INSERT 5 #Nomvuyo Just as I finished up cleaning I heard people walking towards the house. I put the vacuum away. Zimkitha: Vuvu! I turned around and smiled. She still looked young. If one were to compare her with my mother, they wouldn’t say that they are the same age. Obviously she looks young and healthier because she has people like my mother doing everything for her. Me: Hello. Her: Liwa and his wife are here. Me: Oh alright. Would you like me to prepare something to eat? Her: Yes please. Me: Ok. Just then my daughter ran to the house smiling. She had a huge lollipop with her. Zimkitha: Liwa picked her up today coz he’s spending the weekend here. Me: Alright. I looked at Nyameka and she licked that lollipop of hers. Her: Mommy! Me: Where did you get that huge thing? Her: Uncle Liwa bought it for me. Me: Well you can’t have it now. You’ll have it tomorrow. Her: But mo- Me: No Nyameka. She sulked and looked at Zimkitha. Zimkitha: Your mother is right Nyami. She pouted and stormed out of the house. Zimitha looked at me. Her: Are you ok? I nodded and took out the meat from the fridge. Just then Liwa’s two sons ran in the house and pushed past me while greeting me. Minutes later Liwa and his wife, Jenny, walked in. Liwa: Hi Vuvu. Me: Hello. I carried on taking out all the things I’d need for their dinner. Jenny walked towards me and stared at me. Jenny: Hello dear. Me: Hello Her: How are you? Me: Good and you? Her: I’m great. She cleared her throat and I looked at her. Me: Do you need anything? Her: Uhm can I make a request please? I looked at her. Her: Please don’t add any salt on the food. The last meal we had was too salty and you know how I am with salt. She smiled and then patted my shoulder. Her: Don’t make me hate your cooking love! She laughed and then walked to the dining room. Liwa walked toward me. Liwa: Nyami’s teacher said I should give you this letter. Me: What letter? I couldn’t take anymore letters! He handed me a letter. I took it and put it aside. Me: By the way Liwa, please stop buying her sweets. I’m the one who ends up dealing with her hyper activeness at night. Him: Relax. Bongani and Lungile wanted lollipops and I obviously had to get one for Nyami. Me: Obviously? He looked at me. Him: What? I kept quiet and carried on preparing their salt less food. Liwa walked away and I was left alone in silence once again. As I was cleaning the meat my mother walked in. Her: Wenzani? Me: Ngiyapheka. Her: Suka la. She pushed me away and cleaned up the meat. She then went on to peel the vegetables. Me: So does this mean I’m dismissed? She ignored me and carried on. I took Nyami’s letter and walked out of the house. I made my way to our cottage and got in. Nyami was now watching TV and I could tell that she was mad. Me: Ukwatile? She ignored me. I went and sat next to her. Me: I got a letter from your teacher. You guys have a school camp in a month? She shrugged her shoulders. Me: Since you’re acting like a grown woman then it means you’re too grown to go to camp with a bunch of kids. She immediately looked at me. Me: So you’re ok with not going? Her: I want to go. Me: Then lose the attitude. She crossed her arms. Me: Uzosala wena I stood up and walked to the bedroom and she followed me. Her: Mom! Me: Yini? Her: I wanted to have my lollipop. Me: I said no Nyameko! My mom walked in and looked at us. Nyameko: Gogo I want my lollipop Mom: Then have it. I looked at my mom. Me: No she’ll have it tomorrow. Mom: Nyameko hambo thatha lento ofuna ukuyidla uyidle. Make sure you finish it before dinner. Before I could even say anything Nyameka had already run off. Me: Are you serious? Mom: Nomvuyo awungiyeka please. She walked passed me and took her phone and then walked out again. I sat on my bed and tried to not burst. I don’t know how much of this woman’s evilness I can take. I looked up and saw Nyami running out with her lollipop. I took my phone and browsed through it. I don’t even remember dozing off. I felt someone shake me. I opened my eyes and saw Nyami. Me: Yini? Nyami: Gogo is calling you. Me: Where is she? Her: The house. I got up from the bed and stretched. When we got out it was already dark. Nyami ran to the house and I followed her. I got to the kitchen and my mom was dishing out. I stood there and waited for her to tell me what she wanted. She looked at me briefly. Her: Why are you standing there? Take these plates to the dining room. I walked to the counter and took the bowl filled with meat. I walked to the dining room and everyone was already seated. I put the bowl down. Zimkitha: Thank you Vuvu. I nodded and then walked back to the kitchen to fetch more of the food. When I walked back to the