Thandolwami (on hold)

Chapter 3

Gilberts POV

I WAS A NERVOUS WRECK

Simply put l didn't know what to do with myself.

Good lord l was meeting Ntandokazi's parents and her brother for the very first time.

I'm told when the brother heard l was coming he also said he travelled all the way from South Africa, were he worked, he wanted to see the man who thought he was good enough for their sister.

Did l think l was good enough for their daughter? No. Far from it.

I wonder what she even saw in me. I wasn't muscular or stylish, the way most girls seemed to like their guys. I was a very ordinary guy, driving an ordinary car, with an ordinary job.

When she said yes to my proposal and loved me every day thereafter, l was in awe, and l promised to love this girl with all that l am. She was my best friend, my soulmate, my best half..

Initially l had not wanted to meet her parents before marriage talks, but when l realized how much she wanted it, l obliged. And now l was on my way.

It took me 5 hours to drive from Harare to Bulawayo. I left at 7am and by 12 mid day l was in Zimbabwe's second largest city.

I passed through a pay toilet and brushed my teeth, washed my face and sprayed a bit of  deodorant. It wasn't hot but l was sweating like crazy. Nervousness.

I told Ntandokazi were l was parked and when l came out the of the pay toilet she was there, standing outside my car.

When she saw me she smiled, she was wearing the beautiful white lace dress l bought her from Malawi last Christmas. It suited her perfectly. I walked over to her smiling widely and took her in my arms.

"You are so beautiful"

"Hie love"

We spoke at the same time. She laughed.

"You are beautiful" l repeated.

She blushed, turning around in her dress so l could get a full view, "thank you thandolwami, it's all thanks to your great fashion sense"

I chuckled, trust Ntando to turn every conversation and make it about me when it was about her. I opened the door for her and she blushed, going in like a princess.

She was my GPS for the trip, l only knew my way to a few parts of Bulawayo, and this would be the first time l visited her home.

We arrived and l parked outside the gate. I still felt reserved about parking inside, one can not be too comfortable at his future father in laws home.

She lead us in, her parents and brother were seated in e lounge, when l entered they got up and greeted me.

I responded in Ndebele, yes my grandmother had been Ndebele and she had taught me some bits of the language, she had taught me enough to enable me to hold a basic conversation.

Her parents were friendly, they smiled a lot, offered a seat and some snacks, her brother Ngqa had a permanent scowl on his face. I must say, he intimidated me a little, but l was not about to give him the satisfaction of knowing I feared him.

Ntando introduced me as her "friend"

Her parents smiled and said they were pleased to meet Ntando's friend.

As the conversation continued l ran out of my Ndebele vocabulary and started mixing with English.

"Why are you speaking in English when we are using Ndebele?" Ngqa asked suspiciously.

"Ehm.. ahm.." l laughed, what sort of question was that?

"Where do you come from Gilbert" Ntando's father asked.

"Harare, l live at Hillside, but my rural home is in Mazowe"

The smiles left all their faces, l shifted, the comfortable leather couch l was seated on suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Her mothers eyes darkened, she asked, "what is you surname"

"Chitsikwapasi, l am a Moyo, dewa"

Her mother quietly excused herself, she appeared ill.

Her father was calm, his face held no expression and her brother was angry. He looked at Ntando fuming.

She was seated next to me and she grasped my hand tightly.

"What the fuck Ntando!"  Ngqa roared.

Ntando's lips trembled, she looked scared, like the last time we watched a horror movie together. I had teased her to no ends that it was just movie.

But this was no movie, this was real shit going on.

What was going on?

"Ntando you know how we feel about this but you just had to disrespect us like that? Look mum is crying, can't you see you have hurt her feelings?"

"Ngqabutho sit down" their father finally spoke, quietly.

"Ha ha" Ngqabutho laughed scornfuly, "so you are just going to let her get away with it?"

"Ngqabutho don't let me repeat myself"

Ngqabutho got up and looked at me like he was contemplating to spit on me, "l'd be damned if l let you marry my sister" he said, then walked out of the room.

A cold chill ran down my spine. I put the glass of juice l was holding down and looked at father and daughter, searching for answers.

Ntando in one fluid movement got up and knelt at her fathers feet crying. We both were surprised at her actions.

"Daddy please" she begged, "he is not like the rest of them, he is a good man & he loves me. Please. I brought him here so you could get to know him and see that he is a good man. Please don't judge him for something he had no hand in"

What on earth was she talking about? No hand in? What was that?

"Ntando get up," his voice was still void of emotion, "excuse us, l want to talk with Gilbert alone"

Ntando got up and left the room. I wondered what he was going to say to me now.

He didn't say much, he just apologized for the drama l had just witnessed and said he hoped to invite me again, as his daughter had said, to know me better, after his family was past the initial shock.

I nodded my head like l understood. What was shocking about me? Or my name since that is what stirred the uprising.

We got up, shook hands and he walked me to my car. I found Ntando there, her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

I wanted to take her in my arms and hug her and tell her it would be okay.

"where are you going" her father asked.

I then noticed the small weekender she was carrying, "to aunt Sara" she replied.

Her father sighed heavily, "okay" he took out some notes from his wallet "here is bus fare, l will call her to check that you arrived safely"

Ntando dropped her bag and gave her father a hug. He hugged her back, "it's going to be alright my dearest" l heard him whisper.

I opened the door for Ntando and she got in the car. And said a final goodbye to her father before l drove off. He nodded and watched us till we were out of his sights reach.

We stopped at an intersection and l took the opportunity to hold her hand, "Ntando will you please tell me what just happened at your house?"

"It's a long story" she sighed

"I'm listening" l insisted squeezing her hand gently.

"Okay" she leaned her head on the seat looking straight at the road ahead, the robots turned green, the car started moving and Ntando began her story.

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