2010

Maboko

Tonight is my matric dance. After months of waiting and preparing, the day is finally here. The dance is on a Saturday because our teachers don’t want us to miss out on a school day. Our teachers are as crazy as Tebza’s mother. Tebza had to lie to her and say that she’s visiting a friend. Gwen is the friend. She told the mother that she would be away for the weekend. She bought the story partly because she’s not talking to Tebza. What parent doesn’t speak to her daughter? She’s upset that Tebza helped Tiisetso move schools. Tiisetso was struggling at Tholoana Secondary. 

I’ve forgiven the fact that Tebza’s parents didn’t pick up what Tebza picked up and they are teachers because a lawyer can never defend a family member and a surgeon can never operate on family. But Tebza picked it up and did something about it to help her sister. I don’t understand why this is such a hullabaloo. Honestly, I’m running out of ways to defend Tebza’s parents when Tebza insists that her mother doesn’t love her. I always thought that she just had a weird way of showing it because it’s not biologically possible for a mother to not love her child. But Tebza’s mom is just making me eat the words I defend her with. 

Gwen helped Tebza get a dress designed and made by some top designer in Tholoana Kingdom. I paid for it. I booked her into a hotel so that we could have a night together after the dance. She will be changing in there in the spirit of staying clear of her crazy mother. 

I’m getting ready at the same hotel as well, but a different room. The Mohale twins and I are getting ready together. From here, we have a photoshoot with our dates then we head to the dance. 

Ona is wearing a red suit and a white shirt. He looks hella swag. He has no tie on and is wearing the outfit with black formal shoes. His date is a very nice girl that he’s been talking to for some time now. Her name is Liopelo. She’s also in matric- in our grade. Khotso is wearing a navy-blue suit with a white shirt. He has a white tie on, but it’s loosely tied and one shirt button is undone. He is wearing white sneakers with this look and he looks just as dapper. He is taking a girl in grade eleven at our school. Her name is Sebina. She’s average. There’s nothing amazing about her – she’s actually quite forgettable. But they vibe and that’s what’s important. We all have to have fun and get some tonight. 

I’m wearing an emerald green suit with a white shirt, no tie and black formal shoes. 

We put on our last hint of cologne then we step out of the room that we’ve been getting ready in. The photographer and videographer are already here. They are capturing us leaving our prep room and finding our dates. Our dates are in rooms next to each other, so we knock on the doors. This feels like we are shooting a music video. There are just cameras everywhere. Sebina’s door opens first. She’s been dying for this moment, so that’s no surprise. She looks nice. She’s wearing a navy-blue formal dress that reveals quite a lot. But she has the body for it and she looks really nice. The second door that opens is Liopelo’s door. She is dressed in a white dress with a lot of diamonds and pearls on it. She took the whole “matrix dance being your first wedding” thing very seriously. But she looks nice. She’s an appropriate plus one and you can see that this is her night too as a fellow matric student.

I knock on Tebza’s door again because I don’t understand what’s taking her so long. The door opens and all I see is a vision before me. Her emerald green dress hugs her body so beautifully, enhancing her curves and playing cute on her small waist. The slit starts on her upper thigh, but it’s tasteful. The dress has a bit of a tail in its length. Its sleeves are purely beaded in emerald green beads. The dress has a belt around Tebza’s waist of pure emerald green beads. 

Her makeup is out of this world and she has a weave on. This is the first time that I’m seeing her in a weave actually and she looks amazing in it. Her weave is curly and bouncy, then she has a silver-blingy clip on keeping the weave out of her face. 

She smiles at me. 

“Wow”, I say. 

“You look amazing”, she says to me. 

“I feel like taking you to Home Affairs and just making you my wife right now”, I say. 

She laughs aloud. I let out a slight laugh. 

“O se matsatsa ngwanyana waTlou.” I tell her and I mean it. 

“Kea leboha, motho waka“, she says. 

The photoshoot is nice for us gents, just the ladies are not exactly speaking to each other. They are keeping to themselves and only talking to us when  we speak to them. I feel like laughing, but it’s honestly whatever. We take about an hour just taking pictures then we get into the cars that will be escorting us to the venue. 

We arrive and the grand entrance is insane. There are people here – a lot of people. There are journalists as well. The girls and guys at our school actually wear designer clothing, so we actually have journalists that come here to ask us who we are wearing. 

It takes about an hour for us to get into the hall and when we are all finally seated and the starters have been served, the speeches begin. All our teachers get to say something and we are already bored. 

They speak for a good two hours then the main course is served. 

