…
Bongiwe and Gugu sat in the lounge watching Desperate Housewives. Gugu was having white wine while Bongiwe drank milk, sharing a bowl of seasoned popcorns.
“He’s still not taking your calls?”, Bongi asked when she realized Gugu’s mind was far and wandering. Gugu shook her head and pursed her lips sadly.
“He’s not taking mine too. I hate being caught up in this. Now my godson hates me”
A knock sounded from the door and Bongiwe stood up and placed the half a glass of milk on the coffee table.
“That must be the pizza…”, she said as she walked barefoot in her black jeans, headed towards the door. She opened the door and instant panic flushed down on her. She impulsively closed the door but Muzi had already placed his foot in.
“Uhm… MUZI, what are doing here?”, she said loudly so Gugu hears her and runs. Gugu popped her eyes and immediately stood up, tip toeing her way upstairs.
“You never call me that. Where is she?”, he gravely asked and Bongiwe swallowed, trying to piece together a convincing answer.
“She—“
“Get away from the door I don’t want to hurt you”, he said and kept a warning stare.
”Mr K Gugu is not her—“
“NGITHE, suka emnyango Bongiwe”(I SAID, get away from the door)
Bongiwe sighed and Muzi walked in.
“See, she’s not here”, she tried to convince. He scanned the room in silence. Two pairs of slippers next to the couch. He saw them and looked at her, silent.
“Those belong to my sister, who’s also not here. She left them there yesterday”
“You’re still lying?” – Muzi
She kept quiet. The bottle of wine on the table.
“So, you’re drinking both milk and wine all at the same time? What a cocktail”, he said and continued scanning around, slow steps, both hands in his pockets”. He went up.
“You’re invading my privacy”, Bongiwe said as she walked behind him. Muzi never replied, instead he kept walking.
“Nice pictures. How old were you here?”, he asked nonchalantly as he passed by her childhood portraits on the wall. Bongiwe exhaled from impatience, praying that Gugu found a good hiding spot.
Doors to three of the rooms were closed, except one. He twisted the handle and it refused to open.
“MaDlamini. I know you’re in there. Open the door”
Bongiwe just stood behind him with one hand on her waist. He wasn’t willing to repeat himself. After a moment, she unlocked the door but never opened it.
“If you hurt her…”, Bongiwe warned.
“Uzokwenzan?”(What are you gonna do?), Muzi asked and Bongiwe frowned. He raised both brows to emphasize the fear he did not have.
“Mr K…”
“Please excuse me. I need to speak to my wife”
She sighed and left in defeat.
He walked in and found her sitting on the bed, eyes dropped to her thighs. He studied her for a moment.
“That look doesn’t suit you. Drop the act” – Muzi
She exhaled and raised her eyes.
“You look good”, she complimented without a shadow of a smile. He walked over to go sit next to her. He loosely intertwined his fingers
Silence…
He eventually turned his face towards her.
“Gugulethu?”
No response. He turned his sight back to his hands.
After a while…
“Did you mean it?” —Gugu.
“Mean what?”
“When I called. You said there is no us. Did you mean it?”
“Did I sound unsure?”
She scoffed.
“For what it’s worth, I feel I need to say this since you never gave me the opportunity to. I am sorry”
“For which part?”
Silence.
“Sleeping with my brother and lying about it? Trying to murder my wife? OR trying to kill me tell me which part”
“Everything”
“I wanted to keep you locked up because I can’t kill you. Here you are, out and free. What happens now?”
“Now?”
He nodded.
“Now you will keep me out of that horrible place and allow me to have a relationship with my son”
He scoffed and fixed his watch.
“You hate me MaDlamini. You tried to kill me. How do I know that you’re not going to kill him just because he will obviously remind you of me?”
“I’d never— Dammit I gave birth to him. He doesn’t belong to you!”
“You’re right. He doesn’t belong to me. He belongs to nobody. I raised him to become a man and men make their own choices. You cannot dictate to a man. What’s gonna happen now is that we will both meet up with him AFTER his final exams and tell him the whole truth”
“Tad too late for that”
Muzi frowned.
“I told. Everything”, she added.
He kept silent.
