It’s a rainy, stormy and cold Sunday afternoon. So I’m in Wandi’s backroom, sitting on the long couch that’s in here and have a light blanket over me. Normally, I’d be watching television. But today, I’m just listening to my body recover from being Nathi’s sex slave all weekend. I cannot even stop smiling. 

I start dozing off when Wandi and Senzi walk into the room.

They are back. 

They are soaking wet from the rain. 

“Sawubona mah“, Senzi. 

“Hey mother”, Wandi.

“Sanibonani. How was your trip?” I ask them. 

“It was a lot of fun. We actually wanted to stay longer, but Senzi has work tomorrow”, Wandi says. 

“Well, I’m happy you guys are back.” I say. 

“I’m just grabbing an overnight bag then I’m going to Senzi’s place, neh mama. I’ll see you kahle tomorrow.” She says. 

She’s already packing. 

I’m not sure if she’s asking me for permission or just informing me.

I just nod my head. 

“My mom tells me that they are very happy with you at the church”, Senzi says as Wandi packs. He sits next to me on the couch. I assume he’s making conversation. 

“Well, it’s only been a day. Everyone is trying to impress on day one”, I say. 

“Well, you impressed very well. She even tells me that you’ve put in an advance so you can get a place and a car?”

I actually choke on my own saliva. Is that woman mad?!

But I play along.

“Yeah well. I’ve more than expressed how I don’t like Wandi staying here. I don’t even like staying here. So because I also know that Wandi needs her privacy given that she’s stayed alone all this time, I thought I’d get two penthouses in Sandton.” I say. 

“Sandton? Penthouses in Sandton? Mah, how much are these people paying you?” Wandi asks me. 

“Enough. But I also have money saved up from before I went into prison. I’m finally able to access it now. So, I’m able to buy those penthouses and a car cash.” I say. 

Both their eyes widen. 

“I was a CEO of a thriving mine. I was not poor, Wandisa.” I say. 

“You know, mah, we can just get decent accommodation. Plus, you don’t need two penthouses. Senzi asked me to marry him and I said yes. So after the wedding, he and I are moving into our own place”, she says. 

Now I’m the shocked one with my eyes widened.

“Well, congratulations to the both of you. Have you spoken to your father?” Me. 

“He proposed over the weekend. I’ll go see dad at his office tomorrow and tell him.” Wandi.

“Actually… I’ll go. I need to deliver the letter for amalobola anyway.” Senzi. 

Wandi is just gushing. 

You know, I don’t know how to feel about this relationship. I try very hard not to reel Wandisa in. Sometimes, I find myself hop-scotching between being her mother and just letting her do as she pleases. She practically raised herself. Where do I get off suddenly telling her what to do? 

“Well, I’m happy for you guys. And I wish you all the best.” I say. 

They smile at me. 

Wandi and Senzi waited for the rain to calm down a bit then they left. It’s just me in this place once again. I can’t believe that my daughter is getting married. My only daughter! 

I don’t trust Laura as her mother-in-law. I wonder what I can gift them as a wedding gift. Something that will make them money. Wandi has a business and Senzi is a pastor and pilot. Maybe I can gift them a honeymoon? Nah, how will they make money from that? I don’t want my daughter to be stupid and just be a money-spender as opposed to a money-maker. Maybe I’ll buy them shares at that NIR company. That will make them stunning returns and keep them paid. 

I fall asleep just after 19:30. 

I’m up and it’s my day 2 at work today. I actually intend to make an impact today. I’m going to learn all that I need to learn about the operations of that place then do what Maphuthi Ngwenya does best as the beast that she’s known to be. I want to make headlines again. I want to be known internationally… even if it is for leading a damn church. 

I get an Uber and make my way to work. 

As soon as I get to the office, Nathi phones me. 

“Nkosinathi, sawubona“, me. 

“Hawu, mina nawe siphane amaswidi all weekend, and this is how you greet me?” 

“I told you to not fall in love with me. It’s just sex.” I say. 

We both laugh. 

“Ulale njani?” He asks me.

“I haven’t slept that great in a very long time. My body is still thanking me even now”, I say. 

He laughs and says, “I want us to do it again.”

“Well, we will. We will probably be doing this until I get myself a boyfriend”, I say. 

“Why would you want to get a boyfriend?” 

“Because I’m a woman. And at some point, I’m going to need meaningful sex with someone that I want to build with”, I say. 

He’s quiet. 

“Why did you call me, Nathi?” I ask him. 

“Oh ja… Wandisa’s boyfriend was just here at my office”, he says. 

I start laughing. 

“Marriage? Is she ready, Maphuthi?” He asks me. 

“Umdala uWandisa, Nkosinathi. We can’t exactly stand in her way. She’s been doing this alone for a really long time.” I say. 

“I don’t know how I feel about this”, he says. 

“What do you have against it?” I ask him. 

“Lo mfana. There’s something about him that I just don’t trust”, he says. So, I’m not the only person who has this off feeling about Senzi. 

“Well, be that as it may… we have to support her. If this is what she wants – “Wandisa’s young, Maphuthi.” He says. 

