Khumo: the arranged wedding

TWENTY-ONE

                DORRIS MORAPEDI

Two weeks later

I knocked softly on Kalanyana’s room, where Keneilwe was sleeping. Two days ago she came rushing in here crying her lungs out. She was so traumatized I could not hear a thing she said. I've been trying to get her to talk but I can't get her to talk. She just sits on the bed and keeps quiet.
“Neilwe?” I snuck my head in and saw her biting her nails looking out the window. “Please talk to me.. I can't help you unless you talk.”
“I'm fine aunty, I'm sorry for coming here instead of going home.”
“No, no.. don't apologize, this is your home as well. If you don't feel well, you can come here anytime you want.”
“I have to go home today, mama is returning tomorrow.”
“You can sleep here again, I'll go and clean Motlalepula’s house so she doesn't notice that you didn't sleep there. I brought you something to eat..  please eat?” I got up about to leave when she held on tight to my hand.
“Please don't leave me alone aunty! I'm afraid..”
“Afraid of what? I'll lock the door..”
“No, please don't leave me.”
“Okay get dressed then we'll both go to your house.”
She just nodded

As we walked to her home, she would constantly look at the back as if someone was following us. This kind of behaviour is not good. Keneilwe is not a shy child. She's full of life, this is so unlike her. We unlocked then went inside. She quickly locked before rushing to her room. I let her be and cleaned the house. Motlalepula would die of a heart attack if she would ever find out that I was in her home cleaning! I laughed alone thinking about my sister. My mom just had to fall in love with a married man didn't she? And she paid with her life. Maybe my life would have been better if I was raised by my own mother.
I let go of the broom and sat on the couch crying. Why did you leave me alone Mme?

*Flashback*

38 years ago

“Mama, papa otla leng?” (when is daddy coming?)
“Soon ngwanaka.. soon he will be here.”
“Why can't daddy come and stay with us?”
“He has to work my baby.”
We heard a banging on the door. Mama peeped through the window and she looked scared.
“Mama ke mang?” (who is it mom?)
“Shhh.. keep quiet and go hide under the bed.”
“Mama...” I sulked getting underneath the bed. I could see another pair of feet. I didn't know the woman my mother was talking to.

“Masechaba o batlang?”
“For you to stay away from my husband! Don't you have any shame?”
“I can't stay away from him, we have a child together remember?”
“I don't care! He is mine.. mine! I will raise that bastard child of yours.”
“My child is not a bastard!” I saw them shoving one another as they exchanged hurtful words.
“I will kill you Pauline! No one will take my husband away from me.. not a cheap slut like you.”
“Mosadi wa moloi! Who are you calling a slut?”
“Wena! Who do you think you are calling me a witch?”
“Why are you fighting me and not that man whore you call a husband?”
“When you were spreading those skinny legs, was he not a man whore?”
“Masechaba, get out of my house! Tswa mosadimogolo!” (out of my house, old woman!)
“Don't push me.. stop pushing me!”
Still under the bed, I saw how they kept on pushing one another until the woman called Masechaba, grabbed a knife on the table and stabbed my mother. I held my mouth in order to not scream. “You will never bother us again!” she stabbed her again then removed the knife only to stab her again. “You will not come and disrupt my life!” another stab and I saw my mom closing her eyes. That's when I screamed. I saw the woman panicking and dragging me out of the bed and covering my mouth with her hands covered with my mother's blood...
*End of flashback*

I carried so much pain from that day. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I let it out and cried more than I did when I was only eight and had to bury my mom. That pain resurfaced and the anger came back again. “Why mama? Why did you leave me! I'm tired of being strong.”
“Aunty why are you crying?”
I shook my head and cried more...

         MOTLALEPULA MORAPEDI

Today was the day Khumo finds out that her life is about to take a drastic turn! A good change. Khumo is very unpredictable. One doesn't know how she will react to the news. I've been trying to call Keneilwe but she's not answering. That child is just trouble.. I already have enough to deal with, I don't need her adding more to the stress that I already have.

I got dressed and went to the main house and Amahle rolled her eyes the second she saw me.
“I thought you had resigned, what are you doing I'm my house?”
I scoffed, “your house you say madam?”
“Yes, my house! Where's Dorothy?”
“Am I her babysitter? I don't work here anymore, you don't get to treat me like chewing gum stuck under your shoe!”
“I will treat you however I want! Now go make me a cup of green tea..”
Now go make me a cup of green tea, I mimicked her. I heard Dorothy laugh in the kitchen, I walked to where she was and looked at her. She looked very young to be a cleaner.. she might cause trouble for Khumo. I looked at her from head to toe and she kept quiet.
“Would you like anything to eat, Mme Motlalepula?”
“I know my way around this kitchen if I need anything, I'll get it myself.”
“Okay Mme.”

After breakfast Zakhele stood up and nodded with his head that I should follow him. “Close the door and have a seat.
I think we have given Khumo enough time to find her feet here and at the college. It's time she knows the real reason I'm paying her fees.”
“I understand sir..”
“But?”
“How are we going to tell her the news?”
“All you have to do is get us in the same room and I'll do the talking.”
“What will you say? She's a bit stubborn.”
“We've already met, mother-in-law..”
“What do you mean you have already met? Did you tell her that you're my boss? I mean you were my boss.”
“Not yet.. I just said I know you...”
Okay sir, I'll call her and find out if it's “possible to meet up with her today.”
“Call her now.”
“Okay”, I dialled her number and put the phone on loudspeaker.
“Hello?”
“Khumo ke nna.”
“Mama?”
“It's a new number.”
“Okay what do you want, is it about Keneilwe?”
“No.. why would I call you to talk about her?”
“Then what do you want mama?”
“I'm in Johannesburg, and I was hoping that we could meet?”
“I don't like surprises you of people should know that.. I don't think I'll be able to see you today. Maybe tomorrow..”
I heard a male voice in the background. “Khumo are you with a man? Do you want to fall pregnant!”
She laughed. “Yoh mama, his just a friend.”
“There's no way a boy and a girl can just be friends..”
“Bathong mama, stop with the drama! I have to go now.”
“Khumo! Hello, Khumo are you there?” she cut the call? I tried calling again but it didn't go through. I looked at Zakhele and swallowed hard
“I'll fix this..”
“You better! I'm running out of patience. You can leave...”