CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 54

[KUKHOKONKE]

It's true that in life, you find sisters and brothers who are not your blood, yet you form a beautiful bond with them. I see it clearly with Diamond and Nikky. They love each other, they care for each other deeply. If you didn't know them, you would think they are siblings.
It makes sense now why that ancestor from Nikky's side is protecting Diamond.
Nikky carries beautiful but broken energy. I can feel it. She has been through a lot, and there is sadness around her. But that sadness does not break her. It doesn't weigh her down. I think having someone like Diamond beside her makes her happy, grounded, and content.
About the woman I saw earlier, the one who broke the plant, I have a strong feeling she won't come back until I return from my initiation. For now, all I can do is hope that I see her again in my dreams, at least.
They enjoyed my meal. That makes me smile. I need to clean up now.
"Mnotho will be mad at me if you get drunk, Nikky," Diamond says, giggling softly.
"I'm not drunk, just tipsy. Come on," Nikky answers gently.
I watch Nikky remove her cardigan, and I freeze.
There's a scar on her left shoulder.
"You see, you're feeling hot too," Diamond teases her.
I sip my wine slowly. How do I ask her about that scar? I don't want her to think I'm strange or crossing a line.
Nikky turns and looks at me, smiling.
"I hope you're not bewitching my friend here. She's been a soft puppy lately," she teases.
Diamond laughs out loud.
I chuckle softly.
"I promise I won't put too much next time," I joke back.
I haven't seen the children, their spirits are not around tonight. I guess they only appear when she's in danger, or when something is wrong.
All I need is to touch her again, at least once more. She did hug me earlier, but nothing was shown to me. Nothing yet.
"Don't put too much, I still love her," Nikky says softly.
I already know that she does.
Diamond looks at me and winks, playful and proud.
I smile.
"Don't worry, I'll try not to," I answer with a short laugh. She nods and glances at Diamond. I need to find a way to ask about the scar without sounding weird or nosy.
"By the way… is that a tattoo, Nikky?" I ask. That's all my brain can come up with. I finish my wine. Diamond gives me a confused look. Nikky glances at her shoulder and giggles.
"Oh no, it's not a tattoo. I got this scar when I was young," she says softly. "I wanted to put a tattoo over it to hide it, but my sensitive skin wouldn't allow it," she adds. Diamond looks puzzled and stands up.
"Nikky, you're our guest. Konke and I will take the dishes to the kitchen," she says gently, starting to gather the plates. I stand too and begin helping with the dishes.
"Don't drink too much wine. You know how you are, my angel," Diamond jokes to Nikky. Nikky rolls her eyes and sips her wine, anyway. Diamond looks at me and gestures toward the kitchen. I follow her and drop the dishes into the sink. She steps closer.
"What? Did you see something?" she whispers.
I sigh quietly.
"I've seen that scar somewhere before, so I need to know what happened," I whisper back. Diamond frowns slightly.
"You know we can't just ambush her. She'll see right through you," she says softly. I nod slowly. I don't want to scare Nikky. I don't want her to think I'm prying, or that I only wanted to see her because I'm nosy. Our little dinner was nice, the conversation, the laughter. I want her to trust me. Trust that I'm here for Diamond, that I care for her, that I'm a good person.
Diamond leans closer, a small smile on her lips. "I can maybe help," she whispers. "I'll leave the two of you alone for a moment. I could ask her to come help with the dishes, and… maybe touch her shoulder by accident."
I blink, slightly surprised but grateful for her subtle suggestion.
Diamond nods, dropping a soft kiss on my cheek. "That may work. But please… don't be too pushy. We have all the time in the world. You'll see her again."
I let it linger for a moment, taking it in. My mind drifts to the woman I saw earlier, the one with the same scar on her shoulder. Could it be…?
.
.
.
