There’s Thandi

“Thandi Dlamini you better tell me you were in a coma or prison!”Mandy exclaimed answering the call.

“I’m sorry Mandy, the past two days were the worst days of my life” Thandi answered with hoarse voice. She had cried so much she lost her voice.

Hearing Thandi’s voice Mandy knew there was a reason her friend did not talk to her for two whole days. She calmed down and asked her what the matter was.

Thandi took a deep breath and told Mandy everything. She was already sobbing when she finished.

“Thandi please don’t cry” Mandy urged her friend feeling helpless. “Grandma is strong, she will be fine and maybe the rest of your family won’t get it” Mandy tried her best to reassure her friend and made her promise that she won’t switch her phone off again.

S’bu went back to his room, sat on the bed and put his face down over his opened hands like someone who’s crying. Moments later Menzi walked in and sat next to him.

“Thandi has a high risk of getting breast cancer one day” Menzi said. He was doing medicine and knew more about breast cancer than his brother.

“I know” S’bu answered him impatiently.

“She could pass that risk to her kids” Menzi continued ignoring S’bu’s attitude.

“I know that too” S’bu said now irritated.

“Whatever decision you make, you need to keep all this in mind” Menzi said cautiously.

“Don’t you think I know that!” S’bu snapped.

The two brothers looked at each other no one said a word for a long time.

“I’m sorry, this was not expected” at last S’bu broke the silence.

“I know” answered Menzi. He knew how hard this was on S’bu. He liked Thandi very much and was just getting to know her but now being with her meant accepting the risk that she might have breast cancer one day and pass that risk to their children.

“I’m going to her village tomorrow, I need a car to blend in” S’bu said getting up from the bed walking to the window with his hands in his pockets.

“You have made your decision then” replied Menzi following and standing next to him in front of the window.

“I will screen her and them every year and everyday if I have to” S’bu said with determination.

“We will hire a car from our security guys” Menzi suggested.

“We?” S’bu asked his eyebrows raised.

“You don’t think I will let you go to a village to see a girl alone now do you?” Menzi said. It was common for village males to attack any suitor who was not familiar to them. It was a way of protecting the girls from falling prey to unknown man but there was also an element of jealousy in the practice.

“You know I’m a martial artist right?”S’bu asked.

“I’m still going you you” Menzi insisted.

The following day at Thandi’s village S’bu and Menzi stopped the car next to a group of young boys who were racing their wire cars and asked them directions to Thandi’s home and the nearest river. The boys showed them and continued with their race. Most homes had only mud rondevels, some had rondevels and two roomed mud simplex flats. Thandi’s home and few other homes had a big brick houses but all houses had rondevels. The homes were painted in different colours, some neutral and some very bright colours. Each house had huge garden which was equivalent of two sites in the city. There was corn and other vegetables growing in the gardens. Next to the gardens was kraals for livestock. Away from the houses was multi hectares of unoccupied green fields with grazing livestock. Groups of children from different homes were playing different games at the field. Live was simple and peaceful here.

S’bu and Menzi drove to the river and parked the car behind trees. They chose a spot where they could see everyone coming to and from the river without being seen. They waited there for a long time.

“What if she does not come? What is they have enough water today?” Menzi asked his brother getting impatient. It had been 3 hours and there was still no sign of Thandi.

“Then I will come back tomorrow and the next day until she comes” answered S’bu.

“What? Why can’t you just call and ask her to meet you here?” Menzi was tired of waiting.

“Patience bro , patience” S’bu dismissed him.

Menzi laughed in disbelief, he had never seen his brother like this before. Women often chased after them so they never had to be this patient before.

“There is Thandi!” exclaimed S’bu excited. They had waited for five hours.

Thandi was singing a traditional girls song walking to the river carrying a 25 litres white bucket with a small bowl inside. Reaching the river she stood at the riverbank and looked at the crystal clear water flowing, she could see the rocks at the bottom. She bent down, took out soap and steel wool and started washing her bucket until it was so white no spots could be seen on it. Certified with her work she scooped water with the bowl and filled her bucket. Then she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Beautiful Princess who’s so perfectly made even the birds of heaven stand amazed and praise the Lord for his creation. Now I understand why there are angels roaming around, they are missing their own!”

“S’bu! What?....How?....Why?....”Thandi was so surprised to see him here she could not finish her sentence. Before she knew it she was in his arms, he was hugging her.

“I heard about your granny, I’m sorry” he said still holding her. Thandi looked up, their eyes met. She blushed and looked away.

“I’m sorry I did not return your calls” she said feeling guilty. S’bu came all this way to see her while she just ignored his messages and calls.

“Come hug me and all will be forgiven” he said with mischievous eyes smiling.

Thandi felt really bad for ignoring his calls and messages so she hugged him fast and let go. However he held her tighter refusing to let her go. The scene looked intimate to Menzi who was watching them from the car taking photos.