[MABONTLE]
This man is carrying on like nothing happened and I am on the brink of a confession. Last night when we arrived at home, he took a shower then a nap. When he woke up, he was back to the Fikani I know. My inners are frozen with guilt and apprehension. I’m even thinking of seducing him so we can talk about this in bed. Maybe then I’ll be more convincing when I tell him that I’ve never met Vincent a day in my life. The sun is out and he’s getting dressed. I’m even afraid to ask what his day is looking like.
‘Are you okay, baby?’ he asks and I nod while scrolling on my phone. I am aimlessly switching between different apps, including the calendar and the calculator. I’ve already taken a shower because I woke up before him. I actually did not get much sleep. He kisses me and tells me that he’ll be hosting the Mavundzas today for a meeting. I don’t know what about that surname grates my nxpples but I would rather not hear it.
‘Baby?’ I call when he approaches the door. He turns around and looks at me inquisitively. I stand up from the bed.
‘Can we talk about what happened yesterday?’
It takes him a moment to respond. I really don’t understand that look in his eyes but it’s making me feel like I’m an accomplice to murder. He walks back and settles next to the spot I was sitting on. I sit back down.
‘I know that you’re angry but I don’t understand why you’re behaving this way. Why are you not confronting me about what happened yesterday?’
‘Why do you need to be confronted?’
I clear my throat.
‘Wrong choice of words. But there’s obviously tension between us and I want us to talk about what happened’
‘I’m all ears’
‘That guy cornered me in the aisle yesterday. He wanted my number and wouldn’t take no for an answer’
‘From what I saw, you looked comfortable in his embrace’
‘No I wasn’t. I swear’
‘Are you sure you don’t know that man, my love?’
I nod.
His unexpected laughter is full of crude sarcasm.
‘Look at me’ he says and I do. I can feel my eyes getting wet. I won’t back down though. Vincent is a thing of the past and he shall remain buried there!
‘I’m going to ask you this one more time and I’m never coming back to this question again. Are you one hundred percent sure you don’t know that man?’
I feel my heart drumming out of control.
‘I swear…’
‘Do you honestly think that I cannot tell when there’s uncomfortable history between two adults?’
I quickly shut my eyes the moment he stands up. I don’t know but something just convinced me I’m in danger. When I open them, I find him looking at me, very much unruffled.
‘My Achilles heel, according to the Great Don. Helen of Troy… You’re such a terrible liar’ he punctuates his statement with a kiss and walks out on me. I don’t care what’s going on between us but I need Kuli here. I call her and she answers on the third ring.
‘Hey…’ she sounds less angry than she’s been recently.
‘Can you please come to my room?’
‘Are you okay?’
‘Physically, yes. Emotionally? Absolutely not’
‘Well I cannot come to your marital bedroom Mabontle, it’s against the rules. Come meet me in the nursery’
‘On my way. But wait, is Mhan’ Masingita there?’
‘She just left’
I leave our bedroom and I go to her. I find her answering AK’s endless questions while going back and forth on the rocking chair, with Tlhari in her hands.
‘Yes you’re going to grade one next year because big boys go to big school, not kindergarten’
‘And I’ll also be wearing uniform?’
Kuli nods. ‘Now please go to Mhan’ Maria. She will make you breakfast so you can be strong enough for tomorrow. Tell her not to forget your medication as well. Ask her nicely’
He nods and greets me before running past. He didn’t see me when I walked in because he was busy looking his mother in the eye. He’s such a handful. Yesterday he asked me why I don’t have a little baby like Kuli. I had no response for him.
I sit on the velvet single couch next to her.
‘What’s eating you?’ she asks.
‘Fikani’
She laughs. ‘He’s the one eating you? Such a double entendre’
‘This is serious. I did something and now I’m not sure if it was the right call’
‘What did you do?’ she asks while trying to fix the brown blankie that’s wrapped all around her baby.
‘So yesterday when we came back from seeing Masedi…’
‘Sorry to disturb you but how is she?’
‘She’s okay. Fikani managed to get through to her’ I quickly respond. I am not here to speak about my delinquent little sister.
‘That’s good. What happened after the visit?’
‘We went to—’ I stop. That open door might break my marriage. I stand up to go close it and come back.
‘We went to get some food then parted ways because I needed some deodorant’
She nods.
‘I then bumped into my ex. He saw us and now I don’t understand his behaviour’
‘Wait. What were you doing with the ex? He’s just mad that you bumped into someone you knew previously?’
‘He had his hands on my shoulders. And he’s… I’d say old’
She lifts a brow. ‘Ex? How old?’
