QHAWE
Ok my Queen is very upset. She hasn't spoken about what happened yesterday and today we are having breakfast with my parents. The kids also don't know what happened as they spend most of the time with their grandparents. Zwelibanzi is testing me. We are on our way to my parents' house and she's been very quiet since last night. I know she'll tell me when she is ready. I park the car and look at her.
Me: Are you ready for this?
Khanyi: Yes my King, I'm ready.
Me: We can always do this some other time.
Khanyi: No baby, I'm fine, I promise. We'll talk after breakfast I promise
Me: ok then, let's go. (I look at my three kids in the back sit) are you guys ready to meet your new grandparents.
Ntando: bring it on dad. (I just laugh. This one hangs out too much with his Uncle Lwazi. I knock on the door, I look at my Queen and she looks so nervous, I hold her hand and squeeze it just so she knows it's going to be fine.)
Ntando: don't worry mom, I'm sure they don't bite (we all just laughed and the door opened while we were laughing.)
Bandile: I wouldn't be laughing if I were you (he smiles at Khanyi) You're late.
Me: Just let us in. Where is everyone?
Bandile: in the dining room. (we walk in and head to the dining room and the girls get up from their sits and go straight to Khanyi and hug her after which they hug their siblings. My mom looks shocked and I think the kids haven't said anything to them. We greet them and take our sits.
Me: Mom, dad this is the woman I've been telling you about, My Queen Khanyisile Sondlo and these are our kids Lonwabo, Ntando and Lwanele, the other two kids you will meet later on.
Mom: You look beautiful and very short, I was expecting to see a tall woman and you have beautiful kids.
Dad: finally we get to meet the woman that has captured my son's heart. Thank you for coming. I'm his dad Loyiso Mtimkhulu and this is my wife Siyanda Mtimkhulu.
Khanyi: it's nice to finally meet you, the kids talk about you a lot.
Mom: how is your relationship with my grandkids?
Khanyi: it is the best, if feels like they were meant to be mine.
Banele: but we are yours and there's nothing you can do about it, you can run from us but you can't hide.
Bandile: We'll find you. (the kids just laugh including Khanyi)
Khanyi: as if I would want to run away.
Mom: it's good to see that you get along with them.
Lisakhanya: can you guys sleepover tonight?
Dad: I don't see a problem with that, Qhawelomzi what do you say?
Me: (I look at Khanyi and she smiles at me and I take that as a yes) We don't have a problem tata.
When we are done eating, the kids do the dishes and drive off to Zwelibanzi's home. When we get there I park the car and the kids run to their grandmother who was waiting outside. She looks at the car, I think she was expecting Khanyi to follow, but she is still in the car. I turn and look at her)
Khanyi: I'll go inside in a minute
Me: What's wrong baby? (I can see she is angry but she is keeping calm)
Khanyi: that idiot Zwelibanzi took me as a second wife. He was married, been married for 10 years now, he married me because he stood to benefit from it from his father, he married me so that the kids can have his name. He used me.
Me: just tell me everything that happened yesterday (and she tells me everything, by the time she is finished , I still can't believe Zwelibanzi could be so selfish.) are you sure you want to go back in there.
Khanyi: I'll be fine, his father wanted to see me, I didn't get to speak to him yesterday, he spent most of his time with the kids. I just need to deal with this once and for all. I don't want to come back here again unnecessarily. I need closure so that I can move on without anything hanging over my head that has to do with Zwelibanzi. I thought I was done with him when I left him. I don't know why he feels the need to continue breaking me, as if he hasn't done enough. Let me go inside, we'll talk later.
Me: Just know that I love you, whatever happens I'm here for you and I love you.
(I kiss her and watch her as she walks into the house.)
MR TOM (ZWELI'S FATHER)
Mr Tom: Zweli you have hurt that girl too much. I told you to be good to her and she will be good to you, she loved you, she gave you her all and you betrayed her and I warned you that this would come back to bite you, look what's happening now. You are married to a woman that says yes to everything you do.. A woman that can't even tell you when you are wrong, she can't even stand up to you, she probably loves your money more than she loves you. On the other hand Khanyi made you a better man.
Zweli: dad please, I don't need to hear this now. yes I screwed and I can't change that. I love Khanyi and I love my kids.
Me: No you don't. You love the benefits you get for having her in your life. (just then Khanyi walks in) My daughter, how are you?
Khanyi: I'm ok tata, how are you? (she looks at Zwelibanzi and there's so much hate in her eyes, she has always been able to say a lot with her eyes.) Zwelibanzi
Me: my days are numbered Khanyi. Zweli please excuse us, I want to talk to her alone. (he gets up and leaves)
Khanyi: you could have told me tata.
