We are here at Wandi’s dad’s house. Today, Senzi is going to pay lobola for Wandi. Can we just talk about that romantic proposal for a minute?! I mean guys, is there a more perfect proposal? And the whole world got to see it! It was trending all week. I’m so happy for Wandi. She deserves all of this happiness. 

It’s 5am. I’m here with my kids and Wandi’s brother is busy hitting on me… not even the older one, the baby. The younger one. The one young enough to play with my kids. Ai bo! 

I’m helping Wandi’s mom prepare food. Bassie has just showed up and she has baked scones and biscuits plus gemere. She’s here with her baby daddy. She tells us that her baby is with her mom. They are here for support. Wandi is just screaming and hugging us, thanking us, all that vibe. She’s being herself. 

Khanya’s and Khosini’s mother arrives. Things get tense immediately! Wandi’s mom doesn’t know how to be. 

“Hey mah. Kunjani?” Wandi greets Khanya’s mom. 

“Hey baby. I’m good. Wena unjani?”

“I’m good. I’m so happy you are here.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. My only baby girl is getting married? Weh!” 

We all laugh and greet her. Khanya greets his mother then takes her bag to the bedroom.

“Sawubona, Maphuthi”, Khanya’s mom. 

“Thandeka. Kunjani?” 

Should we leave? Or? 

“Ngiyaphila. I came for Wandi. I hope it’s okay.” 

“Of course. She’s happy you are here.”

Wandi’s mom and Khanya’s mom smile. 

“So where can I help?” Khanya’s mom asks.

“We need someone to make umqombothi.” Wandi’s mom says. 

“Sure”, Khanya’s mom says then heads to get that started. 

AWKWARD! 

“Hawu! Amakhosikazi wami madoda. This is how it should have always been yaz“, Wandi’s dad says. Bassie and I find ourselves chuckling. This man and his dreams when it comes to women… 

“Do you know how amazing our lives would have had we just been family and we lived like this all our lives? Imagine the love… the peace… the –

“Nkosinathi, please!” Khanya’s mom says. Wandi’s mom just rolls her eyes and walks out of the kitchen. 

“Or am I wrong, Wandi? Khanya?” The dad. 

“You are just weird. Now stop it. You are embarrassing us”, Wandi says. Khanya doesn’t care and Khosini seems quite upset.

At around 7am, we hear people at the gate yelling the Buthelezi clan names. Wandi is told to go sit in some bedroom. Bassie and I go sit with her. My kids are here with us. 

“And then wena? Baby daddy?” Wandi asks Bassie. I also want to know. 

Bassie takes a deep breath then says, “I was going to Uber here. But mama gave me two buckets of gemere and three buckets of baked goods. She gave them to me saying that Keith has a big car and will be able to carry these.” 

We actually laugh. 

“I don’t know, hey. Our families truly believe that the two of us are for each other. They always give us the ‘since we were kids, they always knew’ type of story. But truthfully, I don’t know where Keith and I are as far as trusting each other and seeing each other in that light.” Bassie says. 

“Do you love him?” I ask her as my son yanks my earrings and I attend to him. 

“I’ve always loved Keith. I’ll always love Keith. Deep down, I’m very happy that he is my son’s father. But things are complicated now. I mean, I spent the night at his house-

“WHAAAAAAAT?!” Wandi and I are blown away and she’s telling this story as if it’s nothing. 

“No! We didn’t do the deed.” Bassie.

Wandi and I don’t believe her. 

“They were doing a welcome ceremony for my son, giving him a Tsonga name and their surname. So, he had to sleep over in their house. I had to sleep there with him because my boob is his food supply. The baby and I slept on Keith’s bed. Keith slept on the floor.” She says.

“Why didn’t you just sleep on the bed together?” I ask. 

Wandi laughs. 

Bassie shakes her head. 

“You really don’t want to give him a chance?” Wandi. 

