They are Coming

Chapter 32

125 Chapter 32 ‘MaVundla is a wild one,’ Freeman says as they head for home, and bursts out laughing. ‘She’s the one who told me about the school shoes when I went to buy weed from her this morning.’ He wipes tears from his eyes. ‘She’s my pal, and confides in me. Do you know what she did?’ Ambition is pushing the wheelbarrow as they turn into Sibambene Street. The tower lights are on, as it is after six and the sun has gone down. ‘What did she say?’ Ntando asks. ‘She says that she took the shoes from Mbambo that morning when the Green Bombers were running wild. He owed her for something, and wouldn’t pay. Afterwards she discovered that the shoes belonged to the milkman, who is also one of her customers. So she hatched the plan to make the two of them fight, because the milkman also owes her something ! And bingo, she won today!’ He laughs again. The story is a bit too complicated for Ambition, but he doesn’t query it. He remembered the altercation between Mbambo and MaVundla, but as for the rest… It has been a long day and he’s tired. Suddenly Freeman pauses. ‘Say Ambi, did you give Nobuhle my letter?’ Ambition shakes his head. He’d forgotten the letter. It all seems such a long time ago. ‘Don’t worry. Just keep it for now. You can still do it later. Now it’s my turn to push.’ *** Ngwenya sits on the sofa eating his supper while MaNdlovu sits on the bench eating hers. The sounds of the night intrude into the room: a car, a dog barking, a door banging closed. ‘How was business today?’ After their argument, MaNdlovu wants to 126 break the silence. Ngwenya does not reply immediately; then he says, ‘If only Senzeni had been a proper child, in a few years time she would have completed her O-levels, and maybe gone on to do her As. After that, who knows, maybe college or university and she’d have found a good job.’ He waves a tired hand around the room. ‘Instead she’s throwing stones at innocent people on behalf of a political party.’ ‘We also have Ambition, please don’t forget,’ MaNdlovu sighs. ‘He will grow up to do everything we expected of his sister. And he’s smart, always coming first in class.’ ‘It makes one wish we had given birth to him first. He could fulfil our dreams of having an educated person in the family to provide for us in old age when we’re no longer able to look after ourselves.’ ‘I don’t agree to that.’ MaNdlovu answered firmly. ‘It doesn’t matter who was born first! We should have done more to see that Senzeni grew up as a more responsible person, even if she was not doing well in school. You should have tried to understand her instead of just beating her.’ Ngwenya sighs, not ready to rise to the provocation. ‘Let me be honest with you, MaNdlovu. Do you think we will live to see Ambition succeed? I’m fifty-two now and you’re what – forty-five – and Ambition has another eight, ten years left of school, assuming we live to pay for him.’ ‘My husband, you’re tired, and you’re sad. Senzeni has disappointed us, but only the Lord knows what will happen tomorrow. For now, let us just take good care of the boy and ourselves. The future will take care of itself.’ She pauses, and then adds, ‘And we must not give up on Senzeni, please.’ After supper, MaNdlovu collects the dishes and goes outside to wash them, leaving Ngwenya lying back on the sofa, his eyes half closed. A moment later he begins to snore. MaNdlvu returns with the clean dishes, casts a glance at her sleeping husband, and stacks the plates inside the cupboard. The clatter wakes up Ngwenya. He yawns and stretches. ‘Did Tshabalala speak to you when you saw him at the gate?’ he asks wearily. ‘He only spoke to Nobuhle who was passing by.’ MaNdlovu sits down again on the bench. ‘You’re worrying that he thinks we deliberately ignored him when we were going into the forest?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘But it couldn’t be helped. We were on an important errand, and we were not supposed to speak to anyone.’ [18.221.41.214] Project MUSE (2024-04-25 16:30 GMT...