Zenande Okhethiweyo

Insert 66

The service was very emotional,everybody was in tears. I didn't see Zano last night when he brought mom back but I saw him at the burial site before I started comforting everyone. I stand over her grave,It's so little.
"I can't believe you are gone Mahle kaNande" I say sinking to my knees.
"We still had to wear matching outfits best friend,you still had to be a doctor and now you are gone...." I break of crying my eyes out with my head bowed down.
A breeze washes over me. I look up to her tombstone it's written

Asemahle Nozipho Nododile rest in peace angel.

I kiss my fingers and put them on the tombstone.
"I will always love you baby" I say getting up.
Mamkhulu was right this is exactly what I saw in my vision,so help me Gawd that I can expose Dudu because in all honesty I won't survive losing Zano. My knees feel weak.
"Hey sis come on let's go" I hear Diego say behind me.
He snakes his arm around me and helps me walk to the car. It's never easy burying someone that you love,you always go back to the words you left unsaid,the memories to be made that were left untouched. I wipe my tears with Diego's handkerchief which he offered to me. We drive back home in complete silence,everybody is dealing with their own grief.

It was nice having a lot of people around because they make you forgot about your sorrows for a while. I'm truly grateful to have in-laws like mine,they went all out for me. It's true when a girl gets married,two families become one and in my case three families are now one big family. The Zulu family has left,I didn't see Zano after the funeral but Phephelo assured me that he is still around. The family members are also making their exits one by one. I look at them go back to their lives as I sit on the stoep,the very stoep where I used to sit with Mahle and play with her waiting for mama to come back home. My heart bleeds for Nolu she never got any time with her daughter but I hope she uses this as motivation to turn her life around and be a better person for her now angel.
"Ucinga ntoni?" Nolu asks sitting next to me on the stoep.
"Thinking of how I'm going to continue with life" I say.
"Don't let grief hold you back sis. You got out there and live your best life,reach heights you never even dreamed of. I never told you but I'm proud of all that you have accomplished at your age and I mean you even got married at the age of 21" we laugh at the last part.
Nolu is a great person without alcohol,I hope and pray that she is serious about changing her life.
"Ndiyabulela mtakamama it means a lot coming from you" I say to her.
She smiles and nods her head. We stay there in silence for a while watching the sunset.
"I spoke to your dad,I'm leaving after the 10 days,he has already made arrangements for everything" she says.
I smile at her and nod my head.
"I will come visit when I can I promise but right now I still have a lot of marital issues to sort out and I don't even know where to start" I say looking at her.
"I don't much about marriage,I mean I have never been married" we both laugh at that.
"But one thing I know is that he loves you,you can see it in his eyes and the way he talks to you. If you believe in the love that you share,you will find motivation to fight each and every battle that comes your way" she says looking in the direction of the gate.
I follow her eyes and there he is leaning on his car looking at us. I smile at the sight of him.
"Let me go keep mama company before she hijacks him" she says getting up from the stoep and walks inside.
I laugh at her and walk to the gate.
"Waze wamuhle umuntu" he says smiling at me.
I blush and look to the side. I'm going to fight for you,nothing will happen to you I think to myself as he pulls me in for a hug. We stay in each other's embrace for a while,just me soaking in his strong cologne and being comforted by his presence.
"I found Duduzani" he whispers.
I look at him in the eye still in his arms. So he exists!
"What happens now?"
"Found him in Tanzania but my team will be shipping him back next week. He tried being a drug dealer but that backfired on him because he stepped on the wrong toes" he says squeezing my hands.
"How do you feel about this?" I ask smothering my body against his.
"Angazi sthandwa sami I just want this over and done with so you can marry me officially" he says squeezing me tight.
I laugh at him.
"Okay then we need to go to Cele maybe there is a message from the ancestors as well"
"I don't want you slacking behind in school,going to KZN will mean being absent for a day or two and you have already lost too much time as is" he says moving me from his chest and cupping my face with both his hands.
If only you knew how important this visit is. But I have to admit he is right,I need to catch up for a bit.
"Okay the following weekend we leave on Friday after my classes" I say to him.
He smiles and nods his head.
"But Love can you not tell mnaks about this?" I say giving him puppy eyes.
He raises a brow.
"Why? Ngizothini mina manje kuFikile ngihamba iWeekend yonke?" He asks.
"Just tell her you have a deal to sort out that's all" I say shrugging.
I couldn't careless what she thinks but right now I need to be careful.
"Sphesihle are you dragging me to KZN so you could leave me? Do you want out?" He asks hurt clearly visible in his eyes.