“He filed for a divorce. And when I told him that I have to move back to Soweto now and get my life back together and get working again, he told me that he wants to get a simplex for us and three of us should live together. He even said I don’t have to work. I should stay at home and look after our son.” 

Woah!

Both Wandi and I are blown away. 

“Bassie, at some point, you need to decide what you want. If Keith is what you want, it’s okay. We will not judge you. But for someone who wants nothing to do with Keith, this situation is just spiralling out of control. So, make a decision on what you want to do and stick to it. Keith only has rights to be your son’s father. Nothing else.” Wandi says. 

I see Bassie nodding her head. 

Ja neh.

“And wena, madam? How are you doing?” Bassie asks me.

“I’m actually okay, hey. Wandi and Senzi are seriously looking after us. I don’t know how I’ll ever thank them enough”, I say. 

Wandi smiles at me. 

“I’m putting my life back together, but I have been entertaining the idea of going back home. It’s just… my mom and sister… eish.” They know why I left in the first place.

“And I have a daughter, you know?” I continue. 

“So why go back?” Wandi. 

“I want to get my youngest sister and hopefully make sure that she lands okay. I fear that if she stays with my mom and my older sister, she will not come out okay. She will be like them. So, if I can get a small place that can accommodate myself, her and my two rascals, I’ll be okay. I want her to have a chance. I just ran away from home because I didn’t want that life. But I ended up with an abusive man, two beautiful blessings and no plan. So now, I need to do better and hopefully give her better. You know?” Me.

They both look at me. 

“I’ll be okay. You’ll see. I’m going to be great.” I assure them. 

“Can’t you bring your sister up here?” Bassie asks me. 

I shake my head and say, “the schools that side are better. These two can adjust (I point at my kids). My sister’s whole life is that side. I don’t need her showing me flames as she adjusts. I’ve never raised a teenager before. Plus, I honestly fear that their father could come back. I still set hourly alarms on my phone just so I can wake up and check the house to make sure he didn’t get in and is about to kill me in my sleep. He will be back. Things are not great in Zim and South Africa is just the merry-go-round he will not stay away from. When he’s back, he will look for us. And he could kill me. What will happen to my babies? At least in Tholoana Kingdom, it’s not that easy to get in. No one is in the kingdom undocumented. He will be killed before he’s even five meters away from the border. I’ll be safe there – without even being in a safe house. You know?” I say.

Now they look like they want to cry. 

“Guys, don’t do that. Don’t cry. Now you have an excuse to take holiday trips to Tholoana Kingdom. You can come visit anytime.” I say. 

Wandi looks at me then says, “Well, I need to make sure that you are okay. Senzi and his family know people who can get you a proper job at the Royal house. Please give me permission to ask them to make some calls?” Wandi.

Now I’m tearing up. 

“If you cry like this, you will make us feel really horrible about allowing you to go”, Wandi says. 

“It’s just… I feel like I’m leaving my true sisters. One minute, we are just rooms away from each other. The next minute, Wandi is getting married, Bassie is having a baby and moving in with her baby-daddy, and now I’m about to go and be a full-time mom. Our paths are literally splitting at a three way stop and we are all walking in three different directions.” I say. 

“Those rooms will always be our home. We must have all our Christmas lunches there”, Bassie says and we all laugh. 

“We will always be sisters. We will always be there for each other”, Bassie says.

“Lord knows I’m going to need you. I’m about to have a mother-in-law from hell. Our WhatsApp group is about to be busier than usual, ladies”, Wandi. 

We laugh and agree that we will be here for all of it. 

“And moving in with Keith… ke santsane ke tlo di bona!” Bassie. 

We laugh. 

“Once a year… any time of the year… come to the kingdom, guys. One day I’ll be rich and I’ll have a massive house where each person will have their own room when you come over”, I say. 

“We are all already rich now. What we have in our friendship can never be bought”, Wandi says. 

We find ourselves hugging the hell out of each other.

“So I’m not sure when you are leaving, babe. But you have to be back for the wedding. The two of you are my maids of honour.” Wandi says. 