“Thandeka was eighteen when she married you, Nkosinathi.” 

“And look how well that turned out. I want it to be different for my kids.” 

I take a deep breath then I say, “Let’s have dinner with her tonight and speak to her. Maybe she will give us a perspective that we are not seeing here.” 

“At my place?” He says. 

“A restaurant is fine. And please, Nkosinathi… please make sure that you can control yourself. She doesn’t need to know that we are having sex.”

He starts laughing. 

“I’ll see you later”, I say. 

“Shup.” Him. 

We hang up. 

I’m in my office now. I’m actually going through files upon files. I’m making notes and scheduling meetings with people in my team as I go through all this stuff that has happened. I start planning and strategising for the next twelve months and I start setting goals for myself. 

I’m buried in work until I hear my phone ring. When I check the time, it’s 6pm. Wandi is phoning me.

“Hello baby girl”, me. 

“Mah, ubaba athi we are meeting up for dinner”, she says. 

“Oh ja. Eish I almost forgot. Okay, ukuphi?” 

“La in Senzi’s office. We can leave together when you are done?” 

“Uhm, okay… meet me at reception in five minutes”, I say. 

“Okay”, she says. 

We hang up.

I quickly pack my things and I leave the office. 

Wandi and I arrive at this Kream restaurant at Mall of Africa. We find Nathi already waiting for us. We walk to where he is sitting and is already drinking beer. He’s on his phone. Judging by his smile and charm, he’s chatting to his girlfriend. I’m instantly irritated. But I remind myself that Nathi and I are just having sex. I better not be catching feelings when I’ve told him not to catch feelings.

Wandi and I sit down. Nathi’s call ends. 

“Sanibonani“, he greets us. 

Wandi gets up and kisses her dad on the cheek.

“Kunjani ntombi yami?” Nathi says to her. 

“I’m good, baba. Wena? Unjani?” Wandi. 

“I’m good thanks.” Nathi. 

“Maphuthi”, Nathi. 

“Nkosinathi”, me. 

“You are not going to give me a kiss nyana and say hi?” Nathi. 

“Fuck off”, I say.

Wandisa laughs at us. Nathi gives me a sly giggle. Mxm. 

We order our food then we start chatting. 

“I heard that you are getting married”, Nathi says to Wandisa. 

“Heard?” Wandi. 

“Yes, heard. It’s only fact when I actually hear it from you – my child.” He says. 

“Senzi wanted to give you the letter himself”, Wandi says.

Nathi looks at her. 

“Wandi, are you ready for this step in your life?” I ask her – just to chirp in while they give each other shady looks. 

“Yes mama, I’m ready. He proposed three years ago already. But I asked for time. I didn’t want to be dependent on him. Plus, his family looks down on me, so I wanted to bring my own things to the table. I asked him for three years. In the three years, I was raising my fifty percent of the house that we will purchase together as well as my fifty percent for our wedding.” 

Nathi and I look at each other. 

“His family will probably still think of me as being after his money, but it will make me feel better knowing that my money did a lot too.” She says. 

“So, what will your role be in the church now that you are marrying an heir to the pulpit?” I ask. 

Nathi chuckles. 

Wandi gives us looks. 

“Well, I have to be more involved with the church… almost like the first lady.” 

“Wandisa, you want to be uMam’fundisi?” Nathi. 

“I want to be Senzi’s wife. I’ll be whatever that comes with.” Wandi. 

I don’t know why she’s giving us attitude. 

“So, is he ready? Financially? For this?” I ask. 

“Well don’t leave him broke. But ja, he’s ready.” She says. 

“How ready?” Nathi. 

She gives us eyes.

“Well, I don’t need his money. So, that lobola money will be used for the traditional wedding”, Nathi says. 

Wandi nods his head. 

“Mama kaWandisa, wena uthini?” Nathi says to me. 

“She has my support. Wena nje just put down the date and let’s get this show on the road”, I say.

Wandi smiles at me. 

Nathi nods his head.

Our food arrives. 

…

I honestly can deal with my parents individually. When they are together like this, they make me so uncomfortable. They have this weird sexual chemistry between them that I wish they never entertain. They are just so toxic together. I don’t want them to get back together. 

But I will secretly admit that they look hot together. I see what they saw in each other. 

“Mina, I’m going to have to love and leave you. My ride is here. Mah, will you be okay to drive back home wedwa?” I say as soon as Khanya texts me. 

“Hawu, I thought uSenzi is away with work”, my mom says. 

“He is. Khanya is here to fetch me. We are hanging out today.” I say. 

“Tell Khanya to come up and say hi”, my dad. 

“You know Khosini doesn’t like you and mom together, right?” I remind him. 

“Tell those boys to come up here.” My dad. 

His aura is even changing. 

I dial Khanya. 

“Please don’t tell me your father wants me to come there”, he says as he answers his phone. My mom laughs. He’s on speaker. 

“Khanya, izani“, my dad. 

“Yoh. Okay.” Khanya. 

I just laugh. 

I shake my head at my dad. 

Khanya walks in. He greets my mom first with a hug. Even my mom is shocked. My dad smiles at them. Then he greets my dad with a handshake. Now he’s greeting me with a kiss on my cheeks, sits next to me and starts eating off my plate. 

