She found the door to his room wide open along with that of the bathroom. He was kneeling on the toilet vomiting his guts out. It then hit Betso that he might be going through a sympathetic pregnancy. She squatted next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. Muzi walked in.
"Boy, what's wrong?"
Melo placed his arm on his tummy and squeezed painfully as he continued to throw up. A look of concern grew on Betso's face.
"Melo?", she lowly called out.
"Ngilunywa yisusu ma", he cried out in pain.
"I think he's having morning sickness", Betso said to Muzi who was standing by the door.
"Should I get you some water?", Muzi asked. Melo shook his head rapidly and continued balancing his head on the arm that he'd laid on the toilet seat. The vomiting had stopped. When they were sure that he was fine, he went back to worshipping the porcelain god. Muzi shrunk his face in concern. Betso placed her fingers on his forehead.
"Baba he's burning up!", she said and immediately stood up. She turned on the tap on the basin, grabbed one of the brown towels outside of his shower and submerged it in the warm water. She then twisted most of the water out, folded it and placed it on his forehead. He had stopped vomiting. She loosened the striped tie around his neck and undid the first button.
"How long is it going to last for?", Muzi asked his wife. Betso was about to reply when Melo abruptly threw up again.
"That's it. I'm taking you to the hospital. Can I have the car keys baby? ", she said and stood up. Her last sentence was directed to Muzi. Melo took the damp towel and wiped his mouth.
"There's really no need for that. I'm fine", he insisted with a throaty voice. He could still feel and taste the vomit grains at the very back of his tongue.
"The doctor will tell me that", she stated and walked out to go find him something warm to wear. Melo weakly stood up from the floor.
"Tell her I'm fine MK", he said with slight frown. He wasn't looking forward to the chakalaka smell of medication at the hospital. That usually makes him even more sick.
...
Betso led the way down the stairs in her long, 'floor-sweeping' black dress.
"I'm taking Melo to the hospital. Nina, behave yourselves while I'm away. And pack also!", she pointed them with the car key in her command. Muzi was already out of the house.
"What's wrong you?", Mxolisi asked Melokuhle casually. Melo lazily rolled his eyes Betso and Mxo laughed with his thumbs on his screen, still seated at the table. He understood what he meant. The gesture meant that Betso was making a mountain out of mole hill as usual. He still had stomach cramps but he decided to push the pain at the back of his head. He was hopeful that it will eventually go away if he didn't pay any attention to it. Lwandile had gone back to his room and locked it. Mxolisi stood up and went to the study to speak to Manqoba. He had initially planned to disappear but he decided against it when he saw his parents leave.
...
The door was open and he could see Manqoba in the balcony with the glass door open behind him, facing the sun and speaking on the phone. Manqoba turned, saw and gestured with his hand that he should come in.
"How long are you planning on giving me the silent treatment for? I woke up and ubungekho embheden. Thembalami, please answer the phone so we can talk about what is bothering you? Ngiyak'cela", he wrapped up his voicemail and placed the phone back in his pocket.
"Ja mfan", he said to Mxolisi and brushed his fade. Mxolisi laughed and tried to duck his hand but it was too late.
"Don't get married boy uyangizwa? Women are walking, talking and moody headaches with long lashes and manicures"(...do you hear me?...), he said to Mxolisi jokingly and they both laughed. He placed his hand on Mxolisi's far shoulder and they slowly walked to the couch.
"That's actually the reason why I'm here", Mxolisi confessed.
"Weeeee", Manqoba exclaimed and Mxolisi laughed even harder. They sat down.
"Who is she?", Manqoba asked. Mxolisi raised his face with a slight smile on the corner of his lip and said, "Her name is Ndalo. Shezi. "
"Umntwana ka Nomcebo Shezi?!", Manqoba exclaimed with high pitched laughter. Mxolisi bit his upper lip and nodded, suppressing a laughter.
"Why are you so brave?", Manqoba asked and continued laughing, laying his back on the couch.
"Kant wenzan lomama?"(What kind of a person is she?)
"If stop-nonsense was a person", Manqoba said.
"Kodwa ngiyayithanda lengane MQ", he confesses.
"Uyithanda impela or you want somebody to add to your hit list?"
Mxolisi laughed
"I don't have a hit list"
"I've been 16 before Mxo. Ne behavior yakho gives a lot away", MQ says and Mxolisi snorts and looks away with an embarrased smile on his face.
"But the fact that you're talking to me about her means she's something special", Nqoba says and digs deep into Mxo's eyes with his.
"Angazi. Maybe. She's... different"
"Different you say?", Manqoba says with his brow raised and a curious smile on his face.
"Awusho, what's so different about this young lady? Yena muhle ngiyavuma but same goes for all the other ones I've caught you with", he adds. Mxo releases a single snorty laugh.
"Angazi man. She's just...", the picture of Ndalo's face in his head rendered him speechless.
"Let me rephrase. How did you realize that she's "special" as you say?", Mxo kept silent for a moment and raised his eyes to look at MQ.
"She just makes me feel some typa way"
"Hm?!", Manqoba exclaimed with fascination. Mxolisi laughed out loud.
"So here's the thing, I need you to borrow me your car today"
"I thought you were leaving today"
"We are but I can't leave without doing this"
"How would you have achieved this if Makhosonke didn't get sick?"
"I was gonna make a plan. You know I think about crossing bridges only when I get to them"
"What if they come back before you do? You know how your mom can get"
"That's another bridge", he said impatiently and Manqoba laughed.
"Haiy ezakho zangihlula k'daloo. The keys are somewhere in the living room. If they ask, I'm gonna say you stole the car. AND drive safely"(I've learnt not to involve myself in your shenanigans), Manqoba emphasized.
"Your car is gonna come back in one piece. I promise"
"It's not the car I'm worried about. I can always get another one but there's only one you", he said and brushed the top Mxo's hair in adoration.
"Technically, that's biologically incorrect", Mxo teased and they laughed.
"Speaking of which, what was happening with you two this morning?"
"I'd rather not talk about that. I'll see you later ayt?", Mxo said and Manqoba shook his head as they fist bumped.
Episode 09
Start from the beginning
