CROSSING BOUNDARIES

CHAPTER 4

Their wails and screams echo through the yard, but no one seems to hear them. No help comes. The bees are relentless, hundreds of them swarming, attacking without mercy. The family runs in circles, waving their arms, trying to escape the stings, but the more they run, the more the bees chase. Their voices rise in panic, pleading for help that never comes.
They wave toward the neighbors, shouting for someone to open the gate, to throw water, to do something, but the neighbors don't react. It's as if they can't see them at all, blind to the chaos happening at the Hadebe homestead. The yard looks cursed, sealed off by something invisible.

Khaphela and the rest of the family finally rush into Konke's room, the only place that seems untouched. The bees don't follow them inside. They hover at the doorway and windows instead, buzzing loudly, forming a living, trembling wall of sound. The air feels heavy and strange.

Yibanathi and Celo sit on the floor, trembling and breathing hard. Celo, too young to understand, giggles now and then, thinking it's some kind of game, like hide and seek. His laughter fills the tense silence between their gasps for breath.
Khaphela and Lethiwe, however, aren't laughing. They've been stung the most, their legs swollen, red, and throbbing in pain. Lethiwe winces, tears in her eyes, her skin blotched from the stings. Khaphela's shirt is half torn, his forehead dripping with sweat, but he's too angry to even care.

Mpatho, who's been trying to call for help, lowers his phone and exhales hard before tossing it onto the couch.
"He's not answering," he says in frustration, shaking his head. His voice trembles, half from anger, half from fear.
"That boy is full of nonsense," Khaphela spits, face twisted in rage and pain. "This is him and that over-demanding ancestor's doing. He must have gone crying to that crazy Ndleleni again." His chest heaves as he speaks, fury replacing reason.
He glances at his daughter and grandson. Yibanathi sits frozen, eyes wide and glassy, clutching Celo like the boy might vanish. Celo giggles again, smacking his tiny hands together, chasing a bee shadow on the wall. It breaks Khaphela's heart and irritates him all at once.

He turns to his wife. Lethiwe groans softly, her hands gripping her swollen leg, her breathing uneven. Khaphela crouches beside her and touches her arm.
"We'll be fine," he says, voice low, trying to sound calm. "The bees will leave soon."
But his words don't help. Her pain is too sharp, and the buzzing outside is too loud. It's like the sound seeps through the walls and crawls under their skin. They need a clinic, but the nearest one is too far, and no one can step outside without getting stung again.
Mpatho stands by the window, peeking through the curtain. His shoulders drop when he sees the swarm still thick outside. "They're not leaving," he mutters. "They're just watching." He turns back to his brother, voice low but serious.
"You should tell Konke the truth," Mpatho says after a long pause. "And take Celo to his family."
Khaphela looks up sharply, eyes narrowing. His jaw tightens. The words hang heavy in the room.
Mpatho's voice softens, a plea now. "You know what I mean, brother. It's time. Things won't stop until the truth comes out."
Khaphela's chest tightens. He looks at Yibanathi, at Celo, her little boy sitting on her lap, blissfully unaware of the storm his existence has stirred. The buzzing outside grows louder again, pressing against the walls like a warning.
Khaphela swallows hard, his voice breaking with fear and guilt.
"May God forgive us," he whispers.

What feels like forever, the sound of the bees finally subsides. Khaphela quickly stands and moves to the window. The swarm is thinning, bees peeling away from the yard, disappearing into the sky. Relief hits him, sharp and sudden, but it's tangled with anger, at the timing, at the chaos, at his son's disrespect.

Through the gate, he spots Konke walking in with Cothoza. Khaphela exhales a long, tense sigh, part relief, part frustration. Konke is here, finally, but the fury at his son's disregard for the family's safety boils inside him.