Bassie and I scream! Then we get up and start dancing about in the room.

…

We just had lunch after the negotiations. Wandi and Senzi didn’t even get to see each other. We all slept over at Wandi’s dad’s house. But today, my kids and I are packing. We are getting ready to go to Park Station. We will be getting on a bus to Tholoana Kingdom. Senzi got me that job at the Royal house and I start in a week’s time. So, I’m leaving today because I’m going to fetch my sister from my mom’s house. Then I have to take my sister and my daughter to their interviews at the schools they are going to. My sister is in grade eight and she’s starting mid-year at a new school. Thanks to my job being at the Royal house as well as they Royal house staff discount on school fees, the door opened for me. She’s going to a model-c government school… from a school in the homelands. It will be quite an adjustment, but I trust her to make it work. I was able to get my daughter in too. My son will be at the creche down the road from the royal house. With the package that they are giving me, I bought a three-bedroom house in the township. I’m actually happy about it. It’s not amazing, but it will be cool for us. It’s a new development so it’s a brand-new house. I’m happy with that. It’s twenty minutes away from my daughter’s and sister’s schools. My sister and daughter will take a taxi together. My sister will drop my daughter at school then walk to her school. Their schools are a walking distance from each other. I’ll take a taxi with my son every day. I’m going to be okay. I really am. 

“Mommy, I think we have everything”, my daughter tells me. 

“Okay baby. Are you ready to go?” Me. 

She nods her head in excitement. She’s very happy about this move. I think she also feels that we will be much safer this way. 

I put my son on my back and wrap him with a towel. It’s a bit rainy so both my kids have raincoats on. I cover my son with a light blanket on my back. I carry the two travel bags I have for the three of us. My daughter carries her backpack and her brother’s baby bag. This girl is my trooper. I love her!

As we get to the gate, I see Wandi, Bassie, Keith and Senzi. My daughter sprints to Wandi and Bassie and hugs them. 

I hug them too – not their men though.

“We are taking you to Park Station! You were not just going to leave us, you know.” Bassie says. 

I really didn’t want to cry. 

We all head out together in someone’s H1. I’m not sure who it belongs to. The ride is filled with laughter and chats. Then, they literally have a housewarming for us in the car. Guys…

Mosetsana gets a voucher to decorate her bedroom as she wishes. Tshenolo gets a voucher for his bedroom too. Then I get R10 000 voucher from my friends collectively, and a R25 000 voucher from the church. These are the nicest people I’ve ever met. Joburg people are not so bad after all. 

We get to Park Station. Our bus leaves in twenty minutes. We say our final goodbyes. 

“I love you guys so much”, I tell them.

“We love you, babe.” They say. 

“Look after each other. I’m safe now.” I say. 

“Look after yourself. We are coming for a weekend as soon as you are settled in”, Wandi says. 

I nod my head. 

The guys have our bags packed in the bus now.

“Look after my sisters. Both of you”, I tell Keith and Senzi.

“You have our word”, Keith. 

“Scout’s honour”, Senzi.

We hug one last time then my kids and I board our bus. We sit closer to the back. Mosetsana takes the window seat. Tshenolo sits in the middle and I sit on the aisle seat. Mosetsana keeps her bag on her lap. I keep the baby bag on me. It has all my stuff and all these vouchers in it. We cover ourselves with a blanket because it’s quite cold and rainy. 

We wave at our friends as our bus takes off.

As soon as we’ve been welcomed on board and prayed, a movie starts playing on the screens in the bus. Mosetsana asks me to watch something on the iPad that Wandi bought for her rather. Fortunately, she downloaded it before we left. I nod my head. She puts on headsets and watches her shows. My son is on my lap in no time, so I put the baby bag where he was sitting. He has his pacifier in his mouth and a tablet in hand too. Wandi bought this tablet for him too. I just watch this useless movie that they’ve put in. 

