A HEART REPLACED, chapter three
A HEART REPLACEDChapter three
LONDEKA’S POV
My heart feels weighed down, and I'm at a loss for words; if I try to speak, I'll only end up coughing uncontrollably. I glance over at my sister, her eyes brimming with tears as she looks at me and Mkhuseli. With his support, I rise from the couch and we make our way to our room. In a different circumstance, I would be embracing her, offering comfort, but the truth is, Nonhlakanipho and I have never shared a close bond. She's not my biological sister, but rather my father's late second wife's daughter. I've always harbored resentment towards her and her mother, as they represent the pain my father caused my mother through his infidelity. Even after her mother's passing, my mother chose to welcome Nonhlakanipho with open arms, treating her like her own, which only fueled my animosity towards her, feeling as though she had taken my place in my mother's
“Mkhuseleli, my love, please don't cry,”Mkhuseli says, gently wiping away my tears. “How can our parents do this to us?”I ask, my voice shaking. ”Please, don't worry about what they just said. It will never happen, my love,” he reassures me. “But Mkhuseli, what they—” I start to say, but he interrupts me. “What they said is nonsense, and I'm asking you to stop thinking about it, okay?” he says firmly, and I nod silently, trying to push aside the hurt and uncertainty.
He whispers ‘I love you’ and seals it with a gentle kiss on my forehead. I nod, my heart overflowing with love for him too. I'm resolute: I'll never share my husband with anyone, especially not Nonhlakanipho. I don't care if she's unaware of the plans our parents discussed in the meeting; she'd better keep her distance from my man. He's mine, and I'll fiercely protect our love.
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NONHLAKANIPHO’S POV
If only I had someone to confide in or turn to, I would have done so long ago. But alas, I'm alone, with no friends or family to support me. In times like these, I yearn for my mother's presence; she would never have allowed this to happen. But she's gone, resting peacefully in a better place. My mother had no family of her own, and she navigated this world solo until she met Bab'Thubana, married him, and had me. MaMnguni, however, despised my mother with a passion, and Londeka, too, harbored hatred towards me due to Bab'Thubana's infidelity and subsequent marriage to my mother, his second wife. After my mother's passing, MaMnguni surprisingly began treating me with kindness, but Londeka's animosity towards me never wavered. She made my life miserable until she got married and left, bringing me some peace. I focused on my studies and achieved good grades. Yet, here I am today, facing my father's insistence that I marry Londeka's husband. I'm trapped, with no choice in the matter, simply because he's my father and thinks he can control my life. Is it because I no longer have a mother to protect me?
Mkhuseli kindly showed me to my new room, and I must say, I'm quite fond of it. The spacious room has an en-suite bathroom, which is a lovely bonus. After unpacking my clothes, I headed straight for the shower, letting the cool water soothe my frazzled nerves. Feeling refreshed, I slipped into something comfortable and settled into the room. To take my mind off things, I pulled out my phone and got lost in a few games, trying to distract myself from the chaos that's been unfolding.
My phone alarm jolts me awake, and I groggily check the time - 06:30. I yawn, taking in my surroundings, and sigh, remembering I'm still in Londeka's house. I toss off the covers, head to the bathroom, and begin my morning routine, starting with some exercises. After finishing, I take a refreshing shower, dry off, and wrap myself in a towel. Back in the room, I lotion up and search for something to wear, settling on my trusty jeans and a soft scotch shirt. I tie my braids, feeling somewhat refreshed. Just as I'm getting settled, there's a knock at the door. I open it to find an unfamiliar face, an older woman who greets me with a warm smile.
“Good morning, ma'am. I'm here to clean the room,”she says, making me feel a pang of guilt that someone old enough to be my mother is addressing me with such formality.
“Good morning, Mah. Please, come in,” I reply, letting her in. She informs me that breakfast is ready downstairs if I'm hungry, and I nod, though I hadn't planned on leaving the room today. But, with the room needing to be cleaned, I don't have a choice. I grab my phone and head out, hoping the living room is empty.
