After night fell, Manqoba drove his way to Sphesihle's homestead. He parked one house away from her gate and called her to come out. The party was pretty much still on going in the yard with music softly playing under various conversations and laughs. She told him that she was still trying to figure a way out. He kept himself busy on his phone as he waited. The madam arrived and he leaned over to open the passenger door for her. A blushing smile was pasted on her face the whole time.
"Sawubona", he greeted her as she got in. Before she could reply, a woman appeared on the window and knocked while verbally crucifying her.
"Sphesihle ubonana kanjani namadoda kube uzolobolwa kunge k'dala awungitshele? Eyaka bani le moto?!"(Why are you seeing a man when we're about to receive your bride price? Whose car is this?), the woman went on angrily and Sphe shut her eyes in embarrassment. She opened the car door and softly said, "Mama angibonani namadoda...".
She was about to lash out some more until she caught a glimpse of Manqoba's face. He held in his laughter by puckering his lips.
"Ohh...", she cleared her throat. "Kanti uwena Mbulazi..."(I didn't know that it's you), she laughed awkwardly as she slowly closed the door. Sphe had her hand over her shut and disgraced eyes as she bowed her head. Manqoba nodded, still trying hard not to laugh.
"Ngicela ungamtsheli ubaba ngalento"(Please don't tell my father about this)
"Hayi nono. Khululeka. Ithi nginishiye ke"(Let me excuse you), she shortly left after that, giving no platform for a reply.
"Who was that?", he finally asked as he took the burgundy tupperware from her thighs, careful not to drop the silver shining spoon on top of it.
"Wee Grace. Gracey! Iza ngikuxolele iyndaba mghee!", she shouted in an amused tone as she walked towards the gate and the person she was addressing stood in the middle of the yard waiting for her to arrive with a curious smile and eyebrows pinched.
"My stepmother. Bayohleba ngami manje"(They're going to gossip about me), she informed as shook her head.
"Who's Grace?", Manqoba asked as he opened the container ajar.
"My mom"
"How many wives does your father have?"-Manqoba
"Four. One recently died", she said.
"Mmkay. Yaze ya inhle i seven colours yakho"(Your plate of seven colours looked appetizing), he said as he turned the container in admiration.
"It's actually six", she corrected.
"I'm rounding off. There's two types of green here", he argued pointing at the olives and the lettuce pieces. Sphe laughed and looked out the window even though there was nothing much to see.
"For future reference, angiyidli lento mina"(I don't eat this), he stated, referring to the olives.
"Why? Zimnandi nje"(They're nice though)
"What? These things taste like rotten grapes. You need to get your tastebuds checked. Ubuthe bonke nabangani bakho abayidlayo futhi"(And take all your friends that eat it with). Sphe smiled defeatedly and shook her head. He began eating while nodding as he chewed.
"Usa dancer namanje?"(Do you still dance?), he asked as he took another spoonful into his mouth. She shot out a laugh.
"Oh my God!", she exclaimed, struggling to put a leash on her laughter.
"Hawu. Uhlekani ngoba ngiyay' buzela nje mina? Yaz wena... if Caiphus Semenya's Angelina started playing you'd become unstoppable"
Sphe now had tears coming out of her eyes due to the laughter.
"Please stop..."
"Next to your father's ice cream van. Phela we just came there to see you perform not that we wanted what the old man was selling", he continued
"Ngiyakhumbula. Wena no bhut wakho"(I remember. You and your brother"
"Everyone who came there was coming for your sake. Who would've thought.. phela you were about seven or eight when I was 24 years old do you know that? "
"I was seven. I remember this because I moved away when I was eight", she corrected. The shared laughter's vapour stuck around in the car.
"Did they tell you why I want to marry you?", he asked and took a bite of the roasted chicken thigh.
"No. But I know why...", she said.
"You do?"
She nodded.
"It's a story for another day...", she softly said and tilted her head against the leather seat. He raised his eyes and glared at her as she sent her eyes to the dark behind the windshield.
"Are you a professional dancer now?", he teased and another laugh left her lips.
"That was just me being a child. And I wasn't that good angazi benichazwa yin"(I don't know what you were enjoying there), she continued laughing. Manqoba laughed too.
"So wenzan manje Michael Jackson?"(What do you do now?)
"Ah yaboh manje? How can I wipe that memory off your mind?", she complained amidst the mutual laughter.
"Okay okay. But seriously though, what do you do?"
"I make wigs and sell them. Along with a bunch of other beauty products"
"Mmkay..."
"Wena? Before becoming a chief what were you doing?"
"A lot of boring things you wouldn't be interested in", he stated as he cleaned the container, placed the spoon in it's center and closed it.
"Try me", she dared in her quiet voice. He exhaled and grabbed a bottle of water. After drinking,
"Bekumnandi ukudla kwakho mama..."-Manqoba
"Glad you enjoyed it", she said with a smile as she received back her tupperware. She then clutched onto it against her stomach. He stared with adoration. She stared back with her lips puckered, fighting a blush.
"I have to go now", she informed and opened the door.
"No goodbye hug, at least?", he complained and she bowed her head and huffed out a laugh. She leaned in to hug him with one hand since the other had her container. She was anticipating it to be brief- just as a normal goodbye hug should be. He held on to her, with his fingers around her waist. It was long enough for his scent to imprint itself onto her skin and clothes. He broke it slowly so his eyes could find hers. She shifted her body away to avoid further happenings. He smiled and fell back on his seat as she stepped out of the car. He then watched her till she walked in safely into the yard before he could drive off.
