MATHONGA

Chapter 66

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THE KHANYILES- 

“Lock her up in one of the rooms, we’re going to get to the bottom of this.” Vumile commands and marches off to call his brothers. Zakhe is gentle when he takes her hand.  

“Vukuzakhe listen to me, I didn’t do it. This boy hates me, he’s always hated me and now he’s turning you against me.” Dalisile pleads.

Vukuzakhe is listening but has nothing to say to her, he wants to feel sorry for her and help her. He would if she didn’t kill his brothers. 

“I still remember that day like it just happened mother,” he starts, voice straining in his throat. “I remember how you kept me in that room and didn’t want me to leave, I couldn’t understand why you were so persistent that I stay with you but it’s all clear to me now. You planned and executed the murder of my brothers, your own kids.” 

Saying it makes it all real, he was flabbergasted for a while but everything is aligning now, sinking in perfectly. 

“I didn’t do it, what mother would have her children killed?” She’d say this under oath, in front of God even. 

Vukuzakhe is done talking, he pushes her into the room, she doesn’t fight him… strange. 

“You will remain here until father decides what he’s going to do with you, although I think you should be locked up in prison.” He tells her, ignoring the look of hurt in her eyes. Dalisile folds her arms, as she stands firmly and unafraid. 

“They don’t love you like I do son and when you realise that, you will come back to me.” He’s certain that won’t happen. 

He’s ready to shut the door when his phone buzzes, he fishes for his phone in his pockets and swipes the screen open. It’s a message from Ntabezikude, Vukuzakhe looks up at his mother without entirely raising his head. 

“Phumlani has been found,” he shouldn’t be doing this, considering what the man did to his mother. But the message says to tell everyone and alerting Dalisile is good, that way she won’t be caught off guard by his sudden presence. 

“He will be here tonight,” Zakhe adds, ignoring the shock on her face. 

“Don’t bring that man here Vukuzakhe, I will kill him if I see his face.” Her voice is a whisper, a shaken low voice. He lowers his head, it’s hard for him to have to do this to her, but he has no choice, it’s out of his hands.

“I’m sorry mother, I’m really sorry.” 

He shuts the door, and locks it after. 

“Don’t let that man come here Vukuzakhe, he’s not a good person.” She shouts after him, while banging the door. Dalisile has messed up, but bringing her rapist to the premises is darn right evil. If push comes to shove, then he will protect her from Phumlani. 

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“How did the two of you meet?” Trust Mathonga to ask this question, Funokuhle feels the heat of the spotlight he’s been placed on. He can’t tell him that they met at a river and had a one night stand.  

“You’ve never seen me interrogating your women?” Zakhe says, standing in the doorway of the rondavel appointed to Funokuhle. It’s getting dark outside, of course they had to give him a place to lay his head. 

Zakhe’s brows rise, due to how Mathonga has taken up space on Funo’s bed and the minion is standing in the middle of the room with folded arms.  

“What women bhuti?” Sarcasm is hidden in his question, he kicks off his shoes, and shifts back on the bed till his back meets the headboard. “I’ve only been with one woman,”