Enhle excused herself after Manqoba gave his speech and stormed into the house. Betso cheerfully stopped her in the kitchen, asking her to taste the sauce she had made since she went out of chicken spice she always uses. She had to improvise with beef stock as Tumi suggested. Tumi was sitting behind the table counter on his phone. He wasn't even paying attention to them. Enhle,in frustrated haste, rolled her eyes internally but still extended her hand so Betso places a bit of the sauce on her palm.
"Hayi cha. Niyawu pheka udoti nino mngan'wakho"(You and your friend cooked rubbish), she remarked before she could walk away and Betso gasped at her reaction. Tumi shot his eyes away from the screen to Enhle.
"Bxtch excuse me?!", he was ready to declare war.
"Are you okay Enhle?", Betso lowly asked in concern.
"Watch how you speak to me", Enhle threatened Tumi before she could handle the tail of her long dress to leave. Tumi scoffed when she went out of sight. Betso was genuinely concerned. Tumi held out his wrist to check his watch and said, "It hasn't even 30 minutes since she's been declared queen but she's already stripping on a high horse". He was in complete disbelief. Betso glanced outside to maybe get a clue of what might have upset her. She shook the worry off her face and went back to preparing the royal lunch. She put the sauce aside in hopes that Evelyn would walk in so she tastes it.
"This sauce is fine friend. Don't let Queen doti fxck with your head", Tumi assured as he tasted it for the third time now. Evelyn finally walked in laughing with Bab'Sizwe and Betso asked if she could steal her. She gladly obliged. Bab'Sizwe proceeded to the living room.
"Mm! This is nice. And different. The texture is impressive as well. It's... I don't know, not too thick but rich in taste", Evelyn remarked. Betso sighed from relief.
"See, I told you not to listen to ..."
"Thank you! Ma...", Betso said and prompted Evelyn to walk out with her hand behind the Evelyn's back, her thank you was loud enough to mute out the rest of Tumi's probably vile sentence. Evelyn smiled suspiciously and left.
...
The Khumalos sat around the lengthy table, enjoying their celebratory lunch and exchanging pleasantries. Manqoba was having a conversation with Bab'Bayede, one of his respected uncles. Mbhekiseni walked in, drunk beyond instant repair. The sound of the busy cutlery on the black porcelain plates came to a slow halt, amidst the fading laughs, fading due to curiosity.
"Niyajabula neah? Kumnandi uyihlephula kab'hlungu leyo nyama heh Sizwe?"(You all are evidently having fun. It's so nice that you're showing no mercy to that meat Sizwe), he stated before he could sip some more of his beverage from it's silver metallic container with his back and legs bent out of shape. He burped loudly, almost throwing up and everyone couldn't hide the disgust on their faces. Mxolisi was entertained. He was looking at him with pinched eyebrows and a curious smile, waiting for him to say something else.
"Hlala phansi bakuphakele Mbhekiseni"(sit down so they can dish up for you),an obviously bored Bayede suggested, hoping to assuage to situation and extinguish it before it spread any further.
"Wee Evelyn, ngicela sithi ukujikela ngale sike sikhulume mina nawe lovey"(Let's excuse ourselves so we can talk), he said and looked at her straight in the eyes, blatantly ignoring the invite to the table. Evelyn exhaled from a place of exhaustion before she could push her chair out.
"You don't have to ma...", Muzi whispered from her side. She assured that it was okay, before walking out and leading Mbhekiseni to the TV room in her long, swaying dress. Bab'Sizwe was glaring at their backs suspiciously. They left an uneasy atmosphere behind them. Enhle had her eyes lodged on Manqoba as she took slow slips on her juice. He realized this and asked if she was okay. She ignored and picked up her utensils to slice her meat. Betso cleared her throat and asked if anybody would like a refill or seconds. Aunt Hlengiwe enthusiastically said "Yes please!", also hoping to diffuse the tension that was hellbent on breaking the legs of the table.
She later come back to the table and Mbhekiseni yelled his goodbyes to everyone and walked out. Mxolisi laughed into his glass of juice.
"Are you okay, Evelyn?", Bab'Bayede asked as she settled onto her chair and gulped down her juice.
"Hm? Yeah! I'm perfect", she pulled a facade of a smile and 'assured'.
"Okay. If you'll excuse me...", Bayede said and wiped the corner of his mouth with serviette before he could stand up to leave. The lunch was pretty much done and he did say that he had some other place to be before it commenced. Muzi's eyes were on Evelyn even when the awkwardness around the table had subsided and people went back to laughing and conversing, including the kids. Her mind was everywhere but in that house.