After our headmistress gives her vote of thanks, the leadership council is asked to open the dance floor. 

Linda comes to our table and says, “Maboko, would you please give me my first dance?” 

I just see Tebza’s face change as she throws her cutlery on her plate. Khotso is observing the situation and Ona has gone to dance with Liopelo because she is a leader. Linda is a leader too, but what she’s doing is very unnecessary. She is here with Kabelo. I don’t understand why she doesn’t dance with him. 

“No thanks, I’m going to be dancing with my date all night.” I say. 

“Come on. Just do one thing with an actual adult tonight.” She says. 

Tebza chuckles and shakes her head. Khotso is still observing the situation. 

“I said no, thank you.” I say. 

“Maboko – 

“You know if Maboko were a woman, no would mean no.” Khotso says and Linda is immediately annoyed. 

“I’m not raping him”. She says. 

“No means no. Go dance with your scholarship”, Khotso says. 

The song is almost over anyway, so there’s no point for her. 

Now Tebza is sour and we need to go on the dance floor and get this party started. 

“Baby, may I have this dance?” I ask Tebza. Linda is still here. Tebza takes one look at Linda then stands up, taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor.

Some Bow Wow song plays… I think it’s “Let me hold you.”

I see a smile come back to Tebza’s face as we dance together to the song. She’s singing along to it as we dance together and I just enjoy my moment with her. 

It’s song after song that talks about sex that has us dancing too close to each other. I’m going to make passionate love to her tonight. I want to thank her for being here with me tonight and just being so beautiful. 

House music starts playing and we know the party has started. No one even eats the dessert. Tebza can actually dance – she is better than all of us here. 

“Hai, she’s got township advantage. Where would we have learned such dance moves?” Ona says as he and Liopelo join us. 

We all laugh. Sebena actually joins Tebza in the dancing. She and Tebza click because the matric girls don’t really want them here and they are making them feel it – including Liopelo. 

It’s time to leave and get ready for the after party. We change at the hotel and obviously my baby is looking hot. We are headed to a different kind of after party. The after party planning crew – led by Linda – picked a club for us to go party at. She knew Tebza wouldn’t be allowed in. So, my boys and I, together with our dates, are headed to a different party. We are surprised when we arrive here and find more than half the grade here. It’s so full and lit that there’s nowhere to move. 

We have fun though. A lot of it.

We see the sun starting to rise and we are all super drunk, but happy. Tebza has my one arm around her neck and she is practically dragging me to the car so we can go back to our hotel. Thank God we have a driver. 

When we get to the hotel, she undresses me and puts me in the shower. It’s a cold fuckenshower and it sobers me up a bit. She’s in this cold shower with me, washing off her makeup and just getting clean I suppose. 

We get into bed as the sun is proper up now. Obviously, I start initiating sex and she happily receives me. I don’t have condoms. Fuck! But I don’t want to stop. I’m too horny. She doesn’t ask about the condoms. I know that the responsible thing is for me to tell her that I don’t have condoms. I actually left them in the room that the twins and I were changing in. But I just make passionate love to her.

…

Teboho

I’m really tired from the weekend. Now it’s Monday morning and I’m preparing to go to school. I woke up at 4am and studied for a test I’m writing today. I’ll get 80% at least. I know the work well. I just needed to revise a few things, but I’m good. 

I’ve showered and am in uniform. I grab my school bag and make my way to the kitchen. I want to eat then make my way to school. I asked Maboko to buy me the strongest and largest energy drink he can find.

The matric dance weekend was a lot of fun, but I super exhausted now. 

I get into the kitchen and my mom is already thrashing plates in the sink, upset about something. My hangover cannot take the noise. Maybe I should just go to school. I’ll have breakfast at school. 

My mom slams her cellphone in front of me. It’s a picture of Maboko and I in our matric dance outfits. We made headlines because of our outfits. I don’t even know what to say. My mom slaps me across the face. 

“O ntlwayela masepa, wena! Mshimane o okene hloho, neh?” 

My mom hurls more swear words at me until my dad walks into the kitchen with Tiisetso. 

I just look at everyone then grab my bag. As I’m about to leave…

“Teboho, I spoke to your school. I think it’s time you transferred to Tholoana Secondary School”. 

I charge a look at her. 

“That will never happen!” I say. 

“Excuse me?” 

“For someone who doesn’t even pay for my school fees, I don’t think you have the place nor the right to make a decision about my education.” 

“I’m your parent! That qualifies me enough.”

“Yeah, but you never know what to do with that qualification. You are the same parent that couldn’t see that Tiisetso needed to be at a school that will help her flourish more, give her confidence in her education. You don’t get to make a decision on my education.”

