A HEART REPLACED chapter Fifteen
A HEART REPLACEDChapter fifteen
NARRATED
The car ride to Mkhuseli's parents' house is eerily quiet, with neither of them uttering a word. Mkhuseli can't help but sneak glances at Nonhlakanipho, who's engrossed in her phone.
“Do you want me to stop somewhere?”Mkhuseli breaks the silence, only to receive a curt “No” from Nonhlakanipho. Mkhuseli sighs, feeling frustrated.
“Are we going to keep up this charade in front of my parents?” he asks, to which Nonhlakanipho retorts,
“Why pretend?”
Mkhuseli responds “Kanti ufuna ngicolise kanjani kuwe Vele?(How do you want me to fix this, ?).”
Nonhlakanipho raises an eyebrow, looking at him skeptically. Mkhuseli rubs his face with his left hand, still driving with the other.
“I'm sorry, Nonhlakanipho. I've promised it won't happen again,” he apologizes sincerely.
Nonhlakanipho remains fixated on her phone, ignoring Mkhuseli's attempts to make amends. He sighs, realizing his efforts are futile.
After a lengthy drive, they arrive at his parents' grandiose house, which Nonhlakanipho can't help but gawk at in awe. They alight from the vehicle and approach the entrance, where they're greeted by the housekeeper.
As they enter the living room, Qhawe teases, “Behold, the couple of the year!” Mkhuseli and Nonhlakanipho's coordinated outfits draw attention, as if they planned to match. MaMbhatha warmly welcomes them, “My children, you're finally here!”and envelops them in hugs. Nonhlakanipho greets her with a respectful “Sawbona, Mah”
“Kunjani Makoti”
"I'm good, Mah."
MaMbhatha compliments Nonhlakanipho's dress, to which Qhawe adds, “She looks stunning in everything she wears, Mama” earning a glare from Mkhuseli. The room erupts in laughter at Qhawe's lighthearted joke, “Ngiyadlala, nangu uBafo efuna ungiginya”
Mr. Mbatha joins the group, and they proceed to the dining table, where a sumptuous meal is laid out in bowls. They take their seats and pass the bowls around, serving themselves. MaMbatha inquires, “How's everything going for you two? Are you treating each other with love and respect?” Nonhlakanipho forces a smile and lies, “We are, Mah,” while Mkhuseli nods in agreement, supporting her fabricated response. MaMbatha continues, “That's wonderful! When last did you speak with your parents, Makoti?” Nonhlakanipho replies nonchalantly, “I can't recall,” concealing the fact that she last spoke with her father during the cleansing ceremony, and has since rejected his phone number. The family continues their breakfast conversation, with Mkhuseli's siblings engaging Nonhlakanipho, but Mkhuseli remains pensive, lost in thought, his mind preoccupied with something else.
After dinner, the helpers promptly clear the table, and Nonhlakanipho follows them to the kitchen with the remaining dishes. She prepares to wash the dishes, but one of the helpers inquires, “What are you doing, Mam?”
Nonhlakanipho responds, “I'm helping out.” The helper objects, "No, no, you can't do that!" Nonhlakanipho asks, confused, “Why?” The helper explains, “Madam will scold us if we let you do the dishes.”
“Oh, come on! She won't. I'll tell her that I insisted.” The helpers, recognizing Nonhlakanipho's determination, relinquish their attempts to stop her and let her proceed with washing the dishes.
Nonhlakanipho bonds with the helpers over dishwashing, sharing hilarious stories and laughter, creating an atmosphere of warmth and familiarity. After completing the task, they brew coffee for the family. Nonhlakanipho returns to the living room, where she finds MaMbatha, Hleliwe, Nomhle, Banele, Qhawe, Sambulo, and Khulekani, Mkhuseli's younger siblings, waiting. She serves them coffee, and Hleliwe assists her in serving Mbatha and his sons, except for Khulekani, who didn't join them for dinner with Pearl.
