Muzi arrived home and found Mxo talking on the phone, watching television at the same time. He removed the phone from his ear and greeted his dad, who was already changing the channel.
“Ja saan”, Muzi greeted him back. Mxo laughed at the provocative tone his father used.
“Ukuphi uLwandile?”, Muzi asked as he channel-hopped.
“Taking a shower”, Mxo answered.
“Come call me when he’s done”
Mxo gave him a thumb up and Muzi left. He got to the bedroom and found his wife carefully putting Liwe to sleep in her cot.
“Baby”, he greeted as he closed the door behind him, slowly and cautiously. She never replied, nor looked in his direction.
“Sthandwasami. Ngicela s’hlale phansi sikhulume mama” (Let’s have a seat and talk), he requested chivalrously before sinking down on the bed. Nothing on her face said she was mad but he knew she was. She tried to settle down next to him but he placed his hand underneath her bxtt and made her stand up again. She knew exactly what that meant. She got in between his legs and sat on his thigh. He had his hands stroking and placed on the small of her back.
“There’s something I want us to discuss. Angazi ukuthi ngizoy’ qala ngakuphi le kodwa… UMadlamini uphumile ejele”(MaDlamini is out of prison)
Betso kept her poise.
“Ungizwile makaLiwe?”(Did you hear me?), he asked. She nodded.
“Is that where you’ve been when you were away?”
“Not necessarily but yes”
“Do you have her number?”, she questioned and kept a grave stare. He frowned.
“We can’t live with guards forever. You’re having the kids watched without their permission and that’s not okay”
“You don’t need to worry about—“
“Apart from the guards and all, I just want to speak to her. Please”
Muzi scratched his head. He was about to reply when he felt his phone vibrate.
“Uxolo kancan sthandwasam”, he asked to be excused before taking it.
“Yes?”
“Wenzen uLwandile?”(What has Lwandile done?), he questioned with a raised brow and Betso unsuspiciously paid careful attention. Muzi laughed.
“I know”, he continued speaking to whoever on the phone.
“Yes. I know. Your job is to make sure he’s safe. Nothing else”
He cut the call and Betso asked what was going on.
“Nothing you need to worry about. As I was saying—“
“If it concerns my son then I need to kno—“
“I know that uLwandile is gay”, he said, deadpan. Betso’s face went pale.
“Huh?”, her brain was still a scrambled.
“Uthi huh? Aikhulume ngento esiy’hlalele la asseblief?” (Can we please discuss the topic at hand?), he was a second away from a sigh.
“Wait. How long have you—“
“Doesn’t matter. If you want to meet up noMadlamini then I’ll have to be there”
“That will defeat the whole purpose. I want peace”
“And how do you plan on achieving that? Mabuyi is very unpredictable and I don of put out fires. Let me handle her”
“Do you want her back?”
“Iqhamukaph’ manje leyo?” (And where is that coming from?)
“Don’t get me wrong. This is not an attack. Answer me Mbulazi”
“Cha” (No)
He dropped her slightly smiling face and looked at him suspiciously”
“Yin manje? Ngithe cha” (What is it now? I said no), he gave a sober response. She exhaled and took his hand.
“There’s a lot at stake here. I know you haven’t but I’ve been forgiven her. We can’t live this. Melo needs his mother”
“This is not only about you sthandwasami and k’fanele ukuzwisise lokho. Nicabangela yena uMelokuhle and everyone else around him. I could’ve handled this whole situation better from the start ngiyavuma, but everything she has done is unforgivable. Ngiyaxolisa”
“Can I give you some advice?”
“Cha. Lala ngoba ukhathele” (Sleep cause you’re tired)
“No baby listen. I believe she acted out of anger. I know I haven’t been saying anything but I’ve been thinking about this whole situation all these years. Plus Melo not wanting to come stay here, it made me question a lot of things. Our relationship is fine noboy but there is this holding back he always does. Like he feels as though he’d be betraying his mom if he displayed all the love that’s due to her, to me. That hurts me because I love him. However, in my being hurt, I also understand that he needs his own mother”
“Ngicela ukuyogeza?” (Can I please go bath?), he kept a straight face and she sighed, before standing up. He took moderately quick steps to the bathroom. Liwe started crying.
“You’re cranky today nana. Hm? Whats long?”, she babied her as picked her up. She sat with one foot on the bed and the other hanging. Muzi came back shirtless.
“Can I?”, nothing about his foul mood had changed but he still wanted to hold her. She knew better than to argue. She handed the baby over. It took him a minute to calm her down. A smile grew on his face when she began dozing off and smiling in her sleep. Betso stood up to watch this. She smiled too and brushed Liwe’s chin as she laid in her father’s arm.
“I wonder what she’s dreaming about…”, she said adoringly. Muzi snorted a laugh before saying:”Ukhuluma nokhokho bakhe” (She’s speaking to her ancestors)
He continued rocking her to complete sleep. A knock sounded from their door and Betso went to get it.
“Nithe ngin’ bize” (Y’all said I should call you”, Mxo said with both his hands languidly hanging from his sides.
“Nna?” (Me?)
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis something verse something. Are the two of you not married?”, he asked with a straight face and his parents were already laughing.
“Ulazeph ibhayibheli wena?” (Where did you get that?), Muzi asked from within the room as he placed Liwe down.
“I heard it from a bishop this morning on some prayer show”, he said passively and walked in.
“Oya kae nou?” (And where are you going?), Betso asked.
“I’m taking the baby sis with me”, he said and climbed on the bed.
“But she’s sleeping nje!”, the rents shot out at the same time. Liwe started crying.
“See what you’ve done now? Woza baby there’s obviously no peace in this room”, he picked her up and left. They laughed a moment later”
“Are you sure this is our son?”, Muzi asked, still laughing.
“I am sure he’s YOURS!”, she said with humorous vehemence. Muzi clucked before heading back to the shower.
…