–

I dozed off at some point. At our first stop, I bought my kids steers. They passed out too after eating. Now as I’m waking up, it’s 4am. We’ve been on the road for thirteen hours. We will be arriving in the next two hours. But we will be at the border gate in the next ten minute. So, I prepare my documents and my children’s documents. I see a lot of people waking up and doing the same thing. 

Indeed in ten minutes, our bus comes to a stop. 

I hold my daughter’s hand. She has her backpack with her. I have the baby bag on one arm and my son in another arm. There are different border gates into Tholoana Kingdom. There’s one very close to Johannesburg – about two hours actually. But it’s incredibly far from where we are headed. So we use the very far one – the one closer to Lesotho. I’m very close to my mom’s house there. After picking up my sister, we will be in a taxi for nine hours to where we stay. I’d tell her to meet us at the new house, but my mom wants to see me and my kids. We will probably sleep there for a day or two then leave. 

Our passports are now getting stamped. Our documents are being checked as well. As this happens, our luggage is being searched outside. As soon as we are done, we head back outside. 

So many people are being arrested! Including our driver! Bathung! Jwale how are we…? Ache!

I just put my son on my back and wrap him with a towel, covering him a bit with a light blanket. The rain is pouring here. Mosetsana takes the baby bag from me. I grab our two travel bags. I give her an umbrella – the one you wear as a hat. So she just puts it on her head, over her raincoat hoodie. I put the second hat-umbrella on my head and it covers my son and I. I pull the two travel bags with both my hands. Mosetsana walks right next to me. 

We are both in rain boots. 

We cross the border. We are now safe and on homeland. Why do I feel so safe… so happy… so liberated? 

“Mommy, I’m happy to be home”, my daughter tells me.

“We are going to be okay, you’ll see”, I say. 

“Why was our driver arrested?” She asks me.

We look at each other and laugh. 

“Daddy won’t find us, right?” She says. 

“You saw what they do to people who come here and don’t have their things in order, right?” Me. 

“What if daddy gets his papers then comes?” She asks me. 

“I’m going to the government and submitting his name as someone who threatens our lives. They won’t let him in when he’s listed as someone who poses danger to someone’s life – especially when that someone is a citizen of this kingdom.” I say. 

“I like this place. I don’t think we should ever leave”, she says.

“Even for a holiday?” Me.

She smiles at me. 

“Mama!” My son.

“Yes papa?”

“Move the blanket!” He says. 

Mosetsana lowers the blanket off his face.

A taxi stops next to us. We stop and look at the driver. 

“Where to, ausi?” The driver asks me. 

“Maja Perre”, I say. 

“A re ye!” Him.

My kids and I climb the taxi. We sit on the first seat behind the driver’s seat. He’s sitting with someone on the passenger seat. 

I pay him my taxi fare. 

“Nah, this one is on the house”, he says. 

“Really?” Me. 

“I can see you are one of the prodigals that have come back home. This is my way of saying welcome back”, he says..

“Rea leboha, abuti“, I say.

“Ke nna Thabang. This is my brother, Tumelo”, he says. 

“Nice to meet you. Ke nna Morafe. These are my kids.” I say. 

“I see. Are you moving to Maja Perre permanently?” He asks me.

“My mom stays in Maja Perre. I’m going there to pick up my teenage sister. She will be living with us. We will be staying in Tau.” I say. 

“I see. I’m from Dithabeng. But I also stay in Tau. We mostly work that side with our taxis.” He says. 

“Oh okay.” Me. 

“When do you leave this Maja Perre for Tau?” He asks me. 

“In two days’ time.” I say.

“I can come and fetch you guys then take you there. I’m sure it will be a more comfortable nine-hour drive”, he says. 

“Mommy, is this guy trying to be your boyfriend?” Mosetsana. 

The brother, Tumelo, cracks up. I’m a bit shocked nyana. Thabang is smiling at me from his rear-view mirror.

“Would it be a bad thing if I were?” Thabang asks Mosetsana. 