“Or what?” She says, taking a threatening step towards me. 

“Or I’ll walk out of this house and never come back.”

“That boy is the one making you talk to me like this? Now you want to go and live with him? Disrespecting me further? Are you a woman now, Teboho? Huh? Are you and I now two bulls in one kraal? Baby girl, I’m the madam in this house. There cannot be two of us. Now, I’m telling you –

“You are telling me nothing! I’m going to school. I suggest you start taking classes on how to be a supportive parent that isn’t focused on herself or how things make her look at the expense of her children! One day you’ll find us hanging from ceilings and ask everyone ‘why’ instead of acknowledging that you are driving us crazy and to suicide!” 

She tries to slap me again, but this time I hold her hand and throw it towards her. Then I say, “If you ever put your hands on me ever again, I’ll have you arrested.” 

I find Maboko waiting for me at the usual spot that he picks me up at. I get into the car and just let out a deep sigh.

“Hello”, I say. 

He kisses me. I look at him. 

“What happened to your face?” He asks me. 

“My mom slapped me. She found out that I was your date. We are all over social media platforms.” I say. 

“What the – 

“I’m fine. Can we please just get to school. I need to get breakfast before I write my test.” 

I open the energy drink in front of me and gulp it down to stop my heart from gushing out tears. I’m just so…

I feel his hand on my hand. 

“I don’t want to cry, Maboko.” I say. 

“Okay.” He says. 

My heart just feels so heavy. 

…

Present Day

“Dumelang” I greet Tebza’s parents as I enter their house. They are drinking tea together at the dining table. I just let myself in because the door was open. 

“Dumela, Maboko. Le jwang?” Tebza’s mother says.

“Ke siame, mama. I hope you are not busy.” I say. 

“Not at all. Come in and please sit down.” 

I walk in and sit with them at this table. 

“Would you like a cup of tea?” Tebza’s mom asks me. 

“No, thank you, mama. Tebza is waiting for me at home. I just wanted to stop by and perhaps have a conversation with you.” 

The parents both look at me. 

“I was wondering, mama, when you’d come visit us at our new home and spend some time with Ruri and Khabane – and even Tebza? I know it would mean a lot to Tebza if you came. Even if it’s for a weekend.” I say. 

The mother giggles. The father looks at me and says, “Has Teboho said anything to you that has brought you here to come and say these things to us?” 

“No, Ntate. But she’s hurting. She eats her parents there. My family is there and all over the house and I can see it in her eyes that she wishes her family could be just as supportive.” 

Her parents stare at me. 

“Thank you, mkhwenyana. We will definitely come by this weekend.” The dad says. 

“I don’t understand why I need to leave my house for Teboho.” The mom.

“She worked hard and dedicated a lot to build that house, mme. I know your relationship with Tebza hasn’t always been the best, but – 

“Maboko, you are being a bit too forward for my liking now. What do you know about mine and Teboho’s relationship?” 

“Mme, with all due respect –

“I’m not leaving my house for Teboho. She’s always made it clear that she doesn’t want me around her or her children. I gave her everything she needed and made sure that we marry her off successfully. I’ve done my part. Can I please be left in peace?” 

What’s wrong with this woman? 

“I’ll be there, mkhwenyana. Thank you.” The dad says. 

I nod my head and leave the house. 

Tebza phones me as I drive back to our house. I really love our house and my family is the best part of the house. 

“Hey baby” I greet her. 

“Hey nana. Where are you?” She asks me. 

“I’m on my way home”, I say.

“From where?” She asks me. 

“I’ll tell you when I get home.” 

“Maboko –

“Why did you call me?” I ask her. 

“I was just checking up on you. Tiisetso told me that you left the office early”, she says.

The disadvantages of hiring family, ladies and gentlemen. You have no privacy. But she runs my office well. I like her there.

“So, where were you?” She asks again. 

“I was with your parents.” I say.

She’s silent for a minute, then she says, “Why?” 

“I invited them to our home for the weekend”, 

“Why?”

“Because we need them.”

“No, we don’t. We never have. Why are you forcing them on us? Especially without talking to me?” 

“Tebza –

She’s hung up.

I hit my steering wheel in frustration. Fuck man! 

I walk into my house and I search for Tebza. I find her in the TV room breastfeeding Ruri. I sit next to them. 

“Baby”… I start. 

“Where do you get off?” She asks me. Her tone is extremely threatening. 

“Excuse me?” 

“Where do you get off? You don’t know the first thing about my family. You don’t just come in and act as our saviour.” 