‘He’s in his early sixties now. He’s some politician who happened to help me out financially when I desperately needed it’
‘Oh so Fikani is mad at the fact that he was touching you? I think that’s reasonable though. Would you be happy if you found some woman’s claws on him?’
‘There’s more…’
She sighs. ‘I’m even afraid to ask’
‘We spoke about it just now and I lied because I just couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth. Now I regret it’
She switches arms and cautiously brings Vutlhari’s head to her left.
‘I really don’t know how to advise you right now. Call aunty Lydia. She might speak some sense. Although she might probably be on a yacht somewhere and not answer your calls’
I go silent. I messed up, didn’t I?
‘Because I can say tell him the truth and it might add fuel to the fire. I can also say put this to rest and hope it never comes out but you know what they say about a can of worms right? I wouldn’t encourage anyone to build any relationship on a bed of lies’
One of the helpers comes in and calls me, saying our guests have arrived downstairs, then leaves. Guests?
‘How do I look?’ I ask.
‘Mhan’ Singi would be impressed. You look like the wife of her dreams’ she jokes and I laugh. I even have a headwrap on. I leave in her there and go greet the Mavundzas.
‘This is my beautiful wife, Mabontle’ Fikani introduces us with his hand on my waist. This is the Khensani he said is not his type? I cannot keep my eyes off her while they exchange pleasantries between the three of them. She looks like she came straight out of a magazine cover! And this bxtch had to make sure to flaunt her flat stomach and that her cleavage shows under that tucked in silk shirt. She’s all snatched up and my brain is glitching at this sight. She’s straight up flirting with him and I doubt she’s going to acknowledge my presence anytime soon. Her eyes fall on mine and we stare at each other. Her devious smile has just given me the answers to all my questions. Am I seriously the only one who’s seeing how she’s looking at me? She whips her bouncy curly weave behind her and looks at Fikani, who is paying all mind to her father.
‘Shall we get started?’ she asks, looking at him through eyes that scream she wants to devour him.
‘Sure’ he kisses my cheek and leads them to the office. I watch her strut her way behind the men – swaying her curves left and right in those wide-legged formal pants. I scoff. Breathe Mabontle, breathe. That girl has nothing on you. I go to the kitchen to go organize breakfast for his guests. I didn’t ask if they’d like tea or coffee. I’m going to ask for coffee to be made for them. Hopefully the caffeine content gets too much to handle for her so she gets a cardiac arrest and dies! I am certain that if anybody pays enough attention, they will see hot steam coming out of my ears because the nerve of this girl?
…
[NARRATED]
After Fikani concludes his meeting and ushers his guests out, he goes back to the study and closes the door behind him. He pulls out his phone and dials Stone’s number. While waiting for his former partner in crime to answer the phone, he takes a seat on the leather chair.
‘Big guy’ Stone answers with his voice lathered in glee.
‘Stone Cold. How are you, man?’
‘We’re still cruising outchea’ he responds in his coloured accent. ‘How’s the straight and law-abiding life treating you? I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your coronation man. Laying low. You know how it is’
‘Don’t sweat it. Listen, I need your help’
‘Anything. Speak up’
‘I need you to get me the CCTV footage a certain shop. Only between 10h30 and 11h00, in the cosmetics aisle. I’ll send you the details’
‘What’s jumping?’
‘I need to recognise some guy. I think it’s that corrupt VL Nkwashu but I’m not sure. I need to be certain that it’s him. If it’s him, do a little digging up on how he’s related to Mabontle Motaung and come back to me’
‘Who is she? What does she do? Give me something to work with’
‘Medical doctor by profession. Sotho. Went to SMU, I think from 2016. Originally from Soweto’
‘Wait a minute broer. Isn’t that your wife? The one that grootman wanted to cima not so long ago?’
‘It is’
‘So… why don’t you ask her and hear from the horse’s mouth?’
‘That’s because the horse won’t speak’
‘Aiy man I don’t think this is a good idea. Talk to your woman, Joe’
‘Stone?’
‘Okay fine. Send the thingamajigs and I’ll get back to you’
‘My guy…’
They cut the call and Fikani sends the specifics. He decides against working when finds it difficult to think and goes out to his ‘fresh air’ spot by the river to camp there. He opens the boot and sits there by himself, listening to the birds chirping. His phone rings.
‘My beautiful wife…’ he answers.
‘Where are you?’
‘Not too far from home. What’s up?’
‘We need to talk. Please come back’
‘Okay’
‘I love you?’
‘I love you too. More than you’ll ever know’
She lightly giggles and ends the call. He throws the phone in the empty boot, sighs and continues staring ahead while popping his knuckles and slowly consuming a litre of water. After a while of sitting there, Stone eventually calls him back.
