Family meeting

Thulani and Jessica

"So, family meeting huh? Does that mean you are going to tell them what's really going on?" Thulani Makhanya says as he sits down on the couch opposite Raymond Dladla who looks a little tired. With them in the lounge is Jessica Ranaka who is the family lawyer, a very pretty woman with a great sense of style in what she wears. The 40 year-old has been family lawyer for about 8 years now and she is always on call for any of Raymond's children should any of them find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Thulani Makhanya is the family's accountant and a close friend of Raymond. He looks after the family business' finances, but that has not always gone down well with Raymond's children because they don't trust him very much.
"There's nothing going on Thulani okay? We spoke about this, didn't we?" a seemingly irritable Raymond says with a low voice. "Look, I just wanted to spend time with my kids. I'm getting old and I wanna spend as much time with them as possible, what's wrong with that? Please don't overthink this alright?"
"Well, except that there is something wrong Ray okay?" Jessica says as she shrugs her shoulders. "I mean, you need to tell them what's really going on alright? I think that they deserve to know the truth and..." she doesn't finish her thought as the annoyed Raymond sharply cuts in, "Hey, hey, hey...I know what my children deserve alright? So please don't try and lecture me about what my own children deserve or don't deserve." he says as he raises his voice a little bit, leading him to cough uncomfortably.
"Ray, are you alright? You need some water?" a concerned Thulani says as he quickly moves from his couch to sit next to Raymond. "Cynthia...please bring some water..." he shouts as he calls on one of the helpers in the house and Cynthia quickly comes in with a glass of water and gives it to Raymond to drink.
"I am fine, it was just a cough alright? You guys need to stop treating me like I'm going to die or something okay?" a defiant Raymond says as he puts the glass down. "I'm sorry Raymond, we are not trying to give you a hard time alright? But we are worried about you okay?" Jessica says with a low voice. "We just want to make sure that you are alright. Your kids will be here in a little while and we have to be clear about why me and Thulani are here for. I mean, It's a family meeting afterall."
As Raymond thinks about that is being said, someone coming through the kitchen door shouts, "Hello, is everyone home?". It's Raymond’s eldest son Thamsanqa and his wife Ayanda coming in as they head straight to the lounge where Ray and his associates are.
"Oh hey daddy, how are you doing?'' Thamsanqa says with some excitement in his eyes as he, his wife and the twins enter the lounge but his face suddenly changes as he sees that his father is not alone. "Oh uhmm...Thulani, Jessica...I didn't know you guys were here as well." he says as he looks at his wife who also raises an eyebrow. "Oh hey, how are you Thami?" Jessica says with a bright smile as though she was excited about something but Thulani does his best to maintain a straight face.
"Hey, hey, hey....be respectful to Thulani and Jessica alright?" Raymond says with a frail voice. "I'm the one who asked them to join us for this evening's supper. So you will treat them with the utmost respect and remember what these two have done for this family. Now what you can tell me is why aren’t your siblings here with you right now."
"Uhmm...I will make calls daddy to check where they are...." Thamsanqa says as he pulls a cellphone from his pocket and start making calls.
***

