Marriage Or Exile

The Twins

The yard was buzzing with people. There were men sitting around a fire passing around a calabash of traditional brew, drinking and chatting and braaiing corn. 

Some women were sitting on grass mats in the yard, telling stories and laughing at the top of their voices clearly having a lot of fun. 

The twins tried to sneak Sindile behind the houses to hide her from the lot and showed her to her flat while her aunt joined the other woman to inform the family of their arrival.

Sindile followed the boys into the small flat. It was lit with two kerosene lamps. The room was as small like hers back home but it was painted white which made it appear brighter than hers.

 There was a double bed at the centre with two bedside tables and a headboard. At the side there was a dressing table with a looking glass attached to it and at the foot of the bed was a wardrobe that matched the dressing table. 

In overall the room was neat and beautiful, Sindile felt like she did not belong at all.

The twins sensed her hesitation as she stood by the door taking in the appearance of the room.

 "Father insisted that this room is prepared for you" one of them said.

 "Do you like it?" the other one asked. She smiled at them, finally walking in and heading for the bed, she was very tired from the journey.

"Of course I like it, it's very beautiful. Did you prepare it?" she asked them as she sat on the bed feeling its comfort.

 "No" they chorused. "Mother and Sonto prepared it" one of the twins said.

"Who is Sonto" she asked. One of the Twins was sitting on a stool and the other was leaning on the dressing table. 

"Our Sister" they said in unison. Sindile smiled, the twins were entertaining indeed. Sindile took the opportunity to get information about the people she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. She squinted her eyes and frowned as she looked at the twins, deciding on what to ask next.

"So between the two of you who is who?", her question made them laugh. She was trying to find something, anything to tell them apart. 

"Well, I am Zuzumuzi, they call me Zuzu", the one leaning on the dressing table said. "And my name is Zuzingcebo, you can call me Zuzi"

"That's very beautiful names you have. Actually your names remind me of my mother, in fact her peers call her Zuzi", she told them, earning two identical surprised pair of deep brown eyes in return. They were absolutely adorable.   

She did not want to dwell much on the thoughts about her mother or her family though, thus she continued.

"So how do I tell you apart, in fact how does anyone tell you apart? You look exactly alike, I am stunned"

"Nobody can tell us apart except for mother, that woman can never be fooled by our tricks" Zuzu said, making her laugh.

"So what about your father, I am assuming you spend a lot of time with him", they giggled at her question.

"Poor old father, for a long time we assumed he could tell us apart until Sonto pointed out the reason why he always addresses us as 'Boys'. He makes us do most things together so that he doesn't have to specify names" by the time Zuzu was finished explaining Sindile was rolling in laughter. 

The twins were indeed a special pair, they managed to make her take a break from thinking about what was ahead of her for a moment and she was grateful to take a break from the demons attempting to consume her.

"Zuzi is going to stay here with you. I will go and check if food is ready. Mother said we shouldn't leave you alone until bedtime" Zuzu announced as he went for the door and Sindile was left with one boy. It suddenly felt strange being with just the one.

"Is there anything you would want me to do for you sister in-law" Zuzi asked with a low voice. Sindile noted that the twins' personalities were totally different. 

Zuzu appeared to be the leader of the pair. He always answers first without giving his brother a chance to shine too and it seemed like Zuzi had grown accustomed to that arrangement.

He is the reserved one, she noted.

"Well, I would like to hang some of my clothes outside, I fell into the water when crossing the river" Zuzi was stunned by this revelation. "You didn't drown did you" he asked, shocked.

"No Zuzi I didn't drown, the water was just above my knees and I felt something touching my leg so I tried to run only to end up falling into the water with my things" she explained as Zuzi tried to suppress his laughter.

 "It's already dark outside, I would suggest you just hang them at the door and on that chair over there. We are are not allowed to leave clothes outside at night" he told her.

"Very well then, thank you. I would also like some warm water too, I need to freshen up. It's been a long journey" she told him as she went to the door and hanged her clothes on the nails impaled on the door. 

She felt so tired and her stomach was already grumbling. Zuzi left for a few minutes and came back with a metal bucket filled with warm water, he placed it next to the basin by the door and excused her again.

After freshening up Sindile stood in front of the looking glass and looked at herself for a while. It's been only a couple of days since she rolled on her bed of springs but it already felt like a very long time. 

She was surprised at how time was playing tricks on her. A few days ago she was a scholar. Now she is standing in a room in a home full of strangers about to become a wife to a man she doesn't even know.

Nobody have bothered to even tell her his name, everything was just so surreal, all she knew about the man was that he lives in the city and he is in the Royal Police Force. Dumile mentioned that he was handsome, well judging from the appearance of the twins he could be as good looking too and that is all she knew about the man, her husband to be. 

Every time she thought about him her heart would start beating fast. The suspense was killing her, it was annoying.

Sindile wondered if the room she was standing in actually belonged to her betrothed. She scanned the room with her eyes trying to find something, hoping she could find something that belonged to him.

 Her eyes lit up as an idea came to her mind and she walked to the wardrobe and opened. There it was, the evidence she needed. There were trousers and coats hanged neatly inside the wardrobe. Her gut told her the room belonged to the mystery man. 

She wondered when she would finally get to meet him. She was not excited or anything but it was only appropriate that one marries someone they know even if they do not love each other.

She was lost in her own thoughts when she heard footsteps nearing the flat, her heart leaped with anticipation, she was even a little scared. She felt herself begin to sweat and suddenly her dress was holding her too tight.

 What is happening to me, she thought as she dashed to the bed sitting on the side and waiting for the knock and it came.

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀

Please leave a VOTE and COMMENT before going forward. It will be much appreciated. And again thank you for giving my story a chance. Lots and Lots of LOVE.