Love Conquers All

07.) Change.

"Mama this nephew of yours is disrespectful." says Azania. "What did this nephew of mines do?" asks Sukoluhle. "He says I feel entitled just imagine. I taught him a new word and now he feels like it should be added in every sentence." We laugh. "Oh please I already knew that word existed before you were even born." says Samkelo. "Yeah right you ain't fooling no one but yourself." We chuckle.

"This English of yours is making you guys lose your minds." says malume. "You can say that again mkhulu." says Cebolihle. "Where have you seen a mkhulu look this fresh?" We laugh. "Haike cela uxolo malume." (I ask for forgiveness uncle.) "Yeah Sukoluhle noSiphiwokuhle don't allow these kids to call me umkhulu. I'm too fresh and handsome to be classified as one." We chuckle.

"Siyakuzwa malume and i hope you kids heard this too." I say and they chuckle. (We hear you uncle.) We finish eating and i take the empty boxes and paper bags and throw them in the bin. "We need to get going." I say. "Ma can I sleepover and come back Tuesday afterschool." says Samkelo. "Why not Monday?" "I have a technology project that needs Buhle and Cebo's help."

"Okay then it's fine. You should come and fetch your stuff tomorrow." I say. "Thanks you the best." he says. "I know I am." We chuckle. "Why don't you leave later?" asks Sukoluhle. I really need my own space so I can process the events that unfolded today. "I just need to be alone and anyways I'm tired." "Okay it's fine let me walk you out." I take my handbag and bid my farewells. Suko walks me out.

We get to my car and she pulls me in for a hug. "Its okay." she says and i try to blink away the tears but fail. "I know." "I have hope that he will change and let's hope he let's go of you like he said he would." I nod. "I love you mtasekhaya." "I love you too Sukoluhle." "If he doesn't change I better be the first one to know so me and malume can attack." I chuckle.

"I will let you know don't worry." I say and she smiles. "Do you feel free now?" she asks. "Yes I do." "Enjoy your freedom sthandwa sami." I smile. (my love.) "I will try." "Don't just try do it." I nod. "And why did you give Mbuso my numbers?" I chuckle. "I just wanted him off my back and he wanted my numbers so the rest is history." "Hai no Siphiwokuhle." We laugh.

"Now you see how I feel having to deal with him everyday at work." I say. "I'll book you a therapy session ngoba angeke mtasekhaya uphile kanjena." We chuckle.(because you can't live like this.) "Didn't you tell him where to get off." "Oh I did and let's hope he doesn't talk to you again." I chuckle. "I hope so too."

"The men you attract in your life." she says and we chuckle. "Very scary I know. It's always the toxic ones coming my way never the potentials." I say. "Don't worry you will find your own Mr. Right. Just give it time and don't rush it. You will know when he comes, it will feel right." I smile. "I hear you. Let me leave then." "Bye love." "Bye." She kisses my cheek and i get inside the car. I wait for her to go back in the house before I drive off.

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"Honey your favourite bitch is back!" shouts Khana and i roll my eyes. "Stop swearing in my house this is not Marabastad where you do as you please." I shout back. "Yeah yeah cow." She walks in the kitchen and i get up and pull her in for a hug. It's been a while since we've linked up and i missed her.

"I missed you love love." says Khana. "I missed you too. Unjani?" I ask. (How are you?) "I'm good and you love love." "I'm fine." "You look more than fine." "I actually am. Let me plate up for us." "Its like you knew I was famished." "You were supposed to bring takeaways because I didn't want to cook." "Its Sunday sisi we need to see all the colours."

I roll my eyes. "I hate cooking and you know that." I say as I get up and take out the plates in the cupboard. I look for a spoon in the drawer and start plating up for the both of us. "I know hey but you still going to cook seeing as though you have a child." she says. "Torture." She chuckles. "You so dramatic." "I will never reach your level." "I know I'm the queen."

We chuckle. I put the spoon in the sink and give her her plate and she thanks me. I open the fridge and take out apple juice. I pour juice for the both of us and i take my plate and we walk to the living room. We sit down and she takes the fleece on the arm rest and covers the both of us. I lower down the volume and dig in.

"Your food surprises me considering how much you hate cooking." she says and we chuckle. "I have an older sister that can cook." I say. "Explains it all." I roll my eyes and we chuckle. "So how have you been?" "I've been living you know." "Are you taking your medication?" "I am it's not like I have a choice."

"But remember that I'm always there for you and i will never look at you differently because of your status." I say. "I know and for that thank you. It's just that sometimes I beat myself up because why was I so reckless cause look where i am now. I have to take medication for the rest of my life." she says and her voice sounds so broken. I'm not used to my best friend being like this. "Its his fault for never telling you."

She nods and wipes away some of her tears. I put my plate on the table and move closer to her. I pull her in for a hug and she reciprocates it. "Its not your fault. He should have told you first and never forced you to have sex without protection. The fact that he watched you fall ill and never saw the need to tell you irks me up but never blame yourself. At least they detected it now before it developed into something more severe." I say.

"Thank you." she whispers. I continue to rub her back soothingly until her sobs turn into sniffs. She lifts her head up from my shoulder and wipes the remainder of her tears. "I love you." I say. "I love you too Siphiwokuhle." I smile. "Continue taking your medication and it will be fine." "Do you think if I get into a relationship again they will accept my status?"

"It depends with the kind of person you with but I'm sure you will meet a guy that accepts you and all of you not just the good parts even the bad and the ugly." I say. "I can work with that anyways enough about me what about you." she says. I take my plate and continue eating. "Senzo is back." She rolls her eyes. "What does that fool want now?"

"To be a father again." I answer and she scoffs. "Because you left your fling alone now he wants to crawl back into your life. Why is he doing this to you?" she asks. "He wants to control me like he used to while we were together. Now that we are not together he will use his son as an excuse to get me where he wants." She shakes her head in disappointment.

"Hi famba hi jola na vavanuna lava nga na chefu." she mumbles. (We go around dating toxic men.) "You can say that again. I wish I never agreed to dating him but at the same time i wouldn't have this blessing in my life and i don't regret having him." I say. "I know. Samkelo is the only good thing that came out of your relationship." "But we addressed his behaviour with his family."

"You finally did it. How did it go?" she asks. "He told my uncle that he wants to do right by me and his son by paying lobola and damages but then Sukoluhle lost it." I say and we chuckle. "She is the first person I would call if I was in a fight." We laugh. "But then I told him to let me go and stop controlling me because we aren't together anymore." "And?"

"He agreed and said he will do right by his son only." I answer. "And you believe him?" she asks. "I have hope he will change now that my family knows about this." "Senzo is a dog with a bone and he won't let go of this bone easily in this case you." "Don't be pessimistic about this." "I'm not being pessimistic I'm being realistic. He is obsessed with you and his obsession is an unhealthy one." I gulp.

"Khana can we drop it." I say. "I'm not trying to be mean or funny I just want us to look at reality for a second. Do you honestly think he will change?" she asks. Now that she is saying this she has me thinking. I think I let the relief get to my head a bit and lost touch with reality for a second. I mean why would he change all of a sudden without fighting back at least...

"But it's up to you to decide whether you trust him to that extent. But what I know is that men like him never let go of women like you that easily without a fight of some sort..."