Richard Moyo

Somewhere else Lerato's love interest, Richard Moyo is having drinks with his associate Absalom Maleka who goes by Abs, at a fancy lounge Bar in Umhlanga. Richard is Director General for the Department of Mineral resources and Lerato's on and off boyfriend. He comes across as a very authoritative man and those who know him say he never takes no for an answer.
"So how are things my friend?" Abs asks as he takes a sip of his whiskey. "Arg, things are going alright my man I can't complain that much, how about you?" Richard says as he also takes a sip. "As you can see for yourself my friend, I'm all good, hahaha..." Abs says as he bursts out laughing. "Yeah this Zama-Zama thing seems to be treating you very well." Richard says with a smile as he looks around to see if anyone is listening. "Yeah I can't complain man, it's a dangerous business but it surely does pay the bills."
"Don't you think it's time for you to quit? I mean the way it has become violent these days how do you know that you can trust those people anymore?" Richard asks as he takes another sip. "Nah man, the people causing trouble are from Botswana and they are being dealt with. Besides, I have the protection of the minister as long as I give him his cut." Abs says with a smirk on his face as he takes another sip. "Anyways enough about that, how's it going with you and that miss Dladla? Are you making any headway?"
"Arg man, that's one thing that is frustrating me at the moment, you know." a seemingly annoyed Richard says with a sigh as he finishes off whatever was left on his glass. "Lerato just came off a bad divorce so she doesn't wanna rush things and ofcourse I have to be understanding with that sort of thing, right?"
"Yeah man, be patient okay? Otherwise she will sense that you have ulterior motives for wanting to date her. Just don't forget what the objective is." Abs says with a low voice. "I know alright? You don't have to remind me." a displeased Richard says with a sigh. "The thing is that those Dladla siblings really respect their old man, no matter what. He may be old but he wields so much power so everything has to go through him first. Lerato is second to Thami who is the eldest of the four, so even if I can control Lerato there'd still be that issue."
"Well then, if the old man is the problem, then maybe the old man has to go...if Thami is the problem then he has to go." Abs says as he shrugs his shoulders but Richard quickly cuts in, "Are you crazy?" he whispers as he looks around the lounge to check if anyone is listening. "We can't kill the old man, alright? We also can't kill Lerato's brother...we are not murderers, we are business people."
"Well, speak for yourself..." Abs says with a scoff. "I deal with money alright? And anything or anyone getting in the way of that must be removed, period. Have you forgotten what the objective is here Richard? Stop catching feelings and focus on the job at hand. You and I are business partners and we aim to benefit from this whole thing."
"Look, yes we are partners...ofcourse I know that." Richard whispers as he leans forward. "But we have to be careful about how we do things alright? The last thing we want is raising eyebrows and drawing unnecessary tensions to ourselves. I will work on Lerato but I need a little bit of time okay? You just said it yourself that I need to be patient, now I'm asking you to be patient with this alright? And no, I haven't forgotten the objective, alright? But if we want to have a piece of that Dladla empire we must play our cards right."
Abs thinks for a second as he looks at his associate in the eyes. "Alright then fine…do it your way." he says with a sigh. "But you better wrap this thing quick alright? I'm tired of this Zama-Zama business...I want to go legit and your Lerato is my ticket."
Suddenly the mood turns sour in this lounge as Abs calls out the waiter for another round of drinks.
***