Diamond did ask Nikky to help me. She came up with the excuse of a phone call, she said she wanted to call Aunt Thembi. Apparently, she's still in the hospital, and the doctors are monitoring her blood pressure. Diamond assured me that her aunt will be fine, just too stubborn to take her medication. Her aunt is one of the important people in her life, and I think I'll meet her soon because Diamond wants me to.
"So, how's work?" Nikky asks. I think she's just trying to start a conversation with me. Still awkward, but it will be fine, this is our first time meeting.
"I no longer work. I want to focus more on my spiritual work; it's very demanding," I answer. "And you?" I ask. Diamond had told me that Nikky wanted to open her own restaurant one day.
She sighs softly, wiping a plate.
"Looks like… I'll have to leave that job too. It's getting toxic," she replies. I frown. Diamond didn't mention this.
"Oh, really? Why is that?" I ask.
She shrugs tiredly.
"Just old people trying to get under my skin," she says. I chuckle softly, shaking my head.
"That's how they are. They think they know too much," I say. She laughs. It reminds me so much of my parents. I really miss them, but they can be draining, especially now, when they will find out I left my job and I follow Ndleleni. I can't tell them about the company, they'll assume I'm rich and tell me to hire people from the village.
I hand Nikky a plate, and my finger brushes against hers. I blink. Soft jazz music starts playing around me. There's a doctor and another man staring at someone lying on a bed. It looks like a surgery room. I step closer to see who it is, and I gasp softly.
It's Paul. My face drops. He's whimpering, in so much pain. His body, from his chest to his stomach is open, and I can see his organs. Blood is everywhere, soaking the sheets. It's gruesome.
The clink of cutlery and the sound of a ringtone snap me out of my trance. I blink. Nikky glances at me, a small smile on her lips, and I realise I've been lost in thought for a while.
"Excuse me," she says softly. "My phone is next to you. Can you hand it to me?"
I turn to grab it, but suddenly my vision shifts again. I see people dressed in all black, balaclavas, gloves, everything shoving boxes into big bags. One of them walks in carrying a cash register, dropping it carelessly into another bag. Who are these people? They're definitely stealing.
I step closer, my heart racing, trying to see what the one bending over is doing. As I reach out to touch him, I feel a splash of water drip onto my face. I blink and I'm back. Diamond and Nikky are looking at me, worried. I'm on the floor, still in the kitchen. Fuck… I must have fainted.
"Are you okay, Love?" Diamond asks, her voice tight with concern.
I close my eyes and let out a shaky sigh, trying to calm myself.
.
.
.
I stare at the ceiling, lying on the bed. The fainting always comes with headaches.
Nikky has already left, and Diamond went outside with her to make sure she got into the right cab.
She didn't seem scared or uncomfortable about my fainting. I honestly thought she would be. This whole thing is embarrassing. I need to talk to my ancestors and find a way to work on the blackouts and fainting.
What if this happens when I'm alone and in danger?
I know they will protect me from harm, but it still makes me uneasy. It reminds me of those pictures of me passed out on the bathroom floor in Y3. So embarrassing.
I feel the bed sink beside me. It's Diamond. I didn't even hear her walk in. I sit up and look at her.
"She left," she says. "I even threatened the driver. Told him if anything happens to her, I'll shoot him," she adds, joking slightly.
I chuckle.
"Nothing will happen to her," I assure her.
She sighs, her face turning serious.
"Are you okay?" she asks. "Did you see anything?"
I turn my whole body towards her.
"Yes," I say, "but nothing about the scar or the children."
I pause. "I saw Paul. He was in a surgery room. It was very gruesome. He was cut up and in so much pain."
She blinks, tilting her head.
"Paul?" she asks, shocked. "Why him?"
"I had a feeling," I say slowly, "or maybe I already knew that Paul's death is connected to Nikky somehow."
She gasps loudly and shakes her head.
"Oh no. Nikky has nothing to do with Paul's death," she says, sounding offended.
"I didn't say Nikky killed him," I explain quickly. "I'm just saying Paul's death is connected to her somehow. I saw the men and the doctor in the surgery room with him. I think they were tormenting him."