“Kinda. I mean we just got to the kingdom. Can you give my mommy a chance to at least see who else is out there and could be a good dad to us?” Mosetsana is a bit… 

We are all laughing now. 

“Can I just be a friend then?” Thabang. 

“Hmmm… we can live with that. Be here to take us home, please. And don’t even think about making us pay”, she says.

“Mosetsana!” Me. 

“You have my word, my lady.” Thabang says. 

Mosetsana pulls a thumbs up and smiles. 

This child!

…

We finally arrive at Morafe’s home. There’s a mama here watering a vegetable garden. She has hectic items of clothing and a doek flying off her head. There’s a lady cleaning windowsills. She’s dressed in a very short dress – so short that I can see that she’s not wearing underwear. Then some teenager sprints out the house and seems very happy to see Morafe and her kids. She even helps with her bags and the son. I’m sure this kid can walk. I don’t know why he’s carried everywhere. 

The old lady and the girl with a short dress wave at me. The girl in the short dress looks older than Morafe. 

“Come in for tea and fat cakes. I’m sure you haven’t eaten yet”, the old lady says to Tumelo and me. 

I look at Tumelo. 

“I’m starving, bra!” He says. 

I switch off the taxi’s engine and we climb out the car. I even fart while stretching my legs. It’s been a long ass drive.

“Ke nna mme waMorafe”, she says to Tumelo and I while shaking our hands. 

“Ke nna ausi waMorafe omuholo, Mmaletuka.” The short dress girl says. 

We nod our heads and introduce ourselves too. 

We are welcomed into the house. 

There are actually a lot of kids here. And for the first time, I see Morafe’s son walking around.

We are seated at a very nice table in a room that looks like a dining room.

“Heh bathung, you guys came inside?” Morafe says. She’s already changed. She’s wearing a dress. It’s short but it’s decent. Her daughter is right next to her with some girl. 

“Your mom said we should come in for tea and fat cakes. I hope it’s okay”, I say. 

“That’s very nice of her. Let me prepare you guys breakfast then”, she says. 

“Thank you”, Tumelo. 

He’s really hungry. 

As she prepares breakfast, Mosetsana is next to me staring at me. I’m a bit scared of this child. 

“Now you are in my granny’s house, huh?” She says.

“Your granny invited me for breakfast”, I say.

“I see. Well, this is our mamane. She will be living with us in Tau. Her name is Mmamello. Mamane, this is Thabang. He’s trying to be my mommy’s boyfriend. We will be seeing a lot of him.” Ay ay ay this child. 

“Heh eh wena! You can’t speak to adults like that. And he’s abuti’Thabang to you”, Mmamello says. 

“Thank you, Meme. This one and her big mouth”, Morafe says as she serves Tumelo and I with fat cakes, polony, mangola and tea. 

“We are so grateful. Thank you”, Tumelo. 

Her mom and Mmaletuka walk in.

Morafe is giving the kids bowls of fat cakes and extras to go sit down on the couches and eat. Then she follows them with a tray of tea, serving each one carefully. 

What a beauty! 

Morafe is walking Tumelo and I to the car now. Breakfast was nice. Her mother and sister were chatting to me the whole time. She seemed very nervous to even look at me. But I couldn’t stop looking at her. Now I know I won’t be able to stop thinking about her. I can’t believe she doesn’t remember me. 

We finally get to the car. Tumelo gets in. I lean against my door and look at her. 

“So, am I getting your number?” I ask her.

She blushes. 

“How else will I know when to fetch you to take you back to Tau?” I add, smiling at her. 

“Thabang, you really seem great. But things are very complicated for me right now. Tomorrow, I’m going to government offices to submit a name that should never set foot in this kingdom. I’ve just come out of a nine-year abusive relationship with the father of my kids. We came here running away from him because if he finds me, he will kill me. I have a lot on my plate right now and I don’t think I’ll be able to give you what you want from me. I just need some time to reset and settle… make sure my kids are okay… you know?” She says. 

