In the living room of this small beautiful home that looks more like a rural house, situated in the peaceful yet treacherous town of Ameva and when I tell you that the area boasts of vast beauty, it truly does and a beautiful woman with cute dimples and a purple bead around her wrist sits opposite her mother in law, who has her reading glasses on and her “communication tool” in her hands that looks like the one that Aunt Nokubonga was holding.
“Nomashenge my child and the first Makoti of my family and the one that shall bore for my child, handsome and beautiful children, she says as she lowers her reading glass to meet the beauty standing in front of her and I personally tell you that Nomashenge was a goddess of beauty and it’s true what they say, South African women are beautiful.
“Thank you Ma”, she says with a tiny voice as she looks down brushing her foot on the carpet, something that her sons possibly inherited from her.
“I know that I’m not wealthy like your family... or at least well off like them, but I am just a simple woman that had to make sure that her children get what they want in life... I made sure that all my daughters and son got married so that they don’t end up like me... Benjamin never knew his father and in my days as a prostitute I hardly ever knew anyone’s name... I was only interested in their money 💰 and nothing more but something about his father left an impression... he was the first man that spoke with me about his problems... he told me that left his hometown because he wasn’t ready to take responsibility or follow in the footsteps of his father... because he felt that life was more than just “Eastern Cape” and he wanted to explore the beauty of South Africa and he may have looked tough but he was the sweetest and I remember that night I smiled like a madwoman... he had this charming aura that your husband also has”, she says with a smile making Nomashenge to looks down with some shyness and second hand embarrassment, since she was generally a shy woman, and used to keep to herself.
“But before he left... he left me with this”, she says as she shows her the communication tool and slowly hands it over to her) I don’t why he left me with It or maybe he knew that he had already knocked me up with a son, she says with a joking smile.
“But he told me that it was a tradition in their place that this must passed down to the chosen daughter in-law from her mother in law and it’s called a Fimbo... in that way the mother’s honour and somehow position has passed on to the daughter in law... I give it you so that you will give it to you daughter in law that has been chosen”, she says it with a smile as she hands it over to her daughter in law.
As Nomashenge holds on to the communication tool (Fimbo), she immediately sees a flash of images appearing, showing a village and two beautiful young women with one having a colourful bead and the other one, a single colour and a man very tall with a light skin and tiny eyes.
She comes out of her “seer episode” to see her mother in law, looking at her with a concerned look and asking that what could be the problem.
She quickly comes up with an excuse telling her that, she mustn’t bother and that her mind was a bit far than usual.
Her mother in law slowly nods her head as she looks at her through her reading glasses with an examining eye and as for Nomashenge, she knows that they is more to communication tool that what meets the eye.
Years later, Mabutho is about seven years old with Nkosi about five years old and Nganono still at the age of three, and their playing around in the yard with their mother, who is heavily pregnant with Zimele and Bab’Dlamini massaging her feet, it’s been one of those days where they have some peace in the house and they is no quarrels or argument that sometimes require intervention from their nosy neighbours that Nomashenge hates with passion or the church that has since branded Nomashenge a witch due to her gift of seeing people’s lives, deaths and futures.
They sit down peacefully until she decides to break the silence.
“Baba... I wanted to tell you or rather ask you something very important”, she says with a tiny voice as if one asking a monster of a man.
“Something important like what... Nomashenge”, he says as he focuses on massaging the legs of a swollen pregnant woman and to be honest out of all, Nomashenge’s pregnancies, this one was the one that brought her husband closer to her somehow.
She slowly removes her feet from his laps, leaving Bab’Dlamini surprised and places them down, “This family... is nothing but a very important piece in my life... I have been having a series of visions”, she says in a low toned voice making Bab’Dlamini to immediately let out a heavy sigh, as if he knows where this is going and I think he possibly knows.
“I can’t raise children who do not know where they’re father comes from... one day these children of ours will need to know where they come from... they will need to know about their father’s paternal heritage, she says as she rubs her belly, showing the purple bead. “Baba... I only want what’s the best for you and my children... find your home and reclaim what your ancestors want you to reclaim and free me from my visions”, she says with a low yet concerning voice.
He slowly stands up and looks to see how his children are preoccupied with playing and immediately turns to face Nomashenge with an angry face, “Listen here wena and listen very carefully, I am not going anywhere to search for anything that never wanted to do anything with me in the first place... if they wanted me... then they should have looked for me... physically and not through those your weird... ugly visions that carry nothing but witchcraft in them, he says with anger in voice as he tells her those hurtful words.
