[LARONA]
‘Knock knock’ that’s definitely Kuli’s voice. We yell for her to come in because between the kids screaming around the house and the music, she might not hear us. I can’t see her because I’m sitting on the make-up chair, facing the other direction. If I move I might get gloss on my cheek.
‘Are you done?’ she asks. She’s already dressed and looking like money.
‘Almost’ Gao, the make-up artist answers on my behalf. ‘There’ she says, seemingly proud of her work.
‘You look stunning!’ Kuli compliments. I receive with a smile and she asks Gao to excuse us for a minute. After my MUA leaves, Kuli sits on the bed next to me.
‘How are you feeling?’
I sigh.
‘I don’t know. A lot has happened in such a short space of time. I actually do not know whether I’m numb or overstimulated’
‘That’s to be expected. Listen…’ she looks at the open door and goes to close it.
‘I’m not sure what’s going on or what’s in the air but please make sure that this room remains locked for as long as you’re outside. This is your change room, right?’
I nod. I’m getting worried now.
‘Don’t look so tense. Enjoy your wedding day but don’t sleep. Lock the room and give the key to someone you trust. With the food as well, I’m assuming you already have someone assigned who is going to be dishing up for the both of you?’
‘Yeah, it’s my cousin, Tlholo’
‘How old is she?’
‘She’s twenty two’
‘Please be careful, Lala’
I get off from the chair so I can hug her. Kuli has this… motherly aura about her. Her presence has a way of saying everything going wrong is going to be alright. I don’t know if it’s from seeing how she takes care of the kids or it simply emanates from the inside. I can’t quite explain it.
I think we both got lost in that hug. We only break it when my dressmaker walks in and greets us happily.
‘Okay, let me love and leave you. AK must be driving Mhan Singi’ crazy outside’
‘Asking her about everything and everyone he sees’ I say and we laugh. AK is too curious for his age. If he sees something he doesn’t understand, he’s going to ask about it. I took him to the mall two weeks back and when he saw a lady in a blue wig, he immediately asked “What kind of hair is that?” with an unimpressed tone. Like he wondered why someone would walk around looking like that unprovoked.
The lady heard him and luckily found it humorous. I swear, one day, we’ll get beaten in public because of his filter-free mouth.
The dress gets fitted on and I fail to believe how much of a dream I look. I did not want a white one because that colour is too bland for me. I asked for a modern Tswana wedding dress and B Mashilo did not disappoint!
The song playing outside changes midway to ‘My baby’ and I just know. Oh my God…
The people’s crush is here. The taxi Lord. Motho wadi Swiss cologne.
I look out the window and see the convoy of quantums in the street. Mara malome! I just knew gore ke ena because I’m convinced he thinks Brenda Fassie was his soul mate since they’re even peers. He loves her music the same way he loves Patti LaBelle’s.
I see him dancing his way through the gate with his friends and everyone seems entertained. Go lla Florsheim and scotched pants.
Bathong, these old men are seriously getting down. He leaves them there and walks towards the direction of the house.
‘Go nyalwa daughter van my vandag! My daughter is getting married today. Asseblief, mpheng ngwanake! Give me my child!’ I hear him walking in. ‘Larona? Nnana??? Where are you?’
I face-palm and laugh. I’m so defeated, I’m even lazy to speak.
‘She’s still getting dressed, Sam. Wait on the couch’ I hear someone say.
‘LARONA??’
Let me just go see him. Everyone in the house is in awe of my dress when I step out. I still need to change my shoes because I’m still in slippers.
‘Ahh bona fela! Look at all this beauty?? These are all your maternal genes. These other ones mustn’t claim this face!’ He says and puts his arm around my shoulders.
‘And these curves! This is all us’ My aunt supports and laughs out loud. She’s nicely tipsy.
We walk to the end of the corridor.
‘It hurts my heart to see how much you’ve grown. You’re no longer nnana ya malome, hey?’
He mustn’t start because he’s going to make me cry.
‘Do you remember our report culture?’
‘I do’ I start reminiscing. He used to always give me R100 whenever I showed him my progress report.
‘Here…’ he says and gives me a R200 note. I laugh and receive it.
‘Thank you mamone’ I say and he laughs, apparently I couldn’t pronounce malome when I was still a child.
‘I love you, my child. Your proper gift is at home. I didn’t want to bring it here because you know how some people are. I’ll have it delivered to your place there in Mpumalanga, maybe on Wednesday’
‘What is it?’ I’m very curious right now. He imitates the motion of driving with a fist and I almost scream.
‘Don’t jumpisa. I saw your WhatsApp status at the beginning of the year and I decided you should have it’
‘You got me a Cooper?’ now I’m emotional!
‘We are the village that’s willing to pick up where my sister left off, even if you’re a married woman now. Okay let me leave before you blame me for your messy face. Love you, bye!’
