Taken By a Mafia King by Hlengiwe Mathebula (best way to read books txt) 📕

“Who’s Bonga?” Sizwe asks.

“A friend of mine who passed away 8 months ago” I reply through tears. I miss him so much.

Chapter 7

“I’m taking you out” Zweli announces walking into the bedroom.

“I don’t feel like bathing” I tell him honestly.

“Then I’ll bathe you”

“Oh no thank you. I’ll take a quick shower. I’ll be done in a minute”

“My God you don’t want to bath for real”. I don’t reply instead I walk to the bathroom. I take the quickest shower in the history of quick showers. It must’ve taken less than 5 minutes. I walk to the closet I take a blue knee length dress and I wear my black Adidas sneakers. When I’m about to walk out. I hear a loud sound. Something must’ve fallen off the shelves from Zweli’s side of the closet. I walk over, a shoe box has fallen off the shelf. I try to put back the papers so we can leave until I see my name and picture in one of the papers. The picture was taken 4 years ago because on the little profile it says I’m 20 years old. Now I’m curious.

I sit on the floor and I go through the papers when I see a familiar face. Damn it, I should’ve seen the resemblance in Zweli and his 2 brothers.

                              *

It’s been a long day. I was hoping to take a day off since it’s my birthday but sadly bills don’t take a break on a person’s birthday. I just closed the workshop and it’s getting dark. I’m planning a weekend away not paying attention to my surroundings until I hear gunshots. Luckily I’m not far from the workshop I quickly run back, I wait until I hear cars pulling out. I wait 5 more minutes then I walk out. There’s a car and a man sitting on the passenger seat. I walk over to ask if he’s okay. When I walk over to him, I see so much blood. I panic, I call an ambulance. Thirty minutes later it’s not here. I decide to drive the car to the nearest hospital. I lie saying he’s my granddad we were travelling home when he was attacked.

They quickly take him to theatre. I’m sitting here crossing my fingers hoping he makes it through, searching for his family will be very hard. While I’m still waiting, a tall police officer walks towards telling me they need to take down my statement so that they find the culprits. I roll my eyes at that, I know they won’t. But I give my statement, the real statement. He then goes on to lecture me about the dangers of what I just did. I just ignore him and he leaves. The doctor comes back to tell me that he made it through the operation. They open a file for him. I put myself as next of kin. I leave around 6am after he is in a ward. The nurse lets me see him for a few minutes. I find him sleeping. I sit with him then I leave after 10 minutes.

For next 2 weeks, I’m the only visitor he has and he’s sleeping most of the time.

One day I walk to the ward and the nurse tells me that he was fetched by his grandsons and daughter. They left me a cheque. It’s so rude, why didn’t they just leave a thank you note? I tear the cheque and I walk home.

                        **

According to some information, I got my 3 million and then I died a year after receiving the money. I never received any money. What is going on here?

“I thought you need help” Zweli stops on his tracks when he sees me on the floor reading his documents.

“Oh My God, I always thought you looked familiar. You’re the girl that saved mkhulu?”

“Who wrote this report because I never received the money and I didn’t die”

“You didn’t’?” he asks frowning. I shake my head no.

“The bustard” he punches the wall then walks out. I find him in the kitchen on the phone. I’m trying to find answers but he’s so focused on typing whatever on his phone he doesn’t hear a word. An hour later, his mom and brothers walk in. They all gasp as if they are seeing me for the first time.

“I should’ve known it was you” Mrs. Khumalo gives me a bear hug. She’s crying.

“We can never thank you enough”

Sizwe walks towards me with open arms when a tall and very dark guy walks in. He greets everyone and they all turn to stare at him.

“What happened to the 3 million mkhulu gave you 4 years back” Mpumelelo asks

“I gave it to the girl”

“What happened to the girl?”

“She died”

“How?”

“She was involved in a car accident. I think, why all these questions?”

“Because, I am that girl. And I never received that kind of money” I reply looking at him. He looks at me and he starts to sweat. He turns to sprint out the door but Sizwe is quicker.

“What happened to the money?”

“I gave it to her”

“You’re still going to continue lying?” Zweli asks in a low voice. I’ve never seen him this mad.

“I’m sorry”

“Sorry? What happened to the money?” Mrs. Khumalo asks him

“I gave it to the girl”

“Sizwe call the police” Mrs. Khumalo shouts.

“The police are useless. I’ll teach him a lesson” Zweli drags him to some room and he closes it behind him. Leaving all of us outside. His brothers try banging on the door but they eventually give up when it’s clear that he won’t open the door.

“Okay okay. I used the money” the guy replies screaming on top of his lungs. I can’t hear what Zweli is saying but the guy keeps saying sorry and he starts sobbing.

“What is Zweli doing to this guy?” I ask no one in particular. We stand there for more than 2 hours. We decide to wait at the lounge. Five minutes later they emerge with the guy holding his hands and crying like a baby. There’s so much blood in his shirt and pants.