I go quiet for a moment, thinking.
Who were those men? Could Nikky's boyfriend be involved somehow? Or maybe one of her uncles?
"Paul deserved it," Diamond says firmly. "He caused Nikky trauma with that whole kidnapping thing."
Her voice is still defensive.
I stay quiet for a bit before speaking again.
"I'm still stuck," I say, annoyed. "I didn't see anything about the scar. Just random robbers stealing from a shop."
Diamond's eyebrows lift, confused.
"Robbers?" she asks.
I nod and lean back against the headboard.
"Yeah. That vision confuses me. I don't know how it connects to Nikky, but that's all I saw."
I sigh. I wish I could find that tarot lady again. I can feel that she's somehow connected to Nikky. But you can't just summon people's ancestors or spirits whenever you want. They come to you when they want to, like she did.
I open my eyes. Diamond has gone quiet, staring at the wall.
"Are you okay?" I ask softly.
She doesn't answer.
I place my hand on her shoulder. She turns and looks at me.
"You're distant," I say, worried. "Are you okay?"
She chuckles softly.
"It's nothing," she says. "I'm just tired. I should go shower and sleep."
She pauses. "I just remembered I have to go to court with Chris tomorrow morning."
She hops off the bed and walks away.
I blink, confused.
What's wrong with her?
Before she even reaches the door, I call out, "Diamond."
She pauses, her back still toward me.
"Please… I apologise for that Nikky comment. I know she's not a murderer," I say, pushing myself off the bed despite the headache that's pressing in.
She sighs, heavy, almost like she's carrying the weight of the world, and finally turns to face me.
"No, it's fine, Konke. I just… I need to shower," she says softly.
I step closer. Something's wrong. I can feel it in the way she holds herself, tense, on edge.
"Is it your aunt?" I ask, concern lining my voice.
She huffs, shaking her head.
"No, it's not her," she murmurs, gaze fixed on me. Her eyes are cold. "My father… he's in town," she adds, venom spilling over her words.
I blink, unsure what to say.
"Oh… I'm sorry, Thembalami, but…" I start, pausing mid-sentence as her eyebrows lift, challenging me to continue.
"But what? Please don't tell me to bond with that man," she snaps. "That man abandoned me. I want nothing to do with him. He can live his life, and I'll live mine," she spits, clicking her tongue in disdain as she storms out, the door slamming behind her.
I let out a slow, hard sigh and sink to the floor.
She can't avoid her parents or her father forever. Sooner or later, she will have to face them. But even as I think that, I know I don't truly understand what's happened between them. I shouldn't assume.
My parents, as dramatic and flawed as they are, have always loved me fiercely. And yet, watching Diamond shut down like this, I realise something else, I've been so focused on helping others, on fixing the lives of those around me, that I've been blind to her wounds.
Abandonment… It leaves marks deeper than bruises. It creates gaps in trust, in security. And those wounds don't heal because someone tells you to "move on." They take time. Time, and understanding, and… the painful truth that the people who hurt you may never apologise.
And now I see Diamond in a way I hadn't before. Strong, yes but carrying a burden I can't fix for her. All I can do is be here. Watch. Wait. Be patient. And hope she lets someone or me in before the scars consume her entirely.

••••

[MNOTHO]

I think when Nikky came up with the idea of taking the "boys" out, she just didn't want to be here alone and bored, especially since she's leaving with her friends. I did tell Bonga about it, but all he wanted was a braai with family and friends to celebrate his achievement. I agreed, because at the end of the day, this is about him.
I stare at my phone again. Nikky is close now.
She sent me her live location, and I keep checking it.
"I think I'll keep the company name as it is," Bonga says softly, staring at his laptop.
I tilt my head.
"Why?" I ask. "You should change it. Out with the old, in with the new."
