I’m warming Melo’s bottle as Khotso has her in his arms. We are still at the royal house as I have to be makoti for I don’t know how long. Senzi and Wandi had gone to a funeral and are only coming back today. I don’t mind staying with the baby. I never got to do all of this with Wandi. I was arrested before I could even take her home from the hospital as a newborn. I didn’t even know how to warm a baby bottle or make one… Khotso taught me. He’s so hands-on and teaches me a lot too. But I’m not having another one. I’m sure my eggs are not even okay to have another one. But the way Khotso is sooooo broody! Hai! Then there’s also Rena who is obsessed with being an aunt and Moloko who can’t wait for this baby to be able to play so he could actually do something with her. Lol! My little family. 

“Sanibonani“, Wandi and Senzi walk in and greet us.
“Hello”, we all greet them happily. 
Senzi goes straight to his daughter.
“How is the little princess?” Senzi.
“She’s been an absolute gem. She doesn’t believe in night sleep though.” Khotso says, handing the baby to Senzi. 
Senzi and Wandi sit next to each other and bond with their baby. This is so beautiful, man. 

“How was the funeral? I heard it went down”, Khotso asks them. 
“Yoh, baba! Can you believe ukuthi the same community that set that house alight is the same one that was there everyday ukuzodla nokucula amagugu? Abantu kanti banjani?” Wandi. 
“I don’t think we all have the same level of reasoning capacity nje as people.” Khotso. 
“Morafe lost it! She completely lost it. I’ve never seen Morafe like that before. Wabaxosha kabuhlungu kanjani… and she told them that if they even set lemiqonjwane yabo nje at the funeral, she will find them and kill them by setting them alight one-by-one.” Wandi. 
“UMorafe?!” I’m so shocked. 
“Mah! Morafe!” Wandi. 
“I was there. I saw and heard it all for myself”, Senzi. 
“Yoh!” Me. 
“So what’s going to happen now with that house, her mother and the surviving children? Is it even safe for them to go back and live there after this entire ordeal?” Khotso. 
“Heh! Baba… kodwa you didn’t hear this from me neh“, Wandi mara. Where else would Khotso hear this from? 
Khotso and I are already laughing. 
“UMmaKB, uMahali and umama kaThabang… baphakathi ejele sikhuluma nje. Baboshiwe nalabantu abatholiwe ukuthi bashisile laphaya.” Wandi.
“Umaka wena!” Khotso. I’m just as shocked.
“Modimo keMorena!” Where the hell did Wandi learn that phrase from now? Weh!
“So, according to Morafe… the day that the house was set alight, Thabang’s mother phoned Thabang to inform Thabang about it. But the way in which she delivered this message just made Thabang suspicious that she had something to do with it because the Mothipa family hates Morafe a lot right now. Thabang has served the other two wives with divorce papers because the whole Mothipa family made Thabang’s wives sleep with Thabang’s brother-
“WANDISA, WOAH! My head is spinning right now. What?!” Khotso. 
My mouth is still open from one shocking sentence after the other. 
Senzi is laughing at our reactions. He even says, “Imagine how I felt when I heard all of this.” 
“Where did I lose you, baba?” Wandi says. These two and gossip! 
Now I see Rena and Moloko walk in. 
Yoh, Rena is going to hear such things about her man. Ja neh.
“Let’s start at the divorce part.” Khotso. He couldn’t care less that Rena is here. I’m sure he actually wants her to hear what her man is capable of. 
“So, Thabang overheard an argument between MmaKB and Mahali. In this argument, they both confirmed that neither of their kids were Thabang’s kids. And their plan was to ensure that Thabang never found out.” Wandi.
“All one million of those kids?” Khotso. 
I even giggle. 
“Bonke baba! Bonke. Lapho sekuphenyiwa khona ukuthi kahle hle ubani ubaba wezingane, it was found that Thabang has a fertility issue that his wives couldn’t bring to his attention, so they brought it to the attention of the family instead. Tumelo was then hired to smash amakhosikazi kamfowabo, then the babies would be Thabang’s.” 
“Without Thabang’s knowledge?” Khotso.
“Cabanga! And that’s not where it gets good! It turns out that Thabang was forced to marry Mahali because she got pregnant. So how is it possible that both her kids are Tumelo’s if she was already pregnant when she got married?”
Khotso starts laughing. 
He’s proper entertained. 
I want to know. 
“Turns out that Mahali was sleeping with both brothers at the same time when she and Thabang were just messing around. When moghel got pregnant, Tumelo’s wife was not yet ready to accept a second wife, so the mother decided that she should be Thabang’s wife. But she obviously went back to Tumelo for round two because baby number two came.” 
Yoh! Yoh! Yoh!
“So Thabang is pretty much done with his family and the wives. They all want Morafe to change his mind. Apparently, the wives did nothing wrong and this is not uncommon when there is a fertility issue. Now Thabang cut all of them off, told Tumelo to deal with all his baby mamas all alone. Mothipas are mad. Mama-Mothipa senior used her influence to go at Morafe’s family with the intent to hurt Morafe then get her to do what the family wants her to do. This is where we are now.” 
“Yeses. We should actually take the chieftaincy away from Mothipa. He doesn’t have his own house in order, how is he even leading that community? It’s all those fifty million wives that he has. He has too many internal issues to apply himself to being a chief outside of his own house. Now his wife, who’s also a legal authority in that community, has committed a crime herself? A cruel one at that against community members, just to settle a score le makoti? Ke masepa fela!” Khotso.
We are all quiet. 
“Lefatselabarena, do you see the calibre of people you want to become part of? You’ve actually insulted us. How do you go from us to that?! And that boyfriend that just sleeps with everyone! Bona jwale wentseng in his own brother’s marriage?” Khotso needs to leave Rena alone. 
I shake my head at Khotso. 
We are all just quiet now. 

