iFAIRYTALE KaMAGEZA
𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 29
[NARRATIVE]
Coshiwe only heard from people about her sisters sickness. She woke up in the wee hours of the morning and waited for the first bus to town. She will return with it in the evening, it's way cheaper than taxis.
She arrives at the hospital just as the sun rises above her head. When she requests to see Nomeva she's told they moved her. She didn't just waste imali engekho, she wasted her time too. She's devastated when she walks out of the hospital. The Richards Bay hospital they are telling her about it too far, she wouldn't go even if she wanted to, uzowthathaphi R200?
Her phone rings deep in her breasts, she stops and takes it out "Halo"
"Gogo ...it's Mahlathini"
"Awu mzulukulu wami" she's smiling, she hasn't heard from him in a very long time. She doesn't even have his number.
"Unjani Gogo?"
"I'm good, just the usual knees. ngila esbhedlela I thought I would find Nomeva kodwa lutho"
"I'm just around there corner, bengithi ngiza kwakho ngizokukhombisa umakoti, I'll be there in a few minutes ke to pick you up" Those are such good news. ukuzala ukuzelula.
She walks to sit under a tree and wait for her grandson. The whole time she's smiling alone. Not long ago Mahlathini was a small boy running around naked now he's about to have a wife, time really flies.
She can only wish she also had a son of her own, but God never blessed them. It's always been just her and Gebhu. They've had kids from relatives come stay with them every now and them. But now it's just them.
After a few minutes unyanyavu lwemoto pulls in. The car hoots and she gets up from where she was sitting. Are people seeing her? She has never been in such a nice car.
"Salukazi" Mahlathini steps out of the car already smiling. He so grown, he looks so much like his father, even the voice.
"Wangitakula, I was going to wait the whole day for the bus" she says to Mahlathini who takes her bags and directs her to the car.
"Gogo, unjani?" Connie greets her with a smile as soon as she gets in the car, thanks to Jackson for the Zulu classes, they are paying off.
Coshiwe is stunned "She can speak Zulu?" she asks Mahlathini who laughs.
"Uyazama"
"Bakithi ...ukhethe kahle, muhle ngathi unodoli" she has never been this close to a white person before, Connie is what she only sees in TV. She has long blonde hair and green eyes. Her skin is so flawless.
Who ever thought things like this were possible? they grew up in an era where they were not supposed to even interact with white people and here she is, in the same car with umlungu.
Mahlathini hits the car straight to eFolweni. She's directing him the whole way, it's so long since he came here. He was still a boy when Nomeva brought him, after that she just stopped coming here, if she did, it would be once after a year.
When they arrive Gebhu is sitting under a tree with his friends drinking ijuba. They arrived here in the morning and they are pretty much drunk now. As soon as they see the car, it's a celebration. It gets worse when Connie steps out of the car. They start resiting praises for intombi emhlophe njengezihlabathi zolwandle.
Soon the neighbours arrive to find out what's happening and just like that Umcimbi. Lucky enough Mahlathini bought meat, its enough to cater for all these people flocking in. Buzetsheni braais the meat while Shikishi makes the Pap.
Connie is also in the kitchen watching, to her this is a learning experience. She has never been in a place like this before. She's about to get married to a Zulu man, it's a must to learn how they do things.
Mahlathini lays down the real reason why they are here. He requests Gebhu and Coshiwe to lead his lobola negotiation, everything, right up until umgagco. It doesn't matter that Connie is British, they will do everything right on their side.
He also tells them about his reunion with his mother and siblings. Though he hasn't met the brothers yet, he's hoping to do that when they come back from University these holidays.
Mnelisi and Mhleli are studying at Mangosuthu University of Technology and when they heard about Mahlathini they wanted to get in the taxi right then, they are more than excited to meet their older brother.
"Nomeva told me about a child, my father's child, do you know anything about that?" he asks Coshiwe. This is one thing that has been bugging him since that day. He won't stop searching for him or her, even if it takes years.
"uSisi was doing a lot of things and most of them she never told me because she knew I would not be in line with them" some people learn evilness and then there are those born with it, those are the dangerous ones. How could he chavee away a pregnant woman? it's beyond cruelty.
They sit and catch up, it's been so long. Coming here is something he needed, he feels refreshed and lighter emotionally.
"As soon as she gives birth she must come back here" Coshiwe says looking at Connie who is up and down serving the men food. She's even wearing iphinifa and uduku now.
"We haven't thought about starting a family yet" Coshiwe looks at him. He doesn't know yet. She felt
Connie as soon as she got in that car. Although she has never carried a child in her womb, she can feel when someone is, that's the gift God gave her.
