The Other Brother

Being in town has made me forget a bit about Skhosane and his outburst. I still have a lot of questions for him though. If only he could be a man and provide with all the answers I need. After that I wil never bug him again. I will leave him as he has requested. 
“I heard there will me some prisoners at KFC performing the gumboot dance.” Thabi squeals in excitement. I don’t know what is so fascinating about the gumboot dance. I look at her as she parks her car in the parking lot and indeed it’s fully packed. Okay, this I did not expect. Thabi keeps on surprising me, with this crazy fun vibe of hers. I exhaled out loud and try not to ruin her mood. My situation is better than hers, right? I mean she will be marrying a man she has never met before. And she will be stuck with him for better or for worse. 
“So, what will they be doing.” I ask. 
“Didn't you hear me. They will be doing the gumboot dance.” She hops out of the car and fixes her jeans. I need to hop out too. I can’t wait to fully remove this cast off my arm. I open the door and step out also. I put my glasses on. I don’t want people looking into my eyes weirdly. I held my arm and stood far from the scene. My eyes rome around these men. Some are scary and some are cute. I find myself smiling already wanting to know why they were arrested in the first place. My eyes land on a particular tall, dark man. His whole arm is tattooed. I feel my heart skip a beat. Our eyes meet and he also looks directly at me. I try to make sense as to where I have seen this face before. I don’t remember. He pushes through the crowd forcefully until he reaches my destination. The wardens are already on shooting mode.
“Hlehla siboshwa!” One shouts. I hate attention. Luckily the noise is on high pitch, and no one is paying much attention to us. 
“I didn’t mean to start trouble.” I say in a shaky voice ready to cry.
“She is my girlfriend. Can I have a word with her.” The unknown man says. The warden lowers the gun and steps aside just close enough to hear the conversation. “Can you give us some privacy.” He snaps a bit. The warden chucks and steps aside. 
“Be quick.” The warden. 
“I have been looking for you for almost a year now.” He says making me frown.
“Loo... looking for me?” 
“Yes, Khanyisile. You don’t remember me, do you?” The smirk on his face. I shake my head no. What could I possibly doing with a jailbird! I haven't offended anyone. “Let me jog your memory Miss. I bumped into you and broke your phone...”
I frown. Makes sense. The only man that bumped into me made sure to buy me a new phone. “The arrogant man.” I finally remember him!
“Now you remember me. Uright muntu wami? Umabani uKhanyisile?” He asks. 
“UMaNgcobo. Since when I am your person?” I ask with my voice laced with attitude. 
“Khanyisile Ngcobo. It rhymes better in my mouth. Since the day you cried at the mall...”
“Shut up.” I say making him laugh. He stares down at me and smiles. 
“I will marry you. Just keep that in mind. What happened to you arm.” He asks. 
“Was ran over by a car.” 
“Why?” The coldness in his eyes sends shivers to my body. 
“I don’t like talking about it.” 
“You will. Now tell your man.” His voice has that scary power I cannot pinpoint.
I sigh. I just want to get him out of my face. “I am being bullied by some teacher in school. She always makes fun with my eyes condition Infront of the class. That day when I ran out of school, I collided with the car.” I say. When I talk about this – it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. It still brings the flashes of me almost losing my only life. 
“And which teacher is that?” 
“Miss Nkambule.”: I respond. 
“Okay. She will not be a problem any longer.”
“What do you mean?” 
“I mean now that you have seen me, she will no longer be a problem. I am your lucky charm.” 
“Asambe siboshwa.” The warden is back. He gently pushes him from the back 
“Don’t find me I will find you.” He winks at me and smiles, turning to leave. I didn’t notice that I was holding my breath all this while. He turns to look in my direction one last time and smiles. Gosh! I didn’t even ask his name. Wait, what did he mean when he said don’t find me, I will find you. I need to be out of here! First instant, he is a serial killer. I search for Thabi and there she is in the crowd screaming her lungs out. I think I will feel safer with me in the car. Dammit! The car is locked. Thabi will seriously be the death of me I swear. The prisoners were escorted to a big truck with wardens on standby with guns. Seeing the truck being driven away - I feel my heart scattering into pieces. A sudden wave of sadness takes over. Why am I feeling like this over a stranger? This man gave me a hard time the first time I first laid my eyes on him. He bumped on to me purposely and his arrogant arse enjoyed giving me a hard time. I still remember his voice...
“Girly, watch where you are going!” He said to me. That day he was wearing shorts and a vest. The weather permitted. He looked so clean and handsome. I remember how he was holding my hand when crossing the street thinking that I might get lost. It annoyed me how he treated me – like some kid! He bought me a brand-new phone, after smashing my one with his big foot when his big body collided with mines and later blamed me for it. That was the first day I set my eyes on him till today. I hoped and prayed never to set my eyes on him, but things don’t go according to plan. I find myself smiling. I wonder what he was arrested for. 
“Are you still with us?” That Thabi flicking her fingers Infront of my face. 
“Huh?” I zoned out thinking about the stranger. 
“You know what. Let's go home.” She tells me, I don’t want to go back home.  
“Can we follow that bus?” I ask instead. 
I hate how she is looking at me. “What? Don’t tell me one of those jailbirds promised you heaven and jail romance mntase.” She laughs out loud.
“I saw him.” 
“Saw who?” Now she's no longer laughing. 
“The man that bought me the phone.” I tell her. Her eyes shot open in surprise. 
“You lie!”
“I tell you. That is why...” 
“In love!” She shouts and laughs out loud again. I really don’t know what happened to Thabi. She is just the whole new version I don’t know. 
“You know what, forget about it.” I say making my way to the car. 
“What did he say? Did you guys talk like a couple?” 
“We are not a couple!” I snap. Anything that reminds me of a relationship ticks me off the edge. 
“No need to bite my head off. I was just saying. Let's go buy alcohol - I want to get wasted today.” She is not the Thabi I know. I believe my sister has gone truly crazy and it scares me. 