After meeting the old owner of the construction company, we didn't find any foul play. Everything was in order. We checked everything, even the financial records, just to be sure Bonga wasn't walking into a trap. In the end, everything turned out perfect. Still, I was a bit worried because the man sold his company at a much lower price.
"MS," Bonga says with a grin. "It'll stand for Mlambo Siyabonga."
He jokes as he stands up, stretching his arms.
That's the name of the company, the old owner named it that.
"Baba, I'm going to sleep," he says, closing his laptop. "Nikky is close?"
My eyes drop to my phone again.
"Yeah, she's close," I say. "It's fine. I'll wait for her. Go and sleep."
I see Bonga pause and put his laptop back on the table.
"I forgot to give you your tea, Nikky told me to give it to you before you go to bed," he announces. "I realised I've kept you up here without giving it to you," he adds and walks off.
I laugh a little. True though, he did keep me here while planning his braai and helping with a few things for the new company. He asked me to invite Jobe, so I did, and he'll come with Bangizwe. Tshengisile and Celiwe won't come, just us men. I asked Brian to come, but he told me he wants to go see his daughter who's studying in Amsterdam.
The new teas Nikky bought do help me get some sleep, thankfully.
After a few minutes I hear voices and soft giggles in the hallway. Nikky is back. Bonga walks in with her. I still don't understand why Nikky insisted on using a cab when Mtho didn't mind taking her to see Diamond. But she's here now, and that's all that matters.
Bonga hands me the cup.
"Let me go to bed," he says, picking up his laptop before leaving the room.
Nikky turns to me, her eyes tired but warm.
"Let's go to bed too. I'm tired, baby," she says softly, looking at me.
.
.
.
I sit on the closed toilet, sipping my tea, while she's busy showering. She's tipsy. And you know what they say about people with alcohol in their system, they talk. Maybe she'll reveal something about her father if I play it right. Diamond suggested we do a DNA test, but I told her to wait a bit, wait for that damn manager to come back from his leave. If I wasn't going to get consumed by Sphephelo and his family, I was going to hunt that manager myself.
The water in the shower stops, and she steps out, patting her skin dry with a towel before wrapping it around herself.
"Mnotho, why are you here?" she asks softly.
I frown. "Where else should I be?" I reply. She doesn't answer. She walks over to her lotion cabinet and starts applying lotion to her body. I just watch.
"Please… come lotion my back, since you're here staring," she says softly.
I hadn't even realised I was staring and drooling. Her body… it's soft, delicate, perfect in every way. I place my cup on the floor and quickly walk over to her.
"With that mischievous smile?" she teases, handing me the lotion. I press my lips together, shake my head, and let my hands move slowly over her back and shoulders.
My fingers stop on the scar. I've never asked how she got it. At first, I thought maybe it was from Paul when he kidnapped her, but this scar is old. I pause, then drop a soft, gentle kiss on it.
She shivers slightly, and I can feel her breath hitch. My heart skips a beat.
She giggles softly.
"I know what you're thinking, but I'm tired tonight," she says gently.
I nod, still kissing the scar.
"Are you curious about this scar too?" she asks quietly.
That makes me pause. I frown slightly.
"Curious too?" I ask.
She puts the lotion back in the cabinet, applies her roll-on, then walks away. I quickly pick up my cup and follow her, finding her in the closet. She slips into her nightie and looks at me. She isn't wearing a bra or panties, she never does. That's why I always lock the bedroom door. No one is going to walk in and find my soulkeeper naked. Never.
She walks past me and heads to the bedroom.
"So, are you going to follow me around?" she asks, slipping under the covers.
I nod, place the empty cup on the nightstand, and join her.
"I told you I'll follow you everywhere, even into the afterlife," I say, pulling her closer.
I kiss her shoulder again.
"So, who asked about the scar?" I ask smoothly, still kissing her skin.
A thought hits me suddenly. My hand starts to shake slightly.
"Did Sphephelo do this to you?" I ask, trying to stay calm. "Did he hurt you?"
She giggles.
She's giggling while I'm burning inside here.