“This is our house, Teboho. This is your house. Surely, you want to celebrate this with your parents.” 

“That’s the problem. You assume things about my family as if we are the most normal family on this planet. In case you haven’t noticed, I do a lot better in my life when they are not around me. Now you want them in my house with all of that negativity they carry?”

Maybe I shouldn’t have reached out to the parents. I really just wanted my wife to be like every other woman and be surrounded by her family when she celebrates beautiful things in her life. 

“What did they say?” She asks me. 

“Your dad said he’d come over for the weekend.”

“And my mom?”

I’m silent. I’m not repeating anything that came out of that woman’s mouth. 

Tebza nods her head and says, “Congratulations! You’ve made things worse.” 

She stands up and puts Ruri over her shoulder. 

Khabane comes in from the garden sprinting towards me. Mason is running right behind him. His mom has gone out with a friend, so he’s ours until she comes back. 

“Hi dad”, Khabane greets me.

“Hi malome”, Mason. 

“Hey boys. How are you?” 

“We are good. We have soccer tomorrow. We are playing a game”, Mason tells me.

“Yes, I’ll take you guys.” 

“Is Ruri coming to watch us?” Only Khabane would ask a question like that.

“No, Bane. She’s too small. All she can do is eat, sleep and poop”, Mason explains. 

“She’s still our sister. She can come to the field at least.” Khabane. 

“We’ll see, boys”, I say. 

I find Tebza crying underneath a fleece blanket as she lays on the bed. I stand at the door and watch her for a minute before I walk into the bedroom and shut the door. I lie on the bed next to her and just let her cry. 

I passed out while she was crying. Now I’m awake and she is fast asleep. Ruri is crying. She must be awake from her nap. Let me go check up on my daughter. I roll off the bed and make my way to her room. Bane is standing over her crib and I can see that he is tempted to pick her up. But the rule is that he can only carry her when he is sitting down. 

I take Ruri out of her crib and I help her calm down. 

“Mommy gives her water when she wakes up. Can I bring her feeding bottle with water, daddy?” Bane says. 

“Okay boy”, I say. 

He sprints out of the room and is back in the nursery in no time. I make Ruri drink her water and she calms down. She’s so beautiful. Tebza says she looks like me. I think she looks like the parts I inherited from my mother. My mother was a stunning woman – absolutely breath-taking. Refiloe got all those looks. I look at her and I’m reminded of my mom instantly. Maybe that’s why having her around is quite healing for me too. Gwen looked like my dad a lot. She was beautiful in her own way. She was the epitome of a daddy’s girl. 

Ruri smiles at me. I smile back at her. I’ve always wanted this. I’ve always wanted a house full of kids. I’ve always wanted the joys of children’s noises filling my house. I wanted moments like this with my children where I feed them, raise them, teach them key principles of life, teach them acceptance of people as they are, but also protecting their peace. I’ve always wanted to teach my kids the values of love because we’ve got enough hatred in the world. I thought I’d lost it all when Tebza left me. She was the only woman I could picture mothering my kids and being my partner in everything. I loved Tebza from the moment I met her and I just knew that she was the rest of my life. Then I lost her and I never thought this moment that I’m having right now would ever happen for me. I wanted it so much that it would ache my heart. 

Ruri starts coughing. I pull the bottle out of her mouth and put her over my shoulder. 

“Can I make her burp?” Khabane asks me. 

“Okay. Sit on the couch.” I say. 

The rocking chair is to put her to sleep and the couch is for making her burp – especially for Bane because he doesn’t hold Ruri unless he’s sitting down. 

I watch my son patiently rub my daughter’s back, wanting her to burp. He became responsible overnight… from the moment that Ruri was born, he became such a caring young man. It’s so beautiful to watch. I don’t think I would have ever achieved this with Linda. There is only a certain calibre of women that can help you achieve what Tebza has helped me achieve – especially in family. 

Ruri finally burps. 

I take her from Khabane and I say that we should all go and sit in the TV room. She has a baby chair that supports her to sit when we are all watching TV. We don’t want her to get too used to being in hands. 

Our buzzer goes off. Mason and Khabane sprint for the buzzer – honestly creating unnecessary chaos. 

“Ey! Ey! Ey! Ey! Ey! Sit. Stay away from that.” I say. 

They move away and I answer the buzz. 

“Hi?”

“Mr Seete, a Mr Tlou is here to see you. Can we let them in”, the security guard at the estate gate tells me. Now I don’t know what to do because Tebza is in a state because I spoke to her parents. I just sigh and say, “Sure, let him in.” 