"Come, it's safe now. Konke is here with Cothoza," Khaphela says and helps his wife to her feet. Lethiwe clutches at him, her face pale, legs trembling. Mpatho leaps up too, steadying his brother and sister-in-law.
"Baba, Ma!" Konke calls from outside the gate, voice sharp, urgent. "Bab'mncane!" As they step out of Konke's room, Lethiwe cries once more, her wail breaking through the lingering tension. Konke frowns slightly at her drama, his expression flat, as if her pain is inconvenient.
"You need to take your mother to the hospital. Look what the bees did to us," Khaphela shouts as soon as they hit the yard.
"Hospital? I'm not going to do that. I need to rest. Tomorrow I'm heading to Joburg," Konke says, unmoved by their pain. Yibanathi comes last, holding Celo, who giggles, unaware of the terror he's just witnessed.
Lethiwe wails again, pain sharp in her voice. "I… I almost died. Look at my legs," she says, shaking her head.
"Konke, take her to the hospital please. The bees almost killed us, and luckily Celo didn't get hurt," Mpatho pleads, desperation coloring his tone.
"We have a plant that will help. No need for a hospital," Cothoza says calmly, holding the herbs with quiet certainty. Lethiwe glares at him, furious.
"No. I want to be taken to a hospital. This is serious," she insists. Konke laughs softly, shakes his head, stubborn as ever. He refuses to budge; no one will be taken anywhere.
"I guess I need to start planning your funeral, because I'm not taking you to the hospital, Ma. Just use this plant and stop being dramatic," Konke sneers. Khaphela gasps, stunned. The words cut deep, cruel, a stranger speaking from his son's lips. Is Ndleleni controlling him? His once-caring son is unrecognisable.
"Let's go inside the ancestral hut so I can help you," Cothoza says, steady, calm, no room for argument. Either they accept his aid or they risk more stings, more pain, more danger.

Lethiwe clutches her leg, breaths shallow. Khaphela looks at Konke walking in the yard, his expression flat and unreadable, and feels the weight of a son who defies him even in crisis. He wants to shout, to demand obedience, to drag him to the clinic, but all he can do is watch as the family moves toward the hut, pulled by fear, by hope, by Cothoza, by the one chance they have left to survive.

Konke stares at his parents, annoyed and irritated. Cothoza is applying aloe vera to their wounds, and they keep flinching and groaning as the cool gel touches their stung skin. His eyes shift to his uncle, Mpatho, who didn't suffer much from the bee stings, just a swollen hand, that's all. Yibanathi and Celo are fine, thankfully, so he told them to go to the main house and relax. No bees will attack them now that he's here.
But before leaving for Johannesburg, he needs answers. He needs to know why they're stopping him from going to Zenzele's family to demand justice for knocking out his younger sister twice. He has another week before returning to work, and he should use it wisely.

Cothoza has also told him to plant some important herbs that will be needed by one of his future clients soon. That part stresses him clients, consultations, plants because he lives in an apartment, and he knows very well they wouldn't allow that kind of thing there. Maybe it's time to get a new place. He could apply for a loan, buy a stand or a house, and start building. He's doing well in his job, and he can afford it.

"Did Ndleleni send those bees?" Khaphela asks suddenly, fury burning in his eyes as he looks at his son. He feels betrayed, disrespected, and deeply wounded.
Konke sighs tiredly. "That's because you and your wife are abusing me," he says, unashamed.
"Watch your words, Konke. I'm still your father! Just because you were chosen by the ancestors doesn't mean you should disrespect me," Khaphela snaps, voice rising.
"Calm down, please. We are in the ancestors' hut," Mpatho cuts in, clearly irritated. "Let's finish here, and you two can continue with your bickering outside." He rubs his forehead, exhausted. All he needs now is a glass of vodka and a long sleep.
"I just want to know why I'm not allowed to go to Zenzele's family and demand damages and lobola for Yibanathi and Celo," Konke says, glaring at his father. To this day, he's never met Zenzele, only heard about him through the family's whispers and excuses.
Lethiwe huffs softly.
"Kukhokonke, we told you there's no need for that. We'll raise Yibanathi's kids," she says, her tone firm but her eyes dart nervously, guilt flickering beneath the surface.
But Konke doesn't back down.
"No. Celo has a family. He needs to meet his family. What if he gets sick?" he argues, his voice low but intense.
"Angithi nguwe inyanga enkulu, uzomsiza," Khaphela sneers mockingly. ("Aren't you the great healer? You'll help him.")
Konke gasps softly, stunned, while Cothoza just shakes his head.
"Wow," Konke mutters in disbelief at his father's tone.
"Konke… Zenzele is a chief's son," Mpatho says quietly.
Khaphela glares at his brother, fury flashing. "Mpatho!" he barks, his voice tight with warning.
Konke blinks, confused. "What? Chief from where? What are you talking about?" he asks, turning to his uncle.