I enter the living room, relieved to find it empty. I spot the breakfast spread and notice it's a hearty meal, typically served for lunch in my household. However, I remind myself that I'm no longer in my parents' home and need to adapt to the new household's meal schedule. I serve myself a portion, eat, and then clear the table, taking the dishes to the kitchen to wash them. As I'm scrubbing the plates, I hear a gentle voice behind me.
“You didn't have to do that, ma'am.”I turn to see the kind-faced woman who cleaned my room earlier.
“I'm sorry if I startled you,”she apologizes.
“No, it's okay,” I reply, continuing to wash the dishes.
“I just wanted to help since I have nothing else to do.”
“Thank you, then,” she says with a smile. “I'm Nonhlakanipho, but you can call me Nhlaka,” I introduce myself. “I'm Khethiwe,” she responds, her eyes sparkling.
“Nice to meet you, Mam Khethiwe,”I say, and she giggles, her beauty radiating.
“Nice to meet you too, my child,”she replies, her warmth putting me at ease.
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MKHUSELI'S POV
Mkhuseli arrives at the office early, determined to tackle the backlog of work he's been neglecting. He's already attended all his scheduled meetings for the day and is relieved to have none left, allowing him to focus on his tasks. Feeling exhausted from the marathon of meetings, he trudges into his office, loosening his tie as he collapses into his chair. Just as he's about to start tackling his workload, his brother Khulekani walks in,.
“Bafo,”Khulekani greets him, and Mkhuseli returns the greeting. Khulekani takes a seat, eyeing his brother with concern.
“I would say you look better today, but it seems like you're worse off,” he remarks. Mkhuseli lets out a sigh, “Well, I am worse off, but at least I managed to catch up on all my meetings and neglected workload today.”He stands up to pour whisky for himself and his brother.
“What's going on?”Khulekani asks, noticing the tension in Mkhuseli's voice.
“It's your father and the Thubanas,” Mkhuseli replies, handing his brother a glass and taking his seat.
“What happened?”Khulekani presses.
“Apparently, they've decided to bring my wife's sister to help us produce grandchildren since my wife is struggling with her health and can't get pregnant,” Mkhuseli explains, chuckling wryly.
“Unamanga wena!” Khulekani exclaims, shocked. ”Ngiyakutshela,”Mkhuseli responds, shaking his head in disbelief.
After recounting the events of the previous day to his brother, Mkhuseli drains his glass of whisky.
“I didn't see that coming,” Khulekani remarks, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Me neither,”Mkhuseli agrees.
“What kind of parents make decisions like this without even consulting us first? It's unbelievable.” Khulekani nods in agreement.
“My wife was up all night, stressed to the limit, and I can't blame her. This whole situation is taking a toll on her, and it's infuriating,” Mkhuseli says, his frustration evident.
“And what about the sister? Where is she now?”Khulekani inquires.
“She's at my house, and it seems she'll be staying with us from now on,”Mkhuseli replies, shrugging.
“She was eerily quiet during the meeting, so I assume she's one of those people who can't speak at all”
He prepares to head home, Mkhuseli realizes he hasn't had a chance to call his wife all day. He hopes she's doing well, has eaten, and taken her medication. He packs up the car, locks it, and enters the house, finding the living room empty but filled with the aroma of a cooked meal. He investigates the covered plate on the table and finds pap and fried wors with gravy, but before eating, he wants to check on his wife. He heads upstairs to their bedroom, where he finds her engrossed in her phone, playing games. He greets her with a kiss and asks, “How are you? Did you eat and take your meds?” She assures him she's fine and has done so.
“That's great, I was worried. Who helped you?” he inquires. “Nonhlakanipho did,” she replies, rolling her eyes, still surprised by the unexpected help.
Mkhuseli is relieved, “Oh, okay, that's good. At least she was helpful.”As he undresses, Londeka can't help but think that if Nonhlakanipho's plan is to impress her husband with her helpfulness, she's wasting her time - it won't work.
To be continued....
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