…
[KULANI]
Trust my feet to do this to me. They’re all swollen now so I had to take off my shoes. They did this last night and I struggled to sleep. People are going up and down in this marquee and they’re making me dizzy. Some are queuing for food. I close my eyes and see a potion being handed over from one person to another in a bedroom somewhere. My right ear is completely blocked. When I open my eyes, I see plates being placed before Kurhula and Larona by the mentioned cousin. When I study her body language, she looks somewhat nervous. The two continue laughing and talking – with Larona’s hand in Kurhula’s as Thanda by Caiiro plays at a tolerable volume. I know it because it’s one of his favourite songs. He keeps kissing her ring and this sight is…
This is the first time I see him being outwardly affectionate with her and I don’t know how to feel. My focus is divided right now and I hear a loud voice telling me to get up before it’s too late. I look around to see where it’s coming from. It sounded like the person was standing right next to me. This is the first time I’m experiencing something like this. I’m still listening to secrets being spilled, secrets that only I can hear right now.
Abalozi…
When I turn, I see a white bird picking up and eating things from the ground. No one is paying attention to it but me. I see Larona picking up a spoon and Kurhula is on his phone. He raises his face and winks at me. I try to give him a smile although my whole body is in pain. A text comes through on my phone and I see that it’s from him. He’s busy looking at me and drinking water.
‘Are you okay? Is it your feet again?’ it reads.
‘Larona! Please don’t eat that!’ I yell for her to stop. Everyone turns and look at me. I stand up with difficulty and the music gets switched off. I left my walking stick at home and now I need it. AK is following me and holding on to the back of my dress as I limp to the front.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asks, getting up.
‘Give me that plate’
I instruct and she gives it to me. Kurhula looks extremely worried. There are mumbles in here. These people probably think I just want to ruin the wedding. I saw some pointing at me when I arrived – probably telling one another that I am the first wife. I burp and the lady next to me almost jumps in fear. I can feel that a takeover is about to happen. It does but I’m still aware of my surroundings.
‘Cecilia!’ I call. I understand, Larona. This coarse and masculine voice is scaring me too. The pain is gone. I can stand upright now. Her stepmother’s eyes keep darting around fearfully and everyone is looking at her.
‘I am not going to call you again’
I’ve never felt this brave before.
The discomfort is written all over her face as she stands up and comes to me.
‘Give me that’ I say to Larona and she hands me the spoon.
‘Please take a few bites of this food’ I say to her mother.
She takes the spoon from me and digs it into the food. She’s trembling as she leads it into her mouth, then stops.
‘I swear, I called it off. I decided against it and told Tlholo not to go through with it’ she starts rambling.
‘Haaahh!’ Everyone exclaims.
‘Mang???!!!!’ Tlholo’s voice sounds from the back. AK is still clutching onto my dress. It’s chunky but I can feel him behind me.
‘What did you put in here?’
‘Please. I called it off’
She does look remorseful but I’m not the one calling the shots here right now.
‘Is this the same potion you used to kill Larona’s mother?’
Her eyes pop and people rumble again in complete shock. Lala’s father commands security to come take her away before the conversation is over. I put my hand on the table and try to breathe as I get my body back. Kurhula stands up and comes between me and Lala. One hand is around her as she cries and the other is holding me steady so I don’t fall.
‘Yerr. This child is strong. Reminds me of Ngaka Phiri back in 2002, exposing witches left, right and centre. That was the last time I saw something like this’ I hear an old man behind me.
‘And the fact that it’s a woman…’ her friend replies. Larona has been staring ahead like she’s just had a traumatizing phantom encounter, with tears just free falling down her cheeks. I feel bad that it had to happen this way. Why couldn’t they just tell me to tell her beforehand that she shouldn’t eat?
‘Tlholo…?’ her voice comes out low but still sharp with betrayal. Fikani comes and takes me to the car. I’ll go pull myself together in there, plus I need to be alone. Hopefully this little one behaves. It warms my heart how much he loves me though. No one worries about me when I’m not well like Akani; I don’t think his father can match his level of concern. I have found treasure, treasure in a boy child.
‘Boy, come here’ Kurhula pleads with AK. He refuses to stay behind with him. Fikani pulls the door closed after I get inside.
‘Do you need some water?’ AK asks, while already reaching for a bottle. He’s so smart.
We bought these packs from Woolies on our way here yesterday, the time we were getting food for everyone. I receive the bottle and open it.
‘Why were you speaking like that?’ he asks. I can’t help but laugh.
‘Did I scare you?’ I ask and he nods. ‘It wasn’t me. I’m sorry my boy’
‘Who was it?’
‘I’ll explain to you when you’re old enough to understand, alright?’
‘I’m old now’ he argues.
‘Really?’
‘Yeah, I’m six years old’
I clap for him. ‘You’re a big boy mus’
He nods confidently. ‘Like Uncle Junior’
‘But your uncle is 12 years older than you’
He shrugs like he’s asking me ‘So? What does it matter?’
This child!
I see Kurhula accompanying Lala to the house. He comes back about fifteen minutes later and opens the car door. He tells AK to go to Fikani and points to where he’s sitting. He picks him up and places him on the ground, then waits for him to actually get to his other dad. The wedding is over at this point. How do you carry on with an event when Kuli decided to get up and ruin everything? I hope this won’t cause any bad blood between Lala and I. We were doing so well. We were learning how to accommodate one another peacefully. He settles down on the seat in front of me and takes my hands.
‘I have no words. You’re a force, Kuli. And the fact that I’m married to a woman of your calibre makes me feel like a small boy’
I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting that.
‘How are you feeling now?’
‘Much better’ I answer.
If it was the past me who had experienced something like this, I’d probably be on my deathbed right now – struggling to recover from a deadly headache and a burning spine. The things I diligently do such as purging and enemas make it easier for spirit to travel through the proper channels in my body. The process no longer overpowers me that much.
Kago knocks on the window and Kurhula opens for her.
‘Wena, you left R18K worth of shoes on the floor? You’ll find them gone’ she jokes and I laugh. Kurhula receives them with a thank you. Shoes are honestly the last thing on my mind right now. Then I remember that I also left my phone at the table. If Mhan Singi did not see it, it’s probably gone by now. I ask hubby to call it and he does, on loudspeaker. Luckily it rings.
‘Kulani’s cellular, hello?’ Mhan Singi answers and I relax.
‘We just wanted to know where the phone is, thanks mhani’
‘Is she okay? I’m worried about her’ she asks. I lost a mother and gained another one in this woman. Kurhula smiles.
‘She’ll be fine’ he kisses the back of my hand as he ends the call.
Today was a proper, defined debacle and the fact some information was left out makes me want to collapse into a pile of dust.
CHAPTER 32
Start from the beginning