–

Khotso has been on the phone with Ona all morning discussing the possibility of dethroning Mothipa. 
I’ve just finished showering and getting dressed. I’m meeting up with Thabi, Letlali, Fifi, Sonia and Teboho for lunch to discuss the launch of the school. Thabi decided to name the school Onaleruna Khotso Mohale College: Preparatory and Senior School. As soon as the name was accepted, Thabi unveiled it to Khotso and Ona. They feel honoured. As they should. But now there is even more pressure to open a similar school here in Tholoana Kingdom. Thabi finally decided that she will do it. She will open a similar school here in the kingdom. She has left it in Fifi’s hands to lead on the Tholoana Kingdom side. The decision to make it Fifi’s baby came from Fifi having such a strong teaching and education management background. She’s even hired an assistant already. Wandi recommended Basetsana – one of her friends. With her experience in admin and as an assistant, Fifi found her perfect for the job. Now that her husband finally found a PA and she had become a housewife again, Basetsana embraced the opportunity with both hands and is super excited to be working with Fifi. 

Because I’m still in my “dresses and doek” phase of being a Mohale wife, I’ve decided to wear a beige body-hugging dress that’s just above the knee. I wear skin-toned stockings just to make the look is a bit more respectable. I pair this dress with a baby pink knee-length blazer jacket. The jacket’s material is pure wool. Yep, it’s knitted very beautifully in Italy. I wear my black Versace Pin Pump heels. My doek is beige with brown seshweshwe prints. I just let my 32inch straight wig hang loose underneath it. 

