Ugly Duckling: No One Wants Me by Hlengiwe Mathebula (13 inch ebook reader txt) 📖

matter" "No you can stay, dear." she then turns to inform her husband that I am the one who bought her plane ticket and gave her the taxi fare. He doesn't say thank you instead he asks about my car. So I just ignore him. I text Njabulo asking if he's okay. He says he's okay he'll call as soon as he can. It's 3:30 I ask if we still need to cook, but Smanga says no, the food is enough. I don't like plain potatoes but I can't be picky right now. I'll go buy a meal. I want meat man.  I excuse myself, Smanga asks to come with. Eish I feel bad, she'll think I look down on them because they eat potatoes. So I explain the situation to her and I'm relieved that she understands. We go to the nearest KFC, but I feel bad once we get there. I buy 2 buckets of KFC with the plan to come back tomorrow for meat shopping. I don't think I can live without coffee and meat. When we get to the car 3 girls asks to take pics by the car. They take longer, but I wait I don't want to sound rude. After more than 5 minutes they thank me and leave. I drive to Joyce's place. The house is full with neighbours so we decide to leave the meat at the car we'll fetch it later. The cousins are already serving the guest tea and biscuits. The last guest leaves after 10pm. This is crazy. Njabulo is not back I try to call him and it goes straight to voicemail. I send Smanga to fetch the meat, we dish up and join the others in Joyce's bedroom. They all thank me for the meal. We wash the dishes and prepare to sleep, but they're scared to leave Joyce alone. So Phindile goes to her room. I try to call Njabulo one more time it's voicemail. It's late for me to call Bobo, I'll call him in the morning. I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. I'm so tired. I waken up by someone shaking me. It's Njabulo oh God at least he's okay I was worried about him. He takes me outside. "Where were you?" I ask him. "We went home and tried to contact any one wh could help, but people are broke right now. We managed to get R500 imagine. Joy's body is still at the government mortuary. I had R2 000. I don't know what to do anymore"

"What about Mcebo?"

"He says he can't help us" "I thought he's loaded"

“Mcebo doesn't help anyone. We tried him first, he said he doesn't have money right now. He will have it next week" I don't know what to say honestly. So I just keep quiet.

"As much as I like keeping you here you have to sleep. You had a long day. I'll see you in the morning" he tells me then kisses my forehead.

"I don't want to go sleep" I tell him using my best sad face. "Hahaha, okay let's stay a little longer then" he tells me. He takes the nearest chair he sits down and puts me on his lap.

"I love you, you know that right?" he tells me out of the blue. "Always know that I'd never do what Bonga did to Joyce and their child. I'll always protect you".I don't know what to say. He's talking about kids, clearly he has long terms plans for us.

"I love you more Njabulo. I like the fact that you talked about kids" I feel tears and I don't want to cry over this when there are serious matters right now. "I love you Mbali, I'd never hurt you on purpose. Never forget that" I just kiss his head. He sounds tired. "Go sleep, I'll see you in the morning" I kiss his forehead one more time. I go straight to sleep. I wake up at 4am again, I wake Smanga up. We bath then cook potatoes AGAIN. I go to check on Joyce, she's not so good. How do I tell her that I'll help her, even if she doesn't pay me back it's okay. It looks like she'll take forever to pay me.

"There's something, I need to ask you. Please don't take it the wrong way." I'm scared to go on. "Mbali tell me"

"I can help with the funeral."

"Oh no Mbali you already spent so much on me"

"You can repay me"

"I can't"

"Please" I am begging her don't know why.

"Please take it. You'll repay me"

"Eish I don't want you to think I am taking advantage of you"

"You're not"

"Let me see how my parents go"

"Okay no problem, I'll come by later" I leave, if she won't accept cash, then she won't want me to buy food here. So I won't tell her. I ask Smanga to check what is needed. There's only rice, maize meal and potatoes. After cooking and eating breakfast, Smanga and I go shopping. She feels uncomfortable. I'm just trying to help. So we go to the nearest Mall to buy groceries. After almost 3 hours we head home. We take the groceries inside. I find Njabulo talking with his ex. I greet her and go inside, Njabulo and Mpilo bring the rest of the food. Joyce calls me to her bedroom. Her parents and in-laws are there. I greet them and wait for them to say something since they are the ones who called me here even though I know why.