“I told him everything and he stormed out. He isn’t taking any of my calls and he doesn’t want to speak to me. So listen up hubby, I will be a part of my boy’s life and you make sure of it. You owe me that much. I agree, all this should be done after his exams”
Muzi exhaled from a place of taxed patience.
“I’m gonna need you to disappear. I’ll set you up in a different country and make sure you have everything you need. Just make sure I never see your gorgeous face again and we’ll be good. I’d hate to make you a statistic”, he said and stood up.
“Angiyi ndawo”(I am going nowhere), she firmly stated and folded her arms.
“Angizwa?”(What was that?)
“Stop abusing your power Muzi and think of our kids. I’ve managed to reach Ava and we’re sorting our issues out. Don’t stand in the way of my relationship with Melokuhle. We both know you won’t kill me”
He stood and watched the audacity unravel. He leaned as if wanting to kiss her and placed his hand on the back of her neck.
“Mabuyi?”, he eventually said something, lowly.
“Zikode…”
“Ngizok’nyisa ugcine usufunana nomuntu ok’thakathayo engekho. Don’t test me” (I’ll fxck you up so bad you’ll end up blaming nonexistent witchcraft), he calmly warned.
She remained quiet but kept the attitude. He stood up straight and watched her for a brief moment before leaving.
…
The thing about secrets is that they have a heavy presence. They demand to be treated with respect and delicacy for as long they’re adorned in a dark robe. Manqoba walked into the living room and found Evelyn seated by herself, clearly stressed as she massaged her temples. She had her legs elevated on an ottoman.
“Have you tried aspirin?”, he said and unintentionally startled her. She jerked up from her seat and only started relaxing when she saw that it was just him. She sighed and shook her head.
“Has Muzi spoken to you about Odaliwe’s ancestral ceremony?”, she asked and he nodded.
“Speaking of uMuzi, when are you actually planning on telling him the truth? You cannot hide such a big secret forever and I am surprised the ancestors haven’t exposed you yet”, he said and looked at her for an answer. She anxiously shook her head.
“Not yet. Manqoba he will never forgive me. You know your brother and I cannot afford to lose him”
”You lost him the very same day you betrayed him. Now you’re pulling me in on this”, he scolded and she swallowed a rough lump.
“I have a bad feeling about all of this”, he said and his phone began ringing from the table. “I am giving you 72 hours to come clean or else I will do it for you”
She was about to protest but he had already answered the phone.
“When did this start?”, he continued speaking on the phone.
He sighed and cut the call.
“What’s going on? Who was that?”
“Administrative office. Apparently uSabelo no bab’mncan are busy selling pieces of land for R2300”
He dropped and rested his head on the leather couch.
“Wait. They scamming people now?”
“Seems like it”
He felt the headache coming back.
…
Melo sat on his bed lying on his back. Different thoughts kept fighting for top priority in his mind. He sat in the dark with the back of his hand on his forehead. The phone screen lit up from the charger and glanced at it. A call was coming through. He deflated his cheeks and accumulated the strength to get up. He smiled when he realized that Zamo was calling.
“Missing me already?”, he answered. She laughed.
“You’re so full of yourself. I need a favour”, she said.
“I wonder. What is it?”
“Jessica left with my textbook and she’s gonna bring it with to school. I amnot coming in so I am gonna need you to take it off her hands and I’ll take it from you. If you don’t she’s gonna give me the runaround when I need it. Can you do that for me?”
“I get the book from Jess, keep it with me and you’ll get it the next day at school. Got it baby girl”
“No I need you to bring it to my house around 5. Please I’m gonna use it at night”
“Just say you can’t go a day without seeing my face. Today was torture wasn’t it?”
She tried to conceal her laugh.
“Sonke are you gonna bring the book or not?”
“Not until you admit that you miss me”
“I don’t fxcking miss you’re a** I just need my book”
“I’ll tell Dylan to bring it. It makes more displacement sense”
“I don’t want Dylan anywhere near my house”
“But you want me?”
She sighed dramatically.
“Yekela” (Just leave it)
“Fine I’ll bring it, your Nkani-ness”
She shot out a laugh and said her thanks.
UNEDITED.
Episode 61
Start from the beginning