It's just the two of us in the house. The parents are out on a meeting with some of the tourists at the Resort. They will defiantly come back late at night. Here we are, drinking our sorrows away. We are both seated in silence just swallowing the smooth soothing alcohol. 
“I broke up with Lungelo.” She finally tells me. Now I understand her sudden mode of change. 
“I'm sorry mntase.” I don’t know what to say. She is heartbroken twice.  
“Looks like we are breaking up with the ones we love.” She adds. “My parents did me badly and I will never forgive them for this, not even in the next life. How can they do this to me?” She is now beginning to sob. I think its alcohol taking control now. 
“You know what the crazy part is.” She burps. “If I don’t agree to this stupid marriage what not - I will be disowned. Apparently, my father did some shit years ago to that family and now I must pay the price.” 
“What did he do?” I ask. 
“I don’t know. I overhead him talking with his wife. I am lost as you are. Let's go braai meat. Ayikho inja.” Okay, looks like there is a huge story behind all this. I wonder what it is. What has my father done?

MKHULEKO

I knew that someday we would cross paths again. Eshowe is too small for both of us. Seeing her standing there looking all pissed behind those glasses made a huge turn on for me. Her fair smooth tiny self. She is so short. Seeing that cast on her arm made my blood boil ashes. The woman shall dearly pay for what she did. My hurt pumps in rage whenever I think of her tiny face dropping with tears. I pulled my phone out and sent a text. 
“Miss Nkambule – Ngingila Higjh School. Disfigure her face.” I click on send. I don’t hurt women, no I don’t. I am not a monster. But I have woman that deals with perpetrators like these. I hated seeing her cry. Mostly I hated it that I was not able to hold and touch her. Console and tell her that everything is going to be okay. But all in due cause...
“Sqeda still refuses to talk.” This stupid warden cannot be serious. I don’t pay him to tell me that he is failing at a simple job. All I want is answers to the questions I have. I want to know how he knows and who he works for. Simple! I puff my cigarette and throw it on the floor. I stand up and stomp on it.
“Where is he?” I ask. 
I can't take you there. There might see that something is up.” 
“What do I pay you for?”
“To have my eyes and ears open at all times.” 
“Now make a plan for me to go see that armature. I am losing a lot here! If I lose too.”  
The warden scurries out of my sight. All I want to know is who Sqeda works for. 

The warden did make things happen. Here he is lying on the bed with server deep marks on his body.  
“You do know that saying the name will save you from all of this, right?” Sqede just looks at me blinking multiple times. I have no heart. I know when I am double crossed. I know this man from here in prison. Seems like he must have known more about me. I sit beside him and grin. I enjoy seeing someone in pain. 
“Are you going to talk or are we going to continue playing hide and seek?” 
“I only know the man’s surname.” That came out as a whisper. 
“And what is the man’s surname?” I snap. The fact that he is letting me ask all these stupid questions like I'm talking to a toddler. 
“Ngc...Ngcobo.” He stutters trying to catch his breath. He begins coughing blood and fails to control his breathing. 
“Looks like he is dying.” I say telling the warden who looks cool about it. We watch him as he takes the last breath. 
“Do we have a new enemy?” I ask. 
“I will get the boys to work on it. What do we do with this one?” 
“Make it seem like a fight gone wrong.” I patted Sqeda’s face then stood up smiling. Now I have to figure out who this Ngcobo person is and what the hell does he want in my territory.