"What? No! I just don't mnaks stressing,she is pregnant after all that's why" I say cupping his face and standing on my toes.
"I love you Mr Zulu I'm this for life,you are stuck with me for eternity" I say placing a kiss on his lips.
He smiles and kisses me slowly making sure he drowns me in his love for me.
"Keep on doing that and it will be hard for me to stay away from you" he says when we pull away.
That makes me to bite my lower lip in hopes to stop the smile threading my face. We are not allowed to get intimate until the ten days has passed. As much as I miss him,I cannot have him. I close my eyes trying to lose the images of him naked hovering over me,placing kisses all over my body,his hands playing with my boobs.
"Sphesihle" he says.
I quickly open my eyes and look at him. He seems amused very happy with himself. I blush and look down.
"Woza la" he says smothering himself against me.
I feel his hard self on my lower abdomen. I look up at him and he gives me a naughty smile,I blush and look away.
"I see you and your sister are on speaking terms now" he says after a while.
"Yeah I guess you could say ironed our shxt out" I say and he laughs softly.
"I'm glad you did now she can help you plan the wedding" he says.
I smile at him. He has been throwing hints of getting married and I just don't feel comfortable about it before Dudu is sorted out. I nod my head and keep quiet. He looks at me for a while,studying my face and nods.
"Okay" he says moving me back.
He turns and opens the car door he takes out two plastics and four boxes of pizza stacked on each other. I widen my eyes at him.
"These are not yours let me go give my mother-in-law these. I have a long way to drive" he says laughing and walking past me.
He said what now? I follow him closely behind. My mom now orders from my husband and knowing she isn't even going to give me a thing. I open the door for him and stand there still shocked,he let's me be and walks to the dining area. I hear laughter and chatter so I take a peek. Zano is making jokes and both Nolu and Mama are laughing like crazy. My mom spots me.
"Zenande khawunike umkhwenyana iGlass th sisele iDrink" she says.
Zano looks at me and shakes his head. I ask him why with my eyes and he gestures to me the time. I nod my head.
"Mama uZano kufanele ahhambe,he is driving back to Joburg and it's getting late" I say to her.
Nolu looks at me and smiles. She saw our little exchange with Zano. I smile back at her and look down.
"Uqinisile mama umkami kumele ngibe yindlela bengizovalelisa" he says getting up.
My mom gets up and hugs him.
"Kukokwenu apha sanalwam come visit your mother at anytime and thank you for these,omnye usisi is getting nothing" she says.
We all laugh at that. The sad part is that she is not joking. He hugs Nolu and then bids them goodbye.
"Zenande don't forget to lock the gate!"
My shouts as we walk out. I hold Zano's hand as I walk back to his car.
"Thank you" I say to him as we reach his car.
"You heard her she is also my mom" he says laughing softly but I can see what he truly feels in his eyes. He has found somebody to call a mother. I kiss him briefly to distract him for thinking a lot.
"Ngaphika nawe angeke ngihambe yazi?" He says moving his hands to my butt and squeezes. I laugh and move out of his hold. He laughs also when tries to pull me back and I jump away. He opens the driver's door and takes something from the passenger seat.
"I know you are not a big fan of pizza so I got you this" he says passing me a Mac Donald's bag.
I look at him and smile. I perk inside there is two of each,a wrap,burger,muffin,a salad and a slice of chocolate cake. I love this man!
"Thank you" I say pecking his lips.
He laughs and gets inside the car.
"Goodnight sthandwa sami" he says starting the ignition.
"Call me" I say as I walk back to the gate in reverse.
He let's out a chuckle at that.
"So I have been unblocked?" He asks.
I look down and nod my head. Maybe I blocked him when I was drunk.
"Okay mama" he says.
He waits for me to get inside and lock the gate before he drives off.

When I get inside Nolu and Mama are already digging in to the pizza.
"There is bread in the cupboard" she says and I laugh.
"Uzogula you shouldn't be eating so much junk" I say taking a seat on the couch next to Nolu.
"Woooo shame umona sisi because sithandwa ngoMkhwenyana thina? I didn't even ask him. The time he brought me home izolo I told him maybe I should get pizza but we were running out time so we didn't. He asked me after the funeral what kind of pizza I would like and then booom! Siyathandwa thina." She says laughing.
We laugh at that. That's my husband right there. I won't lie in a bit nervous that he is going back to Dudu but I hope he listens to me and doesn't tell her about anything.
"Vula phela sbone" Nolu says tugging at my bag while stuffing pizza into her mouth.
"Hhayi sisi asoze!" I say getting up from the couch.
"Ukhohlakele ke wena" my mom says laughing.
"Goodnight zithandwa zikaBae" I say going to my room.
Nolu laughs even harder as my mom looks at me and rolls her eyes. It's nice seeing her so carefree around us.
"Mahle my baby you brought your mom back to us my angel,you gave me back a sister I never had. Rest in peace nana you played your part" I say to myself as I close my bedroom door.

UNEDITED!!!