What??! To say I was shocked was an understatement. My knees buckled and I held onto to the chair. The king was mental bethu! First he wanted us to be married in 5 months time and secondly he wanted the lobola negotiations to be held a week from now! I mean, what the heck?! What was the rush?! I felt panicked and overwhelmed. I can just imagine how my mother was going to take the news. Gosh! We were all dead. She really was going to kill us. The was no way in hell that she would agree to both of those things, especially about the negotiations.
Me: "Tata you told him that it won't be possible right?"
Father: "I did. I told him that I needed time to talk to your mother to convince her."
Me: "And what did he say?" My father chuckled shaking his head.
Father: "All I can say is that he's stubborn. So stubborn." Oh my gosh! ... "I'll talk to your mother and try to make her see reason but if she doesn't agree it will be up to you two to convince her."
Me: "Tata don't say that. If you can't convince her, Kumkani and I don't even have a chance. You know this." He sighed and shrugged.
Father: "I think this will be a good test to see how badly Kumkani wants these negotiations and the wedding to happen." He told me... "if he really wants what he says he wants then he'll do everything in his power to convince your mother if I fail to." Oh my gosh! This was a disaster. I'm telling you guys now, if my father happened to fail in convincing my mother about the lobola negotiations and the wedding then it would be near impossible for me, especially the king, to change her mind. One thing I know about my mother was that takes a decision she never goes back from it. I can already imagine all the things she was going to say to fight this whole thing. Oh Lord! I dropped on the chair feeling lightheaded and a bit defeated. But King was also pushing it. I mean, a year or two would've been enough to ease my mother into this whole thing. Definitely not a week.
Me: "What are we going to do?" I asked my father. Even though I felt as though the king was moving too fast with this whole marriage thing, I knew he wasn't going to be changing his mind. As my father had said, the king was stubborn. And so was my mother. Lord help us!
Father: "Let me talk to her first and then we'll take it from there." I groaned rubbing my eyes.
Me: "Are you going to talk to her now?" He shook his head.
Father: "Later." My father was going to tell my mother during their pillow talk.
Me: "Work your magic Dad." I teased winking.
Father: "Hayi you silly child." I giggled softly. He puffed out a laugh and shook his head standing up... "I'll leave you to your work ke Preshy."
Me: "Okay Tata." Immediately after he left the room I called the king. He picked up after a few rings.
Kumkani: "Beauti-."
Me: "5 months?!" I cut him off... "and the negotiations in a week's time! Really King?!" I whisper yelled... "are you trying to kill me?"
Kumkani: "No."
Me: "Then what? Because at the rate my heart is going , I swear I'll have a heart attack and die." He laughed. Yes people, he actually laughed. Even though I loved his laugh, this was not the time... "are you seriously laughing right now? Really? King, this is not the time okay? My mother is not going to agree to all of this."
Kumkani: "We'll see." The arrogance in his tone! Wow! Just wow!
Me: "King you're not listening to me-."
Kumkani: "I am beautiful."
Me: "No you're not." I told him... "you're not getting the seriousness of this whole thing."
Kumkani: "I am." Can you guys offer assistance and talk to him?
Me: "Can you tell me what's the rush?" I asked him tiredly.
Kumkani: "Just can't wait to make you mine."
Me: "But I'm already yours King."
Kumkani: "What I mean is, I can't wait to make you all mine little beauty. In every sense and every way possible. And you becoming my wife is the first step in doing that." The possessive way he said all that gave me goosebumps. Yeesh! Lendoda!
Me: "You're just too much, you know that?" He said nothing... "don't you care how I feel about all of this?"
Kumkani: "You want the truth to that question beautiful?"
Me: "Y-yes."
Kumkani: "No I don't. You already agreed to be my wife so everything else moving forward I'm going to do it my way." It's official! He has gone bonkers!
Me: "King you can't-."
Kumkani: "I can." He cut me off... "this is what it means to be mine beautiful. Deal with it." Say what now? Wow.
Me: "Kumkani!" I exclaimed in shock and disbelief.
Kumkani: "One thing you should know about me beautiful is that I'm a very dominant and controlling person. I like things to go the way I say or will them." He told me... "but with all that said, I would never hurt you or mistreat you. In everything I do I will always put you and your needs first. That is a promise." I don't know why my heart fluttered as he said that. I must be sick bethu. That's the only explanation. I mean, the man just told me that he will be making decisions for me...basically dictating my life...and instead of me being appalled, I found it to be romantic and sexy even. Yeah, I was sick alright. It's the voodoo I had been telling you guys about.
Me: "You're scary." I told him.
Kumkani: "I'm sorry little beauty. Scaring you wasn't my intention. Forgive me?" How could I win against that? Tell me people! I couldn't.
Me: "Okay." I mean, what could I say? Don't judge me bethu. I was realizing day by day that I was weak when it came to this man... "but what are we going to do about my mother? If my father fails to convince her then it'll be hard to change her mind."
Kumkani: "I'll take care of it beautiful. Don't worry."
Me: "But-."
