37

BURNING BLUE.
BY BELLA ROYALTY.
37.

[SHAKA PRIME MIYA]
I genuinely feel like the days aren't going by fast enough, because what do you mean Peach has only been gone for only 6 weeks but it already feels like she's been gone for about 4 months?

I miss her terribly, I miss having her around the apartment, I miss seeing her beautiful face, hearing her voice, being in her arms, her being in mine as well, I miss her lips, I miss her body, I miss everything about her and the days are not moving fast enough and it is so frustrating.

Well as she asked before she left, I decided to focus on myself I guess. 3 days after she left we laid Baba uSfiso to rest. The next Monday I met my family, they were so welcoming and loving, they welcomed me with warm arms, I truly felt at home.

Two weeks after that, I had a welcoming ceremony where I was introduced to the whole family as well as the ancestors, and now, today, we are at the Ngwazi household to do right by my child and pay my dues.

Since I broke Snethemba's virginity and impregnated her out of wedlock, I had to pay damages and cleanse the household with a living goat, and then I had to pay damages for my daughter and also pay for her lobola so that she can legally and traditionally use my last name, Snethemba and I will have to do another birth certificate for her that will include me as her father and include her second name and my last name.

And as tradition requires, I cannot be part of all that because I'm not a son in-law, so Thabiso and Sbonelo are with me in the car and we are waiting for the family to wrap everything up inside the house.

Oh another thing, when the child turns 3 months, usually the women and maybe men as well, they go to the child's maternal family to 'view' the child, basically to confirm if whether the child is theirs or not, they are expected to come bearing gifts, from basins, diapers, formula, clothes, blankets etc.

The maternal grandmother has to undress the baby, have the other ladies confirm and then bath the child using the products they came with, in this case, Nonhlanhla should have been the leading woman but unfortunately, that could not happen, so my mother, Mandisa had to step in as the woman who knows what I looked like as an infant till I entered my adolescent stage, she was with the Miya women.

She was really grateful to be included, I don't think she expected to be included since she's not biologically my mother but she was included, she is being treated like my father's babymama, I was just teasing her about that, I teased both of them actually about how they are both single and should date.

Peach laughed saying I'm playing matchmaker on the adults, I mean, they'd make a great couple.
Speaking of my mother, Peach suggested that I make peace with her and forgive her, at the end of the she's mother, she's already lost a lot and she shouldn't lose her one and only son, she told me she had forgiven her as well for what she tried to do to her but she was going to wait till she returned to make peace with her.

So I figured why not, we've made peace.

Thabiso: Here comes your babymama looking like a certified makoti.
Sbonelo(laughs): All that's left is that Oka Miya shawl they put on their back.

We laughed, they were right though, she was dressed in a traditional dress, she even had a doek on her head, she looked respectable.
Snethemba: Hey again.
Us: Hello.
Snethemba: This is my sister Ntombenhle, Ntombenhle this is Snakhokonke's father, uBhuti Shaka and those are his brothers, Bhuti Thabiso and Bhuti Sbonelo.
Ntombenhle: Sanibonani(hello), it's nice to meet you.
Me: It's nice to meet you as well.
Ntombenhle: Please wash your hands.

I washed my hands and dried them using the dishcloth, my brothers did the same thing as well and Snethemba placed the tray with the plates of food on one of the seats.
Snethemba: I will be back with your drinks, anything in particular?
Me: Just water for me, I don't drink acidic fluids.
Snethemba: Oh okay, I could bring you some juice?
Me: No, water is fine, guys?
Thabiso: Stoney should be fine.
Snethemba: Okay.
Me: Please bring Snakho with you.
Snethemba: Okay.

They walked away and Sbonelo handed Thabiso and I our plates and he took his.
Thabiso: Let's hope she didn't sprinkle something for you here Bhuti and one of us ends up catching it.
Me(laughs): I can imagine!
Sbonelo: It would be obvious though, for my side, she's not my type.
Me(chuckles): And what's your type?
Sbonelo: Ntando is.
Me(laughs): Yey lomfana!(This boy!)

We laughed.
Thabiso: Ay phela lapha bafo you won(you see when it comes to Ntando, you chose well)
Me: I can use a gun, let me make that clear.

They laughed as I threatened.
Sbonelo: I'm just joking, but you know, you get what I mean, not everyone is proud of their first babymama.
Thabiso: I mean she's not that bad, but you can tell Ntando is an upgrade.
Sbonelo: She's beautiful yena bandla( there's no doubt about that) and she gave us a beautiful daughter kodwa nje…(but you know…)

I laughed while shaking my head.
Me: I cannot believe I'm being roasted by my own brothers.
Thabiso(laughs): That's what brothers are for.

