm going to leave without what's due to me. My inheritance bought that company." She said calmly.

"Nozipho sign the papers. I'm being way more generous than I need to be. I'm letting you keep the jewelry business and I'm paying your inheritance back when I don't need to. You'll find your settlement on the last page. I'm also taking the kids. You can try and fight me on this but you won't win. You sent my children off to boarding school. When they're here they're looked after by nannies. You abandoned Buhle and ran away. Buhle almost died and then you came back, kidnapped her only to realize you can't look after her."

She was crying silent tears. "Moses, don't do this." He just carried in eating. "Fine. I'll expose this family for what they really are." Moses was unbothered. "Do what you want Nozipho. I'll survive. Just sign the damn divorce papers so Zethu and I can get married and move on with our lives." She tore the papers and ran upstairs.

The table was silent but Baba continued to eat. After dinner the maid came and cleared it off. "Come with me." He led me outside and the garden was lit up by lots of tiny lights. "Mamakhe, you came into my life at a very difficult time and you made me better. You made me a better man and a better father. You made me the best version of myself and I love you for that."

He took a tiny velvet box out of his pocket and got on one knee. "Ziphozethu Zulu, will you marry me." He opened the box to reveal a huge diamond ring. My hands were shaking and a tear rolled down my cheek. I nodded.

"Yes. Yes, I'll marry you."