“I want that money tomorrow morning or I’ll kill you” he shoves him out the door and he calls one of the young guards to clean the blood. Everyone is so shocked by this. I’m not, I was expecting this from a kingpin. I mean I saw the “business partners” and I don’t have to have a criminology qualification to see that they are in the mafia or they are kingpins.

We go through the notes this guy made and something doesn’t add up. All of his information is incorrect even my second name and surname. I guess he made sure they wouldn’t trace me and now he has to pay all of the money.

Zweli’s phone rings and he smiles, I look at the screen. There’s an incoming call from Prince. Zweli is not gay right? Why would he smile when a guy calls him? I missed the signs from Sizwe and I get a feeling I might’ve missed the signs from Zweli.

“Relax he’s not gay” Sizwe suppresses a smile. I try to act as if I don’t know what he’s talking about but he just laughs and continue talking with his mom.

“If only he knew” he laughs and hangs up.

“Zeh thinks you’re gay” they all laugh at my expense.

“That’s Prince he’s a policeman. Apparently Mondli went to the police saying that I just cut three of his right hand fingers for nothing. And that he knows I’m involved in some mafia business” he tells me then he leaves the room. Come back with a glass of water and a packet of panado.

“That guy can scream my God”

“Why didn’t you change the cheque we left at the hospital” Mrs. Khumalo asks me.

“If I was helping because I wanted money, I was going to sell that car. I was helping because I wanted to. What you did was arrogant. Why leave money instead of a thank you note? Whoever told you I needed money?” I comment rather rudely but I’m angry. The problem with rich people is that they always leave money instead of saying thank you nxa. They all go mute, I guess they are still in shock by how I replied and because they have never seen me angry in the 8 months we’ve known each other.

                              **

I’m sitting in the kitchen bar stool looking at my emails. I’m so tired of applying. I wish I was born into money, I wouldn’t have struggles to get a job. My phone rings, it’s a local landline. My heart thumps so loud, I’m even surprised Zweli doesn’t hear it.

“Zekhethelo Khumalo, hello?

“Hello, Mrs. Khumalo this Dora from PM Publishers. We got your application a week ago. Can you come for an interview in 3 days” It’s so strange being called Mrs. Khuamlo

“Hello. Yes sure please give me the time and the address. I’ll definitely be there”. I feel tears in my eyes. I know I’m only going for an interview but gosh after 8 months of applying, I’ve never been called for an interview.

                              **

“So you think I’m handsome?” Zweli asks during supper. I almost choke on my food.

“Where’s that coming from now?”

“Bova told me”

“Bova?” I don’t know anyone by that name.

“Melusi”

“Why is he called Bova?” I ask hoping he’ll forget the silly comment I made the other day. So Sidingo must’ve said something Bova who then told Zweli who’s grinning like an idoit right now.

“You’re avoiding the question”

“No. I’m not”

“Liar”

"Okay. I don't think you're handsome. I know you're handsome"

"Okay nice because I know you're beautiful"

"Stop lying to me. I don't even know why you chose me. I'm not beautiful I'm just plain and I'm not rich"

He goes on to tell me that I'm beautiful and that I should never doubt myself. I just keep quiet. The family practically changed as soon as they find out who I am. They loved me but right now they just love me more. Sometimes they fight on who is supposed to take me out. Like the other I wasn't feeling well and I had my periods a week earlier and I've been postponing to buy pads. Zweli must've heard me telling maShezi because he went out to buy them for me. Later his brothers also bought me pads. This is like the sweetest thing he has done for me.

*

PM Publishers called me later that afternoon telling me they can't take me. I cried my eyes out. Zweli promised to get me a job or buy PM Publishers for me. But I just said no.

"Your phone is ringing" Zweli shakes me. I look at the time it's 00:15. Momo is the one calling. I hope nothing bad happened.

"Momo?"

"Zeh I'm sorry to wake you up. But I just couldn't wait till morning. Your family wrote my family a letter. Your dad said we'll call you tomorrow and tell you. But gosh I couldn't wait till then" she sounds like she's been crying.

"This is a dream come true. I wonder what took him so long. Momo I am so happy for you and me obviously. I can finally  call someone mama" I reply getting emotional and she cries and tells me how grateful she is and we say our goodbyes. I wake Zweli up and ask him to take me home. He tells he's tired he needs 2 more hours of sleep. But I can't wait that long. I waited so long for this. I tell him I'll drive. He walks to the shower. I quickly put on the clothes I was wearing yesterday and I go to the garage. He finds me by the car.

"Aren't you going to bath?"

"Nope. I will at home" he doesn't argue because I'm just as stubborn. From Durban to Joburg it takes a minimum of 7 hours but it took me 6 hours to get home. My dad is so surprised to see at 6am.

"Momo couldn't wait for today. Dad you have no idea how happy I am. I'm going to have a mother.