Snethemba and Ntombenhle came back, Snethemba was carrying Snakho and the bottle of water and cold drink while Ntombenhle was carrying the glasses.
Sbonelo: Nangu uPumkin! (Here comes Pumkin'!)
Snethemba(Smiles): Ithi sanibonani! (Say hello)
Me: Woza kuBaba! (Come to daddy)

I said taking her from her mother's arms.
Snethemba: When you guys are done please text me Shaka so that we can come and take the plates and glasses.
Me: Sharp.

They walked away.
Thabiso: I'm taking pictures Baba ka'Snakho.(Snakho's father)

We posed for a few pictures and my phone rang. It was Peach, she was facetiming me.
Me(smiles): Sthandwa sami.(My love)
Peach: Hey baby, unjani?(How are you?)
Me: I'm still good and you, Peach?
Peach: I am great and who's that little cutie you have on your arms?
Me(smiles): This is Snakhokonke Lethokuhle Miya, say hello mommy.
Peach(smiles): Aww the pictures you sent me don't do her justice, she's so cute babakhe.(Daddy)

I blushed, she's been calling me that and I don't want to lie, it turns me the f**** On!
Me(smiles): Akufani shame(She's not that bad), I can't wait for you to give me a son that is as beautiful.

She laughed.
Me: Serious baby, when are you giving me a son anyway? I don't want my kids to be far apart.
Peach(laughs): Baby I'm only 19, I'm still a baby myself.
Me: You're still a baby? A baby doesn't do the things you do to me Peach.
Peach(laughs): Uhleli nobani lapho njengoba ukhuluma imkhuba?(Who are you with there since you're speaking about dirty things?)
Me(smiles): Ngihleli ngedwa baby.(I am alone baby)
Peach: Why do I find that hard to believe?
Me: I'm being serious, don't change the subject, when are we visiting the doctor to have that IUD you have on removed? That's the only thing keeping me from making you pregnant, otherwise I think you would have fallen pregnant the very first time we had sex.
Peach(laughs): Baby are you serious?
Me: As a heart attack sthandwa sami, let's have kids now and then enjoy our lives in our 30's.
Peach: And what about school?
Me: You'll study at home.

I studied her reaction as I drank my water, my brothers were eagerly waiting for her reply.
Peach: Why are you putting me on the spot though babakhe?(Daddy?)
Me: That's the same reason why I want a child with you, the way you call me now.

She laughed.
Peach: It's short for Baba kaSnakho though.(Sankho's father)
Me: It turns me on, I can imagine you with your swollen belly, looking all full and sexy.
Peach(giggles): I do get the picture, and I can imagine you all obsessed and territorial.
Me(smiles): Exactly, give me one child okungcono sthandwa sami(At least my love) just one, we can discuss the others after you're done with school, ngiyakucela(Please), Snakho needs a baby sis or brother.
Peach: I will think about it.
Me: Do you promise?
Peach: I promise.
Me: Okay baby, Thank you, so what did you want to tell me?

She laughed and I smiled, we just spoke an hour ago, she must have called me for a reason.
Peach: Oh yeah I almost forgot, so guess who just scored her first brand promotion gig?
Me(excitedly): Babe!
Peach: I'm telling you! It's a fragrance brand, they want me to do a GRWM, showcasing me seductively spraying their perfume all over me, it's the good stuff I tell you.

We laughed.
Me: I'm so proud of you sthandwa sami.(my love)
Peach: Thank you sthandwa sami(My love), to more brand gigs.
Me: To more brand promotional gigs baby.
Peach: Okay that's all I wanted to tell you, I miss you and I love you.
Me: I miss you too baby, have you thought about what I asked you? Me coming there for the new year?
Peach: I have, I'd love nothing more than to spend the new year with you and also celebrate your birthday with you baby so yes you can come.
Me(excitedly): Yes!! Remove the coil ke baby.

She laughed.
Peach: One request at a time.
Me: Okay sthandwa Sami, iyakuthanda ke indoda yakho.(Okay my love, your man loves you)
Peach(blushes): Ngiyayithanda nami indoda yami.(I love him as well)
Me: I'll call you later ke baby.
Peach: Okay, bye.

I dropped the call.
Thabiso: You guys are goals!
Sbonelo: For real, I want to be you when I grow up.
Me(laughs): I'll be your mentor don't worry.

We finished eating and I texted Snethemba to come and get the plates, another car parked next to us and a guy walked out of it, he came to us.
Guy: Ekse majita.(Gentlemen, hi)
Thabiso: Fede.(What's up?)
Guy: Ay ku'moja, my name is Zolani.(I'm good)
Sbonelo: I'm Sbonelo, that's Thabiso and that's Shaka.
Zolani: Shaka as in Snethemba's babydaddy?
Me: I prefer Snakhokonke's father.
Zolani: Of course, I'm glad I caught you here, can we speak in private?
Me: Sure.