Immediately her face changes and it’s as if she is about to burst in tears, “Next time... I hear you talking about this rubbish again... I will send you back to Vereeniging without thinking twice”, he says as he immediately leaves Nomashenge sitting with tears flowing like a stream that she immediately wipes away, so that her sons must not see.
A year after Zimele was born and Nomashenge was seated in the living room, all by herself as Nkosi and Mabutho had gone to school and Nganono and Zimele were left behind, since they were both very young to go to school.
Now her early morning routine was to watch those funny comedy sketches of those roommates that used to pass on SABC, and I can tell you now that thank the almighty that I was born during the times when television was in colour because God knows that I wasn’t going to be able to survive with the black and white colour.
Now imagine watching a scary story on it with those scary characters from our african folklore, like abo tolokoshi and gang.
Anyways as she laughs out loud, her husband quickly enters in the house singing and rejoicing as if one that has found wealth or lost treasure, he moves to where she is sitting and quickly sits besides her and tells her that he has met with someone that is going to change his life for good, prompting his wife to ask him as to who is this person that has changed or is going to change his life.
He quickly tells her that it’s Muzi Khanyile (alias Bab’Khanyile) and immediately her face changes as she faces the TV, making Bab’Dlamini to ask her that why has her faced changed by the mention of Bab’Khanyile.
“Look, Baba I don’t want to act as if I’m overstepping my boundary or what here, but that man... is nothing but bad news and you know it, my spirit never agreed with guy from the first day we met him at the market, she says as with a frowning face.
“So, what do you want me to do, I’m trying to find a solution and a breakthrough for our family... can’t you see that... it's all about connections”, he says raising his voice at a slow pace.
“Like, I said earlier... I don’t want to overstep my boundaries and I apologize, if I did but I can’t watch my own husband put his hands in fire and risk my children to get drawn into a world that is not for them, but if it’s your desire then it’s fine, all I am saying is that they is so much going on with that man and his family, and how mysteriously his wife died”, she says turning her face back to the television.
“Where is Zimele and Nganono”, he says as he let’s out a heavy sigh.
“They’re Inside the room”, she says without even looking at him, her eyes still glued to the television.
He slowly stands up and moves to the room, where Zimele and Nganono are sleeping.
I can’t marry or be with someone that won’t listen to my warnings that are clearly showing themselves.
7 years later, Bab’Dlamini is in the bar and he is drinking the usual and you know it, whisky and it’s like he is on a marathon to finish that glass and as he scoops the last one, he meets with Jerry, who is sitting alone with a beer bottle and it’s like his heart 💓 just stopped as he looks at Jerry and admires the beauty that comes with Jerry.
He decides to join him and begins to share a drink with him and as their conversation deepens, they find out that they have many things in common but their conversation is soon short-lived as Jerry’s girlfriend comes in with a baby beautiful wrapped up in a small blanket and hands it over to him.
“Here, you left this in my vagina”, she says as she places the bags that have the bottles and clothes on the floor, making Jerry to stand up with the baby in his hands.
“What’s the meaning of this, how can you dump on me a baby like this and worse at a bar”, he says trying to cuddle the baby that is crying with Bab’Dlamini trying to take the bags from the floor and placing them on the table.
“The meaning of this, is that I don’t want it again... you see that thing in your arms... that confusing thing in your arms, I don’t want it and listen to me now, you were a mistake and whatever that came with you was a mistake, I don’t want to ever see you in my life or that child”, she says after which she spites on the floor and quickly leaves the baby with Jerry and as he sits down with his baby, he slowly starts to shake the baby trying to make him quiet and that immediately softens BabDlamini’s heart as he admires the way Jerry is cuddling the baby and when Jerry raises his head to meet with Bab’Dlamini, he immediately blushes by the mere charming aura that comes with his eyes.
Chapter 20.
Nomashenge
Bab’Dlamini is lying on the floor with his blood already dried up on the floor, and one can see that he is weak as he can’t even bring himself to answer the phone that is ringing uncontrollably.
The phone continues to ring and ring, And he finally gets the courage to stand up and throw it to the wall and immediately letting out a painful scream.
Mabutho is sitting near the riverbank with a glass of whisky as to how he got it, in such a place, well that’s a mystery.
He drinks it slowly and that’s when he gets a nod on his back, making him to turn and come face to face with Mukuna, who gives him a smile in a return.
“Finally, everything worked out in the end”, he says sitting next to him.
“I don’t know but I tend to believe that everything is working out and to be honest, thanks for being a good buddy to me”, he says as he hits fits with Mukuna.
“Well, if I don’t do it for you guys then who will I do it for but at least now things will be better and what’s better is that Ma is here and he is... understanding things at his own pace and I believe soon he will be back to his right senses”, he says with a smile.
