HIS ROYAL BRIDE

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 30

[KULANI]

It’s a few minutes to four in the morning and sleep is busy evading me. My left side hurts and I don’t want to sleep on my right. I turn my head towards Kurhula and I see him sleeping peacefully behind me. I miss him. He’s right here but I miss him. He has been sleeping for too long, he needs to wake up. I shift towards him and put my head on his chest. His one hand goes around me and he kisses the top of my head.
‘You okay?’ he asks. I love his sleepy voice. I nod. He’s still drunk on sleep.
‘Sure?’
‘I just miss you’ I confess. I feel a bit sad.
‘But… I’m right here love?’
‘I also don’t know how to explain it’
He laughs.
‘You’re a demon against my sleep wena. This is not the first time you do this’
I laugh as well. He can’t be sleeping peacefully when I’m failing to. He flips and gets on top of me. I’m joking. His eyes are red. I thought he would be well-rested by now. I thought wrong. It’s the past consecutive nights he spent on his laptop screen coming back to bite him.
‘Uhm… we can’t do that’ I stop him while he’s kissing on my neck.
‘Please…?’
‘I’m meeting Mabontle. I told you’
He remembers and drops his head on my shoulder.
‘You should’ve let me sleep. This is an abusive relationship’ he complains. I laugh., He’s always accusing me of having a high seggs drive but him and I are no different. He goes back to his side of the bed and pulls me towards him.
‘Anyway, what time am I supposed to be dropping you off?’
‘They’re coming here to pick me’
We agreed that it would be much simpler that she comes to the hotel than Kurhula taking me there. The only reason he’s at ease is because Fikani is going to be there. He’s getting comfortable in their relationship and I’m happy to see that. We’re slowly moving past that horrendous occurrence. We know the people responsible. Holding daggers at one another would display some sort of mental bankruptcy.
I have no idea what is going on between Bontle and his brother. What I have, is a lot of questions.
‘Okay. How did she take the news yesterday?’ he asks. We never really got a chance to speak because he was too exhausted to stay up. After eating and showering, he fell onto the bed and was gone in a minute, leaving me to talk to myself.
‘She was emotional, but happy, I think. It was just a heart-warming chat’
‘Who’s older between the two of you?’
‘Her. She was born in 97’
‘Bunch of kids’ he snorts and I nudge him – laughing. He likes reminding me that he’s older. He never misses an opportunity.
‘I’m joking. I thought she was a bit older’
‘With that baby face?’ I chuckle.
‘Ah. I just assumed’
I remember that I had meant to confront him.
‘What was going on with you yesterday? You refused to tell me in the car’
He laughs. ‘She and Fix belong together. I am doing the Lord’s work’
I should’ve known.
‘Who sent you?’
‘It’s also calling. I never interrogate you, so why is mine being put under scrutiny?’
Kurhula is a menace. I shake my head. I prefer not to get involved in this.
‘What are you going to wear because you just came as you were?’ I ask.
‘How could I not with an impulsive wife like you? I’ll see’ he says, still playing with my hair.
‘How’s uncle Sol?’
‘Haven’t heard anything so far and I’m not interested’
I start processing this whole situation
‘But this is going to look bad. He’s convinced that I’m responsible for all of this and we suddenly leave without saying a word?’
‘Bad to who? You did nothing to the man. If he continues with his accusations, we will pull out the camera footage. If he’s adamant, we’re suing him’
‘No man…’ I shouldn’t, but I find myself laughing. I pray for the day Kurhula reconciles with everyone in his family. Having this type of ‘never-mind’ attitude is dangerous. The sad part about blood is that you cannot change it. Despising the one that runs through your veins gets in the way of your blessings. Whether your mother is a witch or something much worse, they remain your parent. This applies to all the other elders of the family. I truly hope his heart finds a way to calm down some day. Bontle calls me and I put her on speaker.
‘Babe’ I answer.
‘Hey sis. I’m about to take a bath. I was just checking if you’re awake’
‘I never slept but thank you. Let me do the same’
‘Sharp’
‘You two kinda have the same voice’ Kurhula notes after she cuts the call.
‘I guess it comes from somewhere. Let me go get ready’
‘I would help you in there but you don’t want to be touched so…’ he teases.
‘Who is being a demon now? Don’t tempt me. You need to go back to sleep’ I chortle as I get up. I leave him on the bed and go to my bag. When I turn and look at him, I find him watching me with a smile on his face. I wonder what is going on in that head of his. After quickly getting myself cleaned up, I get in an appropriate dress and wrap a doek on my head. I stole this from aunt Basani. Well, it wasn’t exactly stealing because she knows I have it. Bontle texts and alerts me that she’s outside. Kurhula has dozed off. I sit on the bed and peck his lips a few times. He wakes up.
‘Leaving already?’
‘Yeah’
‘Call me if you need anything’
I nod. He’s exhausted and it’s showing in his eyes. They’re not even fully open. He doesn’t rest enough. I hope he will use this opportunity to sleep. I get up and he grabs my hand. Bontle calls – probably wondering why I am taking so long.
‘I’m on my way’ I assure as I grab my small bag and my jacket. I go down and find them sitting in the front together.
‘Good morning’ I greet while getting comfortable.
‘Morning sesi’ they greet back and Fikani gets on the road.
‘I hope you don’t mind. That place is quite scary so I asked him to come with’ Bontle says like she’s read my mind. I won’t ask any further questions. We could’ve simply asked Kurhula but I’m not saying a word. I just smile and nod.
‘No he didn’t sleep at my place’ she continues and he laughs. Hawu, I never said anything.
‘Right…’ I say and look out the window. We listen to music all the way to Soweto and I’m glad no one is making an attempt at conversation. I haven’t fully defrosted.