S'thandwa Sam' (Completed)

Chapter Forty One: Boo

"She was worried that if she didn't make it, you would have gotten excited over nothing", she told me. I sighed. When would she ever think of herself as a great dancer?

"She's insane. She needs to chill", I said.

She walked out the building dancing excitedly and I knew she had gotten the job. She had on headphones and was looking at her phone while dance-walking. When she finally looked up, she met my face and froze. In a couple of seconds, she processed what she was looking at. She understood that Lorraine had told me about the audition. She saw Lwethu in my arms. She saw the banner Perfect and Monde were holding that read Congratulations. She saw some of the members of her favourite band, Cookham 32. Her face came back to mine and she ran the rest of the way excitedly. She threw her arms around the baby and me.

"I got the job, baby. I even got to meet Somizi and he loved my dancing", she whispered without letting go. She sniffed and I knew she was crying. Dancers are so emotional, I thought. "I genuinely thought my dance career went to the dogs, but this just validated me", she added. She pulled back and looked at me. Went to the dogs? She's crazy. I shook my head.

"You are an amazing dancer, Ndo. I don't get how you don't see that. You need to be kinder to yourself, baby", I told her and pecked her lips. She smiled and then went to hug everyone. The rest of our friends were at the house, preparing a braai. The love of meat among our friends was similar to that of the Dlaminis, Thaby's family, love of meat.

Lorraine, Lwethu, Thando and I drove to the house in Thando's car. Wait... Our car. She didn't like it when I separated our property. Monde, Perfect, S'bu and Thuso drove in S'bu's car. We got to the house, and we had ourselves a good ol' time. Thando called her mom and we excused ourselves into the bedroom. She put the phone on loudspeaker.

"Nkanyezi kama, what a lovely surprise. Unjani?" my mother-in-law said when she answered and I smiled. She insisted on calling Thando Nkanyezi.

"Hi momma. I'm with Lwethu and Lindo. Siyaphila, unjani wena?" she replied.

"Hey my boys. I'm good thanks baby", she replied.

"Momma, I got my dream dance job with Somizi", she told her and her mom squealed excitedly. Lwethu at this point, loved hearing his grandma's voice, so he smiled and bounced in place excitedly. I grabbed the camera and filmed him. We were still waiting for him to say his first word, and to take his first step, so the camera was always in-hand.

"That is fantastic news. Why didn't you tell me you were auditioning?" she asked.

"My question exactly, ma. Usivalele ngaphandle", I blurted out jokingly and Thando threw a pillow at me. Lwethu, who was sitting on the carpeted floor, looked at Thando and I laughing and he smiled as well.

"I'm sorry about that. You know I'm sensitive about my dancing. I've regained the confidence now though", she said.

"I've just gotten a brilliant idea. How about you two dance at your wedding? Come up with one of the sickest house dance routines and show them peoples how amazing you two are together", my mother-in-law said. I looked at Thando as she shook her head.

"Mom, what the hell kind of diction are you using? Sickest? Really? No, no", she said disapprovingly. I burst out laughing and she gave me a death glare. "Don't you laugh. She's your momma too", she added and I couldn't sober up.

"You're funny, Ndo", I told her.

"She'll embarrass you in public one day with that talk. She's your mother-in-law", she said and I chuckled.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here, Starr", mom replied in an amused voice. "Anyway, congratulations on the job. I'll be sure to tell your dad about it. About Lwethu's first birthday, have y'all completed the preparations? We're coming through the day after tomorrow, that is Tuesday, to help with whatever is left", she said. I tuned them out and went to lay on my stomach in front of Lwethu. He was getting more handsome by the day and he looked like me a lot. I finally understood what Thando said.