Mpatho exhales deeply, shoulders heavy. He's tired of lying, it's do or die now. Khaphela will have to deal with it. Konke deserves to know the truth.

.
.
.

"And you lied to me all this time? Making me think Zenzele is just some random boy? He's a chief's son?" Konke's voice shakes with disbelief, his chest rising and falling fast. His throat feels tight. How could they keep something so big from him?
"Chief Manzini is not aware of his grandson, Celo, or that Zenzele has gotten Yibanathi pregnant again. Only his wife knows about this," Mpatho says quietly but firmly, spilling more truth than anyone expected.
Konke turns slowly to look at his parents. Their eyes are on the floor not from shame, but from fear. Or maybe both. His hands ball into fists, anger burning through him.
"So why? Why isn't the chief informed that his son did what he did, huh?" he demands, his voice rising with fury and disappointment.
Mpatho exhales hard, rubbing his face. "Well… Bonakele comes here every two weeks and leaves some food for Celo and some money…"
"Stop it!" Lethiwe snaps, her eyes darting to her brother-in-law, panic flashing across her face. "Why are you saying all this?"
But it's too late.
Konke gasps loudly, shaking his head as his stomach twists in disbelief. His gaze moves from uncle Mpatho to his parents, eyes burning with betrayal.
"So you've been taking money? All this time? And you let me send money every month for Celo while you knew there was more money coming from the chief's wife?" he says, his voice low now, trembling with hurt. "How could you?"
No one answers. The silence in the ancestral hut is thick, suffocating. They avoid his gaze, eyes shifting around like guilty children caught in a lie.
Cothoza sighs quietly and stands. "This is a family matter," he says, voice calm. "The wounds will heal. The rest is not my place." And with that, he steps outside, leaving Konke surrounded by the heavy truth.
"I'm going to the Zungus right now," Konke snaps suddenly, his tone sharp with finality. "They should know about this!"
"No! Don't do that!" Lethiwe pleads, stepping forward, pain flashing in her swollen legs. "Bonakele will tell her husband herself. Don't cause trouble, Konke. Please!" Her voice cracks, her eyes glassy with fear. "There are complications right now at the Zungus, let's give them time."
"Complications?" Konke scoffs, his eyes narrowing. "What complications? Or you just enjoyed getting that money? Is that why you didn't want me to take Yibanathi to the clinic?"
"Kukhokonke!" Khaphela snaps, voice booming. "We are Yibanathi's parents. We know what we are doing. Don't get involved and cause trouble. Just back off and go back to Joburg. Your mother and I will deal with this on our own terms."

Konke just stares at him, stunned into silence. His mouth opens, then closes again, his mind spinning with disbelief. He looks at them, the people who raised him and sees strangers instead. They are willing to take money, to keep quiet, to let their daughter suffer all because of greed and fear.
He exhales shakily, a bitter laugh slipping past his lips. "Unbelievable," he mutters under his breath.

He looks one last time at his mother, then at his father both avoiding his eyes and finally shakes his head. Maybe he should go back to Joburg. Maybe he should let them deal with this mess they've created. But deep down, he knows this isn't over. Secrets like these never stay buried. And he just hopes Yibanathi doesn't get hurt again because of their silence and their greed.

••••••

[NIKEZINKOSI]

Tomorrow I'm going back to work. My leg still has bruises, but they'll fade. The pain's still there though, so I guess I won't be running around the clinic tomorrow because of this damn leg.
Letsatsi and Ntobe just left; they're going to see Sylvia. I wonder what more drama she'll spill once she sees them. They left a few goodies for me here; they know I can't live without chewing something or snacking.
Letsatsi has been a good brother-in-law, to be honest. I have this job because of him. And of course, when you get a job because someone recommended you, you have to prove you deserve it. I had to show everyone at that clinic that I got this job because I know what I'm doing and that I'm willing to learn. I even ended up getting a permanent post, so I'll be forever grateful to him, and of course for loving and cherishing my sister.

