30

THE BRIDE

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LISA

***Ngiqeda ukugeza kwi shower...ngizibuka esbukweni and all i see is a woman who's been through so much..and to think that i found a man like mxolisi empilweni yami! Without him and his family angazi ukuthi ngabe ngikuphi ngampela...ngimbone esengbambile ngemumva engcabuza umhlane***

Mxo:Bheka ukuthi umuhle kanjani

***Ngmamatheke***

Me:I look pale

***Angphendule engenza ngimbuke***

Mxo:Kwenzenjani khuluma nami mama

***I sigh...ngihlale kwi corner lombhede yena alande stulo ahlale phambikwami***

Me:Ngyasaba Mapholoba

***Angbambe isandla angbuke emehlweni***

Me:What if they don't want me? What if kuba nezinkinga phambili?? Angfuni ukuzifaka lapho engizophoxeka khona...all my life ngancishwa uthando lwabazali... I don't want to expect something that I won't find

Mxo:Angithi uyazi ukuthi angeke uze uphenduleke if ungahambi uyobabona?

***I sigh and nod***

Mxo:Give them a chance sthandwa sami...ngizohlezi ngiseduze kwakho angeke ngvume ngawe lisakhanya...ngyazi ukuthi uyafuna ukyobabona kodwa uyasaba...kodwa what if uzoziphuthisela ngabantu abanothando? And even if bengakthandi sikhona thina kwa ngcobo syakthanda and asfuni ngawe

***Angcabuze***

Me:I think I'm finally ready

Mxo:Unesqiniseko?

***I nod***

Mxo:Ngfuna ukukuzwa usho mashenge

Me:Yebo ngnesqiniseko

Mxo:Klungile, ngizokhuluma nabo namhlanje bese syakhona

Me:Uzohamba nami?

***Angsukumise engbamba***

Mxo:Angeke ngvumele umfazi wami ahambe yedwa ngikhona

Me:Ngyazi ukuthi awthandi uma ngikbonga kodwa ngyabonga mapholoba...abasekhaya bangbusisa banglethela wena empilweni yami

***Amamatheke kuvela isfaca and i just melt..ngifake umunwe kwisfaca sakhe angbuke and frown***

Me:You look cute

Mxo:Hhayi kahleke

Me:What?

Mxo:Ayikho indoda e cute mashenge

Me:But your dimples make you look cute

***Anikine ikhanda ahambe ngsale ngihleka...i take a deep breath as i get ready***

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NOKUKHANYA

***Sengzwile khiwa indodakazi yolahleko is coming home today...abazali bajabule...infact everyone is happy...i should be too but how?? for years bengfuna ukuthi simthole abuye ekhaya kodwa after finding out that ushade no mxolisi inhliziyo yami ivele yaphuka nje! umama afike ame eduze kwami while smiling***

Ma:How is it?

***Ubuza nge decor ephambikwami***

Me:I think she will like it, it's beautiful

Mah:I'm sure uma ithandwa uwena naye uzoythanda

***After all we fall for the same man***

Me:Yeah

Mah:Ohh mntanami ngijabule...awazi ukuthi mina no baba wakho salinda nina ukuthi abuye ekhaya... I'm sure nawe ujabule...ekugcineni umndeni uphelele wonke

Me:Yes, I'm very happy mama

***Amamatheke bese eyahamba...my big brother senzo come to me***

Senzo:Okay, kwenzakalani?

Me:Ngani?

Senzo:Ngyabona ukuthi njengoba ukhuluma no mama awukho laa

***I sigh***

Me:I'm okay bhuti

Senzo:Ukhohlisa bani?

Me:Do you remember my ex husband?

***His face change***

Senzo:The one who was abusing you?

Me:No

Senzo:Mxolisi Ngcobo?

***I nod***

Senzo:Ufunani lowo kuwe after he broke your heart??

Me:He's married to lisakhanya

Senzo:What??!

Me:Yeah

Senzo:What if he knew all along??

Me:Angboni ngoba into yabo eyamanje

Senzo:Nxh! Angimfuni lomfana eduze kwa sis wami...he cheated on you wase ekshiya kanjalo!!

Me:Bhuti ngyacela! don't start any fight...uyazi nawe ukuthi abazali bajabule kanjani njengoba bemtholile ulisa

Senzo:Mmmh

***I deep sigh... don't look at me like that...i just couldn't tell them the truth!***

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LISA

***I'm wearing blue jeans and a white top and sneakers...gosh ngthukile I won't lie...sisemotweni no mxolisi and the more we keep on passing houses inhliziyo yami ivele ishaya kakhulu!***

Mxo:Relax baby

***Esho engbamba isandla***

Me:Ngcela sjike...

Mxo:Mashenge

Me:Asjike mxolisi

***Amise imoto eceleni bese eyaphuma eyovula i boot...eze kwi side lami angvulele iscabha bese ngyaphuma ngshawa umoya...angnike amanzi ngiwaphuze***

Mxo:Ngcela wehlise umoya before you pass out

Me:I'm sure i look crazy right now

***He chuckles***

Me:Ohh...i look crazy ngampela?

Mxo:Chabo mama

Me:Pho why uhleka?

Mxo:Ngcela wehlise umoya..

Me:I'm sorry but i just can't help it

Mxo:Ufuna sjike?

Me:No

Mxo:Ufuna ukwenzenjani?

