Zenande Okhethiweyo

Insert 51

Today I'm woken up early in the morning so that I can help out,I sweep the entire yard and then go inside to get started on the cleaning. After cleaning I make food for the little ones as the Rosso family arrives,they booked into a guest house since this house is too small for two large families.
"Hambo geza I will finish up" Buhle says.
She was helping set up everything outside. I nod at her and smile.
I take a nice long and hot bath and then go back to my bedroom,it has already gotten chaotic everybody wants to use the bathroom. After lotioning my body I put on a black long sleeve t-shirt and a orange and black Xhosa wrap around skirt. I comb my hair so that if falls to the back and then wrap a black with a little bit of orange doek on my head,I wrap it Xhosa style. I put on light makeup and wear my black Airforce sneakers,I'm certainly not going to torture myself with heels.Andizi. I wrap my Tswana shawl around my shoulders and im done.Rea walks in already dressed in Umbhaco and I smile at her,she looks beautiful.
"Okay stand up,I want some pictures" she says.
I laugh and do as she says,she positions me where the lighting is perfect and then clicks away as I pose for her. After taking pictures of her we go outside. People have already started pouring in,some I know and others I don't even know. Everybody from my side is dressed in Xhosa traditional attire including the Rosso family they look really beautiful I must say. A professional photographer has been hired for this event and I see him clicking away on his camera. The food is ready and everybody looks happy I look at the time and my heart starts racing so I decide to go back inside to drink water.
Cars start hooting signalling that the Zulu family has arrived,a young boy is told to go close the gate because the groom has to first bribe my father into getting in here. I go stand next to my father and bow my head out of respect,we sing until we reach the gate and the Zulu family does the same also.
"Nyawuza
Takile
Ohlamba ngobende amanzi ekho
Ziqelekezi" I hear Zano call out my clan names and smile.
He places two R200 notes and my father doesn't budge,he adds another two and my father smiles,the women ululate and my uncle opens the gate. Immediately after getting in the Zulus break out in song and traditional dance. I just stand there and smile at all of them.

The goat was slaughtered last night the first thing my uncle does is offer a leg to the Zulu family and they exchange,a leg from them and a leg from the Nododile family it shows that we are now united. My sisters are gifted first,Nolu,Okuhle,Rea and Buhle they are gifted with blankets and pillows. My aunts are next and then my mother who Is gifted with a mountain of pinafores together with a blanket,pillow and a set of plates. When she gets up from the grass mat she performs a Xhosa traditional dance,ukuxhensa and we all ululate some even screaming. My brother is next,I see Enhle look at him then back to me since she is the one who is gifting people. I laugh at her and continue looking down. Diego is gifted with a Armani suit. My uncles are also gifted with Armani suits,A hat each and walking sticks. My father is gifted with a Armani suit,a hat,a walking stick and a Rolex watch. Everybody gasps at that because Enhle is making sure that she lets them know.
"Manje iskhathi sokuthi sembese umakoti wasekhaya" she says into the Mic.
I make my way to the front and sit on the grass mat. Gogo stands up from her seat and comes forward,this was supposed to be done by my mother in law so the responsibility now falls on to her. Enhle continues speaking into the Mic making people laugh. I'm gifted with a blanket,a pillow,A ton of doeks and shawls and an outfit I'm supposed to change into when I leave later on with them.