Raymond Dladla

Back at the Dladla mansion, everyone has arrived for the family dinner except ofcourse for Prince and there's a level of uncertainty on everyone's faces. Everyone is wondering what this could be about.
"So uhmm...Bhut' Thulani; Jessica...how nice of you to join us during this family dinner." a seemingly irritated Zoleka says as she takes a sip of her wine but her father quickly interjects, "Hey, I have already explained to your brother that I invited Thulani and Jessica to join us okay? So please don't be rude to them." he says with a rather tired voice. "I'm not being rude daddy but we thought this was a family dinner...you know, when family members come together to talk about family issues in private?" Zoleka responds as she shrugs her shoulders.
"But you have known Thulani for a very long time sweetheart...he and Jessica have been in many family gatherings before, so what's the big deal?" a frail looking Raymond says as he tries to raise his voice a little bit but Lerato cuts in, "But daddy, why don't you really tell us what's going on alright?" she says with some worry in her face. "I mean, Thulani is the family's accountant and Jessica is the family lawyer...all that is missing is Luzuko, the family doctor. Do you get where I'm getting at here?"
"Actually Luzuko would have been here as well but he has an emergency." Raymond says before coughing a few times. "You see what I mean guys?" a seriously concerned Lerato says as she looks at her siblings. "So we have a family lawyer; a family accountant and the family doctor would have been here if it wasn't for some emergency somewhere...and daddy you are telling us there's nothing to worry about? Thulani; Jessica...why are you two really here? This is supposed to be time for family privacy."
When Raymond sees that this is about to become tense he quickly interjects, "By the way sweetheart I'm glad that you brought my grandson here...oh and you too makoti(daughter in law. Thank you for bringing the twins." he says with a smile as he looks at Thamsanqa's wife Ayanda. "Where are they anyways? Aren't they joining us for dinner?"
"They are all upstairs baba(dad)..." Ayanda says as she smiles back. "And you? When exactly are you giving me a grandchild? You are not getting any younger...and where is your fiancé? Isn't he joining?" Raymond asks curiously as he looks at Zoleka who rolls eyes and says, "Oh daddy please don't start with that alright? Who said I want kids? Besides, you said this was a family dinner so Jason isn't here. Now quit stalling and tell us what's really going on here? Why do we have bhut’ Thulani and Jessica here?"
But Raymond thinks about how to respond to this question they are interrupted by Prince who comes in and shouts, "Hey family...how is everyone doing?" with a jovial voice as he takes off his shades. "Oh finally, the prince arrives..." the visibly annoyed Thamsanqa says with a scoff. "Where have you been? What was so important that you had to keep dad and all of us waiting, huh?"
"Well, I have a company to run okay?" Prince says as he pulls a chair and sits next to Raymond who looks a little uncomfortable with the exchange between the two brothers. "Oh, running a company, really? From where? a night club? Do you realize that you are actually reeking of alcohol right? I'm really surprised that thing hasn't been liquidated yet." Thamsanqa fires one back but a visibly annoyed Zoleka interjects, "Oh Thami, but why do you have to be like that, huh?" she says as she throws hands.
"It's alright sis..." Prince says as he takes liberty to pour himself a glass of wine. "Atleast I started a company with my own sweats, from the scratch...what about you? I really can't say the same of you, can I? What have you done from scratch?"
"Prince, come on." Lerato says with a begging voice as she looks at a visibly disappointed Raymond who has leaned back on his chair. "No sis, seriously." Prince says as he motions with his hand. "Dad and I are the only ones who actually started a company from scratch, isn't that true? We didn't just wait on to ride on someone else's hard work and sweat. Now I have a stand alone company in the family but every firs chance you get is try and discourage that? No bhuti...No!!!" He is now upset.
"But little brother you chose to leave the family business and decided to branch out. You know damn well that you didn't have to do that." an irritated Thamsanqa says as he raises his voice a little bit but Prince quickly cuts in, "But isn't that's what dad taught us growing up...to follow our dreams?" he says as he also raises his. "I wanted something different alright? Dad, you know I love you very much, but I just wanted to be my own man. Starting a fashion line was always my dream...I am a creative."
"Your own man? Is chasing women at the club and wasting your money on them being a your own man? Well, good luck with that." Thamsanqa says as he scoffs once again but in an attempt to calm things down Ayanda intervenes, "But Prince, don't you think that bringing your company under the SunRay group will be good for you? I mean, think about the cash injection into your business...you'd be able to expand even further." she says as she looks at her husband who nods in agreement.
"OH, so that I work under your husband as my boss? I don't think so...Princely is my company and I will run it the way I want, without anyone giving me orders." Prince says angrily as he takes a sip of his wine.
"Alright that's enough. I have been listening to you kids bickering for as long as I can take it alright?" an irritated Raymond says as he raises his voice a little bit. "Now I was not happy that Prince decided to branch out and start his own thing outside the family because I built this empire for you kids. I wanted you to have a bright future which you will in turn leave for my grand children. But Prince is the one person here who comes to visit me more often and even stay on for a week or two, yet he is not even working in the family business. So what is everyone else's excuse exactly?"
"Uhmm...father, with all due respect I really think that this is a family matter that only needs family members." Thamsanqa says as he looks at Thulani and Jessica before clearing his throat. "Yes daddy, I agree...I think if you really wanted to discuss family matters you wouldn't have invited Thulani and Jessica here..." Lerato adds as she looks a little embarrassed. "Thank God I'm not crazy..." Zoleka says with a smirk as she lifts up her wine glass just a little higher.
"Enough, alright?" Raymond cuts in. "Now, can any of you me why it's been hard to come and visit me often? You know, I allowed you to grow and become your own people; to be independent and have your own lives but I didn't say you shouldn't show me love once in a little while."
"But daddy you know we love you..." a seemingly taken aback Zoleka says as she looks at her siblings who are just as puzzled by their father's statement. "Then what's wrong with showing that love, huh?" Raymond cuts in. "Must I now call a family meeting in order to see my own kids? Easter weekends; Christmas and New Year's even you only pop up for a few hours and then you are gone? This house is full of strangers who cook and take care of me but who said I don't miss my own kid's cooking or a having a beer with my sons?"
These words suddenly make everyone on the table sad as they look at each other but Raymond continues, "Now bring my grand kids here because I want to speak to you as a family..." which puzzles the siblings even more as they look each wondering what has really happened.