Life Under The Rainbow

Chapter Twenty-Two

There is a number of things, but first, I heard you had a meeting with the board. I looked at Mvelo.

Yes, on Monday. It went well, there was nothing bad. I replied.

Oh okay, good. Mvelo was quiet. Surprising.

On to more pressing matters. Khauhelo. He said. I couldnt read his face. Hes closed off. Mvelo is quiet still.

I received a letter from the boys father and his uncles. He wants to marry her and pay damages for the child.-Dad

That will happen over my dead body.-Mvelo. I raised my head to look at him.

Baba if this is still letting her make her own mistakes and learning from them then I dont want to be a part of it. They both frowned at me.

Shes ruining her life. And you dad, this is your daughter, you first born, how can you just hand her over to a scumbag like that Ngwenya boy. You dont know half of it.-Mvelo. Dad sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration.

I called both of you here because you are her brothers, and as much as she is my child, you two also have a huge say in what happens because you will be in charge of all negotiations-Dad.

Baba you are not hearing me.-Mvelo. He cut him off.

No Mvelwenhle. Listen to me, Khauhelo is a 25-year-old woman, she knows how to open her legs for a man and has a whole child. That is no child, I do not have a child in her anymore.-Dad. I felt my blood going cold when he said that. Not an ounce of care was written on his face, and at this point, I think hes lost all hope in ever trying to fix Khauhelo.

She has already done the worst. Shes had the child out of wedlock, it has happened, its too late to stop it from happening. She is determined to continue living this shitty lifestyle she is living, then let her have it.-Dad.

I cant support bullshit dad. Forget about it.-Mvelo. That is his stance and once Mvelo makes up his mind, he wont go back.

Ntsakisi?-Dad.

Angazi Mfusi. Khauhelo loves this man and trying to stop her from being with this man is like forcing a horse to drink water. Its going to take us a thousand steps backwards and cause fights between us. At this point, I just feel like she should do whatever she wants to do. Im not saying I want to be a part of it though.

I wont sit and comfort you baba when your daughter comes back in a coffin. I wont be a hypocrite. I will remind you that you willingly sent her to her death.-Mvelo. Dads whole aura changed in an instant and I know Mvelo regretted saying that immediately.

As a father, especially the man that you, Kabelo Mfusi are, I expected you to put your foot down, like you did with me and tell Khauhelo, remind her who has the final say. I dont know this man you have become baba, this push over that is just watching his family fall apart and wont even lift a finger to try and diffuse the situation. Man to man Baba, I believe you can do better, I know you can do better.-Mvelo

But Im tired Mvelo.-Dad. My heart broke. I felt that in the depths of my soul.

There is no fight left in me. What am I fighting for, when the children I brought into this world disobey me and leave me like I did nothing for them? Khauhelo has broken my spirit Mvelwenhle and I dont have any fight left in me to diffuse the situation. She can do whatever she wants, I dont care.-Dad.

I think this hurts more because dad had such high hopes for Khauhelo. She was the apple of his eye, his princess, his whole life, and so being betrayed like this by her hurts him. I get it. This is the same person that hid her whole pregnancy from dad, lived with a man instead of going to school and kept it a secret. I dont know much of the details because I was in Durban and I isolated myself a lot, and I also didnt know about her pregnancy. I can say that after we drifted apart, she also separated from our parents, and then the lies began.

Mvelo still has hope in her because I think their relationship didnt strain. I think to him, shes still that Khauhelo he grew up with. Dad experienced a different side to her, a side I didnt experience, a side that made him want to give up on her. I dont think she would be happy with herself if she would be to hear this.

Its her life. If she wants to be abused for the rest of her life, let her be. Dont be the reason she becomes a statistic of the many that commit suicide over not getting what she wants. Khauhelo is a brat. Give her what she wants.-Dad. Mvelo didnt looked pleased, but the higher power has spoken.

Im sorry, I cant be a part of this. Ask Andile and Melisizwe, not me.-Mvelo.

Mvelwenhle you are the one who is married. You will head these negotiations as the head of this family.-Dad.

Bab Msizi is not dead.-Mvelo. Dad sighed feeling defeated.

I hate seeing my father like this, so dead inside. Hes so unbothered, like we have hurt him beyond repair. The thought of having to tell him about my sexuality traumatizes me. If he doesnt care this much about Khauhelo getting married to a good for nothing, that means he might just disown me. I might as well just start preparing to be an orphan right now.

Bafo, I think maybe you should think this through. I said when we were left alone. He was frustrated and had just spent the last 10 minutes venting.

I was with you when we drove to that hell hole that they live in, you saw how he controlled her, how much fear she had in her eyes when he spoke. You saw how much control he has over her and you are telling me you agree with Kabelo when he says that he wants to let her go, just like that. You forget that hes bipolar. Its his multiple personalities getting the better of him. He said pacing up and down the office.

This has nothing to do with dads disorders. Hes hurt, hes disappointed and a disappointed person acts just like hes doing. Khauhelo has hurt him, and thats how he feels. And hes right, at the end of the day, she will hate us for stopping her from living her life.

Ncamane angizonde ke. No sister of mine will live in horror like that. (She might as well hate me then.)

Im not going to be part of those negotiations and I will tell Khauhelo, she will know. I want her to know that I dont approve of her rubbish. He finally sat. he had veins popping on his temples.

Christine is having those baby parties that they have, what is it called? he snapped his fingers.

A baby shower? I asked.

No, the one where they announce the sex of the baby.

Oh, the gender reveal.

Yes, shes planning it for this weekend. She said I must pass the message to you. And why has your phone been off?

I was busy. And Chrissy did tell me about the gender reveal. Mthonga is keeping me busy.

Well yeah. You can bring a plus one. I frowned.

That means bring your girlfriend. The one thats keeping you busy. I rolled my eyes.

I told you, there is no girlfriend. He laughed.

Are you also gay? Mom was telling me that Noel came out the closet. I dont understand how a man can just want to be with another man. It doesnt make sense. Well damn. My heart was stuck in my throat and the room started spinning.

Ayy bafo ngeke, angibezwa kahle labantu. He continued. He thinks this is all a joke. I cant even find the words to defend myself. My brother is homophobic.

I dont see anything wrong with it. I said swallowing hard.

There isnt vele, I just fail to understand. Thats all.

Well, this makes it harder for me to want to come out, all I can expect is judgement. I cannot believe for the life of me that Noel is gay. We grew up together. I could say that he was the only friend I ever had. I dont know where he is now because we never spoke again after he left for Dubai.

Tell Christine that Ill be there. I said changing the subject.

I will bafo. Listen, I have a plane to catch, duty calls. Ill see you on Saturday. He stood up and gave me a bro hug before leaving.

I see him more often than all my other brothers, and he lives the furthest. It really is about commitment, and thats what Mvelo has, commitment.