Distanced but Destined(A South African love story)

Chapter 20

"Nompilo ngicela uvule" Aunt Simosihle banged on the door. "The elders are looking for you, why aren't you up" I rolled out of bed and stood there in my pyjamas. "Cha. Everyday bafuna mina, can't I get some privacy?" Aunt Simosihle studied me. "You're still in your pyjamas, ngaleskathi?" I rubbed my eyes so I could see her properly. My grandmother barged in. "Vuka, sekusile" I grinned. By "sekusile" she meant it was time for your haircut. I always thought being bald headed would suit me, but now that it was here, it didn't feel like it. I took a slow shower, hoping that my grandmother would forget about me, unfortunately she waited in my bedroom until I was done. "I know how much you don't want to do this. But isiko, we can't runaway from it" I shed a tear as she led me to the room where all the elders were gathered. My mother was sitting on a mattress, facing down. I made sure to greet everyone before sitting next to my mother. I had more grandmothers than grandfathers. I stared at all of them one last time and looked down. Some of them had the meanest faces. They explained the conditions of the mourning period. I was not allowed to be seen with a boy until the period was over. My mother was to wear black.

I closed my eyes and felt the fibres of my hair leave one by one. My scalp started feeling colder and colder. I imagined the different types of wigs that were catching dust in my closet.
The brazillian bob, the Mongolian curls, the Peruvian 18inch straight and the synthetic 10inch curls. I knew Qhawe would bring more wigs this afternoon. I somehow couldn't cry anymore. I might have mourned for my dad longer than I should have or I wasn't used to having him in my life. Something must have told me that he was coming back again. My grandmother, my father's aunt disliked me. I could never understand why blood insisted on hating blood. Why we hurt each other by the things we said to each other, knowing very well that we all belong to one family, one bloodline. Her eyes pierced through my head and made me feel unsettled. Even though I was looking down, I could tell she was staring at me in hatred, wondering why I wasn't crying. They finished cutting my hair and I stood up and headed straight for the door. "Nawe ilanga lakho liyeza" she said emotionless. I hurried out in shock. I had no idea what she meant.

I stood on Nkanyezi's balcony and watched them all leave, one by one. It had been the longest two weeks of my life. From lying in a hospital bed with a dislocated arm to burying my father and losing my hair. Despite all of this, I still had exams to catch up on in a week's time. I felt like I had the world on my shoulders and nobody cared to ask if I was well. I think a simple "how are you holding up?" Would do the trick. I left Nkanyezi's room and curled up in my duvet with a latte nearby and a couple of books. I intended on staying indoors and studying until my first exam.

I was halfway through my physical science textbook when a call from Qhawe disturbed me. "Mgani, awusho, kuhambe kanjani?" "Kade kunzima Qhawe. Parting with my hair like that. Ngathi ngihlukene nento ekade ngiyithanda, kakhulu futhi" "Kodwa mgani wami, nawe uyalazi isiko. Some rules we just can't change" I sighed softly. "Uqinisile lapho. Manje ubuya nini?" I could hear Qhawe say "eish" lightly on the other side. "Ngiyafuna ukubuya. Kodwa izolo ngizenzele iAfter tears, ngahlangana nomunye ubrothers. He bought me some drinks, angazi nami ukuthi kwenzekani kodwa ngazithola sengila, kwakhe" I burst out in laughter. "I can't believe you. You left me for a one night stand? Muhle nje ubrothers wakhona?" "Phela lo, owami manje. Uzombona later today" he giggled. "Hayi ke Mgani, sizobonana. Don't do anything I wouldn't do" I hung up and went back to my physics textbook.

I spent most of my days studying. I barely got out of my room and Nkanyezi started feeling left out. No one paid attention to her, not even Maria. She knew something was going on but I guess she didn't have the strength to find out what it was. She too began spending most of her days in her bedroom, on her balcony. Watching the sunrise and the sunset. When she got tired of that, she buried her nose in her story books. Everyday it was the same routine.
"Nompilo are you okay?" She asked. I scratched a few notes on my pad and looked up at Nkanyezi, she was bleeding" I attended to her in horror. "Why are you asking if I'm okay, are you okay? Whats wrong, why are you bleeding, did you get your period, talk to me" I shouted. She stood there in silence while blood rushed down her thighs like urine. "I feel fine. Just a bit dizzy. I need to lie down" "I picked her up and banged on my mother's room. No matter how much I shouted, I still got no reply. Maria was doing laundry in the laundry room and she heard me shouting and quickly assisted with Nkanyezi. We drove her to the nearest hospital, where they attended to her in a few minutes and we waited in the waiting room. I had a lot of blood on my clothes. "What if its just her period" Maria asked. "It isn't. That blood was flowing abnormally and she was getting dizzy" I buried my head in my hands. Where could mom be at this time. The doctor walked in and stared at me and Maria.

Translations
Nompilo ngicela uvule - Nompilo please open
Cha. Everyday bafuna mina - No. Everyday they're looking for me
Ngaleskathi - at this time
Vuka sekusile - Wake up, the sun has risen
Isiko - its tradition
Nawe ilanga lakho liyeza - Your day is also coming
Mgani, awusho, kuhambe kanjani - Friend, tell me, how did it go
Kade kunzima Qhawe - It was hard Qhawe
Ngathi ngihlukene nento ekade ngiyithanda, kakhulu futhi - It was like I parted with something I loved, so much
Kodwa mgani wami, nawe uyalazi isiko - But my friend, you know our traditions
Uqinisile lapho. Manje ubuya nini - You're right. When are you coming back
eish - a form of expression
Ngiyafuna ukubuya. Kodwa izolo ngizenzele iAfter tears, ngahlangana nomunye ubrothers - I want to come back but yesterday I did my own "After tears", and I met a guy
Angazi nami ukuthi kwenzekani kodwa ngazithola sengila, kwakhe - I don't know what happened but I found myself here, at his place
Muhle nje ubrothers wakhona - Is he hot?
Phela lo, owami manje. Uzombona later today - He's mine now. You'll see him later today
Hayi ke Mgani, sizobonana - Oh well Friend, we'll see
After tears - a party thrown after a funeral