"No," she says, yawning. "I got this scar from my mother."
She pauses, then adds, "Sphephelo wanted a perfect wife with perfect skin. I was just his beautiful decoration. He never laid a hand on me."
I sigh in relief, then confusion hits me.
"And why would your mother hurt you like this?" I ask, disbelief heavy in my voice.
She goes quiet for a moment.
"It was a mistake," she says.
A mistake? I gasp softly.
"I'm serious," she continues. "I was twelve when I got this scar. I was attending Bible study after school. There was a man who went to church with us, always drunk and creepy."
She pauses and yawns again, her eyes fluttering. No. She can't fall asleep now.
"We were cleaning the church with other kids before Bible study started. That man was there, drunk. He asked one girl to sit on his lap, and she did. He was tickling her. Then he got bored and walked around, hitting other kids on their bums."
My jaw tightens.
"When he came to me, I knew something was wrong. My uncle had warned me never to allow any man to touch me. The man said I was growing fast, that my breasts would show soon. It was weird. I ignored him. Then he tried to touch me, and I screamed."
My heart starts pounding hard.
"The pastor heard and came to see what was happening. I told him what the man tried to do, but that man started lying. He said I was troubling him. He insulted me. I left and went home."
Her voice drops lower.
"When I got home, my mother was shocked that I came back early. My grandmother was there with my father. I didn't tell my mother what happened because I was so happy to see my grandmother. My mother noticed something was wrong and left the room."
She swallows.
"She left for a while while I was busy giving my grandmother tea. My grandmother was on a call with my aunt. After a few minutes, my grandmother handed me the phone so I could talk to her. My aunt apologised for leaving so early without seeing me and said she would come again. I was happy, talking to her, and I didn't notice my mother coming back into the room."
Her voice trembles.
"She came in angry. Shouting. Calling me a liar. Accusing me of ruining her reputation by accusing that man at church. She picked up an empty cup from the table and threw it at me."
My breath catches.
"It hit my shoulder and broke. I started bleeding."
I gasp.
"And your father watched her do that?" I ask, shocked.
"It all happened so fast," she says softly. "My father and grandmother were still trying to understand why my mother was so angry. The phone must have fallen, I was crying and there was so much blood."
She exhales slowly.
"She told them I was lying. That I was accusing an innocent man. I tried to explain, but that only made her angrier."
What? What was wrong with her mother?
"And?" I ask calmly, even though I'm boiling inside.
She opens her eyes and groans softly.
"Let me get on top of you, I'll tell you," she says.
Of course she can. As long as she doesn't fall asleep. If she does, I won't get any sleep tonight. She's talkative because of the alcohol, and tomorrow, when she's sober, she won't say a word.
She gently climbs on top of me, wraps her arms around my neck, and rests her face on my shoulder.
"So… my grandmother told them I was bleeding. That's when my mother calmed down a bit. My father didn't ask much. He just took me to the doctor. Weird enough, I didn't feel any pain when I got this scar, only when I got the stitches," she continues.
"And when we came back from the doctor, that's when we saw Aunt Lunga's car outside the gate. There was chaos inside the house. My dad rushed in, and I followed behind him. That's when we found my aunt beating my mother," she says softly.
"The aunt you were on a call with?" I ask.
She nods.
"Yeah. She said she heard everything on the phone. She did a U-turn and came back. She didn't stop at beating my mother, she almost beat my dad too. She asked me what happened, asked what the man was wearing, and I told her everything."
She pauses, then continues.
"She went straight to the church. She found that drunk, creepy man outside and beat him up. When the pastor and other church members tried to intervene, she beat them up too. It was chaos. The kids from church ended up backing me up because the police were called. Aunt Lunga was almost arrested, but the police took the drunk man instead," she says.
Thank God for that aunt.
Because it's clear her father was not going to do anything. He watched his wife hurt Nikky. And now it makes even more sense why he might not be her real father.