“You look so hot, baby”, Khotso says to me. 
Oh, he’s done with his call. 
“I’m trying to make the whole seSotho makoti look work”, I say. 
“Well, its making me want to put you back in bed. Look at me, baby, I’m so hard.” He says.
I laugh and say, “tell your soldier to relax. We have things to do.”
“Kancane nje, baby. Five minutes. Please.” 
“No”, I say. I laugh then say, “but I’m glad ukwazi nokucela ngesiZulu.”
He laughs then says, “I’ll find someone nice to use it on ke. Akere wena hawubatli?!” 
I give him a look. 
He laughs aloud. 
I shake my head. 
“So baby, what are you guys going to do about this Mothipa situation?” I ask him, distracting him really so that hard penis of his can calm down. 
“Ey, that idiot of an old man.” He says. His penis is calming down. 
“We will go and see him tomorrow. He’s been notified that we’ve summoned him to his chambers. We will give him an opportunity to respond to our concerns. Then we might decide to take him to council, and other chiefs can vote on whether or not he’s still fit to be a chief. We already know that he has allegiances in at least five other chief-run provinces. So we already know that there might be internal wars against the other chief-run provinces who have chiefs that either don’t like him or don’t support him. We will try to manage the blood bath that may come from the threat of him being dethroned, but if it comes to it, we might loan soldiers to the ones who want him out. Ona and I want him out. But if he risks war, we will banish him from this country should we win… him and his entire family.” 
“Baby!”
“It’s how it works, baby.”
“But there are kids involved in this. What about Morafe and her family?”
“We will talk to Thabang. If he’s serious about turning his back on his family, we might actually just give the chieftaincy to him if he’s interested. If he’s not, we will appoint a whole new family. But he will be safe. We plan to make sure of that.” 
I shake my head. 
“But we have other issues, love”, he says.
“Other issues such as?” I ask.
“The church”, he says.
“Pope is not well. I’m not sure if it’s old age or if he’s just sick. But he’s not good. This thing of his came at a terrible time because…”
“Because…?”
“Our people in Spain are in shit.” He says.
“How deep is the shit?” 
“Very deep. We can’t even go to Miami this time. And that shit… it’s put international police, international intelligence and the FBI on our asses. They’ve started arresting people. And they have an inside person spilling the beans and leading them to us.” 
I look at him. 
“We need another escape plan. We need to run the fuck away and disappear for real.” He says.
“Just us?” I ask. I need to understand who I have to think for. 
He nods his head. Then he says, “I spoke to Ona. He says he’s only taking Thabi.”
“And Sonia?” I’m so shocked. 
He shakes his head then says, “he suspects that she’s the inside person. So, if you find a place baby… it’s for our family, Ona and Thabi. Reahile and his family too. That’s my kid. Mohato and Zari are Thabi’s softest spot, so I think include them too. But us gents… we all spoke. We need to be separated for some time. We agreed.” 
I nod my head. 
Should I even be going out at this point?!

…

Ona, Thabi and I traveled together to Dithabeng. We were driven here in one car. Thabi was actually very pleasant. I think that he’s genuinely happy. She and Ona are even more… physical. She hasn’t moved back to the kingdom permanently as Ona had asked her, but they seem to be in a much better place… much to the detriment of Ona’s marriage to Sonia. I personally believe that Ona is not able to love two women at the same time. He just likes women and he likes as many skirts around him as possible, but he’s incapable of keeping more than one woman happy at a time. For Sonia to be happy, Thabi must be mad. For Thabi to be happy, Sonia must be mad. Ai! 

