Manqoba was behind Enhle when they walked into the bedroom in silence. He took the direction of the bathroom and Enhle the closet. They both changed their minds and almost bumped into one another when they wanted to switch directions.
"I'll just..."-Enhle
"Yeah you..."- Manqoba
Awkward. They then passed one another and Enhle went to take a hot bath. Manqoba went to take off his clothes and dropped himself on the bed in his underwear to appease his exhausted mind of the many hours of rest he'd deprived it of.
When Enhle finally came out in her towel, she found him dead and gone. She would've also died for some sleep but her stomach was rumbling. She put on her robe, dressed her hand and left for the kitchen.
"Nokwanda. Portia...", she greeted the two ladies conversing in the kitchen. Nokwanda looked like she had just arrived as she was tying up her apron over her new blue uniform. They greeted her back and exchanged eyes, surprised by the bandage and eye bags.
"Ingimele iwashin sisi ithi ngikushiye"(The laundry is waiting for me let me leave you), Portia said and left Nokwanda in there. Enhle took out a punnet of grapes then pulled a chair out.
"Madam, ukahle?"(Are you okay?)
Enhle raised her face and swallowed the grape that was in her mouth. She nodded with a weak smile. Mam' Nokwanda dropped her eyes in doubt and Enhle looked around to see if anybody was coming. She gestured with her hand that Nokwanda should sit. Nokwanda was agile in her white Tommies as she reached for the chair. Enhle trusted Nokwanda's advice. Out of all the helps in the house, she's the only one that evidently distanced herself from gossip and never spoke of things she saw but wasn't supposed to. She's also the one who had been there the longest.
"You've been married long before I even knew you right ma?"
Nokwanda shifted her head back slightly, surprised at the question.
"Y-yes"
"What's the recipe for a successful marriage?"
Nokwanda placed her palms on top of the black marble counter.
"Phew. I really do not know. Imendo ayifani. For me, I'd say... respect. Iyahlonishwa indoda bangaku khohlisi. Lezinto zama 50/50 aysebenz emshadwen"(Relationships are not the same. You should respect your husband don't let them deceive you. Equality does not work in a marriage)
"Kodwa ma I can respect my man and still have a say in my marriage isn't that so?"
Nokwanda slowly shook her head.
"Hayi uma ushade nendoda yomZulu and especially efana neyakho. UMbulazi was 18 when I first arrived here. I was 24. Ukhulele la phambi kwamehlo ami and in all those years, I've grown to realise that he wants to have the final say. Always"
Enhle sat and digested what Nokwanda had just said.
"I don't know if I won't be disrespecting you by saying this but..."
"No please khuluma ma"(Speak), Enhle held on to her robe on her chest attentively.
"Okay. I understand that you're independent and uyakwazi ukuzikhulumela however, ngesinye iskhathi nami ngiye ngidumale ngalendlela umphatha ngayo umnyen wakho"(... you're outspoken and can defend yourself... sometimes I get disappointed by the way you treat your husband), Nokwanda stated and Enhle dropped her face in shame.
"I remember this other time angisa khumbuli which year was it kodwa umthethise kab'hlungu phambikwami no mam'Eve angazi waye khohlwe ukubuya nani eytolo. The way ngadumala ngakhona I even remember that day like it was yesterday"(I don't remember... you lashed out at him for forgetting something at the store. I was so disappointed I even remember the happenings of that day like it was yesterday)
"Nini ma?"(When?)
"Angisa khumbuli kahle kodwa uLuhle was in primary school that time. Maybe standard 6 or 7 somewhere khona lapho"(I don't remember well but...)
"I honestly don't remember"
"Ubab'wakho bekakhona ngalela suku but he was outside noMtungwa"(Your dad was around that day, outside with the chief)
It then hit Enhle.
"Oh! Ngiyakhumbula manje. Kodwa ma I wasn't shouting I was just telling him how unhappy I was"(I remember now...)
Mam'Nokwanda took Enhle's hands.
"I am telling you this as a mother. Stop taking advice from abangani bakho who think they can head households kukhona obaba endlini. If you don't give your man the respect he needs he's is going to out and look for it elsewhere. He needs to feel wanted but most importantly, he needs to feel needed. If you start with your twenty first century ini ini and start behaving like a bull he will definitely leave you in his kraal usale uziphatha. You can have a say in your marriage but humbly so ngenhlonipho. There's a reason why women are the ones who work hard to be chosen for marriage and amadoda just do the picking if they feel you qualify. If awufuni umshado kulungile kodwa if uyawufuna you have to accept this and live with it because it will never change myskat"(Your friends who want to head households while they have husbands in those houses. He will leave you in his kraal so you can do as you wish... if you don't want to get married it is fine. But if you do want to get married, you have to accept this fact and ...), she advised and tightened her hold on the silent Enhle beforr standing up to leave.
