Me : "Â Hlelo ngiyaxolisa kakhulu ngakho konke engikwenzile kuwe. There's no excuse for what I did but for what it's worth I am very sorry. ( Hlelo I am very sorry for everything I did to you. "
Hlelo : " Nkosiyabo until you come clean about everything that happened because I know that the rape thing is not the only thing then we will talk and besides this is not the time I have to go. "
Me : " Hlelo please don't leave let me at least drop you off. It's only fair especially after you being my pillow to cry on and wait how did you know about the rape. "
Hlelo : Nkosiyabo ngiphuma emanzini njengamanje nami bengingazi ukuthi uyeza sekudlule iviki ngila kodwa lokho akubalulekile ngicela ukuhamba. ( Nkosiyabo I am from the river right now. I didn't know that you were coming it's been a week since I was here but that's not important can I please leave. ) "
I guess they were telling the truth about her power's except for the part where she is using her power's to bewitch people. I feel embarrassed that she knows about my rape I don't even know how to look at her. Surely when she looks at me she sees a weakling of a man.
The drive to her house was very silent and very awkward. I didn't even know what to say since she avoided my apology conversation. Immediately when I parked the car clouds started forming.
Hlelo : " Ngizo ngena emgoqweni namhlanje. Ekhaya bangezela umemulo kodwa mina nawe sizokhuluma kahle ngomemulo kuningi ukumele sikhulume kodwa ungatsheli muntu ngoba siphila nezitha zethu. ( I am going into my fasting period. My family is doing my 21st ceremony but me and you will talk properly on my 21st ceremony there's a lot that we have to talk about . Don't tell anyone because we are living with our enemies. ) "
Me : " Ngiyakuzwa kodwa aren't you past 21 why must you do it. ( I hear you but )"
Hlelo : " Hayi mfana ufuna ukungitshela ukuthi awu kawazi ama siko ethu namanje Weeee! Kodwa ke umemulo has nothing to do with age. Umemulo is ceremony that is done for a maiden or just a girl to acknowledge the stage that the child has reached. It is very important that I do it so that my relationships could go well who knows I might be getting married to someone hot. ( Bro are you trying to tell me that you still don't know our culture but then ..) "
What the hell is this girl trying to say ?
Me : " Ngiyakuzwa manje uthi ushada ushadani ngicela ungangilingi. ( I hear you now you are saying you are getting married what are you getting married to please don't test me ) "
"Â Bye bye Nkosiyabo but before I go I want you to know that you are not a weakling of a man. "Â She said leaving
She did not even give me a chance to talk but how does she know how I feel and what I think. Right now I need to make sure that I find out who the so called fiance is. I have let her go once I'm not doing it again.
Rain started to pour and the guard's came back to drive us back home. All I kept on thinking about is how beautiful my wife looks and no I'm not going too fast if anything that girl is mine she is my wife but the thought of coming clean to her freak's me out what if she ends up hating me?
Hlelolwenkosi pov
I got home and found the maidens already waiting for me mind you it was already raining outside but they waited for me. My friend Busi was also waiting with the maidens although she was standing aside holding an umbrella while other children were getting wet.
" Wele I am so happy to see you. Nawe you took days in the water but you look fresh. There's a lot that we have to talk about especially the car that dropped you off. " Busi said hugging me
I knew that being dropped off by Nkosiyabo would raise suspicions but if they knew shem.
I greeted the maidens then later went to emsamo where I found my grandmother, mom and uncle. My uncle was holding a goat that's supposed to be slaughtered.
" Mthethwa, Dingiswayo Nyambose , Jobe ka Zikhali , Donga dilika , inyokanehlazana umabonwa abulawe , uMalala nomunwe engquza , uMagaga ansibansiba , Imfolozi emnyama ekhetha abaweki nabawelayo bayayi qokelela , Nina bakanhlamba kangicelani ngoba angiceli lutho lomuntu ,Godongwane............ NDABEZITHA " my uncle said as soon as he saw me.
I was surprised to see my mom and grandmother bowing before me like I am a queen. You could see how proud my family is and it brings joy to my heart to know that I am the one making them proud.
The elders appeased to the ancestors and asked that they protect me from all evil and that everything I do becomes successful. When they were done I was given umkhonto ( spear) and my uncle took the goat outside and I went to the room where the other maidens were. Unomehlo , the women checking our virginity, checked me and obviously I'm still a virgin then she smeared me with ubovu nomgcako ( red and white clay ) my left side of my body was covered in ubovu and my right side was covered gomgcako.
I covered my hair with an old doek since they are going to burn everything that we will use emgoqweni. Unomehlo then cut a white and covered our breasts and our vagina's and by the way we are not supposed to wear any underwears unless you are on your periods. Even the cloths that were covering our vagina's were not exactly covering us shem.
We went outside and sang.
" AWUYEKE INDABA ZAMATSHITSHI
AWUYEKE INDABA ZAMATSHITSHI, AWUYEKE INDABA
INDABA ZAMATSHITSHI
AWUYEKE INDABA ZAMATSHITSHI, AWUYEKE INDABA
UYOYISHOLO WENA !
WAYISHOLO WENA , WAYISHOLO WENA
UKUTHI WHY UBUNTOMBI UNGASENABO
WAYISHOLO WENA WAYISHOLO WENA "
We sang while everyone ululated. The rain had stopped a bit but it was still there. We sang and my mom gave me R1000 while she gave imbelesi zami( my bridesmaids ) R100 each mind you I have 14 of imbelesi.
We later went to the room after the the goat was slaughtered and I had isphandla on ( goat skin ).
The day before umemulo
One day left or should I a few more hours left before the big day. My nails are already done. I had to beg the lady to do my nails at home since I am not allowed to the room unless I am going to the bathroom.
I cannot wait for the big day it's lot and apparently my aunt and her children have been missing which is very good for me because I don't think I would be able to keep it in if I saw them.
We have been singing everyday from Monday and my throat is very sore. I'm planning on installing a weave, you know your frontal vibes, but I will probably install it in the morning. Today is the camp but it's only going to start at 8pm till the next day. Amatshitshi ( maidens) and amabutho( warriors ) will be there for indlakusa ( evening camp ).
........................................................................
20 : 00
I'm preparing to go to the tent outside with izimbelesi zami. I am very nervous since people came for me. I have to sing and dance to kill mind you my throat is very painful but I was given lemon water apparently it helps I just hope that it helps I cannot have a hoarse voice.
" Sekuyiskhathi ( it's time) " Unomehlo said
We covered ourselves in blankets. People are not supposed to see us until we get to the tent. We walked out and I started singing.
" WENA UTHI UYITSHITSHI WENA
WENU QAMBELA THINA AMANGA
UTHI UYITSHITSHI WENA
WENU QAMBELA THINA AMANGA
WENA NTOMBI UTHI UYITSHITSHI WENA
WENA UQAMBELA THINA AMANGA
WEEE UTHI UYITSHITSHI
WENU QAMBELA THINA AMANGA. "
Everyone sang with us. It was very nice. We sang and I danced in fact ngigidile leaving people surprised. I realized that being umzulu is everything in the world not offending anyone but damn even the warriors, They danced like there no tomorrow, the energy was galore but above it all my ancestors were there with me.
Around 3 am we left to our room while the camp was still on. We need our beauty sleep even though it's only for two hours. I felt my eyes getting heavier and off I went to lala land.