Thabiso took Snakho and we stepped away from the car.
Me: What can I help you with?
Zolani: I'm Snethemba's boyfriend.
Me: It's nice to meet you.
Zolani: Thanks my brother, I thought you and I could talk, man to man.
Me: Oh yeah?
Zolani: Yes, look man I know you and Snethemba share a daughter and all, and you're bound to spend some time together because of that, but my brother, we have to set some boundaries.

I chuckled a little, Snethemba is making her boyfriend get overfamiliar with me, what the hell is this?

Me: You dont have to worry about boundaries, I don't even see Snethemba like that mfethu(my brother), we weren't even dating, she was just good for a fuck back then,I have no desire to build something more, I have a girlfriend that I love and don't intend on cheating on with the mother of my daughter, so you can relax.

Zolani: Oh that's good to hear, I'm sorry if I came across as somehow, I've dated a babymama before and when we started, she and her baby daddy weren't together, guess what? She dumped me for him and today they are engaged to be married.

Me: I can assure you, that will not happen with me, I have no desire at all to have more than what we have with Snethemba, in fact if I had my way we wouldn't even be talking to each other, when it comes to Snakho I'd rather she speaks to me through my girlfriend.
Zolani: I see, oh we could all just become friends.

I laughed.
Me: I have enough friends already, anyway I can assure you, when it comes to worrying about your girlfriend, I'm not the guy you should be worried about, but I understand your concern, what binds Snethemba and I, is just our daughter and that's all we will be speaking about.

Zolani: Thank you man.
Me: You're welcome to accompany her whenever she comes to drop off Snakho at my place.
Zolani: For real?
Me: Yeah of course man.
Zolano: You're actually cooler than I expected, I was a bit intimidated by you, I mean look at you.

We laughed.
Me: I'm a guys guy Zolani, you can trust me around your girl, however please have the same conversation with her as well.
Zolani: I will, thank you man, since she hasn't seen me, can we please keep this conversation between us?
Me: Unfortunately I can't.

I left him standing there and went back to the car and he went to his car and drove off.
Snonelo: And then?
Me: Snethemba's boyfriend.
Thabiso: Was it the boundary talk?
Me: You guessed right, if there's anyone he should be having that conversation with it's his girl, my girl already warned me and I will listen.
Sbonelo: Damn, he's insecure.
Thabiso; Wouldn't you be? Look at our brother!

We laughed.
Thaniso: Mr steal your girl.

Me(laughs): I don't feel a thing for Snethemba, but he is right, we should establish boundaries, babymamas have this tendency of thinking they belong to the baby daddy next thing she's imagining you guys in some cabin with your children playing happy family, I don't even want her to daydream about that nonsense, I've already entertained her enough when she first came to see me with Snakho, I realised after that what I did was wrong.

Thaniso: Oh boy, what did you do?
Me: We talked about how Snakho was conceived, the whole conversation shouldn't have happened, Peach said it was distasteful and I agree.
Sbonelo: Dad used to advise uBaba omncane to not overshare with his babymama about his relationship with his girlfriend.
Me: That's solid advice.

Snethemba made her way to the car.
Snethemba: Hey guys, sorry I took some time.
Me: It's okay, can we talk a little?
Snethemba: Sure.

I got out with Snakho in my arms, she was falling asleep.
Me: I have just met Zolani.
Snethemba(shocked): What? When? Where?
Me: He was here a while ago, to ask me to not cross boundaries with his girlfriend.
Snethemba: Uhm… Shaka
Me: It's Prime to you, that's how you know me.
Snethemba: I don't know what got over him. I swear I didn't put him to this.
Me: I know you didn't, but musa ukungijwayezisa ngabo masaka (don't make me a target to these foolish boys, they shouldn't get over familiar with me)Snethemba, have you seen Peach coming to you to talk about boundaries?

She shook her head.
Me: So le bhari yakho isithatha kuphi isibindi? (So where does this foolish boy of yours get the audacity to approach me?)
Snethemba: Prime I'm really sorry, I didn't know he'd do this.
Me: I don't share a child with him, I don't even have to speak to him, the same way I assume Peach doesn't have to speak to you because you're not the one she shares a child with and we aren't married yet therefore neither her or Zolani have a right to butt in our affairs.
Snethemba: I'm really sorry.
Me: Snethemba I have no desire to disrupt your life with your precious boyfriend, the same way I think you have no desire to disrupt my life with Peach, we will respect each other's relationships and partners, do not call or text me unless it's related to my daughter, I will do the same, I will call or text only if it's related to my daughter.
Snethemba: I understand.