dining room Jenny was busy talking about how she can’t stand salty food… I put the last bowl on the table. Nyami: Thank you mommy! I looked at her and nodded. One would swear that she doesn’t belong to me. Everything about her screamed Mzinyathi. Zimkitha: You can sit down now Vuvu Me: Uhm no thank you. I ate earlier… Her: Nonsense sit down! Me: Ok let me go check if my mom is fine th- Zimkitha: Vuvu sit down. Zodwa will also be joining us. I sighed. Nyami: Mama woza. She patted the seat next to her. I looked at her and she smiled. Me: Alright then. I sat down and dished up for myself. Jenny looked at me. Her: Mam’Zimi you are beyond sweet. In my father’s house the helpers don’t set foot in the eating table. Zimkitha: Well they’re not helpers. They’re my family. Liwa’s eldest son, Bongani passed me the tomato sauce. Bongani: Mom I’m 13 years old but even I know that they’re part of our family. Jenny: It’s just hard to get used to! Zimkitha: That’s because you never bothered to ask about this family’s history! Jenny: Well you’ll have to tell me one of these days. Zimkitha: Ask your husband. He’ll fill you in. I couldn’t even eat anymore. I was actually about to stand up when my mother walked in. Mom: Do you need anything else? Zimkitha: Sis wami come eat. Mom: Zimi ngikhathele mina. I have to sleep. She looked at me. Mom: Vuvu you’ll clean up ke sisi. Me: Sure. Zimkitha: How is your leg? Mom: Don’t even ask… Zimkitha: I offered to take you to a doctor. Mom: Zimi awume please. She looked at everyone. Mom: Senizo lala kahle ke. Lungile, the youngest son, hugged her and she walked out. Lungile: Mama. He called his grandmother mama and his mother was referred to by name. Zimkitha: Yes Lungile? Lungile: Mam’Zodwa is getting old. Zimkitha laughed. Liwa: Lungile Lungile: What is wrong with her leg? Zimkitha: Mam’Zodwa and Mam’Zimi are the same age Lungile. Lungile gasped in shock. He was 6 years old. Zimkitha: Mam’Zodwa works 100 times harder than Mam’Zimi. She hurt her leg while working. Lungile nodded. Lungile: Can we take her to the doctor? Zimkitha: We will love… He nodded and then carried on eating. I stood up and took all the empty dishes. Me: I have an early morning tomorrow. Zimkitha: How is school by the way? I cleared my throat. Me: Good. She nodded and smiled. I took all the dishes. Liwa stood up and helped me. We got to the kitchen and I put them in the dishwasher and switched it on. I was too lazy to wash them by hand. My mother insists on not using the dishwasher. Liwa: Are you coping? Me: With what? Him: School. Me: Why wouldn’t I be coping? Him: Nyami told me that you have been stressed lately… Me: Angiyazi ke leyo. Him: So everything is fine? I nodded. Him: Alright then. Would you like me to help you with the dishes? Me: No I’m good thanks. He nodded and walked back to the dining room. I took a deep breath and leaned on the dishwasher. Just then Bongani walked in with the rest of the dishes. Him: There you go Sis’Vuvu. Me: Thank you. I took them and put them by the sink. I thought he had walked out of the kitchen but he was still standing there. Me: Everything okay? He shook his head uncomfortably. Me: What’s wrong? He got closer to me and started whispering. Him: There’s a girl at school… I smiled and then pulled him to the high stools and we sat down. Me: Yes? Him: I really like her Sis’Vuvu. Me: Are you afraid of her? Him: I don’t know how to approach her. Me: Well it’s quite simple. Buy her some flowers and chocolate. Him: Do girls really like that? Isn’t it corny? Me: As much as we like acting like we don’t care, we really like corny and romantic stuff. We find it cute. He smiled and nodded. Him: Will you get me some? Me: Of course. Him: We’re having a picnic tomorrow afternoon with my friends from school and she’ll be there. So can we go tomorrow morning? Me: Sure Bongani. Him: Thank you! He stood up and we high-fived. He then walked back to the dining room. I finished with all the dishes and then tidied up the kitchen. When I was done I walked back to the dining room. Me: Nyami asambe. Nyami got up from her seat and walked to me. Me: Enjoy the rest of the night. Zimkitha: Ok dear we’ll see you tomorrow. Me: Bongani and I are going to town tomorrow morning so please make sure that he’s up. I looked at Liwa and he nodded. Jenny: Where are you going? Me: I need something and he offered to help me. Jenny looked at me and then nodded. Me: Nilale kahle. Nyami: Good night everyone. Thank you Gogo Zimi. Zimkitha: Good night baby. I put my arm around Nyami’s shoulders and we walked out.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 19:40:00 +0000
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