He tries to dash off but I manage to get a hold of his arm.
‘Wait! I want you to be the one taking me out of the house’
He frowns. One lady I don’t know greets him and tells me I look like a movie star.
‘Ao, swidat. How are you?’ my uncle returns the courtesy.
‘I’m okay thanks. I remember your face but I don’t quite remember your name wa itsi’ the lady says.
‘Mara Sally. It’s Sam hao’
Rex Rabanye’s O Nketsang starts playing outside.
‘Oh yeah. Kana ke Sam as in Samuel? Or Samson? High school was a long time ago bathong. I’m so happy to see you’ she goes in for a hug.
‘What if I say ke Samanyobinyobi? Kidding, it’s Samson’
She laughs and pulls a bored face. I’m embarrassed on her behalf.
‘Mciim, you’ll never grow wena. Bye bye!’ She leaves before he says even crazier things. He then remembers what I had asked of him.
‘Mara nnana. How when your father is still alive?’
‘I know he is but I still want you to be the man for the job’
It takes him a minute to consider, then he agrees. ‘Anything for you. You know’
‘The groom and his men have arrived’ my stepmother comes to report. I nod and go put on my shoes. She screams for Kago, Andy, Tsholo and Rori to come out. I lock my room and give the key to my grandmother. She’s not even surprised by this act. She takes it and ties it to her waist in the cloth she uses as a pocket for money.
The DJ is notified that I’m ready and he starts playing Mmatswale by Malaika. My dad seems disappointed that I ‘demoted’ him but at this moment, I don’t care. He’ll have this moment with his other daughters, those he always chooses over me aker I’m the child of the unloved wife. My bridesmaids go before me so I can come out last. Kurhula is in a white jacket while his brothers and friends are in black. The ululations go crazy as we dance to go meet them and this makes me nervous. There are many people here, I hope I don’t mess up.
While I’m still thinking of that, the step does get messed up by Kago and Mac. They’re fighting over which direction who was supposed to take at what moment. The perfectionist in Kago is furious right now. Mac’s countenance spells unbothered.
‘I don’t have the words to describe how beautiful you look right now’ Kurhula whispers to me and I smile. The last time I spoke to him was last night when I called him crying because my feelings were all over the place, but he managed to calm me down.
‘Okay, okay. Let’s start over’ Fikani contains the situation and we do that, then things start going according to plan. I spot my mom’s best friend and I wave. She waves back and blows me a kiss. When people catch on with the dance routine, they join us as we go out of the yard. It isn’t that intricate because I did not want to be sweating like an athlete here. Kuli is part of that squad and her partner is Aunty Lydia. Things are going well so far and I’m elated. I actually feel like my heart is going to burst because I’m overwhelmed.
…
[KULANI]
Trust my feet to do this to me. They’re all swollen now so I had to take off my shoes. They did this last night and I struggled to sleep. People are going up and down in this marquee and they’re making me dizzy. Some are queuing for food. I close my eyes and see a potion being handed over from one person to another in a bedroom somewhere. My right ear is completely blocked. When I open my eyes, I see plates being placed before Kurhula and Larona by the mentioned cousin. When I study her body language, she looks somewhat nervous. The two continue laughing and talking – with Larona’s hand in Kurhula’s as Thanda by Caiiro plays at a tolerable volume. I know it because it’s one of his favourite songs. He keeps kissing her ring and this sight is…
This is the first time I see him being outwardly affectionate with her and I don’t know how to feel. My focus is divided right now and I hear a loud voice telling me to get up before it’s too late. I look around to see where it’s coming from. It sounded like the person was standing right next to me. This is the first time I’m experiencing something like this. I’m still listening to secrets being spilled, secrets that only I can hear right now.
Abalozi…
When I turn, I see a white bird picking up and eating things from the ground. No one is paying attention to it but me. I see Larona picking up a spoon and Kurhula is on his phone. He raises his face and winks at me. I try to give him a smile although my whole body is in pain. A text comes through on my phone and I see that it’s from him. He’s busy looking at me and drinking water.
‘Are you okay? Is it your feet again?’ it reads.
‘Larona! Please don’t eat that!’ I yell for her to stop. Everyone turns and look at me. I stand up with difficulty and the music gets switched off. I left my walking stick at home and now I need it. AK is following me and holding on to the back of my dress as I limp to the front.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asks, getting up.
‘Give me that plate’
I instruct and she gives it to me. Kurhula looks extremely worried. There are mumbles in here. These people probably think I just want to ruin the wedding. I saw some pointing at me when I arrived – probably telling one another that I am the first wife. I burp and the lady next to me almost jumps in fear. I can feel that a takeover is about to happen. It does but I’m still aware of my surroundings.
