Episode 55

Today, a ceremony is being held for my daughter, Inama. It is a ceremony for the umbilical chord piece that fell off from her belly button area, and they’ll be cutting her hair, then placing her hair and chord in the land of her forefathers. 

I seriously cannot believe that I’m a mother to a princess. Me? Maphodile? I’m even a Mohale now. Yoh! My mom is one hell of a guardian angel. 

I’m sitting between mofahadi and mme-moholo. My aunt has been helping me with Inama. But she can’t be part of this ceremony, so she’s in the house, not out here with us. Lele and Tono are looking after her shop. She says I need the help with Inama. But honestly, I think she enjoys the royal house perks. Lol!

We started at the royal cemetery this morning, before the sun came out. It was quite emotional. I saw the king and Moholo really get emotional – especially when they kneeled and spoke to their father, the great king Mohato Mohale. It’s clear that he was the favourite parent and they were most hurt by his death. Reahile told me that their biological father is actually Reahile Mohale. He was a senior advisor to the great king Mohato Mohale. He had an affair with the queen – their mother – but the great king Mohato Mohale killed him before the twins were even born. According to Rea, the queen spent so much time mourning their father that she missed out on being their mother in some very critical years of their lives – so they just became closer to the great king Mohato Mohale because that’s who truly raised them from day one. Rea tells me that he wishes that he got to meet the great king Mohato Mohale and HRH Reahile Mohale. And had his mother not been selfish, him and his twin would have known the great king Mohato Mohale. And they would have been close. He says his fathers speak so lovingly and so fondly of the great king; he desires to have known him.

I now see Moholo Khotso in front of me, asking me for my daughter who is now sleeping in my arms.

I give Inama to him. He smiles at me as he accepts her. They go with her. All the Mohale-born people disappear with Inama. Us people who married into this family stay put in our place. I trust that Rea will never let anything hectic happen to our child. 

“We never did any of this with Mulalo and Mohau”, the queen says.

“What did you guys do with them?” Mme-Moholo enquires. 

“Nothing. They were born in Johannesburg, stayed there with their mother and Reahile for three months, then their mother wanted to frame their umbilical cords”, the queen says.

“Frame?!” Mme-Moholo says in shock. 

“I knew it was downhill from day one when one of the twins were named Mulalo. Those are Sotho children. For all we know, they probably wanted their surnames to be Ramaru. Reahile was never firm with that girl. When they were together, it seemed that he forgot that he was a Sotho man. He was practically Mr Ramaru. You have no idea how happy we are that he married a Sotho woman this time. At least now if he’s going to be kind and let himself be pulled in a million different directions by his wife, he will be pulled into a Sotho direction. And Mapho knows, respects and understands our ways.” The queen says.

Mme-Moholo and I look at each other. I don’t know if I should be offended or pat my own back. Because wow, that was a lot.

Everything was done by 8am. Now we are all having breakfast together. I’m interviewing potential assistants today. Mme-Moholo and I decided that we’d interview together because she also wants an assistant for herself. We were told to stay away from Meh. I still owe her a thank you gift for saving our lives. I got her a nice Polo travel set because she travels to and from South Africa a lot to see her mother. Then I bought her a polo tote bag as well. I’ll give her these, say thank you then officially leave her alone so I don’t get on the queen’s bad side. She can be quite hectic.

Reahile and I have been staying at the royal house – as per custom. But now that Inama is three months old, we can finally move into our house. We have to move with our two domestic workers, our nanny and my assistant. I have two old domestic workers. My nanny is old. And I plan to have an old or married assistant. I’m not playing those games. I’ll be the youngest woman in Rea’s house.

“Aus’Mapho, can I take Inama while you eat?” My nanny, Mme-Grace, asks me. I hate that she calls me Aus’Mapho. She’s my aunt’s age hle.

I asked her to just call me Mapho. The queen said she’s my employee. She should actually be calling me Princess Mapho. I told Mme-Grace that when it’s just us two, I’m Mapho. 

Kea leboha, Mme-Grace”, I say as she takes Inama. 

Then she leaves to head to the nursery.

“Mme-Mmamoleko, please tell Mapho that her staff works for her and she mustn’t be afraid of them. Her nanny is Grace, not Mme-Grace”, the Queen says. 

Mamholo better not advise me to do things like that. She didn’t raise me that way. 

Before Mamholo can respond, Rea says, “Mah, Mapho is just like that. It doesn’t mean she will let people walk all over her.” 

The Queen gives him a fail look. I wonder what this look means! 

“Mme Mamoleko, the king and I managed to sort out your house situation. We got you a new house. We figured that you and your daughters can have a home that is your own where annoying relatives won’t bother you. The house is in Maja Perre township. You’ll be about an hour away from your business, so when you are off, you stay there. Whoever is on duty can stay at your house in the village. I also got paperwork from the courts giving you full rights to the house. I’ll give them to you after breakfast. If the annoying relatives come back, call the police and they’ll face jail time.” The Queen says.

