The Other Brother

AMANDA

“What did I tell you about that man?” My angry mother asks. I will not respond. If loving Skhosane will make her hate me then so be it. I will not let my happiness slide. I have finally got the man of my dreams. Why is it so hard for her to understand this!
“You said I must leave him alone.” I mutter. 
“Then why are you doing this? You want to break your friendship because of a man. What will you gain from all of this? Will it be worth it?” Shes asks in disbelief. I keep quiet and don’t respond. To be honest at this point I really don’t care what happens. Those people have always been my priority. But what about what I want? Will anyone get to understand that! I am in love with a man that used to date my best friend then her sister and now he is on me. I also deserve a little happiness. 
“I also want to be happy.” I say. She shakes her head and stands up. 
“Just so you know. You have lost that family for good. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She walks out. Khanyi will come around. I know she will. She has a big forgiving heart. We will be fine. But I don’t want her near Skhosane. I am still facing the tragedy of trying to win his love. And looks like I am failing. Intimacy is not where I want it to be. He is holding back and not giving me what I want. I want him to worship my body like he would do to Khanyi. I am not her but at least for him to pretend to love me. He hasn’t texted me all day and I am starting to wonder. Who is he texting? Let me change into something conformable so that I can go check up on him. 

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His house is just down the road. My palms are sweaty. I feel like turning and going back home. What am I doing? Is this truly me obsessing over a man? Unbelievable. I decided to take a turn and go back home. I can't be humiliating myself like this. I should be home making him run after me and not me running after him. A hooter jolts me out of my memory jog. My heart skips a beat looking at his car parking beside me. 
“Where are you coming from?’ He asks. Should I tell him that I was thinking of checking up on him and chickened out? Maybe lying would be the best response. 
“Ah was just going out for a walk. It’s been long. You know the city is not the same as the rural areas.” 
“Get in.” He sounds annoyed. Okay I should trade carefully. I will have to mind what I say with my big mouth. I open the passenger's seat and hop in.  
“Are you oaky?” I ask holding my breath. I have seen him angry once. And I don’t wish to see him angry again. 
“Thabi was hospitalized, and she didn’t have the guts to tell me. Does she know how much this pregnancy means to me?”
“So, who told you that she is hospitalized?” Out of curiosity I ask. 
“I had to call Khanyi. Imagine!” 
Okay I don’t like that option but that was the only one available. So, why is he screaming. 
“You know I am going to Durban.” 
“Ngo last minute?”
His phone rings saving me from an ugly stare. I look outside the window. He is not going there. Pregnant women get to be hospitalized all the time. There is nothing different about Thabi’s baby. Unless if she is carrying a God. The other person is talking over the phone, and he is listening. I can tell that it is a woman. I don’t deal well with cheaters.
“So, you trying to tell me that you are pregnant with twins?” His voice is low. 
He is holding on tight to the steering wheel. I feel pity for it. It must be hurting. I should massage it later on. 
“Wow. I don’t know what to say. I want to process all of this. I will call you later.” He speaks. They bid goodbyes and dropped the phone. Now I want to know what the call was regarding. He can’t receive such news and decides to keep it to himself. I fold my arms and wait for him to talk. 
“Who was that?” Looks Like I will have to ask since he is not bothered to tell me. 
“I am not in the mood to answer your silly questions.” 
I am no longer talking to him. He should respect me like every other man that gets to respect their other half. We are both in this together and the least he could do is tell me part of his life without me asking. 
He drops me at gate and drives off at full speed. This is not a tyer road but a grovel road. His tyers will punch, and he will not have anyone to blame but himself.  I open the fallen gate. Close it carefully and walk behind the house. I don’t want to face my mother. Dealing with Skhosane’s tantrums was the worst. The devil is sitting behind the house fanning herself. It’s not even hot. 
“Where are you coming from?’ She is not even looking at me. 
“I went to see Khanyi. Her eyes are swollen.” I say. I can't say I was walking around the whole of Eshowe looking for Skhosane. She will defiantly skin me alive. 
“Hmmm.” I wish her response stays like that. I am not ready for any interrogation. You know what, let me go back to the house. At least I have data. 
I am laying on my bed looking at the news feed. My Facebook is boring honestly. A notification pops up. It’s Khanyi pinning her location. She is again out with this man of here shopping. 
“Mxm!” I logged out and threw my phone aside. Skhosane will have to pick his socks up. I cannot have me throwing myself at him all the god damn time. I lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling. I think I need to do something that will be my side hustle and make money out of it.
The money that Khanyi will be adding for this month's groceries – I will be adding to my small business. I will just sell clothes. I heard that [people are making a lot of profit in that department. Hopefully one day I will be opening my clothing line. I can't wait. Dreaming big has always been my plan, hope this pulls through for me and nothing distracts me.