Kumkani: "Love and trust. Remember?" I sighed.
Me: "Okay."
Kumkani: "I need to go now little beauty. Tell me you love me." God!
Me: "I love you."
Kumkani: "Love you more. Now hang up." God!
Me: "Are you going to go somewhere?"
Kumkani: "Yeah."
Me: "Work?"
Kumkani: "Yeah."
Me: "Oh."
Kumkani: "I'll be there to pick you up in the morning. Don't worry."
Me: "Okay."
Kumkani: "And I'll be collecting on that kiss I promised you." Oh my word! I had actually forgotten about that. My belly flipped. Couldn't wait... "now hang up beautiful."
Me: "King?" I called him.
Kumkani: "Yeah?"
Me: "Be safe please." He went quiet... "you hear?"
Kumkani: "I hear you little beauty." He said in a gruff voice.
Me: "Okay, I'm hanging up now." He hummed and I did. I felt so sorry for whoever the king was going to kill tonight. Was I really going to be a wife of a killer? I guess I was.
The time was 10pm when I heard my mother shouting "Asoze Zolani!" Oh my gosh! I had been busy on my assignment. I couldn't hear all that was being said but what I heard was enough to tell me that my mother was going to be a problem. She shouted things like "Andifuni ukuva niks Zolani" "Usemncinci gqith' uKhazimle for umtshato" "Zolani ayizukwenzeka lonto". So from those responses, I knew that we had our work cut out for us. Well, the king had his work cut out for him. He did say that I must love and trust him and that what I was going to do. I wasn't going to stress myself. But I won't lie, I was a bit anxious deep down. After I had finished working on my assignment I went to bed.
["Never Zolani" "I don't want to hear anymore Zolani" "Khazimle is still very young to get married" "That's not going to happen Zolani"]
Mother: "Listen to me carefully because I'm not going to tell you this again. You're not going to marry that man. Never!" She had entered the kitchen not long ago with me busy eating my cereal. She had banged the cupboards and made noises as she made herself breakfast breathing fire everywhere and looking all scary and then she had turned and said what she just said to me. I said nothing because I knew if I said anything it would make her more angry... "tshini ude uvume nawe ukutshata umncinci kangaka! Usazintoni ngomtshato wena ungazinto nje?" She released an angry scoff... "and khona wazintoni ngalandoda? Kungekudala ngok' ngok' ebesandokubanjwa lomntu which tells us a lot about the kind of work he does. So how can you agree to marry a person like that?" Even though she was asking me all those questions I knew she expected no answer from me.
[I don't know what came over you when you agreed to marry that man when you know nothing about marriage. And anyway what do you know about that man? Not so long ago he was arrested...]
.... "tshini khona wayembonaphi umtshato olungiselelwa nge 5 months yena? Uphilile enqondweni? Andiqondi." She clapped her hands... "qal'yiva! Tshini le! Ngumhlola hli! Hay nindincede mna please. Sanufuna ndife sistroke." I don't know how the king was going to win this, I really didn't.
[And where has he ever heard of a wedding being planned in 5 months? Is he in his right mind? I don't think so. You people want me to die with a stroke. I see.]
..."and it hasn't even been that long since you guys started dating kodwa selefuna ukutshata! Yee bethuna!" I hope the king will text me instead when he arrives rather than him to coming inside of this house. I was scared of what my mother would say to him if she laid eyes on him. My mother could say the meanest things when she was riled up like she was now... "and you haven't even healed yet from what that monster did to you. So how can? Hayi hayi! Focus on getting better first Khazimle and leave men alone." The doorbell rang. Oh my gosh! It was the king. I just knew it was him... "don't even move an inch." She ordered me as I was about to get down from my chair and go open the door. She disappeared out the kitchen... "Khazimle will take an Uber to school so you go back to wherever you came from." I heard her say. I jumped down from my chair and went to the door... "didn't I say you mustn't move?" She said to me.
Me: "Mama-."
Mother: "Andifuni uva niks kuwe wena!" She cut me off... "ndithe jika bhuti' ubuyele apho uvela khona!" She said raising her voice to the king who had his head bowed this whole time... "you think I won't close this door to your face with what you're doing?" She scoffed... "awundazi kahle. Mamela ke mfana. Uyagqibelisa namhlanje ukuza apha. I don't want you going anywhere near my daughter-."
[I don't want to hear nothing from you! I said go back to where you came from. You don't know me well. Listen here, this is the last time that you will come here today.]
Me: "Mama-."
Mother: "Yey! Thula wena!" [You keep quiet!]
Me: "But Mama-."
Mother: "Khazimle! Don't make me crazy!" I was about to say something else but the king raised his head and shook his head at me and then he went back to bowing his head again... "not only won't Khazimle be marrying you, she will also not be dating you anymore." What!.. "you hear me?" The king said nothing. He didn't even raise his head... "I said, did you hear me?" She shouted. The king still didn't say anything and he still had his head bowed. My mother released an angry huff and closed the door... "you go back to the kitchen and call an Uber." She said pointing me to the direction of the kitchen. Wasn't she being a bit too extreme about this whole thing na bethu? I mean what crime had the king committed in him asking me to be his wife? I sighed and did as she said. But I knew one thing, I wasn't going to stop seeing the king. I mean he was my fiancé after all, no matter what she said.