‘Cecilia!’ I call. I understand, Larona. This coarse and masculine voice is scaring me too. The pain is gone. I can stand upright now. Her stepmother’s eyes keep darting around fearfully and everyone is looking at her.
‘I am not going to call you again’
I’ve never felt this brave before.
The discomfort is written all over her face as she stands up and comes to me.
‘Give me that’ I say to Larona and she hands me the spoon.
‘Please take a few bites of this food’ I say to her mother.
She takes the spoon from me and digs it into the food. She’s trembling as she leads it into her mouth, then stops.
‘I swear, I called it off. I decided against it and told Tlholo not to go through with it’ she starts rambling.
‘Haaahh!’ Everyone exclaims.
‘Mang???!!!!’ Tlholo’s voice sounds from the back. AK is still clutching onto my dress. It’s chunky but I can feel him behind me.
‘What did you put in here?’
‘Please. I called it off’
She does look remorseful but I’m not the one calling the shots here right now.
‘Is this the same potion you used to kill Larona’s mother?’
Her eyes pop and people rumble again in complete shock. Lala’s father commands security to come take her away before the conversation is over. I put my hand on the table and try to breathe as I get my body back. Kurhula stands up and comes between me and Lala. One hand is around her as she cries and the other is holding me steady so I don’t fall.
‘Yerr. This child is strong. Reminds me of Ngaka Phiri back in 2002, exposing witches left, right and centre. That was the last time I saw something like this’ I hear an old man behind me.
‘And the fact that it’s a woman…’ her friend replies. Larona has been staring ahead like she’s just had a traumatizing phantom encounter, with tears just free falling down her cheeks. I feel bad that it had to happen this way. Why couldn’t they just tell me to tell her beforehand that she shouldn’t eat?
‘Tlholo…?’ her voice comes out low but still sharp with betrayal. Fikani comes and takes me to the car. I’ll go pull myself together in there, plus I need to be alone. Hopefully this little one behaves. It warms my heart how much he loves me though. No one worries about me when I’m not well like Akani; I don’t think his father can match his level of concern. I have found treasure, treasure in a boy child.
‘Boy, come here’ Kurhula pleads with AK. He refuses to stay behind with him. Fikani pulls the door closed after I get inside.
‘Do you need some water?’ AK asks, while already reaching for a bottle. He’s so smart.
We bought these packs from Woolies on our way here yesterday, the time we were getting food for everyone. I receive the bottle and open it.
‘Why were you speaking like that?’ he asks. I can’t help but laugh.
‘Did I scare you?’ I ask and he nods. ‘It wasn’t me. I’m sorry my boy’
‘Who was it?’
‘I’ll explain to you when you’re old enough to understand, alright?’
‘I’m old now’ he argues.
‘Really?’
‘Yeah, I’m six years old’
I clap for him. ‘You’re a big boy mus’
He nods confidently. ‘Like Uncle Junior’
‘But your uncle is 12 years older than you’
He shrugs like he’s asking me ‘So? What does it matter?’
This child!
I see Kurhula accompanying Lala to the house. He comes back about fifteen minutes later and opens the car door. He tells AK to go to Fikani and points to where he’s sitting. He picks him up and places him on the ground, then waits for him to actually get to his other dad. The wedding is over at this point. How do you carry on with an event when Kuli decided to get up and ruin everything? I hope this won’t cause any bad blood between Lala and I. We were doing so well. We were learning how to accommodate one another peacefully. He settles down on the seat in front of me and takes my hands.
‘I have no words. You’re a force, Kuli. And the fact that I’m married to a woman of your calibre makes me feel like a small boy’
I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting that.
‘How are you feeling now?’
‘Much better’ I answer.
If it was the past me who had experienced something like this, I’d probably be on my deathbed right now – struggling to recover from a deadly headache and a burning spine. The things I diligently do such as purging and enemas make it easier for spirit to travel through the proper channels in my body. The process no longer overpowers me that much.
Kago knocks on the window and Kurhula opens for her.
‘Wena, you left R18K worth of shoes on the floor? You’ll find them gone’ she jokes and I laugh. Kurhula receives them with a thank you. Shoes are honestly the last thing on my mind right now. Then I remember that I also left my phone at the table. If Mhan Singi did not see it, it’s probably gone by now. I ask hubby to call it and he does, on loudspeaker. Luckily it rings.
‘Kulani’s cellular, hello?’ Mhan Singi answers and I relax.
‘We just wanted to know where the phone is, thanks mhani’
‘Is she okay? I’m worried about her’ she asks. I lost a mother and gained another one in this woman. Kurhula smiles.
‘She’ll be fine’ he kisses the back of my hand as he ends the call.
Today was a proper, defined debacle and the fact some information was left out makes me want to collapse into a pile of dust.