"If I order pizza will you eat with me?", Zamo asked Melo as she sat on the desk in front of him. They were both revising business studies and it was getting dark outside. She didn't stop scribbling down on her book as she waited for an answer, nor did she turn to look at him. If somebody walked in there, they'd swear nothing was ever said between the two. Melo found her to be a bit weird sometimes.
"Debonairs?"-Melo
"Yeah. It's the only that does deliveries around here", she said.
"I don't like it much", he said in truth. She never replied. She continued jotting down her notes.
"But I do know a place where we can get the best dagwood?", he mentioned and watched her back to see her reaction. She kept her poise and calmly asked if it wasn't far.
"Nah. A seven minute drive from here", he replied.
"Mmkay. Let's go", she said and stopped writing, then stood up. Melo packed up his books and she did the same. They then left, conversing about nothings to fill in the awkward spaces.
...
Lwandile and Oluhle arrived home and he carried the suitcase in. They found Betso and Evelyn in the living room watching TV, Liwe sleeping on the couch next to her. She stood up with a wide smile, approaching her for a hug. Oluhle was also happy to see her.
"Hey you. Why didn't you say that you were coming?!", she questioned with a tone laced with excitement. Luhle giggled.
"I wanted to surprise you"
She went over to hug her grandmother as well and it was all jolly spirits in the living room.
"I'll take this upstairs", Lwandile reported, referring to the suitcase. Betso, Evelyn and Luhle continued chatting up a storm. Luhle stood up so she could see Liwe and she immediately fell in love.
"Oh my word she looks just like you", she remarked before picking her up. Betso chuckled. She stood up to go get snacks and juice for the guest. Lwandile came back and joined them. They were busy discussing trendy topics, including the divorce of Blaze Hlongwane, a famous tycoon that was recently arrested for money laundering. Evelyn kept stealing glancss at Lwa, baffled by how invested he was in the topic. His brothers couldn't care less about such.
Luhle had taken off her sneakers and lifted her legs to the couch in her white socks. Mxolisi and his father came back. He immediately dropped himself on the couch and curled up there like a millipede. He was dirty like a pig whereas Muzi was spotless. He couldn't even afford to complain to his mother since she did not know why he was being punished in the first place. Mxo was looking for the right moment to tell her, considering the mess that's being going on in the house.
"What happened to you?", everybody asked. Lwandile was trying hard not to laugh. Great concern graced Evelyn's face. Violet was out running her own personal errands. She would've been the one to demand a sound explanation.
"Baby girl", Muzi greeted Luhle and prompted her to get up so he could hug her. She had a throw over her thighs.
"Bab' Pac'Money", she was also excited to see him. The throw fell to the floor when she got up and the smile on his face disappeared.
"You came all way from Durban looking like this?", He asked. She was wearing those ripped demon shorts with pockets sticking out like a rabid cow's tongue.
"Yeka umntwana hawu"(Leave the child alone)-Evelyn.
"Luhle?", Muzi called out in a threatening tone.
"Baba?", she answered with her fingers in her mouth.
"Sizoxabana", he warmed. She tried pulling them down but there was just not enough material.
"Soxabana Oluhle", he said with his finger pointed out. Betso knew not to get involved.
"I'll go change", she said and begged for forgiveness with through her eyes. She thought that she was at the right teenage age to be doing as she pleased. She evidently thought wrong. She dashed away. Muzi shook his head from irritation and sat down with the family. Everyone was focusing on his episode with Luhle that they forgot about the hissing Mxo on the couch. Lwandile tried to touch him and he flinched.
"Yey! Yey... don't touch. Handle with care", he said without raising his eyes to even see who was touching him.
"Umenzen umntwana Muzikayise?"(what did you do to the child?), Evelyn asked. Betso was breastfeeding. She was also curious to know.
"Mina?", Muzi asked and angled his chin towards his neck with his brow lifted.
"Yoh yoh yoh. Hayi cha. Mm-mh!"-Mxo. He was still hissing in pain. Evelyn got closer to Mxo and tried to touch him as well.
"Gogo please. If you love me, please, ungangibambi kub'hlungu nobhozo"(Don't touch me everything hurts)
"Baby?", Betso looked towards Muzi wigh questioning eyes.
"Kdliwan lay'khaya?"(What's for supper?), Muzi asked after standing up to pick up the bowl of peanuts and raisins on the coffee table, completely ignoring their concerned faces. Mxolisi's phone rang and he slowly, carefully took it out like he would break if he was abrupt.
"Baby?", he answered in front of everyone.
"Angikho right", he reported.
"Ngiyafa Ndalo", he said and Lwa's concern flew out the window. He exploded at Mxo's drama, laughing into the glass of apple juice he had in hand.
"Bayangizonda lay' endlin"(They hate me in this house)
"Uzondwa uba'?!"(Who hates you?), Evelyn questioned.
"They don't know that before I am a son, a brother and a grandchild I am somebody's boyfriend"
"WOW!", everybody simultaneously shot out as if was something they'd agreed upon. Muzi was laughing before his phone rang. He asked to be excused and went out to take it.
