LUBANZI

Chapter 42

LUBANZI

Chapter 42

𝐊𝐀𝐘𝐀

I knocked at the door but I didn't receive an invite to walk in so I walked in anyway. Hlelo was inside the comforters.

"Hi. Are you sleeping?" I didn't get an answer out of her so I went to check if she was sleeping but her eyes were open.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you." I sat on the bed but she turned and faced the other way. I sighed.

"I know we are not friends. But I'm willing to help—" She sat upright.

"Help?" She chuckled but she wasn't amused.

"Yes. Whatever it takes."

"Kaya you've never been sexually assaulted. Don't come here and rub salt on my wounds."

"As much as I would enjoy doing that I'm a human being but most importantly a young woman. Whatever happened to you can happen to me as well."

"But it hasn't and it probably won't." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to argue with you. I think you should go to therapy."

"Therapy? I don't want to tell a stranger my problems."

"Then tell me."

"You're worse than a stranger. You're probably going to use this against me in the future."

"I won't."

"How sure can I trust you?" She was staring at me hesitantly.

"I swear on the life of my niece,Sere." I hope that's enough to get through her.

"I don't know where to start,Kaya. I don't even know how you're going to help me." She wiped a tear. Hlelo is never vulnerable in front of me at least.

"Look,I won't be able to erase all the traumatic experience you've been through but talking about it helps. It may not be with me but with a professional."

"All the past events feels like a part of a movie for me. It's like I wasn't there and I watched everything. I refuse to believe that it all happened to me. I'm supposed to be this badass who doesn't let anything happen to her but I let something this stupid happen with me. Why didn't I run away? He would have shoot me maybe but it would have been better than this. I can't sleep. I don't want to eat. It's just all—" Her phone rang and she wiped her tears and answered it.

"Hello." She answered. The person said something and she frowned.

"Who are you?" She put the phone on loudspeaker.

The person on the phone chuckled.

"Princess,you forget easily. You bought a gun from me." What?

"Oh."

"That's all you've got to say? Anyway did you kíll the person you wanted to kíll or should I kíll them myself?"

"Look here. Don't ever call me again." Hlelo hanged up and switched off her phone.

"Who was that?"

"I don't know him. I had a transactional deal with him and it ended. I don't know why he's still calling me."

"Whatever. I was telling you about going to a therapy."

"I'll see. Can you leave now? I want to sleep." I nodded and stood up. I bumped into her brother on the door.

"How's she?" Lubanzi asked.

"She needs therapy." I passed him.

𝐋𝐔𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐙𝐈

"How are you?" I asked Hlelo as I walked in.

"Stop treating me like a nut case." I sat on the bed and held her hands.

"I'm not treating you like anything. You're my little sister and I love you. We may not be close like you and Liyema but I also care from a distance because we always argue but bottomline is I care and I'm sorry about what happened to you. It's not your fault."

"Then why does it feel like my fault,Lu?" She was sobbing.

"Come here." She came to my arms and I hugged her. That bastard better thank his ancestors he's dead otherwise I was going to butcher him.

"I want it to stop hurting. When I close my eyes,I see his lifeless body. I didn't mean to shoot him. I'm not a murderer." I comforted her.

"I know." Fez walked in holding a cup of tea.

"I brought you tea. Please drink it." Hlelo took it and took a sip.

"Thank you,big sis."

"You're welcome. Will you be fine on your own or should I send Kaya to sleep with you?" Fez asked her.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt having someone."

"Great. Before I forget, I've booked you for therapy but I can cancel if you're not ready to go."

"I've been having nightmares. Anything to stop them." She's really broken. I wish I could carry her pain.

"Perfect choice. I love you, okay?" Fez assured her and she nodded even though a tear flowed her face.

"I'm going to check up on the kids." She left.

"She's perfect for you." Hlelo said.

"I guess." She chuckled even though nher face didn't radiate any happiness.

"You're not being serious. I'm sleepy." She yawned and drank the last bit of the tea before she got inside the comforters. I kissed her forehead before I left. I went to the nursery.

I hugged Afeziwe from behind.

"Thank you for being a perfect sister to my little sister."

"I'm a perfect everything. I'm a perfect mother, fiancee,sister and a lawyer."

"True." I kissed her neck.

"Now I haven't forgotten about the list."

"Damn,what's with women and money?"

"It's not money only. It's a lot of things, firstly go wash the dishes."

"What? I'm a man."

"And I'm Afeziwe. Go do the dishes." She pushed me away from her.

"I'm tired. Can I do them tomorrow?"

"No. I'm not sleeping with a sink full of dirty dishes."

"But you're not sleeping with the dishes. You're sleeping with me. Come here." I grabbed her hand and she tried to pull away but I tickled her. She was laughing as I picked her up and we went to the kitchen.

"Put me down!" She was yelling while laughing. I put her down near the sink. I grabbed a glass and filled it with water and splashed it on her.

"What the hell?"

"It's only fair I wash you with your dishes." I smiled. This was amusing.

"Lubanzi Dalindyebo,you don't know what you just started. This is war." She grabbed a bigger bowl and placed it under the tap and switched on the tap.

"I'm going to check on my kids." I ran upstairs to the nursery. Let's see if she'll drown the kids in water.