‘Talk to me’
‘You are not going to like this…’
…
[LARONA]
‘Will you be okay?’ he asks after changing from his formal wear to casual. We’re back from court and now he’s arranged to go meet up with his friends who apparently live here. This air BnB seems safe. I will be fine. I nod as I pull an apron over my neck. I am making my favourite meal today. The case did not take long and luckily it was in the morning. Our client’s offense wasn’t that deep. She was arrested because of Dettol wipes, which she bought at another branch of the same store. The security was convinced that she had stolen the pack because it was still new and untouched. Luckily for her, the slip was still in another bag of hers. Her rich parents weren’t having it after she was proved innocent and now they want to sue the store. I say they must go for it. These shops are making our lives a living hell. Now we can’t use and carry around the things we buy? I feel him hug me from behind and I almost jump, then tell myself to relax. He’s not saying a word.
‘How are you planning on making this work, Kurhula?’
‘I can’t tell you in words. I can only show you that I’m capable of making it work’
Last night we just simply chatted the night away while having seafood take-aways and went to sleep early, in separate bedrooms of course. He was visibly exhausted. He’s a cool person. I judged him too soon. The arrogance is a façade. Or it could be his true character depending on who you are and how he feels about you. The way here was fun because his playlist is fire. Not more than mine though and I will prove it on our way back. I’m ashamed to admit that his touch is doing things to me right now.
‘I don’t want to be anybody’s second option’ I reply after a while of digesting his answer.
‘No one is going to come second here. I know I also didn’t want this at first. In fact, being a polygamous man has never crossed my mind before but trust me when I say I’ve seen enough of what’s NOT supposed to be done in a poly setting for me to even begin fvcking this up. I have negative experience. I know what not to do’
‘You and Kuli clearly love one another. I’ve seen it, I’ve felt it. I’m just wondering what kind of sick game the two of you are playing. If she was against this, I would understand that it’s normal human behaviour. But she’s encouraging it instead. I can’t help but distrust you both’
‘That’s because she’s not a normal human being. You can’t expect typical behaviour from her’
‘What is it? Do you have a snake? Are you a ritualist of some sort?’ I have to ask. He laughs out loud.
‘Are you serious?’
‘It won’t come as a shock. You’re royalty, after all. Anything is possible with y’all. And people who do those things need to sleep with multiple people’
‘Y’all? Why are you counting yourself out?’
He turns me around, picks me up and places me on the kitchen counter.
‘I know I’m portable but don’t just pick me up whenever you feel like’
I hate this because my uncle used to do it whenever he was bored. I would be minding my business and he’d just pick me up from one spot and place me in another, unprovoked.
‘I don’t know what you guys do in the North-West but please keep me out of it. You’ve said it time and time again how much you admire the type of lawyer I am but now you want to doubt my success when it suits you?’
‘I have to ask. There’s a lot that doesn’t make sense’
‘I know you want me just as much I want you. I don’t get why you won’t give in’
I look away. He goes and stands against the fridge, looking at me.
‘What’s in that pretty head of yours?’ he asks. Let me just tell him.
‘I dreamt of you too. On Friday’ I confess.
‘And you didn’t tell me this because?’
‘I didn’t feel like you needed to know. A part of me doesn’t believe in prophetic dreams’
‘What did you dream about me?’
I exhale. ‘Not necessarily you but you featured. I was with Kuli in the backyard and she was feeding a baby from a cute yellow bowl with its matching spoon. We were seated on the grass and you came along, asking to speak to the both of us. It looked serious but the dream never got to the part where you actually let us know what you wanted to talk about’
‘Whose baby was she feeding?’ he asks, with a smile.
‘Mine’
He laughs after I respond and I join him.
‘Stop it’
‘No, you stop fighting fate and destiny. You’ll never win’
I get off the counter so I can start making my yellow rice. I’d kill for some cinnamon butternut right now. He approaches and I put my hands behind me so I can balance on the counter. He cups my chin and intently looks into my eyes.
‘You’re mine, Pearl. Umbhuri ya mina wena and swinge cinci. Amukela’
‘What does that mean?’
‘What? Mbhuri?’
‘The whole thing’
‘All I’m saying is you’re my fine, gorgeous girl and that will never change so you better help yourself and accept it’
‘Leave me alone Mr man’ I laugh and push him away. He pulls me by the same hand, kisses me and all my senses scatter. His hand goes to the small of my back and I kiss him back. The balm he’s always applying is working in his favour because the texture of his lips is so soft and inviting. He cuts the French and pecks my lips.
‘Let me leave you to your little project. See you later’ he says and grabs his car keys from the table.
My nxpples are hard and I’ve lost all train of thought. I am weak…