Taken By a Mafia King - Hlengiwe Mathebula (top 100 novels TXT) š
- Author: Hlengiwe Mathebula
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We travel for almost 5 hours. Apparently Zweli decided to put my granddad in a private hospital. Iām not comfortable with the whole idea. I know Iāll have to pay for that money when Iām not even done paying for the lobola money.
We find most of the family outside the ward. I walk in with Zweli. My grandma is standing by mkhulu. Sheās trying so hard not to cry. I wish I was as strong as she is but Iām not. As soon as my eyes land on mkhulu I canāt hold back the tears. He stares at me like he doesnāt know me. He has heart problems and me disappearing didnāt help him. I donāt want to stand here and see him like this. If something happens then I want to remember him as a strong person that he is. I leave the room and Zweliās mom and Sizwe follow me outside. I try to walk but my feet give in and I end up on the floor. I must have fainted because I wake up at my grandparentās place. Thereās so much wailing and screaming. And then it hits me. Mkhulu is gone. Just like that? Zweli is sitting at the corner of the room looking at me.
āHeās goneā that comes out as a statement not a question.
āThirty minutes backā
I go numb. Mkhulu has been my second dad. He taught me most of the things I know. I remember how he got mad when my dad refused to let them take me when I was 10. Zweli walks over to me. He hugs me and kisses my forehead. I donāt say anything. I donāt even cry, Iām too numb.
***
Mkhulu knew almost everyone in the neighbourhood. People have been coming and going the whole week. I know people mean well but I wish they had only came today. No one is really looking forward to this day. Mkhulu will be laid to rest today. Of all people in the world not even Nonhle or Zweli but God chose mkhulu.
āItās time to see mkhulu before he goes outsideā my dad tells me, when he walks into the room. I shake my head no. As if seeing him like that at the hospital is not enough. Zweli tries to persuade me to but I stand my ground. My dad says okay and he leaves and Zweli and I follow him. I help gogo go outside, walking behind mkhuluās coffin. Itās too hot for her to be using that big blanket. One of my aunts suggested she uses a smaller blanket but she didnāt want to.
There are so many people outside, Iām glad Zweliās mom hired a catering company. Even though we didnāt want her to but sheās so damn stubborn so we decided to let her have her way this time. We sit in the tent, Zweli is holding my hand this time. He looks so far away like heās been through all of this before.
People keep fainting and Iām busy dealing with them no time to concentrate on the service. Iām worried about my grandma. Sheās just staring into space. Sheās not moving or crying. I get the chance to sit down. One of mkhuluās friend and neighbour is talking about him. Iām listening but one would swear that mkhuluās friend is speaking some foreign language. I hear the words but I canāt really process what heās saying.
Soon the moment we all not looking forward to is here. The hearse is here. We heard to nearest cemetery. I ride with Zweliās mom and brothers. I feel a hand in my shoulder itās their mother. Funny how I never saw mine. Sheās not family but she should be here to pay her respect to the man who helped raise the daughter she left behind. We get to the cemeteries, the Reverend reads the bible and when heās done we all watch as the coffin is lowered into the ground. Our hearts sink down with it. Iāve been trying to be strong for my family but now I canāt hold back the tears. As soon as my shoulders shake, Zweli hugs me so tight. My uncle and his son come with a spades we take the soil from one spade and pour to the other. Thatās what I was praying for. I doubt weāre strong enough to go over where the coffin was lowered. They start to fill in the hole. My grandma starts to wail it hurts so much. I want to go to her but Iām not strong enough. We pray, and my dad thanks everyone then we go back home. My grandma wonāt stand up. I feel so helpless. Zweli forces me into the car we wait until my grandma gets into the family car and we head home.
***
Yesterday was a very heart breaking day. The thought of never seeing mkhulu again makes everyone cry. Today we woke up around 4am to wash the blankets and windows. Only God knows why we have to do that. As if the day of the funeral is emotionally draining. My grandma wonāt allow us to open the curtains and she wonāt wake up. I hope she recovers soon. We can't afford to lose her too.
āWe are heading home. Mama is staying behind with youā Zweli tells me. Theyāve been very supportive and helpful they also need to rest. So I accompany them to the car. I hug them. Sizwe hugs me longer and then Zweli starts to complain. I honestly donāt know what his problem is because itās not like heās jealous. For him to be jealous itāll mean he loves me and we all know he doesnāt.
***
Zweliās mom left last night, after staying here for 2 weeks. Apparently Zweli lost his granddad 2 years ago, and the loss hit him hard more than anyone. They thought he wouldnāt recover. He started withdrawing from people. He hardly smiled until I came along. He called his mom that night he came to my house. And he told his mom heās going to marry. If he didnāt kill Bonga to make me agree I wouldāve thought the story is sweet or something.