After the gifting the MC for the day,Enhle informs the guests that the food is ready. The women dish up and we are tasked to dish up for the Zulu family. The entire family is here excluding Nokuzotha and Dudu. I take a basin of warm water and a dishcloth and offer it to Zano on my knees,he washes his hands and everybody who is watching this ululates and others dance. I give him the dishcloth and he wipes his hands then i get up and fetch his food,i give it to him on a tray still on my knees. My eyes not even glancing a look up at him.
"Ngiyabonga mkami" he says and i nod while smiling.
I get up and go inside. I find the girls eating and I join as we talk about silly stuff. When we are done we go collect the dishes and bring them inside so we can get them washed. Then I hear Buhle scream and we all look at her.
"And then?" I ask her packing away the remaining dishes.
"Look at what Theee Prince Zanothando Zulu just uploaded on Instagram" she says fanning herself and handing her phone to Rea who also screams.
"Yazi nine drama!" I say to them and they laugh.
Rea gives me the phone and it's a video of me when I offered him water to wash his hands on my knees. Nobody can see my face as my back is turned to the camera. The caption reads
"I have finally found my soulmate"
I pop my eyes out and check the comments. Mostly congratulations and others asking who the woman is,others are offering themselves for the second wife position and so on causing me to laugh. I look at the girls and we all scream then laugh. My mom walks in and gives us a look that makes us shut up.
"The Zulu family is ready to leave go get dressed and come outside" she says to me.
"Nina go get her bags" she says to my girls and we do as she says.
I change into a red Shweshwe with a bit of white. A flowing long skirt and a matching crop top because the skirt is highwaisted,I'm sure Nokuzotha and Enhle picked this one out,it screams modern Makoti. I wrap the matching doek on my head covering all of my hair and I finish off with my Tswana shawl. And i put on my white Airforce. Since lobola is already paid I'm now allowed to wear my ring so I take it from my jewellery box and put it on my finger. I take my phone and put it in the pocket of the long skirt and then go out.

I bump into Aya at the kitchen door.
"Zee don't do this" he says pulling me into the house.
"Let go of my hand!" I say.
"That man is a criminal,he is very dangerous. You don't deserve to share a man with anybody especially a selfish man like him don't go out there Zee" he says pulling my hand even harder making me wince.
Him saying bad things about Zano makes me boil more than the fact that he is man handling me. Before i even realize it my left hand flies across his face and i feel it sting on impact.
"Don't you ever dare insult my husband in my presence and leave me the hell alone!" I say pulling my hand away from him and walking outside.
I'm immediately met by Zano's eyes and I try to smile covering up my anger. He walks over to me and places his hand on the small of my back.
"Yini inkinga Sthandwa sami?" He asks.
I can see Ayabulela looking at us like he is planning murder. I tilt my head up to Zano.
"Kiss me" I say to him looking him dead in the eye.
He smiles and cups my face. Pulling me into a brief kiss. The girls scream and we both laugh. We bid goodbye to my family and then we are off. An entire plane has been booked to take us to KZN,I'm glad at that because I wouldn't survive driving there for so long. The elders separated me and Zano. He is seated with Siphephelo and Muzi while I'm seated with Gogo. I lay my head back and drift to sleep.

"Vuka ngane yami" Gogo says shaking me awake softly.
"Yebo Gogo ngivukile" I say opening my eyes and following her to the awaiting black SUV cars.
I ride with uncle Vusumuzi,Enhle and Gogo. Enhle engages me in conversation until we reach the royal house. I'm immediately met by Bab Cele and burning imphepho,he tells me to follow him around the yard and I do that. I follow him quietly as he recites the Zulu clan names and tells them that "umakoti sekafikile" when he is done he leads me in to the house and does the same thing going into each and every room until the final one the throne room,the entire family must be in here because I can hear their laughter. He goes in before me saying the same thing and when I step into the room a shiver runs from my feet to my head and I stop walking instantly. He turns to look at me and goes to sit down on his grass mat in the front next to the throne. He throws his bones and talks in a language nobody knows. I hear running water and I look back only to be met by a wall. The sound gets even more louder like I'm standing close to a waterfall.
"Bab Cele uyezwa?" I ask him and he nods.
"Vala amehlo uwalandele lawo manzi" he says.
I close my eyes and see it in front of me so I walk up to it and it gets louder.
"Hlala phansi" Bab Cele says.
And I sit down feeling the cold water on my lower body.
"Vula amehlo" he says.
I open them and I'm met by smiling faces. I'm sitting on the floor and when I look up I'm met by Zano's smirking face. He is seated on a brown couch on the right hand side of the throne with Phephelo on the left. And im seated next to his feet. I look at him and laugh softly.
"Welcome home makoti" the chief says and I bow my head.

UNEDITED!!!

With this I would like to say that you can know somebody for years who doesn't have good intentions about you and then meet somebody tomorrow who has the most purest intentions about you. Don't stay because of the years,if you sit down and think it through and you finally realize that it doesn't feel like love then let go because it will never be love🤞❤.