This chapter of my life is called............... Well I cant decide between Gratitude Happiness Love Content Family Blessed and Joy so I will just bundle it all into one. I am happy and overflowing with joy seeing both my families laugh and talking to each other. I sit on this little throne that has been set up for me with my gold crown on. Yep Kazi went all out. I have my husband on my right and my father on my left.

Philani holds my hand under the table and looks at me with concern in his eyes.
Philani: "Are you okay?" I smile.
Me: "I am good. Thank you for this i know i said i didnt want a party but this is nice thank you." He lifts my hand up to his lips and kisses it.
Philani: "Anything for you wifey." He smiles.

After dinner is served the party moves to the makeshift dancefloor and everyone dances the night away. My feet are killing me already so I decide to take my shoes off and sit on the side. I notice my dads ex wife coming over to me. She grabs a seat next to me. They said her name was Mam Busisiwe.

Mam'Busi: "Hey tired already?"
Me: "Yeah if I had known I would have worn sneakers. I cant believe gogo is still standing. It's way past midnight." She laughs.
Mam'Busi: "That one doesn't want to get old. Or maybe it's the excitement of having you back."
Me: "Maybe. I cant believe I missed out on so much love." She looks away like she feels guilty about something.
Mam'Busi: "I am sorry." She says looking back at me. I look at her waiting for her to continue. "If I hadn't convinced your father to let you go none of this would have happened."
Me: "I dont think he blames you for it."
Mam'Busi: "No but I blame myself. I saw the pain he went through. You were his little princess and I convinced him to let you go and he hasn't been the same since."
Me: "Is that why you got divorced?"
Mam'Busi: "Partly I just couldn't stand seeing him in pain and knowing I contributed to it."
Me: "That's noble but you cant blame yourself. I am pretty sure my mother let some tears flow and reached out to the mother in you. She's manipulative like that."
Mam'Busi: "How is she anyway? I haven't seen her since we got here."
Me: "And you won't see her. We are not that close."
Mam'Busi: "I'm sorry." I laugh. This woman somehow knows how to apologize even for shit she had nothing to do with.
Me: "You are not Jesus stop apologizing for things that are out of your control." Now its her turn to laugh. "But now that I am back is there a chance of a reunion?"
Mam'Busi: "Dont go playing matchmaker. It's over between your father and I."
Me: "And yet you are here. He cant seem to keep his eyes of off you. And you blush everytime he looks at you. Which makes me believe that what you two have is more than just co-parenting."
Mam'Busi: "Babygirl............."
Me: "I promise I will be a good stepdaughter. I wouldn't mind having a cool stepmom like you." She laughs.
Mam'Busi: "You are impossible you know that. So how far along are you?" I swallow.
Me: "Nice changing the subject. That's clever. Far along with what?"
Mam'Busi: "I have been pregnant three times and I have been around pregnant women I know a pregnancy glow when i see one." I smile. I guess theres no point lying about it.
Me: "12 weeks."
Mam'Busi: "Congratulations. Come on let's go dance some more. We cant let that old woman beat us."
Me: "We are not done with the stepmummy topic just so you know." She laughs and I let her lead me to the dancefloor.


********************


I woke up the next morning and my poor husband was busy snoring next to me. Thank God for this pregnancy otherwise I would be right there with him dying of ibhabhalazi. I get up and go to the bathroom. I pee and take a shower. I get out lotion and get dressed. I decide on wearing Philani's Nike short and tshirt. I wear my slippers and head downstairs. I find aunty Kholiwe and aunt Bonakele in the kitchen making breakfast while gogo Biyela is sitting in the lounge with Bab'Zweli having tea. In my tired state I forgot that they slept here after the party and it's a little too late to rush back upstairs and change.