Their white wedding is in three months, and my dress and Futhi's dress are still not done. I'll have to check what's up with that designer. I also had to check up on Zola and ask if Bonga called again today and asked about my numbers. Fortunately, he didn't. I hope he won't bother me again. I don't need anything from him, unless my leg gets worse, then he can come. But right now, I'm okay.

The door swings open. I frown. Diamond knocked off early? Snothando walks in, giving me a small smile. Diamond follows too.

"Look who I found on the gate," Diamond says, kicking off her shoes.
"I was just having a chat with a guard, nothing much," Sno says defensively. "How are you feeling? I saw your text," she asks as she sits across from me.
"I'm okay, as you can see. Just a few bruises. I'll be fine," I say with a shrug, even though there's a sharp pain lingering. It's manageable in the dark.
"You almost got, RAF, hey," Sno jokes. Diamond frowns and clicks her tongue.
"Hey, don't say that," she scolds, clearly not happy with Sno's joke.
"By the way, how was your trip?" I ask, hoping she has some juicy gossip.
"Long and tiring. One of my artists didn't get nominated for Newcomer of the Year. Imagine," she says, perplexed. Diamond just laughs out loud.
"I'm serious! She was doing numbers. Her music is big right now," Sno adds, annoyed. Honestly, I've never listened or cared much about her artist.
"Maybe you should get a break. You've been on the road for a whole three months," I suggest. She has money; a bit of rest would help, especially in this industry.
Sno shakes her head. She's all about her bread.
"No, not now. I need to create a scandal for my artist so they can trend a bit on social media. Tomorrow morning I have a meeting on how I can tackle this," she says, sounding stressed. I wish I could help her, honestly, give her ideas, but I'm clueless about this kind of thing.
"Just pay someone and post something about your artist on Twitter/X," Diamond suggests
You can do that? Social media is really weird.
"We already did that. It's not a bad idea, but I need something fresh. Maybe hire influencers… I don't know," Sno says, frazzled. Her stress hangs in the air, and I can feel it. But my mind is still confused

"What do you mean you pay someone on social media to post about someone?" I ask, curious, leaning in slightly.
Sno just sighs, bored. I can't understand it, why is she getting bored by my question?
"Well, if I want to tarnish your name or just make you trend, I find someone with a big following, pay him or her some money, and tell them to post such and such about you. Boom, that's how you trend," Diamond answers matter-of-factly. I blink, my mouth slightly open. What the…?
"We had a case at our firm about such situations, and some of these people get sued, so I guess you should be careful who you talk about on your social media," she adds. Wow. I wasn't aware of that, really. My mind reels, imagining the chaos.
"Enough about that, Nikky. The guy who did this to you, did he pay up? And who is he?" Sno asks, curiosity lacing her voice. Oh god, they will never stop asking about this accident. Am I the first person ever to get knocked down by a car? But I know they care, and that makes my heart skip a little.
"Well, he called and asked about me. He wants to take me out and apologize properly," I tell them, watching Sno frown slightly.
"Take you out? Why?" she asks in disbelief, her brow knitting together.
"To apologi6e, as he said. What's wrong with taking her out? And Nikky is single, I see no problem," Diamond adds, casually, making me turn and stare at her. How did we even move from my accident to my singleness?
"What?" I ask, flustered, a little embarrassed by the sudden turn in conversation.
Diamond just shrugs, looking innocent.
"I'm just saying," she adds, a teasing glint in her eyes. Sno, on the other hand, has a horrified look on her face, her mouth slightly open as if she can't believe what she's hearing.
"By the way, his dad came and apologised on his son's behalf. He's one of the clinic suppliers," I add, trying to explain.
"A father? How old is this boy?" Sno asks, laughing a little.
I'm not even sure, honestly. His father doesn't look that old, which makes my mind spin with questions I don't even want to ask aloud.
"Not sure, hey. I think his father was just scared that I was hurt or that I was going to lay charges," I say with a shrug, trying to sound casual even though my heart is still racing a little.
Diamond chuckles softly.
"Well, it seems like you had a very interesting encounter. Maybe he means well by taking you out," she says, a playful smile tugging at her lips. Maybe. But still… I can't help but feel hesitant.
"Don't go out with him, Nike. What if he's a weirdo?" Sno says firmly, frowning, clearly not happy with the idea.
"He looked a bit scared and shaken by the accident, hey. And Brian knows him and his father, so I doubt he'll do something bad to me. I just don't want him to cross boundaries. We are not friends," I say in a serious tone, a knot forming in my stomach as I think about the possibilities.
"Whatever you say, my angel. Since your birthday is soon, we need to start planning," Diamond says happily. I don't want something big though, and I didn't save for my birthday.
"Something small Dee, nothing big. I'm low on cash," I tell her honestly.
She rolls her eyes.
"Don't worry about that. Sbo will sponsor your birthday," she says, and I chuckle.
"Sbo?? Why?" Sno asks. God, she can be negative sometimes.
Diamond waves her hand at her dismissively.
"I will appreciate that much, but tell Sbo I'll be fine," I say with a giggle.
"No, he will sponsor, don't worry about it," Diamond says, stubborn as ever. It reminds me of…
"By the way, tell him too, stop being so overprotective. When I told him about Bonga's call, he wanted to know about him so he could pay him a visit and beat him up. He'd get arrested this time," I say, a bit of worry creeping into my voice.
"Beat Bonga?? Oh wow, he's so obsessed," Sno snorts.
"Keep your thoughts to yourself, Sno," Diamond says and turns to me. "Don't worry about Sbo. You know he's hard-headed; he won't beat Bonga up," she says, assuring me. I just nod, trusting her words. Sbo is a bit unhinged sometimes.