“Daddy, who is that?” Khabane asks me. 

“Your grandparents”. I say.

“Which ones?” Mason. 

“The Tlous.” I say. 

“The who?” 

I’m too confused for this. I need to go and wake up Tebza and explain that her parents are here before they just walk in here and shock her.

I’m too late. She climbs down the stairs as I open the gate to our house for her parents. Ruri is still in my arms. 

“Who’s at the gate?” She asks me. 

“Grandma and grandpa”, Khabane says. 

“The Tlous”, Mason adds. 

Tebza gives me a skemp look. 

I really didn’t mean to step on anyone’s toes with this. It’s not nice for me to see my wife not have the support of her parents. I’m sure she also longs for it deep down in her heart. 

There is a brief knock on the door and as the door opens, Ntate Tlou walks in alone. 

The boys jump all over him. He has brought bags with him. 

Tebza seems happy that her mother is not here. She walks to her dad and hugs him. 

“Let me get these for you”, Tebza says as she carries his bags. These bags are huge for a weekend. Also, the weekend starts tomorrow. Tebza almost falls to the ground trying to carry these bags. 

“Let me help you, baby”, I say. 

I hand Ntate Tlou his granddaughter and he gets extremely emotional. 

Tebza and I watch him as he cries and hugs Ruri. Ruri is just a happy baby. She has no idea what’s happening, but she just keeps her hands busy. 

“Papa, where’s mama?” Tebza asks. 

“She kicked me out of the house”, he says. Something is terribly wrong with that woman. 

“Why?” Tebza asks. 

“Because I was packing to come and visit you for the weekend. She didn’t want me to come here and when I packed anyway, she packed all my things and told me that I was no longer welcome in her house.” He says. 

Tebza nods her head and says, “You are very welcome here, papa. Come, let me show you where you’ll be sleeping.” Tebza says and leads us to the other vacant guest bedroom. 

My house is full now. My parents are here. Refiloe frequents here a lot. Ntate Tlou is now moving in as well. I hope these people do not overwhelm us. I was really looking forward to sharing this house with just my wife and kids. 

“Mkhwenyana, you’ve done extremely well. Congratulations”, Ntate says as he takes in the house. 

“Thank you, Ntate.” I say. 

…

I’m at work today because I needed a break from the chaos in my house. The kids are at school, so I know that Tebza has peace. I also just wanted to give Tebza space to just be with her dad. 

“Mr Seete, do you have a minute?” Tiisetso walks into my office and says.

I nod my head and signal for her to come in. 

She walks in and sits down. 

“Why are you and Teboho trying to drive my parents to divorce?” 

“Excuse me?”

“What possessed you to go to my parents and say the things that you said to them? You know very well that my parents and Teboho don’t have a good relationship. You’ve been privy to this since we were kids.” 

“And that makes you happy? You actually don’t want them to have a good relationship? I really don’t understand what I’ve done wrong here”, I say. 

“What you’ve done wrong is not mind your own business. Now my dad has left my mom because of Teboho – YET AGAIN.” 

“Your dad is being a parent to Teboho like he’s supposed to. Tiisetso, what is wrong with you? Do you actually believe that your mother’s behaviour is normal? Do you actually enjoy the fact that she and Tebza have the strangest relationship to ever exist between a mother and a daughter?” 

“Maboko, my mom has been through a lot. I may not agree with her parenting skills, but I understand her. Teboho doesn’t want to even try to understand her. All she ever does is test my mom and she’s been this way since we were children. It’s as if she goes out of her way to anger her. Even when we were kids, Teboho was just –

“Tiisetso, are you really going to sit here and analyse my wife’s childhood and use it to excuse your mother’s behaviour?” 

She’s silent. 

“Hey babe”, Tebza walks in. She is pushing a stroller with Ruri in it. 

I stand up and walk towards her. I kiss her and say, “Hello, my love”. 

“Le shup?” Tebza asks us. 

“Please excuse me”, Tiisetso stands up and walks out of my office. 

“And then?” Tebza. 

“Come here. This is such a nice surprise.” 

We kiss each other. 

“I was just missing you. I thought we’d come and steal you for lunch.” She says. 

“You must come every day. I love this.” 

I look at Ruri and she’s wide awake. I take her from the stroller and I kiss her.

Tebza smiles at us. 

Tiisetso comes back into the office. Yho this girl has no peace. 

“Mama is in hospital”, she says, looking at Tebza. Tebza is not even moved. 

“She doesn’t want to see you. You are the one who put her there. I’m just telling you because the least you can do is pray that she gets better.” Tiisetso says. 

Yho!