Bonakele: "Is this really the time for umakoti to wake up? And why are you wearing that when your in-laws are here."
Gogo: "Hhaybo Bonakele this is her house she can wear whatever she wants and wake up anytime." I go to the lounge and greet Gogo and Bab'Zweli.
Me: "Ngyacolisa (I am sorry) gogo I forgot you were here I will go and change."
Bab'Zweli: "No need wena Koti. This is your house and I am sure your husband likes seeing you like that." I chuckle and leave them and go to the kitchen.
Me: "Aunty sanibonani. What can I do to help?"
Bonakele: "If you had wanted to help you would have woken up early like a proper Makoti not a spoilt golddigging brat." She says taking a bowl of scrambled eggs to the dining room. I decide to make Philani Faith's hangover remedy.
Kholiwe: "You know if you stab her we can just blame the pregnancy. Hormones can drive some women crazy so it would be easy to get away with it." I look at aunt Kholiwe and just burst out laughing. This woman knows how to bring a smile to my face.
Me: "Maybe I should. Where is her agent of Satan of a daughter?"
Kholiwe: "Oh that one. She didnt want to come because she is pregnant but her mother forced her to come. She slept in Dainfern. She faked some cramps so she wouldn't go to the party."
I want to laugh at the way aunt Kholiwe is so nonchalant about this it's like she has been expecting it.
Me: "What did her mother say?"
Kholiwe: "What can she say. She keeps shielding and protecting that child forgetting that she won't always be here and she does all this knowing mummy dearest will be there to pick up the pieces. I mean who in their right mind has 4 kids before even turning 23." She sighs. "Forget that one go wake Philani up so we can eat."

I pour the smoothie in a glass and walk back upstairs and find Philani groaning on the bed.
Me: "I told you to stop drinking but you wouldn't listen to me. Drink this." I hand him the glass and he drinks.
Philani: "This tastes like shit."
Me: "I know. Breakfast is ready. Go get dressed so we can go down."
He gets up and goes to the bathroom. I decide to go to the closet and change into a denim skirt and a tshirt.

Philani comes out of the bathroom and takes the short I was wearing and puts it on and he takes a vest and wears it and we walk back downstairs. We sit down and have breakfast.

After breakfast we all drive to Dainfen where we are to have lunch with both families before they all head back home.


●●●●●●●●●●●●●●


PHILANI

We drove to Dainfern with aunt Kholiwe and gogo while Bab'Zweli and aunt Bonakele drove together. I dont know what aunt Bonakele's problem is with Lando but I just hope for her sake she doesn't stress her out cause if anything happens to my child I will descend on her like a tonne of bricks.

We get to Dainfern and my dad and Bab'Shongwe are already braaiing meat outside while the others make salads and pap. I walk out to see my dad soon as Bab'Shongwe makes his way in with some meat.

Me: "Hi dad."
Dad: "Hey. Wheres my grandbaby?"
Me: "Inside being fussed over by everyone." He laughs.
Dad: "A true Biyela man. He will break hearts."
Me: "Dont let Lando hear you say that." He laughs again. "You do realize Kazi and Sizwe are trying so hard to avoid being anywhere close to you?" He laughs again.
Dad: "She and Sizwe think I saw them having sex."
Me: "Didnt you?"
Dad: "Of course not. My security told me about it and I had no desire to see my daughter being fucked. Although I did tell them I saw them so now they are walking on eggshells around me."
Me: "Dad!" He laughs.
Dad: "What? I am five to retirement and I need something to keep me busy."
Me: "And playing with your daughters feelings is keeping you busy?"
Dad: "Not really but it's fun to watch. Help me get the meat inside." He hands me a tray of wors and I take it inside the house. I walk back outside and find Lando's dad by the pool area.
Me: "Hi!"
Mr S: "Hey your father's house is beautiful."
Me: "It is. So I was hoping to talk to you about something."
Mr S: "I am listening."
Me: "Uhm. I uh I was hoping to talk to you about Lobola." He turns to look at me.
Mr S: "Arent you already married?"
Me: "We are but not traditionally. The first Lobola we did wasnt really done right that's why I wanted to find you so we can do things the right way."
Mr S: "What about Lando's mother didnt you atleast try and pay lobola to her?"
Me: "No and Lando would die before she let's her mother accept her lobola."
Mr S: "Fine do things the right way and I will be happy to help. But I still want to know what happened between Lando and her mother."
Me: "I am sure when she is ready she will tell you all about it."
Mr S: "Yeah do you know where her mother stays? I have questions that only she can answer."
Me: "Of course I will text you her address."

We stand there and talk about some other stuff. Turns out he is a Kaizer Chiefs fan just like Lando. We were busy talking when Lando joined us.

Lando: "My two favorite men

just like Lando. We were busy talking when Lando joined us.

