Chapter Sixteen

Hours later, Munzi was still trying to convince herself that it was all a cruel joke and she was hallucinating. But the ugly truth was staring her right in the face. The same spot where she and Hita had spent hours laughing and being happy was the same spot where everything bad in her life had started. She wondered if Hita had known but it didn't matter now. He could go to hell for all that she cared. He wasn't even deserving of her wrath. And Kabila? He was there when the tragic event happened. What if he was blackmailing her parents? Maybe that was why they wanted her to marry him. She wouldn't know for sure unless she asked. So when evening came, she got up, dusted her skirt and walked home. The stares from the neighbors seemed to have grown darker. It was like they knew. Like they were judging her for being selfish and a bad person. But she didn't care. She knew that it wasn't her fault. She had been only three and she didn't have any malicious feelings towards anyone at the time.

"Munzi, what are you doing here?" She heard Hita ask. She hadn't even noticed that he was standing right in front of her. Where had he come from? She wished she could beat him up and maybe kill him but that wouldn't make it better. It wouldn't make her feel better. Looking at him, she noticed things about him she had missed before. The way his nose was too straight. The way his lips were too big they looked almost swollen. The black spots on his face. He wasn't even that attractive. How she had fallen for him became a mystery to her. He wasn't even her type and he was an inch taller than her. Suddenly looking at him she felt nothing. He was like a stranger who she wouldn't want to know in this life. Being with or near him was exhausting.

"Hita just get the fuck out of my way. I have things to do." She said moving to get past him. He held her arm to stop her from moving further. She looked at him and then at her arm. After seeing the furious look in her eyes he let her go.

"Munzi if you're here to cause trouble for Kwela and I you'd better think again. We are happy without you so go back to wherever you came from." He said looking at her in the eye.

"Hita do I look like I give a damn about you and your latest concubines or their children?" She asked with an amused face. "I couldn't care less about whether or not you're happy. So just go jump into a volcano or something because the world would be a better place without you in it. And before you decide to get another woman make sure you know what a clitoris is." She finished and walked away smiling to herself. That'd felt good and she'd given that dog a taste of his own medicine.

She got home a few minutes later still in a good mood until she saw her mother sitting on the porch reading a novel. Memories came flooding back. She and her mother had been best of friends before it all went down in flames. She decided to wait for a while before bringing up the topic that had never been discussed in her family. As she was about to head inside, she heard the gate open and in came the devil himself.

"Kabila, what the fuck are you doing here?" She asked him.

"I'm here to see your parents. Didn't you know? Your sister and I are engaged." He said nonchalantly and pushed past Munzi.

"But Anita is married. Oh no. He's marrying my little sister over my dead body." She swore before rushing back into the house.

"I don't care what age she is. You either give that girl to me by the end of the month or else I will announce to the whole world that your daughter is a murderer." She heard Kabila say. It should have shocked her but now she knew the truth and she was prepared to fight. Her parents didn't care about her. Only about their reputation which would go down in flames should their secret be exposed. But enough of it. The world didn't revolve around them. She burst into the living room like a crazy woman.

"Get your hands off my mother right this instant you psycho!" She said her chest heaving. Popping off was proving to be more tiring that any other chore.

"Munzi what do you think you're doing talking to an elder like that?" Her mother asked pulling her from on top of Kabila where she was pushing her claws into his face.

"Elder my ass. This evil man has been blackmailing you guys to get your children." She said and then pulled away from her mother.

"What kind of nonsense is that? Have you gone crazy already?" Her mother asked playing with her hair like she always did when nervous.

"I know everything mom. Come on." Munzi said bringing her mother to sit with them.

"Kanzi and I were three when you sent Anita to the river. She refused to go so I convinced Kanzi to go instead. We took a bleach bottle and went to the river. We fetched the water and it became heavier. I couldn't get it out on my own so Kanzi helped me. We brought the water here and Kanzi took a sip on the way back. We didn't know that the bottle had been half full of bleach. When we found out you got rid of the water and gave me a good beating. Kanzi wasn't feeling well. She died that night and you decided to keep it a secret. That's why you and Dad moved to another village for three years. You lied to everyone that she died over there. You blame me and that's why you have always treated me differently. Because you say that I caused her death. Kabila was the only one you confided in and he betrayed you by blackmailing you." She finished and wiped her tears.

"The truth is finally out Jana. She knows everything so now give me my bride or else I will tell the whole village that we have a murderer among us." Kabila said smirking while exposing his rotten teeth.

"One word about this to anyone you bitch and I will pull your heart out and eat it like an apple. Don't tempt me you already know that I killed my sister. Imagine what I will do to you. And don't even think of bringing your ugly face here again. We know the truth now and are free from you." Munzi said and pointed to the door.

"I will tell the whole village about this." He said to try and intimidate them.

"Go ahead and shout it from the rooftop. I have already been shunned. They can't do anything worse to me." Munzi replied thinking about her poor parents. Kanzi had been the better twin. She was pretty and obedient and yet she had to die. Such a shame but everything happens for a reason. If her mother hadn't been so harsh on her, she would have grown up like her sisters. She would be arrogant and close minded.  She wouldn't dream big and she would be someone she hated. And now she loved the person she had become. Shy and timid but also open minded and courageous.

"You should leave Munzi. You kept asking why I hate you and now you know. I don't want to have you in my home anymore." Her mother said looking at her in the eyes. Munzi's breath hitched. She hadn't expected this reaction from her mother. But she understood. Once Jana's mind was made, there was nothing that could change it. Doesn't mean that it didn't hurt to be disowned again.

"Mom, would you have been happier if I had been the one who died that day in the place of Kanzi?" She wondered out loud.

"Kanzi was a good person unlike you. She was incapable of hurting a fly. She wouldn't have killed you." Jana answered and Munzi's heart became broken. Her mother wished her dead. What more did she have to live for, right? And then she remembered her Adrian. She knew that he was hers and she would see him again. The last time they had to part because she was complete but he wasn't. Now they were both broken. They had to mend now in order to complete each other. So she wouldn't let this break her completely.

"It wasn't my fault that she died. I didn't know any better and neither did she. So if you are going to blame anyone blame all of us. Blame Anita for not going to fetch the water herself. Blame yourself for not watching us carefully. Blame dad for not being home that day. But don't blame me mom because I know it wasn't my fault."