As they savor their coffee, the family engages in lively conversations, sharing stories and laughter. Nonhlakanipho seamlessly integrates into the warm and welcoming atmosphere, impressing Mbatha's siblings with her kindness and humor. Hleliwe, in particular, takes a liking to her, and they bond over their shared love of cooking.
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BAB’THUBANA ’S HOUSE
In their bedroom, Thubana and his wife, MaMnguni, are together, having just retired for the night. Despite the challenging week they've faced, With MaMnguni's anger towards him, Thubana's mind is preoccupied with Nonhlakanipho, who hasn't been answering his calls. All week, he's tried to reach her, but her phone is now unreachable.
“What's on your mind?” MaMnguni asks, noticing his distraction. “Nothing, I'm just worried about Nonhlakanipho,” he replies. MaMnguni rolls her eyes, “You've been obsessing over her all week, aren't you tired?”she asks, her tone laced with boredom. Thubana explains, “Mkami, Nonhlakanipho is my daughter, I can't abandon her.”
MaMnguni responds, “I know, and I didn't say otherwise.” Thubana sighs, “Nonhlakanipho is our only remaining daughter.” MaMnguni corrects him, “Your daughter, Thubana, not mine. Mine is dead.”
Thubana's eyes drop, and he nods solemnly, acknowledging the painful truth. MaMnguni's words are a harsh reminder of their loss, and the tension in the room becomes palpable. He knows she's still grieving, and her anger towards him is a manifestation of her pain.
“Mkami I'm trying to make things right. I need you to know that I love you, and I love Nonhlakanipho. I want us to heal and move forward together.”
MaMnguni looks away, her expression unreadable. Thubana can sense her hurt and frustration, but he also detects a glimmer of hope. He knows it will take time to repair their relationship, but he's willing to do the work.
“MaMnguni, your resentment towards Nonhlakanipho needs to subside, as it may drive her away permanently, especially during this tumultuous time,” Thubana advises. "You need to temper your animosity, we require her presence," he emphasizes. MaMnguni responds, “I'll attempt to rein in my hate, but don't expect me to feign happiness around her. Nonhlakanipho will always evoke painful memories of my lost daughter, worsened by the fact that she's now with the same man my daughter married – it's a difficult pill to swallow.”
“I understand, mkami, but we did push Nonhlakanipho into this situation, so you should accept her as the new Mrs. Mbatha,” Thubana says. MaMnguni exhales a deep sigh, “I hear you, Thubana, but let's drop the subject of your daughter for now.” Thubana raises an eyebrow, “Okay, what would you like to discuss then, mkami?” MaMnguni smiles mischievously, "Let's talk about us, Thubana." Thubana's face lights up, “Mhhh, you miss me, don't you?” He teases, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek and playfully tickling her, which makes MaMnguni giggle like a teenager.
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NONHLAKANIPHO’S POV
The dinner was great, she won't lie, the food was delicious. Again, she enjoyed conversing with MaMbhatha and her children, especially Hleliwe, as they have a lot in common, which she liked. They stayed till late, and MaMbhatha insisted they sleep over with Mkhuseli when they were about to leave. She had no problem with that, but her concern was having to share a room with Mkhuseli. She's not ready for that, specifically sharing a bed with him, especially after the incident yesterday. She's unsure if she's scared of him or what, but he has apologized and assured her he won't do it again, attributing his behavior to alcohol.
She's still uncertain about sharing a bed with him.
He emerges from the shower, wrapped in a towel around his waist, and she quickly averts her gaze.
“Don't you have any manners?” she asks, still facing away.
“Excuse me? This is my room, so how can you question my behavior?” he responds.
“So, you're not alone in your room, then, Mr.?” she retorts.
“Whatever, I'm done with this conversation,”he says, and she sighs, turning around to find him still standing there.
“You're such an...” She trails off, rolling her eyes, and heads to the bathroom. Hleliwe has lent her a pair of pajamas, which she changes into after bathing. When she exits the bathroom, she finds Mkhuseli already in bed. ”I said I'm taking the bed,” she asserts.
“Take it where?”he asks, and she rolls her eyes, ignoring him, and gets into bed, placing pillows between them as a barrier.
To be continued...
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