My aunt is thankful and she expresses this. Everyone at the table is happy for her. She deserves it.

“When do you guys plan to move into your new place?” Moholo Khotso asks Rea. 

“Tomorrow. The helpers cleaned yesterday. The movers are moving everything in today.” Rea says.

“We need to introduce the house to the ancestors first. We will do that tomorrow, then you can move in day after tomorrow.” The king says.

“Okay”, Rea says as he nods his head. 

“Mamholo, are you still around?” The king asks Mamholo. They call her Mamholo except for the queen. It’s weird because she’s my Mamholo, not theirs.

“I am, kgosi yaka”, Mamholo says.

“That’s good. Rea will be travelling for the next week. It’s good that Mapho will have you with her”, the king.

Rea didn’t tell me this. But I remain respectful in my shock at the news.

There’s commotion at the entrance of the palace. All the men at the table get up. My first instinct to find my child. I run upstairs and find her in her crib. Mme-Grace is watching her. I quickly take her and put her in her baby carrier then strap her to my front. I search for her baby bag that has all the essentials that I’ve packed for in case of emergency. 

“Mapho, is everything okay?” Mme-Grace asks me.

“I don’t know. But just get ready”, I say.

I also don’t know what she must get ready for.

I go to my room that I share with Rea. I change out of my dress and into a black tracksuit. I wear sneakers. I pull out a bag that Rea and I packed together in case of emergencies. 

Rea walks in. 

We look at each other.

“It’s the Mohale people. They are expelling us from the house”, he says.

“What does that mean?” I ask.

“We have to leave. They’ve given us three hours”, he says.

“Mme- Grace is being driven to our house now with the rest of our stuff”, Rea says.

There’s been quite the fight about who the throne truly belongs to. If we are leaving the premises, I don’t know who’s winning the fight right now.

“There’s a place that we all have to go to. We just need to make sure that they don’t see where it is”, he says.

“Okay”, as he tells me all this, I’m packing our bags and Inama is strapped to my front. She’s even awake now, but is headed back to sleep. My movement soothes her. 

In an hour’s time, I’m done packing. Rea takes the bags to his car. I have money and Inama’s emergency bags with me as carry-on luggage. I just cannot risk it. 

We get into the car… the backseat. I have to sit with Inama. I don’t take her off me. We can sit like this. 

Rea follows the cars in front of us leaving the royal house. There are more cars at the back of us following us. 

I have a bad feeling about this. It is too peaceful. Mohale people do nothing in peace. NOTHING. 

It starts raining. 

Inama loves rainy weather. 

Tholoana Kingdom weather is mostly wet. So to live here, you must either really love the rain or be depressed all year. It even rains in winter.

An hour into the drive, Rea gets a call. He answers it, but not on the Bluetooth option. I wonder. 

He doesn’t say anything. The person on the other side of the line does all the talking. He just says okay then hangs up. 

What’s going on?!

“We are going back to that Tsakane house, babe. Just to lay low for some time”, he says.

“The one that they found us in?” 

“It will be a different house now. Just… same size and same township. Actually, we might even be going to a different township.” He says.

“Will you stay with me this time? Or will it just be Inama and I?” I ask him.

“I’ll be with you guys”, he says.

I don’t know why I feel so anxious. 

I look at Inama. She’s fast asleep.

We arrive at this house in Protea Glen, Soweto. 

Mapho has Inama in her arms. Inama is wide awake and she’s taking everything in. She’s so beautiful. All my kids are beautiful. Inama pulls the best chords of the music of my heart. I just think that with her, I’ll be the father I’ve always intended to be. Mapho has already more than given me my place as her father. 

This house is HUGE.

“Your quarters are this way”, my mom Thabz says as she leads us to our space. 

Mapho is very cooperative. 

We get to our quarter of the house. We are next to a quarter that’s accommodating Tholoana and his girlfriend that he’s suddenly sprung on us that apparently only Ruri and Khanya know – Alani. On our other side, a quarter accommodates Mohale and his polygamous situation: Drew and Vanessa. 

We settle in. Mapho feeds Inama from her breast.

“Rea”, she says.

I look at her. 

“What’s going to happen with the twins now that Rofhiwa passed away?” She asks me.

This entire situation is just annoying.

“Well, I really don’t know. Rofhiwa left an instruction with her attorneys to make sure that I never get those kids no matter what. Then she left incriminating evidence all over the place should I even try to take them. They are with their grandparents at the moment until we figure it out. Khanyi and Khabane have also said that they’ll bring them around. The last time that they were with Khanyi and Khabane, and Khanyi offered to bring them over…”

I keep quiet because I don’t want to hurt her feelings. 