Me: I know ukuthi(that) you might be worried since there was a time it seemed as if I was obsessed with you, I can assure you, that's no longer the case, I don't feel the same way I used to feel about you and honestly I'm really grateful that you never gave me a chance because as soon as Peach arrived in my life, I would have hurt you for her because she stole my heart in a way that I never expected, what I felt for you is nothing compared to what I feel for her, so I would never cross any boundaries with you, you are just the mother of my child and that's it, that's all you'll ever be to me.

Snethemba: I understand, I will speak to Zolani.
Me: Good, I don't want him around my daughter, men out here are not to be trusted especially around girl children, and this is coming from a place of concern and not pettiness.
Snethemba: I don't want your girlfriend around my daughter as well, she's just your girlfriend and not your wife yet, I don't want my child to be confused, especially if you end up breaking up with her and she has to meet another girlfriend of yours.

I chuckled.
Me: Snethemba, why do you think I paid damages and paid lobola for my daughter? The only reason she's still with you it's because she's still young and I cannot do that to her — separate her from her mother, but tradition states that legally and traditionally she's now a Miya and who are you? A Ngwazi, which means she has to stay with the Miyas and only visit you, whether I'm married yet or not, she has grandparents who'd love to live with her, so don't try to act smart with me.
Snethemba: But—
Me: I wasn't done, Peach is not going anywhere, as much as Snakho is my child, she's also a girl child, I will need Peach's help when Snakho is around, to help me change her diaper, bathe her, there are days where she will have to spend the night and my mother won't be with me, Peach will have to assist.
Snethemba: How is that fair?
Me: You'd let Zolani change my child's diaper yet I'm telling you as her father, I wouldn't? Because she's a girl child.

She swallowed.
Me: Ask your parents if what I'm saying is fair or not, if you dare introduce my daughter to Xolani, I will take her away from you.

She looked down.
Me: Take the plates and then come back and take her, she's sleepy.

She went to the car and collected the tray and walked away.

________

The only thing I was interested in right now as we drove back home, was my bed.

I was so exhausted! I've been staying with my father and my brothers for the past two weeks. It made no sense for me to stay alone in that apartment while dad was living here in Durban with my brothers, we wanted to get to know each other and spend some time together and so, I moved in with them.

Dad: Today went well actually, I'm glad Nonhlanhla didn't dare show her face.
Me: She did well by that.
Dad: Yes, however her husband asked to have a meeting sometime this week with me and your mother Mandisa, I think they want to ask us to not press charges.
Me(chuckles): Of course they don't want us to press charges, what will they do? Bribe us with money? We have money, we don't need theirs.
Dad: I know, your mother and I have spoken, the lawyers believe we have a solid and strong case, with all the evidence, Nonhlanhla can spend some time behind bars.
Me: Good, she deserves to be punished for what she did.

Thabiso: I think the husband is worried about her giving birth in prison.
Me: they can organise for that to not happen, luckily he has many wives, they can always raise the child while she's serving time in prison.
Sbonelo: Exactly, I can't believe mom did this and she hasn't even tried to meet with us and explain.
Dad: She's not remorseful, she tried to spin Ndalo a lie as well, that woman will never change.

I exhaled, we were driving together back home.
Dad: Let me humor you, your father in-law—
Me: Eeuw.

We laughed.
Dad: When we were stating what we were there for, he asked us, what about the mother of the child? He claimed they are a package.
Sbonelo: He wanted uBhuti to also pay lobola for uMaka Snakho?(Snakho's mother?)
Dad: Yes, I told them our son asked us to sort this out first, we will speak to him about the mother of the child and we will act according to what he tells us.
Me: I'm not paying lobola for Snethemba baba, just because I am the one who impregnated Snethemba doesn't mean I have to marry her, since Snakho is now our daughter legally and traditionally, she can get married in peace and not even worry about what will happen to Snakho once she leaves for her marital home.
Dad: They were just taking chances, I don't think something like this has ever been done for the grandchildren there despite Ngwazi being feared and all that.
Me: They should chill, Snethemba will get married just not with me.
Dad: Is it because you're not ready for marriage?

My brothers laughed.
Me: Baba I have a girlfriend.
Dad: Of course ndodana.(my son)
Me: If she wasn't still young, I'd have proposed marriage to her already, she's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Dad: Aren't the both of you still young to be speaking about marriage?
Sbonelo: You and mom got married when she was 18.
Dad: Our families forced us to get married after they found out she was pregnant with Ndalo, look at how that turned out? At 47, here I am divorced and single.
Me: Why did you never get married again Baba?
Dad: Never met the right woman after Nonhlanhla.
Sbonelo: You should get back into the dating game. You need someone who will take care of you. We won't always be around, especially me, I'm leaving for varsity in the coming year, Ndalo is engaged.

He exhaled.
Thabiso: Mam'Mandisa is single.

We burst out laughing because of the look he gave us.
Dad: Not that again!