___

Pinky believes I should have taken two weeks off, but no, I wasn't going to survive being alone in that flat. It would have driven me crazy. Zola is the one mostly running around while I'm busy here, doing as much as I can. The clinic is hectic today, and it gets even busier around lunchtime. Melanie Co Medical Centre is big, I've heard Brian saying he plans to turn it into a 24-hour clinic. More hours mean more money in my account, and I won't complain about that.

"Hello, Mnotho, what a lovely surprise," Pinky says happily, while my eyes remain fixed on the computer. I need to send a few emails to the patients who have appointments with Dr. June next week.
"Uhm, good day. How are you doing?" the person asks, his voice sounding a bit familiar. I raise my head. Oh… it's him. He's looking at me and smiling slightly. Is that a nervous smile?
"We're good. What are you doing here? Meeting with Brian?" Pinky asks, but he doesn't answer, just keeps looking at me. What's going on now? I frown.
"Mnotho!!" Pinky calls out. He turns and smiles at her.
"No, I'm here to see Nikky," he says. Excuse me?? Pinky blinks, confused.
"No, nothing weird about it. I'm here to make sure she's okay, since Bonga almost hurt her," he replies.
"Oh, yeah. I was telling her she should have rested a bit; she's not alright," Pinky says, standing up. I roll my eyes at her exaggeration. "Let me go grab some tea. I'll bring you one, Nikky," she says, leaving me alone with this man. Why is she leaving? Aren't we busy today?
"How are you, ma'am?" he asks, his voice soft. I sigh heavily.
"I'm okay, Mr. Mlambo. Nothing to worry about," I say, trying to sound calm. I hate this attention I'm getting about the incident.
He just looks at me before speaking again.
"I'm Mnotho. Call me Mnotho," he says. Here we go.
"No, you are Mr. Mlambo to me. I like to keep things professional," I reply with a polite smile. He chuckles softly, amused, or maybe intrigued.
"Well, if you say so, ma'am. I wonder how long you'll keep things professional," he says. I frown, confused, but keep quiet.
"I have a proposal for you," he says.
"For what?" I ask. He leans forward, clasping his hands together, smiling, while I shift my chair slightly back.
"You are not okay. Your leg isn't healed properly. I will be your personal driver from now on until you recover. You can't be riding taxis and cabs with an unhealed leg," he says, still smiling. I blink, raising my eyebrows.
What?! I scoff.
"What? Are you serious right now?" I ask, disbelief written all over my face. He nods repeatedly.
"I'm serious, Nikky. From today, when you knock off, I'll be outside waiting for you," he says confidently.
What?? I'm in disbelief. What's wrong with these people? First it was his son, now it's him, the father! Being weird. Who's next? His wife, coming here to drop lunches for me?
My expression hardens, turning ice cold.
"Mr. Mlambo, my answer is no. Please kindly leave. I have work to do, and if you continue with this, I will call the cops," I say firmly. He just smiles and leans back.