MATHONGA

Chapter 97

KHETHIWE- 

“When you get there and you find them climbing tress at night, you also hop on and climb the tree. If they eat poison, you also eat poison. If they tell you to stop breathing, you stop breathing.” 

Please! The house executives think they know it all, telling me to ask how high when my in-laws tells me to jump.  

That’s how I spent my morning, surrounded by women in pinafores and head wraps telling me how to behave in my matrimonial home. The only advice I pocketed is giving him sex whenever he wants it. 

If Hlabela knew where his wife has brought us, he’d drag her to church every Saturday. A club of all places, I had my bridal party last weekend. But someone’s wife thought I needed a second one. 

She dragged me, Nala, and Funo to this place, kicking and screaming. 

I’m not going to mention Banami, the criminal profiler is in on it. 

“Earth to Khethiwe,” drunk Khushi’s voice jolts me back to life. We’re hurdled up on a long couch, waiting for… 

What are we waiting for again? 

“What?” I mumble.

This woman works on my nerves more than my periods, come to think of it, they all have been annoying me throughout this day. It could be that I’m home sick and terribly miss Ntaba.  

“Why do you think we were sent away?” 

I don’t get Khushi’s question, I honestly didn’t know that an all-expenses paid holiday means you’re not wanted around. My mother would chase me outside when she didn’t want to deal with me anymore, no trips were ever mentioned. 

“Why are we talking about this now? It happened months ago?” I question her. 

Boredom can be a pain in the ass, where is the entertainment anyway? 

“I think something happened during that time, something they didn’t want us to know. I know Hlabela when he lies to me, he blinks a lot.” 

Khushi knows what’s happening in this family. She’s well aware that Ntaba is special but has the guts to dig for bones. I’m too tired for this. 

“I don’t think we were sent away, it was just a romantic gesture.” Argh! Funokuhle is so sweet, bless his pure heart. 

He’s too innocent and still very much quiet and reserved, I have lost count of the number of trips he has made to the bathroom. Drinking Fanta orange while everyone is getting drunk must be sad, I understand why Nala has only been pumping her stomach full of juice… babies don’t drink alcohol. 

“Vukuzakhe has a romantic side, he always does nice things for me.” I’m loving the wide spread smile on his face. 

He’s lucky, Ntaba’s romantic side is non-existent. I swear sometimes it feels like I’m dating a member of the EFF. 

“Well I happen to think they are hiding something, the trip was so sudden. Too sudden if you ask me.” Kushi.

She is always suspicious of everyone, I blame her past. Her life was a Bollywood movie. 

“Can we not talk about the past and get this party started? It’s getting late.” I announce, impatiently.

And my frustration is frustrating me. 

“I agree, Mathonga was against me coming here.” Nala says. 

Mathonga is against her doing anything, she’s carrying his golden egg in her womb.