I hear her. I’m in no position to be initiating a relationship right now neither. But I don’t want to not be able to connect with her.

I nod my head and say, “So what time should I be here tomorrow to take you to the government offices?” 

“Thabang, are you not listening to me?” She says. 

“I am. And I’ve heard you. Trust me, I’m in no position to be dating right now neither. This is me just saying I want to be friends. Yes, I want more and when we are both ready, we will have more together. But for now, let me be here as your friend until we are both ready for me to be more than that.” I say.

“What if you are not the person that I want when I’m ready for more?” She says. Good question. 

“I’ll back off.” I say. 

I probably won’t. I’ve wanted this girl since high school and she doesn’t even remember me. 

She smiles at me. 

I hand her my phone. 

She punches in her tens and gives me my phone back. 

“Re tla buwa“, I say. 

“Sure.” She says. 

She heads back into the house then I hop in the car and drive off. 

My brother and I were supposed to head back to Tau today. But now, we are going to our parents’ house in Dithabeng. It’s an hour away from Maja Perre. I’ll go back to Tau when I drive back with Morafe and her kids. 

“Eh monna, what are you doing?” Tumelo asks me.

I already know where he’s going with this, so I don’t answer him. 

“You do realise that you already have two wives, right?” He says.

“Yes, I’m aware.” Me.

“And six kids”, he says.

“Tumelo, I know.” Me. 

“So you want a third wife now? And you want to inherit two kids that are not even of your semen or blood?” 

Now I look at him because I’m going to kill him at this point.

“She doesn’t even recognize me”, I say as I focus on the road again. This actually hurts me. 

“It’s been nine years, monna. And to be fair, when she left the kingdom, you were a lekau nyana. She comes back, you are 34 years old, have two wives and six kids. It’s done a number on the age of your face.” He says. 

“I can’t wait for your wedding. I actually want to see what you do with two wives”, I say. He’s getting married next weekend to his second wife. 

“Letona is killing us with this multiple wives shit, man”. He says. 

Letona is our dad. He is the chief of Dithabeng. He has eight wives in total. My siblings and I are a total of thirty-five; some born from mistresses we have never met and will probably never meet. I’m just close to Tumelo and Pebetsi. The three of us have the same mother. Our mother is the seventh wife. My dad is huge on us taking on multiple wives and having shitloads of kids like him. My first wife was an arranged marriage when I turned twenty-five. My second wife is someone I impregnated while fucking around. They both live very comfortably. My first wife has four kids and my second wife has two kids. My first wife lives in Koena. My second wife lives in Tlou. I have a bachelor pad in Tau where I go to when I don’t feel like seeing either of them. 

We arrive in Dithabeng and head to my mom’s house. Each wife has a big ass house on this land. We have land for days. 

Tumelo and I walk into my mother’s house and we find her watching some soapie on TV with Pebetsi. Pebetsi is married, but she’s always here. 

“Dumelang“, I greet them.

“Hey. I thought you guys were in the city already”, my mom. 

“We are supposed to be. But lover boy over here met his third wife today”, Tumelo. 

My mom and Pebetsi are both shocked. They even turn off the TV and focus on us. 

“Now we will only be driving back to Tau in two days’ time when the third wife heads back.” Tumelo. 

This guy is gay. O rata di taba! 

“Bathung Thabang!” My mom. 

“Honestly, it’s just an old friend.” I say.

“By old friend, he means Morafe Letuka from Maja Perre”, Tumelo. 

“Hai!” Pebetsi. 

“Ke mang Morafe?” My mom. 

“The girl Thabang has been wanting since high school. But she left the kingdom.” Pebetsi.

“And she has two kids now”, Tumelo.

“But she’s still looking good.” Me. 

My mom shakes her head at me. 

“She’s moved back now and she has a place in Tau”, Tumelo. 

He’s gay! 

“Mathata fela mo! We are about to see a movie!” Pebetsi. 

My mom is still shaking her head at me. 

I just go to my room. I’m tired now.