Lando: "My two favorite men getting along laughing and talking what more could a girl want."
Mr S: "There's no getting along he is a Pirates supporter. Only losers support Pirates." They both laugh at me.
Lando: "See I told you."
Me: "Say that again the next time we beat you."
Lando: "In your dreams." She hooks her arms with ours and we go back inside to have lunch.



●●●●●●●●●●●●●●


NARRATED


In Mbuzini Sipho and Busisiwe Shongwe have just parked the car outside Nelsiwe's house.

Busi: "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Sipho: "I need answers and she is the only one who has them."
Busi: "Before we go in I need to tell you something."
Sipho: "What?"
Busi: "I found out why Lando and Nelsiwe dont get along. But you have to promise not to ask Lando about it. Until she decides to tell you herself." He takes a deep breath.
Sipho: "Okay I am listening."
Busi: "I said Promise Mtimandze!"
Sipho: "Fine. I promise."
Busi: "Nelsiwe's husband raped Lando when she was 12 years old and Nelsiwe protected him."
Sipho: "WHAT?"
Busi: "Yeah apparently he continued for a while until Lando ran away from home when she was 13 she lived on the streets for a while before Mr Biyela found her and took care of her." She turns to look at him and she sees the tears running down his face and his hands holding the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are beginning to turn white. She reaches out and touches his hands.
Sipho: "I failed her. I failed my baby." He sobs with his head on top of his hands on the steering wheel.
Busi: "You didn't fail her Nelsiwe did she's the one who failed to protect her."
Sipho: "I should have tried harder to find her."
Busi: "You did the best that you could." He looks up wipes his tears and looks at her.
Sipho: "How do you know all this? Did she tell you?"
Busi: "No it turns out Buli speaks a lot when she is drunk. Ask the right questions and she will spill.
Sipho: "Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you are a cop who can pretty much drag the truth out of anybody." She laughs.
Busi: "That too. So are you sure you want to talk to her?"
Sipho: "I am." He wipes his tears and they get out of the car and walk to the house. They knock and Nelsiwe opens. Her surprise or shock is registered on her face when she sees the people she never thought she would see ever again.

Busi: "Hello Nelsiwe can we come in?"
Nelsiwe: "I am sure whatever you want to say you can say it from where you are standing."
Sipho: "Are you sure you want your neighbors hearing about your rapist husband?"
Nelsiwe: "Dont you dare."
Sipho: "Dare what Nelsiwe? Talk about how you failed to do the one thing you were supposed to do protect your child?" She opens the burglar gate and let's them in. They walk to the lounge and take a seat.
Nelsiwe: "I dont know what Lando told you but she lied. Vusi didnt do anything to her. She cooked up that story to cover up her hoe ways."
Busi: "Do you really believe that Nelsiwe or you tell yourself that just so you can sleep better at night?" She doesn't answer them.
Sipho: "Why did you take her from me Nelsiwe you knew how much I loved her how much my family loved her. Was this your way of trying to punish me for not rekindling our affair?"
Nelsiwe: "Dont flatter yourself Sipho not everything revolves around." He gets up and stands before her.
Sipho: "You are just as selfish as you were back then. You want everything to be about you. You abandoned your child with me and when you realized I wasnt coming to beg you you came up with another plan. Take her from me and disappear. It worked for a while drove me nuts not knowing where my daughter was if she was okay if she had clothes on her back and food in her stomach. And now I find out she was homeless for a while all because you failed to protect her. But you know what she found her way back home. Back to the people that love her for real. And there is absolutely nothing you can do to keep her away from me now. She is back home. And you are slowly losing all the people around you. Karma is such a bitch." He walks out.
Busi gets up from the couch and walks to Nelsiwe.
Nelsiwe: "I think you should leave."
Busi: "I don't understand why you have a hard time believing your own child. You are a nurse who has done so many rape kits on victims of sexual abuse but you couldn't even do that for your own child."
Nelsiwe: "I think you should leave."
Busi: "You know what I think I think you do believe Lando but your pride won't allow you to admit it. Such a pity you are denying yourself a chance to know the incredible woman Lando has become." She turns and walks out leaving Nelsiwe standing there.

She walks to the car and gets in and Sipho drives off.