“Well, I hope so because I can’t say how much he has changed our lives... I mean I never thought me and my brothers were going to be dependent on a person, in fact it was supposed to be vice versa but I guess everything has it’s own purpose”, he says with his eyes fixed on the river, where they were being washed.
“Well, you have decided to visit your untold past bit by bit, and it’s all because of him, and before you say anything... let me tell you something... you can’t build a future that had no past, for they is no past without a future or a future without a past... if your father doesn’t want to visit his past then his past will visit you guys, so as the first son... it’s your responsibility to push and dig deep for the sake of your family”, he says patting him on his shoulder.
“Now, you are needed”, he says.
“Needed where”, Mabutho says with great confusion.
“Just follow me”, he says as he stands up, holding his hand.
They end up at a door, where he meets with his brothers and are directed inside with Mukuna remaining outside with Aunt Nokubonga and where they step in, they find Hector and Harriet kneeling down with their backs facing them and their front to the old man known as a traditional mediator and he is wearing a leopard skin around his upper body and his pants tied with a red rope, I’m telling you if let’s scare you was a person then it would be this old man.
As they slowly move forward, the man immediately stops them with his terrifying voice and fearful aura, telling them that they should not move an inch from where they stopped and that’s when he calls Zimele telling him to come forward of which he does and tells him to stand in between Harriet and Hector.
Zimele stands in between them and sees that Harriet and Hector, are both facing their heads down, but his eyes are carefully fixed on hector, alerting the traditional mediator.
“I can see that that you want this one...”, he says making Zimele to slowly nod in agreement.
“But This One Can’t Exist With This One Or The Other Way Around, he says pointing to Harriet”
“It’s destiny that you should marry both of them, one can’t exist without the other”, he says making Zimele to turn to see his brothers, who are equally shocked, and with his face slowly turning to face the traditional mediator.
“I know that you are afraid but it has been the will of your ancestors since the dawn of a powerful man’s lineage... those beads around their wrists”, as he points to them, Zimele looks at Hector’s and Harriet’s wrist.
“Those beads are a sign of their responsibilities and roles with in the family... your mother worn it and his father worn it (Nkosi looks at his brothers, who are equally shocked) now it has been passed on to them.... your father’s ancestors from his father’s side want you guys back... his lost seeds back within their yard in Nqamakwe (They look at each other, with shock and surprise)... I know it’s too much but the only way you guys can have a good life is too drop your grandmother’s surname and use... your grandfather’s surname of which is KaDikana.... and to prove that... they have been bringing people like Jerry Masilo with his taxi money and beautiful heart (Hector Breathes Heavily) and Nomashenge Khoza with her gift of seeing the unseen... but they failed which led to their untimely demise and now your ancestors are trying again with them (He points to Hector and Harriet)... failure to do what is required... will result in a lot of unexplained predicaments... most especially to him (He points to Hector, making Zimele to breathe heavily).... since his the chosen one and that which he is holding (Zimele looks at the communication tool in hector’s hand) is the key.
As a staring contest begins amongst them, Dineo continues to make calls to Bab’Dlamini hoping that he will pick up but unfortunately he doesn’t pick up and this is not only making her angry but she is fuming with anger because she is not sure what Jamie Hugo is planning against him, which in turn could implicate her.
Meanwhile Bab’Dlamini is moving in his house with his shirt weird open, and one can truly say that despite the fact that he is old but this man is hot like a heater.
He moves to the living room and looks around, only for him to see Nomashenge’s ghost on the sofa waiting for Him, he quickly runs to it and begins to beg her, telling her that he is sorry for killing her and using her for money rituals, she then tells him that “if only you listened to me... when I warned you... I told you (Tears start to stream) now look you are alone and all the wealth that you accumulated from my death... my blood has come back to haunt you”, she says and immediately her ghost disappears.
Tears stream down his face as he looks at the dinning table, he sees Jerry’s ghost sitting at the helm of the table with his eyes fixed on him.
He quickly runs to him and tells him, as he holds on to his legs that he is sorry for killing him and that he has no words to justify his actions.
Jerry smiles and tells him that “You see greediness has the power to teach some humbleness in it’s former bearer... I always used to think that maybe... just maybe it was my fault but then I realized that some things are just born in.. for my blood... you will pay with your blood” and immediately jerry disappears, making him to scream so loud saying no!!!!!, with his eyes falling on the drawer near the dinning table.
Meanwhile it’s late in the evening, as in a few hours from now, the Dlaminis’ will be entering in 2008 and one can see hector making his way to the kitchen to find something to eat but he can’t find anything that will be of great assistance to his undying appetite and overgrowing desire to stay away from nausea things.