Me: I know my child but I trusted that fool to tell you himself when he said he wanted to tell you. I know what I am about say won't change anything. I'm sorry for what my son put you and the kids through, I truly am. I wish you had told us what was happening.
Khanyi: it was not easy tata, he had me watched all the time, he didn't want me to tell anyone, the only person who knew was Sizwe and when he tried to help, he almost killed him.
Me: I hear you. Khanyi I don't have much time to live. I know that my son is a very greedy man, he is also very selfish, for what I am about to tell you, I might be putting you and the kids in danger but I have to do it. I have worked very hard for my legacy to have Zwelibanzi destroy it just like that.
Everything me and his mother own will be left to your kids, only one company will be left to the twins but you have to take care of it until they are 18. Everything that we leave to your kids you will have to manage as well. The twins also have a trust fund that I created for them, part of that fund is for their education. Zwelibanzi can't have any of it because I know he will destroy it with his illegal activities. I am only leaving him with R5 million.
Khanyi: Tata you can't do that, this is too much.
Me: I can and I have. Everything is done. Everyone else will find out when the will is read. Everything is already transferred into their names and you as the one who will manage everything. I don't trust the twin's mother, she will spend it all on nothing. It is done Khanyi. All I need from you is to promise me that you will do everything in your power to protect them and protect yourself.
Khanyi: But tata I don't.... (I don't let her finish)
Me: promise me Khanyi, promise me you won't let Zwelibanzi destroy my legacy, your kids legacy.
Khanyi: (she hesitates to answer) I promise tata.
Me: That's my girl. Come here (she comes closer and I give her a warm hug. Zweli lost a good woman.)
KHANYISILE
We are at Qhawe's parents' house, we are sleeping over as requested. We just had dinner and I'm sitting with Qhawe's mom outside by the garden. She has a beautiful garden.
Siyanda (Qhawe's Mom): Tell me Khanyisile, what do you want from my son, are you after his money?
Me: Excuse me, I don't think I had you correctly ma
Siyanda: ARE –YOU – AFTER – HIS – MONEY? (She says it very slow, with so much emphasis. This woman is insulting me.)
Me: No I'm not. I have my own money, I don't need his.
Siyanda: Then what do you want from him, most women were with him because of his money, even his ex-wife.
Me: Ma, the things that I'm going to say to you right now, I am only going to say them once and once only, because I hate repeating myself. 1. Never again compare me to any woman that Qhawelomzi has been with, I'm not them, they are not me and never will be. 2. Qhawe came after me not the other way around. 3. I love Qhawe very much, it hasn't been easy for me but I love him and i love his kids probably more than I love him, we are now a family, a family that I have no intentions of walking away from. 4. I've been through a whole lot of shit in my life, I've had to put up with a whole of shit and right now, at this very moment I want you to know that I won't put up with any shit from you. (Just then I notice Qhawe's dad (Loyiso) standing and leaning against the wall by the door. I wonder how much of this did he hear, he doesn't look very happy. He walks to us and he has this serious face on and he is looking at his wife very intensely.)
Loyiso: Siyanda leave this girl alone. You are not going to choose a girl for Qhawe. He loves her and he is happy, for the very first time in a long time my son is happy and you will not take that away from him and I hope you take note of the things this girl said to you.
Siyanda: I just wanted to know what she wants , if she wanted his money.
Loyiso: if you had taken this time to find out more about her, you would know that she is a self-made multi millionare who doesn't need our son to support her financially.
Me: tata please excuse me, I really don't have the energy for this conversation. Do you know where I could find Qhawe?
Loyiso: He is in his room, he was also looking for you. The kids are in there tv room watching movies. You have wonderful kids Khanyi, you've raised them well.
Me: Thank you tata. Goodnight to you both (I stand and walk away. He can deal with his wife, I really don't have time for a woman's insecurities about his son. I find Qhawe in his bedroom looking at his laptop, he doesn't really look busy on it, when I walk close to him, he's looking at pictures of me and I've never seen these pictures before. He shuts his laptop before I could look at more pictures.)
Qhawe: You were not supposed to see these pictures.
Me: I only saw three, when did you take these pictures?
Qhawe: forget about the pictures ok My Queen. How are you?
Me: I'm ok babe, just emotionally tired. Zwelibanzi's father has put our lives in danger. (he looks at me shocked)
Qhawe: how so?