"So after all that," she continues, "my aunt packed all my clothes and my things. She told me we were moving to Dannhauser. I would attend school there until I finished matric. That's how I moved to KZN. And that was the last time I ever attended my mother's church."
Oh, my poor baby.
I rub her back gently.
"Is your aunt still alive?" I ask. I need to buy that woman something nice. She's a heroine.
She giggles.
"Very much alive. She's back home," she says, amused. "She does that a lot. She doesn't talk much like her sister, she beats people up. She did the same thing to her ex-husband and his family. Beat them up and moved back home," she adds.
"So all your father's siblings are alive?" I ask curiously.
She nods.
"Yeah. He was the quiet one. You'd think he wasn't even their sibling, while Uncle Mbongiseni and Aunt Lunga go around threatening people," she says. "My other aunt, the one who likes my mother, is very judgy. That's just who she is."
She yawns.
Her father was too quiet. Too quiet to even stand up for his daughter. That only strengthens my theory that he isn't her real father.
I sigh, holding her tighter. I don't even ask what kind of father he was. The answer is already clear.
But there's something I need to know.
"The drunk, creepy man… where is he? And the pastor?" I ask. I know the pastor knew about this.
"Still alive. And the pastor is still at that church," she says.
Mmmh. Good.
Brian is bored. He needs new experiments.
It doesn't matter that this happened years ago.
Karma has a long memory. And tonight, it came to collect.

•••

The clinic is quiet, only the sound of construction outside breaking the silence. Zola stands up and groans softly, glancing at Nikky. Pinky is busy with Kamo, sorting through some old files.
"I need to go get some Indian food, I'm craving it," Zola says as she drops her phone into her purse. "Want some, Nikky?"
Nikky lifts her eyes and smiles.
"You're rich these days?" Nikky teases.
Zola laughs a little.
"Well, Mr Mlambo paid me a lot when you were not here," she answers, picking up her bag.
Pinky frowns and clicks her tongue silently, mumbling under her breath.
Nikky giggles and nods, impressed.
"Since you have money, please bring me some food then," Nikky says happily, going back to her phone.
Zola walks off.
Nikky scrolls through her phone, watching sports cars, Cherry Porsche to be specific. Lately, she's been obsessed with the colour cherry. When she knocks off, she plans to go straight to the nail technician and get her nails done in that colour, especially since they'll be knocking off early today.
Kamo leans closer and smiles.
"Want to get a car?" Kamo asks.
Nikky lifts her head again and looks at her.
Pinky scoffs beside them.
"Yeah, Mnotho wants to get me one soon," Nikky says casually, then goes back to her phone.
Kamo turns and looks at Pinky, who is visibly annoyed. She can tell this won't end well. She excuses herself, saying she wants to go make a call.
The moment Kamo leaves, Pinky turns to Nikky.
"So, are you not going to help? Since now you're dating a shareholder?" she asks, her voice dripping with venom.
Nikky laughs out loud and nods.
"I can smell your jealousy, Pinky. And yes, I won't help you. Since I'm dating Mnotho, you can say his name," Nikky says cockily, still swiping on her phone.
Pinky feels herself boiling. She scoffs in disbelief.
"You know he'll dump you and leave you, then find a younger girl than you," Pinky says, trying to hurt her.
That doesn't move Nikky at all. She places her phone on the counter and looks at Pinky with a wicked smile.
"Madam… do you want to fuck my man?" Nikky asks, unapologetic.
Pinky's eyes widen. She stands up, clearly wanting to say something, but instead she walks off, defeated.
Nikky bursts out laughing.
As she picks up her phone again, it rings.
Mom.
Nikky frowns. Her mother only calls when something is wrong. She answers, but Sylvia doesn't even wait for her to greet.
"Nike, I need seven buckets of biscuits," Sylvia says on the other side.
Nikky gasps.
"What?" she asks, shocked.
"Yes," Sylvia says, her voice breaking. "Our pastor is dead," she wails.