She’s looking at me, telling me to complete my sentence. 

“They said they’d only come here if…”

I cannot say it. 

“If?” Mapho says. 

“If you and your child were removed from my life.” 

Mapho looks like she wants to cry. 

I go sit next to her. 

“I meant what I said that they know where I am. They know I love them. But I’m done running after them. It’s okay if they never love me. You and Inama are my priority”, I say, holding her hand. 

She takes a deep breath. 

Then she says, “Motho waka… Mohau leMulalo are your children. You are the only parent they have left. If you don’t prioritise them, no one else will. They need you”. 

Her heart is breaking. 

I can just see it. 

“I can’t, love. Not if they treat you like this”, I say. 

“Rea, ke ausi le abuti ba Inama. I don’t want to be the reason that they don’t have a relationship. Rofhiwa is no longer around. You can now decide and control how all of this ends.” 

I’m quiet. 

“Take the kids back, Rea.” She says. 

“And wena? I don’t want you unhappy in your own home.” I say.

“I knew you had kids when we got together. I can’t wish them away. I don’t wish them away. We will figure this out together”, she says. 

I’m really not sure about this.

We slept quite well. Now, we are enjoying breakfast as a family that Mapho helped mom-Phuthi to prepare. But mom-Thabz isn’t happy. So the table is tense. 

“Reahile”, mom-Thabz begins. 

I look at her. 

Makoti wahao has no business being around the preparation of food for a royal family.” 

“Thabi, what exactly is your problem?!” Mom-Phuthi chips in. 

“We are in hiding! We don’t have staff. Mapho was being thoughtful! And angisho uMapho umakoti la ekhaya. So she’s well within her rights to prepare food for her husband.” 

“Her husband! Not mine!” Mom-Thabz.

Uyamphekela wena uOna?!” 

Silence. 

“Oh, so I must cook for your husband?!” Mom-Phuthi.

Silence. 

“Thabi, leave Mapho alone. And I was teaching her how to prepare for Ona and Khotso. I don’t see anyone else willing to learn or help.” Mom-Phuthi says, clearly taking her shot at Vanessa. 

Now it’s silent. 

“Reahile, what’s the plan with the twins?” Dad-Ona asks me. 

Dad-Khotso looks at me too. 

“I’ll go see kazi and papa to speak to them. Then I’ll have an indication”, I say. 

They are not happy about this. But there’s very little that I can do.. especially with that instruction that Rofhiwa left. 

“I think it’s time I had a baby”, Vanessa says. 

Now we all look at her. You know, we haven’t had a meal as a family in a while. Now we have Vanessa and Alani here. Alani is just silent, taking us all in. And I’m quite sure that we are a lot. 

“Mohale and I have been married for two years now and we need a bundle of joy for our story”, Vanessa. 

“You want a baby with my husband now?” Drew. 

“The world knows him as my husband”, Vanessa.

“He’s not your husband. We are preparing to adopt together and suddenly you want to get pregnant?” Drew. Drew is Mohale’s husband. 

“Mohale, kgalemela s’thepu sa hao”, dad-Ona says. 

Silence. 

This is soooo awkward!

“Alani, how do you know Tholoana again?” Mom-Thabz enquires. 

What’s wrong with her this morning? Did my dad not give her sex or something? We are all curious about Alani, but damn. 

“We met at my place of employment. Well, former place of employment”, she says. Her American accent is so up there! 

“How?” Mom-Thabz.

“Well, I was working when he and some of his friends walked in, closed the shop down and started shopping. I was the assistant that was assigned to assisting them.

“And I’m sure it didn’t hurt that he had the financial muscle to do that, neh?” What is wrong with Thabz?!

“You mean like it didn’t hurt for you that dad was destined for the king seat?” Tholoana says. Good for him for standing up for his girl.

This entire situation is just so uncomfortable.

Inama cries and I see Mapho excusing herself so quickly. 

My dads, Tholoana, Mohale and I leave the house to go meet up with a few people so that we could move out of this place. 

We know we didn’t leave the Mohale people anything to work with to run the country, and they are upset. We’ve turned off all their systems, so they have no idea where to start. 

They also don’t have money in their accounts, and any support that goes out to the poor did not go out this month. So people are angry in the kingdom. We’ve now been invited to talk… to see if there is any negotiation that could take place. 

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  • T Nyuswa Reply

    The fight over this kingdom will never end neh. Life on the run is how they live.

    I feel bad for Rea regarding his twins man kodwa futhi they better off with the Rumarus cos this life on the run isn’t ideal for kids.

    Thabi is still a dragon breathing fire unprovoked, yet still with beautiful gestures. Thinking how she’s sorted or managed the issue ya auntie ka Mapho.

    April 9, 2024 at 11:15 pm

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