“Dumelang“, some girl says as we walk into the Mothipa chambers. Thabi is the only person that greets her back – as I said, she’s very pleasant. Ona and I ignore her. Who is she again? 
“I can show you where to sit”, she says, intentionally brushing my dick with her ass. Isn’t this harassment?
“Sorry ausi… wetsang?” I ask her. And I’m loud because I want her to feel embarrassed. What the fuck is this?!
Thabi and Ona look at me like I’m crazy. The other chiefs and leaders are also focused on us now. 
“Nna?” The lady tries to deny it.
“Do you really want me to spell out what you’ve just done? And are you really going to lie before a chief leader, a queen and a king?” Me. 
“I made a mistake. Ke kopa tshwarelo, Moholo waka“, she says.
“Bona mo wena, I’m a married man. A happily married man. I don’t appreciate what you’ve just done and I don’t believe that my wife would appreciate what you’ve just done. Had I done that to you, I’d be accused of sexually harassing you. I don’t appreciate this kind of behaviour”, I say. 
I’m actually very angry hey.
“Ke kopa tshwarelo, moholo. It will never happen again”, she says.
I click my tongue in annoyance then move to go find my chair. Ona is with me. Thabi is with that girl. She’s mortified, but she will be fine. Maybe she thought that I’d take her to bed instead. Am I really that much of a slut? Do women no longer respect me so much so that when they see me, they see a dick that’s a jackpot to their financial challenges? 
Nx! 
“What did that girl do?” Ona asks me.
We are sitting next to each other.
“She brushed her ass against my dick. Intentionally.”
Actually, I’m not angry, I’m embarrassed. I feel… dirty… violated even. I even want to tell my wife so she can come here and deal with her.
“And you are this angry?!” Ona mara.
“Ona, this is not funny. Clearly, that little slut doesn’t see a leader in me. She sees a male whore who has a useful dick to her problems… she doesn’t see moholo… she sees a thing with a dick that she can violate as she sees fit.”
He stops seeing humour in this, and seems slightly more serious.
“Nx!” Me.
Ona let’s it go. I think he just doesn’t understand. 

This meeting finally starts. I’m the one who starts speaking. 
“Mothipa, as a nation at large, why do we know more about your shit in your household than what it is that you are doing in this region? Worst of all, the shit in your household has now spilled over into the streets and has resulted to civilians dying because you can’t keep your house in order.” 
He looks at me. 
He’s actually shocked that I know this. 
“To bring everyone up to speed on what has happened –
“No, moholo. Please.” He stops.
“Ey madala! Do we look like we are here to play games with you? When we leave here, we need to have decided whether or not you will be kept as a leader in this country… a chief at that! And with all the rumours that are flying around regarding your family that are spreading like wild fire, we need to understand what are facts, what are opinions and what are not true at all. From there, we decide if you are still fit to rule.” I say.
Some people agree with what I’ve said. Some people are a bit difficult to read. 
“We need leaders that we can trust with the well-being of our people. Yes, mistakes happen and we all have things that happen in our personal lives that sometimes distract us, but I’m concerned that your challenges in your house are now overpowering what we as a community need to see happen from your house to this community. What concerns us further, chief Mothipa, is that your wife – a chief legal advisor for this community – is one of the main instigators for what happened at the Letuka home. Your wife and your daughters-in-law. That, I cannot forgive nor can I turn a blind eye on”, Thabi says. 
This man doesn’t know how to respond.
Other chiefs also raise their challenges, some challenges that we were not aware of. As these come up, I’m blown away even more. Ona and I keep looking at each other. Thabi is quite annoyed. Her family is also here representing the Merementse chieftaincy house. They actually phoned us and asked us how we’d like them to vote. So they are already on our side. 

After three hours of just putting issues forward, we take a break. Thabi, Ona and I are outside discussing this. We don’t even trust the water served here. 
“What’s our plan if we dethrone Mothipa, abuti?” Thabi asks me as Ona and I smoke. 
She’s complained about our smoking until she realised that she’s not going to win. She tried to get Phuthi on it, but Phuthi honestly doesn’t care that I smoke. So Thabi let it go.
“Maybe your family can take over this place.” I say to her.
Both she and Ona look at me. 
“Think about it… Dithabeng and Merementse are relatively close to each other. The Sebata chiefdom will have more land. Your family’s council is big enough to run this place and Merementse, plus they’ll have funds for both regions.” Me. 
“They’ll be fine with it. They’ll actually be happy with it. But do you think Mothipa would go without putting up a fight? Phela this will take away his wealth, his land and possibly the businesses that are sustaining his family.” Thabi.
“That idiot’s son fucked my daughter and he believed that it wasn’t an issue worth addressing. Fuck Mothipa! I’m actually glad that now, I’ll really make him and his son pay for that shit that happened with Rena”, Ona. 
He and I fist-pump each other. 
“Vele vele vele Thabang doesn’t want to be chief? He’s with such an ambitious woman in Morafe. How is he so…” Thabi.
“Maybe his idea of ambition is not being anything like his father. And let’s be honest, if your template was Mothipa, you wouldn’t want what he has neither”, Ona. 
We actually laugh at this. 