āYouāre a married woman. Itās time you for you to go homeā my grandma tells me like sheās been telling me for the past 2 weeks.
āIāll leave tomorrow morningā I tell her.
But Iām scared to use public transport, I know my kidnappers died but I know Zweli might have pissed more people and itās no longer safe. My world has been unsafe the day he came to my house.
āLooks like your husband decided to come fetch youā I turn to see his car parked by the gate. I go to my room to pack. I find him in the kitchen with my grandma they are drinking coffee and they are laughing so hard. Iām so happy to see my grandma laugh she hasnāt since mkhulu died. Iām so glad someone made her laugh even if itās my evil husband. Zweli tells me that we need to leave right away. My aunt decided to come live with grandma since her children are old enough to look after themselves and her husband died 10 years ago. I kiss my grandma goodbye.
I mustāve fell asleep as soon as Zweli started the car. We get home, his brothers and mom are here. Itās good to be back. Grandmaās house was starting to depress me. I needed the air.
Chapter 6
For the past 2 weeks, Zweli has been hovering over me like mother hen. If itās not him itās his mom, brothers and maShezi.
I open my eyes and Zweli is not in bed. Heās been super great since mkhulu died. He even stopped raping me. So it takes losing a grandfather to be treated well. I walk downstairs and the whole family is here well everyone except for mkhulu. Even Nonhle, her twins and husband. Momo hugs me, Iām happy to see her. Nonhle comes towards me for a hug but I side step her and think.
Funny how people like mkhulu get to die and then people like Nonhle and Zweli get to live. The world is really fucked up
I turn to ask my dad something but I see everyone looks shocked and Nonhle has tears in her eyes. Okay I might have said that out loud. They tell me that they came by because they didnāt get the chance after I was kidnapped. We sit and eat in uncomfortable silence. Everyone is looking at me like I just killed someone. Okay I have killed both Zweli and Nonhle but in my head not literally.
They all leave after lunch and I can tell it wasnāt what they planned to do. As soon as the last car is out the gate. Zweli takes my hands he leads me upstairs to the bedroom.
āWhat was that about?ā he roars in anger. Eeh banna this guy kingpins, rapists and murderers deserve to die or he thought they deserve to live forever?
āThose were my honest thoughts. I didnāt realise I said that out loud but I meant thatā
āYouāre going to take that backā
āNo, I wonātā¦ā before I get the chance to talk he slaps me so hard I lose balance I fall on the floor. He doesnāt stop he keeps telling me to take it back in between kicks. But being the stubborn person that I am, I donāt. He kicks me so hard I black out.
***
āYouāre awakeā my stupid husband sounds and looks shocked.
āNah, Iām deadā
āDonāt say thatā his mom reprimands.
āYouāre going to give me a heart attack. If you come back here. Youāve been in a hospital 3 times within a yearā she continues.
āI hope I donāt come back hereā I reply but looking at Zweli.
āYou shouldnāt have left the house alone. The world is not a safe placeā Sizwe comments. I donāt know what Zweli told them.
āWhen am I leaving this place?ā I ask no one in particular.
āIn an hourā the doctor walks in with a smile.
***
āI have a business meeting with some guys. Can you come with me?ā Zweli asks during breakfast. I nod. Iād love to go out.
āWhen are we leaving?ā I ask.
āIn 10 minutesā. I nod.
We drive to some mall. Thereās an Audi it looks like itās stuck. Good thing I have my tools with me. A tall guy walks towards us.
āMandyās car stuck. Thereās no network, she went to look for help insideā the guy tells us.
āMy wife can help. Sheās a mechanicā
āIād like love thatā he replies looking warry. I think Zweli can see that, because he tells him not to worry. I walk towards the car. Zweliās follows with my tools.
Iām inside the car trying to start it and see what the problem is when the door is roughly opened. The next thing I know Iām being dragged out of the car. For some reason I think Iām being hijacked until the girl comments.
āYou bitch what are you doing in my husbandās carā she screams in my face and she slaps me across the face. I donāt even get the chance to defend myself she slaps me again and the she throws me on the ground. I see some guy and Zweli running towards me.
āMandy what are you doing?ā the guy screams.
āI found this bitch in Ayandaās car. Itās either she was stealing it or she wants himā she replies giving me a nasty look.
āThis is my wife. Sheās a mechanic. Your husband told us your car broke down and she was trying to helpā
āI thoughtā¦ā Zweli doesnāt give her the chance to finish.
āWhat happened to asking?ā he asks her, but he doesnāt wait for her to answer he turns to me and tells me that weāre leaving. I start to shake my head but he takes my hand and leads me to the car.
āBut you had a business meetingā I comment when we get to the car.
āHis wife will have to apologise to you firstā
His phone rings non-stop
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