When the Uber arrived and I went outside, the king was nowhere to be seen. I sent him a text saying "Are you okay? I'm sorry about my mother." as the Uber was on the move. He replied "I'm fine little beauty. Don't worry." I texted "What are you going to do now?" He replied "Persistence is the key." I texted "I don't think persistence will work on her. She's very hardheaded." Like you. I didn't type that though. He replied "We'll see." I texted "I hate this. You didn't even get to give me the kiss you promised me." He replied "Don't worry about that beautiful." I texted "What does that mean?" No reply came through, even when I texted again with "???" Maybe he got busy with something? I sighed. What a morning!
When the Uber dropped me off at school I was surprised to see the king standing near the school entrance. I ran up to him.
Me: "You're here." I said breathing a little heavily with a big smile on my face.
Kumkani: "I'm here to fulfill my promise." Before I could say anything, he grabbed me by my neck, bent his head and kissed me right there and then, in front of all the onlookers there. After that bruising and all so consuming kiss he stared down at me with those intense eyes of his... "have a good day at school beautiful. And don't forget who you belong to." And then he walked off. Yeesh!
2 weeks has passed and my mother was still against me marrying the king. The king has been coming everyday to the house though without fail. Or should I say that he more like camped in front of the house, only leaving when it was dark out. Tell you no lies! You could say that the first couple of days of that first week were hella rough and tough. My mother had said a lot of not so nice things to king but the king never reacted even once. He always stood there at the door with his head bowed down to her no matter what insult my mother threw at him. She never said anything now when the king came by. All she did was to look at him and sigh walking away. The king had given me strict instructions not to plead his case to mother for him because by doing that it would only add fuel to the already burning fire. Even though I didn't like it, since I didn't like the treatment he was getting from my mother, I listened to him. It was just too much though bethu. Yhini uKing wam! My father though hadn't given up. He advocated for the king to my mother every day. At least, she no longer insisted on me taking an Uber to and from school as she had a week ago. And she said nothing when I chilled with the king in his car. I think she was caving people. Slowly but surely the king's persistence and silence were both weighing her down. But she was mad at me though because I had been getting the silent treatment. Maybe in a way she felt betrayed by me. Don't get me wrong guys, I understood why my mother was the way she was. I mean, I think every mother would react in the same way but I wished she could see how much the king and I loved each other.
Thankfully for whatever reason Anga hadn't been coming by the house for these past 2 weeks that this was all happening, because I feel he would've made matters worse if he had. My mother needed to agree before he decided to drop by for a visit.
It was Friday morning now. I just finished eating breakfast when the doorbell rang. Just in time. I sighed sadly. How long was this going to go on for? I really couldn't take it now. My poor King!
Mother: "Tell him to come in." My mother said as I was just about to say my goodbyes shocking the hell out of me. I went to do as she told me and the king followed behind me to the kitchen... "sit." She ordered and the king did as she said... "look at me." And the king raised his head and looked at her. I don't think the king has ever allowed anybody to order him around before as he had allowed my mother to. My mother would never get the magnitude of that. She stared at him for a long time and then she sighed... "why do you love my daughter?"
Kumkani: "Because when she came into my life she became the moon that shined through my darkness. And my life has been better ever since that moment." He answered without any hesitation. Oh my word! My mother kept quiet and watched him and then....
Mother: "What do you do for a living?" I held in my breath. There were two things that my mother could never know. That the king killed for a living. That the bad man had been the king's father. Because if she did, she would really do everything in her power to make sure that the king and I never saw each other ever again. I think she would even pressure my father for us to move as far away from Cape Town as possible.
Kumkani: "I own a security company." My mother squinted her eyes at him.
Mother: "Only that?"
Kumkani: "I own other businesses too and from time to time I do undercover work for the government."
Mother: "That time, why did you get arrested?"
Kumkani: "That had been government related." Which was not a lie. My mother sighed but her eyes stayed squinted on him.
Mother: "You have an answer for everything don't you?" The king said nothing... "what did you mean when you said Khazimle is the moon that shines through your darkness? What darkness?" The king fisted his hands on his lap.
Kumkani: "When I was young...things were also done to me like they had been done to Khazimle." He forced out. My King! My mother frowned.
Mother: "What do you mean by the things that were done to Khazimle were also done...." She trailed off and looked to me in alarm and I just nodded to confirm what she was thinking and she gasped loudly covering her mouth with her hand as tears glistened in her eyes. She kept her eyes on the king not saying anything as her lips trembled. God! I hope she didn't ask more because my king was holding on by a thin thread. Judging from the way he held himself tight and still, it had taken him a lot to say what he said to my mother. And he had told her only because he wanted my mother to give us her blessing. This man was really desperate to make me his wife bethu. My mother sniffed as she wiped her tears... "tell your family that the negotiations can proceed next week."........