Me: the will; he is leaving everything to his grandkids. Everything has already been transferred into their names and I have to manage everything.
Qhawe: How do you know, does Zwelibanzi know?
Me: No he doesn't know, he'll find out at the reading of the will after his father dies, I am the only one who knows. (I see a bit of confusion. I decided to start over and tell him about everything that Mr Tom said.) He told me because he wants me to be able to protect the kids and myself from Zwelibanzi. I don't want this Qhawe, I don't want anything from him, this is just too much for us. I don't want to accept it but he said that there's nothing I can do. Everything is set. Qhawe I'm scared, I don't know why his father is doing this, it's not fair. I don't know if I have the strength for this.
Qhawe: All I can think of it's probably his way of showing you that he does love his grandkids and he wants them taken care of. Look, don't worry too much. You have six men who love and care for you and they will do anything to protect you and all your kids . you will be safe. Zwelibanzi will have to get through us before he gets to you.
Me: Thank you I appreciate that. I'm glad my giants will be protecting us.
Qhawe: Khanyi who are you calling giants. (before I answer I get off the bed and stand next to the bed on my side and he kneels on the bed looking at me.) who are you calling giants and don't even think about running out of this room, you won't make it to the door. ( I take a few steps, trying to get closer to the bathroom.)
Me: you guys are giants nje, you are so tall, you are like... (I don't finish what I wanted to say, he jumps over to my side and I start running to the bathroom, but I don't make it. He grabs me by my waist and puts me on the bed. He is on top of tickling me, telling me to apologise otherwise he won't stop. I give up and apologise which earns me a kiss. It gets heated, I feel myself getting wet. He takes my clothes off and continues to kiss me, I take his t-shirt off and we continue kissing, just then the door opens and it's his mother. Fuck this woman, what does she want? is she cock blocking now. DAMMIT!!!
ZWELIBANZI
Me: You had to mention to her that we are married?
Sima: Zweli I thought she knew. Why didn't you tell her, like you were supposed to years ago? You are not going to blame me for this.
Me: it was not your responsibility to tell her.
Sima: baby I thought she knew.
Me: Sima, I have told you before to stay out of my business that concerns Khanyi
Sima: I hear you but what did she mean when she said you put her through a lot, she suffered a lot of pain because of you? Zweli did you hurt her?
Me: That's none of your business Sima.
Sima: I am your wife, it is my business Zweli. (I turn and give her the look that says "don't fuck with me". She wants to say more but she keeps quiet. She stands up and leaves the room.) I'm going to check on the twins.
Me: Fine. (Sima will never understand, the less she knows the better. I have bigger problems to worry about than worrying about how Sima feels. I need to find a way to get to Khanyi without this mysterious guy knowing, it seems like he is watching every step I make. How did he even manage to have a document with my name on for the shipment from Nigeria. The police are on my tail but they haven't attempted to arrest me, what are they waiting for, maybe they are still investigating. Now that Khanyi knows the truth about Sima, she'll never want to talk to me again, I can't even get Sizwe to help me, he doesn't want to be involved in anything that hurts Khanyi. My phone rings:
Me: yes
Him: Boss! we lost him.
Me: how can you lose him. He is always alone, he doesn't have bodyguards following him around. So how the fuck did you lose him?
Him: he is protected Boss. His guys keep their distance and they blend in with the crowd, we tried following his car but he never goes to his house, the place where he normally goes to, we can't touch him boss.
Me: I don't care how you do it, I need you to get him and fast. We are running out of time, and a lot is riding on this plan succeeding. Do you hear me?
Him: yes Boss.
Me: Good get it done. (I hang up. Shit everything is just a mess. I really need Sizwe on this, I need to find a way to get him on board and the only way to that is to blackmail him but with what. Sizwe basically has nothing to lose. He lost his little sister a long time ago and now, now it's just him, no woman in his life, no child. Wait a minute, Sizwe sees Khanyi as his little sister and he loves my kids, I guess not all is lost. Khanyi will sign over that company to me sooner than she thought.
My phone rings again and it's an unknown number
Him: I thought I made it clear to you that you need to leave Miss Sondlo's company alone but you don't listen Mr Tom.
Me: I told you I can't lose that company, I need that company.
Him: You are really testing me now. Do you think that I won't hurt your family. I want you to look outside the window right now. ( I walk to the window and I don't believe what I see.) Do you see how easy it is to get to them. The man talking to your pretty little girlfriend, next time he won't be so friendly, he will kill her right in front of you and your twins. Don't mess with me Zwelibanzi Tom. Live that company alone and in return you get to keep your family.