My phone rings. I don’t even recognise this number. 
“Hello?” Me.
Silence.
“Hello? Speak man… the fuck?!” 
“Sawubona“, a voice.
Sawubona?! On my phone? I don’t know anyone who would ever dream to phone me and say Sawubona. 
“Who’s this?!” I ask. 
Now Thabi and Ona look at me. 
“UNkosinathi, mfowethu.”
Now I’m quiet. Because the only Nkosinathi I know pisses me off unprovoked. I’m wondering where he would have got my number from and why the hell he would even dream of phoning me.
“Usekhona?” He asks me.
“Ubatlang?!” I ask him.
“We need to talk”, he says.
“You and me? About what?!” 
“You live with the mother of my daughter, my daughter and my granddaughter… and you don’t think we have anything to talk about?”
Yerrr I hate this guy.
“Uskang’tlwayela masepa wena. I live with my wife, my child and my grandchild.” 
“Eh ndoda, I didn’t call you to fight.” 
“So why did you call me? Because you’ve already wasted five minutes of my time ka masepa!” 
Ona takes my phone and puts it on loudspeaker. 
“I’m dying.” He says.
Ona, Thabi and I look at each other.
“I’ve been diagnosed with cancer. I’ve also decided that I won’t be going on any treatment. I’m going to let this thing just do what it needs to do.” 
“I’m sorry, dude.” I say.
“Ngiyabonga. Lalela ndoda, ngiyazi ukuthi ubaphethe kahle oPhuthi benoWandisa noMelokuhle. Ngiyabonga.“
“Ke msadi waka, ngwana waka le setloholo saka. I don’t need a thanks or acknowledgement for doing what I’m supposed to do.”
I’ll also speak my sotho as he sticks to his Zulu.
“I didn’t mean it that way… I just meant that please continue to do so. I always thought that I’d be their backup plan if you flopped and didn’t do right by them.” He says.
Dai mahn o ntlwayela masepa. 
“But now I’m no longer going to be here if anything goes wrong. All I’m asking is that you continue to look after them like this. You are now the only man in their lives that they have… the head of their house. Please… don’t disappoint them.”
I’m quiet. Because again, o ntlwayela masepa. 
“I also have a favour to ask”, he says.
Now we probably get to the core of this call.
“Ja?” 
“My sons… Khanya and Khosini.” 
“What about them?”
“Please look after them. I know that I’ve messed up so much that they are in this position. Thandeka’s new boyfriend is abusive towards Thandeka and probably towards my sons too. I just don’t want anything happening to my kids. My sins are punishing me and it’s okay, I’m ready to die. But please… if not for me, please do it for Wandi. I know you hate me. But Wandi loves her brothers. And I know that she won’t be okay if anything happens to them.”
If I’m being honest, I don’t need another child in my hands. Let alone two. I have three kids and that’s more than enough for me. This one will have to be a “taking care” from a distant.
“Your kids are old, monna. Tell them you are dying so they have a chance to say goodbye. They are also old enough to manage themselves. They’ll be fine.” I say.
“They still need guidance. All I’m asking is that you be that for them. That’s all.” 
“Ey whatever dude. We will do what we can. I have to go now. Shup.” 
I hang up. 
Ona, Thabi and I look at each other. 
I know this is completely distasteful, but we honestly just laugh. 

…