Me:I want to meet them

Mxo:Asambeke, baslindele

***I nod, singene emotweni and he drives off...sihambe iskhathi nje bese syafika klomuzi omkhulu omhlophe omuhle***

Mxo:We're here

Me:They are rich

***Ahleke kancane bese syaphuma..angbambe isandla escabuza....sfike si nocke... u aunty osebenzayo asingenise... phakathi kuhle kakhulu...cha banemali labantu...sfike edining kunabantu abaningi abaslindile.ngbambe umxolisi ngimqinise***

Woman:Ohh lisakhanya

***Aqale akhale azekimi..ngbuke umxolisi who nods...angdedele bese lo mama eyangihaga... judging by her looks.. she's my mother***

Me:Mama

***Angbambe and i just cry in her arms...no baba asondele asihage sobabili***

Mah:Ohh syabonga nkosi

***Angdedele bese engsula izinyembezi engcabuza isihlathi***

Mah:Sawbona

Me:Yebo

Mah:Uyaphila kodwa?

***Ngvume ngekhanda as she hugs me again...***

Mah:Besengithi angeke ngphinde ngikbone

Baba:She's here now sthandwa sami

***Angbuke ubaba emamatheke...kufike unokukhanya with another man***

Mah:Nali i wele lakho, nokukhanya

Khanya:Hi

Lisa:Hey

***Avule izandla...ngsondele ngimuhage...a twin hhu??!***

Baba:Ubhuti wakho omdala usenzo

Senzo:Sis omncane

***Angihage... I've always wanted an older brother!***

Me:Bhuti

***Amamatheke bese ebuka umxo i smile sakhe siphele..ngbuke umxo who is also staring at senzo***

Me:This is mxolisi Ngcobo, my husband

Senzo:Simazi kahle

***Ohh yeah...ngbuke ukhanya obuka umxolisi..***

Mah:Asihlale phansi

Senzo:Askhulume ndoda

***Umxo no senzo bephume...sihlale phansi thina***

Baba:Unjani kodwa mntanami?

Me:I'm okay

Baba:Yonke lemnyaka besikbheka singaktholi

Me:Beningeke nigthole...all these years i was locked up kwi basement

Mah:What??!

***I sigh***

Me:But I'm here now..ngyajabula ukunibona kodwa i want to know what happened

***Bebukane...ubaba amubambe isandla and nod***

Mah:28 years ago i was pregnant with twins...ngenkathi sekfika iskhathi sokuthi sye sbhedlela ngateta...i was so tired after giving birth...ubaba wakho was away kwi business trip, wayesendleleni...ngaphaphama sekthiwa kunewele eliodwa...the other one was gone...they checked the footage kwavela umuntu ekthatha kodwa ubuso bakhe bungaveli

***She sigh esula izinyembezi***

Baba:Sakbeka yonkindawo lisakhanya kodwa singaktholi

Me:They locked me kwi basement for years

Maah:Did they hurt you?

Me:Kakhulu

***Izinyembezi zigcwale amehlo...ubaba aqinise umhlathi..asukume azongbamba and i just cry in his arms***

Baba:Ngyxolisa mntanami...ngyaxolisa...ungakhali usekhaya manje

***Those words bring me peace...asukume no mama angihage and the love i feel right now is beyond...i have a place to call home***

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MXO

***Ngfake izandla emaphaketheni staring at senzo...syazana we use to work together..angbuke anikine ikhanda***

Senzo:What are you doing here mxolisi?

Me:Ubuza i bus libhaliwe

Senzo:You first broke my sister's heart manje usukomunye?

Me:Sonke besingazi ukuthi owalaykhaya

Senzo:Ohh yeah? and I'm suppose to believe that??

Me:Angnandaba ukuthi ukholwani senzo

Senzo:Hlukana no sis wami

Me:Angeke kwenzeke lokho

***Asondele engbamba ngamawashing and i just chuckle***

Senzo:Angdlali nawe mfana uyangizwa??!

Me:Umfana umnganwakho hhayi mina...

Senzo:Uyinja wena mxolisi...usis wami wacishe washona ngenxa yakho...you fucked her life up!!

Me:Awzazi ukuthi ukhuluma ngani

***Ngimbambe ngamawashing nami ngimbuke emehlweni***

Me:Get your fucken off me mfana

Khanya:Senzo wenzani??

Senzo:Suka la nokukhanya!!

Khanya:Myeke!

***Angdedele...ngfake izandla emaphaketheni***

Khanya:Bayakcela ngaphakathi

***Ahambe...unokukhanya angbuke***

Khanya:Are you okay?

Me:Wathini ku senzo??

Khanya:Nothing

Me:Yini pho ecabanga ukuthi i did you wrong?

Khanya:Don't mind him

***Asondele***

Khanya:We need to talk

Me:Awkahle nokukhanya...angazi ukuthi ubatsheleni kini ngami kodwa ungacabangi ukuthi mina nawe syophinde nje sibe yinto....

Khanya:So you're gonna act like i don't exist?? Like askaze sthandane??! I lost a child mxolisi!! Our baby!!

***I see her freeze...ngbuke la abuka khona and umashenge umile***

Me:Mashenge

***Ngyekuye...afike angbambe isandla and smile***

Lisa:I need you inside

***Sihambe...my heart is racing...uzwile?***

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