He turns to leave as he rubs his stomach in hunger and that’s when he meets with Zimele standing at the entrance in his tracksuits with an all star shoe and he is looking at him with an examining eye 👀.
“what are you looking for... Ma, he says whilst looking around.
“The name is hector not ma, and what I’m looking for is actually none of your business... now get out of my way..., he says with a straight face
As Hector passes him, Zimele immediately holds his wrist and it’s like shockwaves are sent into hector’s body.
Zimele without turning, brings Hector to face him.
“Don’t act dump... it doesn’t suit you and what worse... I can clearly see that you are hungry... hence I brought fruits earlier on as I know how much you have grown to like your bananas and oranges... now sit down”, he says with a commanding tone forcing Hector to sit down on the dinning chair is in this kitchen.
Zimele then moves to the kitchen and makes way for the cupboard, and brings out the fruits that he had bought and begins to peel the oranges with the knife and also cutting the bananas into small pieces, after which he hands them over to hector.
“I hope that this will be enough, he says.
“Thank you”, he says as he stands up and is about to make way for the living room or better still his bedroom, that Aunt Nokubonga gave him, and that’s when he gets stopped by Zimele who asks him that where is he going.
“I am going to my room... I will be eating there”, he says whilst moving to where he came from.
“Sit down and eat with me... I won’t repeat myself...”, he says with an authorized voice.
Hector let’s out a heavy sigh and moves to sit with him and quickly begins to eat, with his eyes looking the other way, man whatever that has caught Hector, has caught really bad.
Zimele smiles because he knows that sometimes to make someone hear your side of the tale, you got get tough and when I say tough, I mean tough but not physically tough.
“Your face is changing at a very fast pace”, he says with a concerned look.
“So you are trying to say that I am fat”, hector says.
“No...no I didn’t say that... all I said was that your “face” is changing... No need to get all rational, it’s just your nose is slowly becoming bigger”, he says quickly pushing the banana slice into his mouth.
“Well, I prefer being like this...now why did you make me sit here, I could have eaten in my room and enjoyed my fruit meal without a hassle but no hamba wena, you decided to make me sit here like some toddler”, he says making Zimele to smile.
“Well, you are my toddler and as such I must treasure you and what’s more... me and you have a strong connection... that no one can break”, he says as he tries to push his left hand to him.
“Oh strong connection, what about Harriet Khanyile – Dlamini Or I should I say KaDikana”, he says making Zimele to slowly take away his hand.
“Look here Zimele, I don’t want to be that family member that everyone will hate for rejecting his partner’s wishes... I’m trying to think here for myself and her”, he says pushing the small piece of banana in his mouth.
“You don’t know what she did... do you know that she placed something for me in my drink, so that I can have sex with her”, he says.
“And so... you were failing to give her what she needed from you and that was the person in the middle of your legs, so my dear had to make a plan to fertilize her vagina, she can’t be dry forever... It’s unfair”, he says leaving him shocked.
“You can’t be serious... I love you not her, I want to be with you and not her...”, he says.
“Love is all about unnecessary and necessary sacrifices and haven’t I sacrificed for you enough... so then my dear friend you should be ready to make sacrifices after all you said you loved me or love me and what’s worse I come in a bundle, I can’t exist without her... I don’t want to end up like my father”, he says as he stands up and moves to where he came from, leaving Zimele shocked.
As Hector walks majestically with the plate in his head, he stops halfway as he gets a sharp pain and immediately let’s go of the plate in his hand and it falls to the ground, as he let’s out a not so loud scream, making Zimele to quickly rush to his assistance.
Hector immediately gives him the hand and tells him that “I don’t want your hands on me”, hector quickly breathes in and out heavily as if one In Labour and as the pain cools down, letting Hector to have a small breather with Zimele that doesn’t want to leave his sight, they immediately hear police sirens outside and as Zimele wants to stay with Hector, he gets told by him that he must go and see what’s happening.
Zimele is then forced to go and check outside, only for him to find his brothers trying to stop the police from taking Nkosi away with Jamie Hugo telling the police officers to use force if needs be.
As they try to push him inside the van, he refuses to enter calling hector’s name like a young child calling his mother and that’s when hector comes Out of the house and immediately he breaks free of their shackles and runs to Hector with his hands cuffed, and tells him with tears in his eyes that “Please don’t leave him... don’t leave us... I will be back... I’m innocent”, and before he can say any word he gets taken away by the police officers.
Zimele and his brothers including the entire family at the house, all remain quiet and shocked, as they all stand watching the vans go, with their brother.
© All Rights Reserved By George Osumba
2022