"Nkosazana (girl or princess), we talked to Joyce and she told us that you offered to help us, and that you're the one who bought her the plane ticket and gave her the taxi fare. We decided to take the money you're offering with the promise to pay it back with interest" Njabulo's dad tells me. "Cha (no) I am helping Joyce because I want to. She can repay me whenever she can with no interest. I am helping out a fellow woman" I tell them. "I'm sure Joyce would do the same"

"When can you organise the money and how much" asks Bonga's father, well I'm just assuming. "How much do you need?"

"Hmmm how much do we need" he asks Joyce.

Joyce gives me some paper with a quotation. "I can go to the bank and arrange with them now" I tell them.

"Can you get all the money right now?" they all asked clearly shocked. I have been working since 2nd year and I had a bursary paying for everything, so I saved a lot of money. I earn a lot of money since I work for 3 major newspapers. My monthly expense cost R20 000. "Yes, I can" "How much do you earn" they ask really surprised. I'm not going to answer that. They need R20 000 and I'll give them. I take Njabulo with this time, he doesn't agree with this, but I really don't mind. I help them.

 

Chapter 13

It's Monday, time to leave. The funeral went really well. Yesterday I helped with the blankets. Don't know why we should wash blankets the day after the funeral. I say goodbye to Njabulo and his family with the promise to tell them when I get home. Before getting in the car the whole family hugs me including Joyce's in-laws. I needed to talk with Njabulo alone but I can't tell his parents that.  I leave at 10 am and I get to the apartment 7 hours later, tired as hell. I'll go home tomorrow night.

~~~~

I leave the apartment at 7pm hoping the meeting is over, they told me to get home a week ago. But when I get home, I see so many cars. Is there a party and I wasn't invited hahaha as if I'd come. I walk in and judging by the looks on their faces there's something wrong here. Nobuhle's in-laws are the funniest people ever I didn't know they knew how to be serious. Imagine going home hoping to relax but no the family decides to drop a bomb on me. 

 

Eeh banna I can't believe my ears, Richard is divorcing Nobuhle and my family blames me because Richard says he sometimes wishes she was educated and independent like me, I mean what is wrong with that. Am I not supposed to be praised for studying my butt off and wanting to work hard for everything I want and have? My parents will hate me worse so I just stay throughout the meeting even though I know I'm not wanted but they were busy calling me. Can't believe they summoned me home because Richard praised me.

 

I miss Njabulo but I'll have to wait I hate it when people are busy on their phone while they are not alone. My phone vibrates on my pocket, I know it's a whatsapp text it must be Bobo because Njabulo doesn’t have whatsapp and he HATES it.

 

Bobo: Hey biatch. I haven't heard from you in a very long time. I miss you. My hubby says hi.

Okay I don't get why people call each other bitch and seems okay. I'm just offended. I also find it strange when someone uses the word fuck like it's a normal thing, but maybe it is. I know Bobo means well.

Me: Can't talk righ now, I'm in a family meeting. I will call you as soon as I can.

I'm busy day dreaming, I don't see Nobuhle jumping at Richard cause he's been watching me the whole time. Both families turn towards me with suspicious looks. Oh no they don't think Richard and I are having an affair right? But before I can even ask what's up Nobuhle slaps me so hard I see stars. I'm just too shocked to react. I don't know what I have ever done to my parents and sisters I don't deserve how they treat me. Once I recover I take my bag and leave cause if I stay. It won't end well.

 

"Where do you think you're going little girl" that's my mom. I don't answer her I just walk towards the car. 

 

Paaaah another slap, I unlock the car get in and drive off. I've had enough. I will stop supporting them until I get an apology plus Nobuhle will be back home. She won’t have a place to stay since she's unemployed. I'm so mad, I'm even crying, never been so mad in my life. This is too much. I get to the apartment, switch my phone off then I go straight to bed. I wake up the next day, switch on my phone. There are about 7 voice messages and 56 texts, from my family, Njabulo and Bobo. I don't feel like talking to anyone, so I switch it off take a bath and go straight to bed. I wake up 5 hours later with a grumbling stomach. There's a loud knock on the door, I'm going to pretend I’m not home. So I just make the bed and walk to the lounge. I'm too tired to talk or do anything. I'm too lazy to even eat and that has never happened before. Whoever was banging on my door has stopped so I decide to listen to music. I switch on the phone there are