“Khanya, you know I’m not your girlfriend, right? You can’t eat off my plate!” I say. 

He just looks at me and keeps on eating. 

“Why don’t you just order a plate of food?” My mom. 

“Ngiyabonga mah. I’d appreciate that. UWandi akanaTLC yaz.” Khanya. 

We all just laugh. 

“Uphi uKhosini?” My dad asks Khanya. 

“With mom. You know he’s always a baby around her”, Khanya says. 

“Unjani yena umah wakho?” My dad. 

“She’s fine. I hate her boyfriend.” Khanya. 

“Boyfriend?” My dad. 

“Yep. She introduced us to him and shit. Even Wandi thinks he’s shady”, Khanya. 

“Oh, you’ve also met him?” My dad asks me. 

I see my mom laughing at him. 

“Ja. Mom took us all out to meet him.” Me. 

I see my mom being slightly hurt that I refer to my stepmother as “mom”. What else am I supposed to call her? She was kind of the only mother I knew for quite some time – imperfections and all. 

“I see.” My dad. 

“He’s an asshole. I hate him. He even tried to hit me. Imagine! I told him I’d murder him. Tholoana’s dad now even keeps mom away from Tholoana all together because of that guy”, Khanya is sharing too much. I even nudge him and he shrugs his shoulders at me.

The waiter comes and takes Khanya’s order. 

After the waiter leaves, my dad asks, “What’s he like with Khosini?”

“They hate each other. Khosini wants mom all to himself, so he doesn’t like anyone who needs attention from mom. Sometimes, he doesn’t even like me. But fortunately for Khosini, mom is super protective over him. So, she tells her guy to fuck off when he starts complaining about Khosini.” Khanya says.

I don’t know how to read my dad. He’s definitely not happy though. 

“And he’s a leach!” Khanya needs to stop now. 

“Khanya!” Me.

“What?! It’s the truth. He drives mom’s cars. I’ve never seen his cars. He stays with mom. He doesn’t even buy a sweet in the house. Udla umah. I told him I was going to tell my dad because my dad pays for that house and those cars. Let’s see if he sticks around if my dad takes that shit away from my mom”, Wandi blabs on. 

“Ubaba didn’t buy those things for mah to prevent her from moving on. It’s a gift. He can’t just take things back because he doesn’t like who mama is dating”, I say. 

I see my mom looking at my dad. My dad is not okay. 

Khanya is just shaking his head. 

His meal finally arrives. 

…

Khanya and I finally get to his place. I’ve been on FaceTime with Senzi the whole way here, so Khanya is probably over me right now. 

I throw myself on his couch. He brings wine for me and beer for him. 

“Dad tells me that you are getting married”, he says. 

“Yeah. Remember I told you he asked me like three years ago and I asked for time?” 

He nods his head. 

“So ja, now its three years later and we are doing this”, I say. 

“I’m just worried about you, sis. Every time I’m trying to reach you, you are being Mother Teresa somewhere. You are busy saving people from abuse and crazy surrogate parents. I’m worried that you haven’t spent enough time with yourself before you dive into marriage headfirst. And not that I have anything against Senzi, but being married to him is not drinking bellinis every morning, wearing his ring, waking up just to be pretty and all that. It’s work. It’s a job. It’s a brand within itself. Don’t you want a quiet marriage?” 

I didn’t know he felt this way about my relationship. 

“You sound like you are not supportive of this marriage”, I say. 

“You know that I’m more than supportive of you, Wandi. Don’t do that. I just want you to be sure about this – understanding everything that it comes with. I know you love Senzi. I know he loves you. I love the two of you together. I’m just worried that you are marrying that church, that family and everything else you have to deal with before you just enjoy being Senzi’s wife.” He says. 

I think about what he’s saying. 

“I love him.”

“I know.” 

“He accepts me as I am, Khanya. He loves me through my mess. We’ve been together for five years. At this point, if asishadi, kungcono siyeke. And honestly, I don’t want to let him go”, I say. 

He nods his head. 

His phone rings.

He turns his phone off. It’s probably his girlfriend.

“Is it Tamia?” I ask him. 

“Ja eish. And I want her to break up with me.” 

“Why don’t you just break up with her?” 

“Because she’s crazy. She will stalk me and slash my tyres and shit.” 

I laugh at him. 

“Yoh I’m tired of that girl. And I like someone else now”, he says. 

“Khanya! You are truly Nkosinathi’s son!”

He laughs aloud. 

“Listen here, I’m only twenty-five years old. I’m in no position to be committed and getting married right now. Dad was thirty-two when he got married”, he says. 

“Wow, Khanya Sizwe Buthelezi! Wow!” 

He laughs.

“Break up with Tamia before getting with someone else.” I say. 

“I will.” He says. 

“So, who is the new girl?” 

“She’s from Tholoana Kingdom. Ruri.”

“Why from there? Azikho i’ntombi la eGoli?” 

“They are not beautiful like Ruri. She’s nice.” 

I shake my head at him. 

We spend the evening watching movies then pass out on the couch.