MATHONGA

Chapter 21

MATHONGA-

My brother Ntaba can be a pain in the anal sometimes, it’s taken him days to agree for me to meet our sister… Zamangwane, that’s her name. 
I have mixed feelings about this meeting, I don’t know how she will receive me or how I will receive her.
Having taken a bath and changed into an easy-going outfit, I step out of the rondavel and the sun kisses my skin good morning. Sunny days are a blessing, they make life seem beautiful.
It’s a Saturday today, the Sabbath is unescapable. But with Ntaba on my side, baba won’t fight me. That brother of mine knows how to get his way.
Sabbath school starts at nine, we ought to be there in less than thirty minutes. Hlabela is preaching today, I can’t stress how much he loves church.

“Thonga!”
Hlabela’s voice calls to me, he’s standing outside his rondavel with the bible under his armpit, obviously ready for church. My brother takes this suit thing too serious, a whole three piece. Maroon compliments his cinnamon skin tone, I’ll give him that. 
“Bhuti.” I send my greetings, wincing at how I’d have to explain why I’m not ready for church.
He strides to me, one hand in his pocket and face hard. For a second I’m taken by how powerful he looks in that suit, way different from businessman Hlabela.

“Why are you not ready?”
Aish! Where is Ntaba when I need him? How do I tell him our father committed adultery, has a child outside his marriage, and she’s the reason I won’t be in the Lord’s house today?
“Ready?” I ask.
This is the right time to summon the devil, no lies are coming to me.  'Keep the Sabbath day holy’ that’s what the holy bible says and here I am doing it different.
Hlabela chides me with a stern expression, just like baba would.
“Don’t be smart with me, Mathonga.”
Yoh! Vumile 2.0.
“I’m not going bhuti, I have somewhere else to be.” God must be smiling down at me for telling the truth on his day. Proud moment papa God, proud moment.
“With Nala?” His eyes narrow in question, and I am flabbergasted.
“What?” I stutter. How does he know I’ve been spending time with her?
“A friend said he saw you at a restaurant in Durban yesterday, you were with a girl who’s not Amandla. The description fit Nala.”
“How do you know Nala’s sketch bhuti? Have you been…”
I slap my mouth shut as he points an accusatory finger at me, there are days I forget he’s my older brother.
“Watch what you say to me, Mathonga.”
I know I’ve angered him by the change of tone in his deep voice. I swallow a gulp because what else can I do? This man is serious sometimes. I have to find him a wife.
“What happened to Amandla? Aren’t you two an item anymore?” He probes.

The way people are so random around here, scares me. Were we not talking about me not going to church? I don’t want to talk about Amandla with Hlabela, like I wouldn’t want to talk about her with Vukuzakhe. I regard them as high as Vumile, maybe the second highest.
“I wish I could stay and chat bhuti, but I’m running late.”
My feet move, thank God. He doesn’t say anything when I hurry towards the main house. Good man, heaven must be celebrating. The only thing he should be thinking about is John 3 vs 16 and leave dating to us normal people.

My eyes search for Nala as I enter through the kitchen, and immediately I see Ntaba stepping away from Khethiwe. He walks out, taking the passage that leads to the lounge. What just happened? 
“Morning sisi.”
Khethiwe turns and sends a smile my way.
“She’s in her room, packing I think.” She announces as if she’s read my mind.
“Packing? Where is she going?”
“Back home.” Khethiwe.
I don’t get it, Nala had said she wants to live here. Why is she leaving?
“I feel sorry for Nala,” she leans against the kitchen island, eyes firm yet sad.
Here’s my morning radio, she is about to tell me things I don’t know. I’ll listen because… you guessed it, it’s about Nala.
“She had nothing when she came here, just the clothes on her body. When I told her she can go fetch her clothes from her house, she dismissed me, saying her old clothes should be burned. She also said she will never set foot in that house again. I had to give her some of my clothes. That’s what she’s been wearing since she came to live here.”
My ears are tuned to her voice, eager to know what’s happening in Nala’s life. However my brain travels far to places of confusion and suspicion. 
“Did she say why she’ll never go back to her father’s house?”