Poached Heart

Luxury

The next day came and the three girls went to lunch. Nomadlozi was too impressed by Aiva. She was too smart for a five-year- old

"Aiva, you speak tsonga now," Nomadlozi asked the little girl while cutting her burger into bite-sized pieces

"Yes, Ncane(aunty), my glammy said it's good that I know english, but it's would be best if I know my home language as well," Aiva spoke with her mouthful

"Aiva!" Nomafu gave her the look

"Sorry, Mama." Aiva bowed her head down. She knew it was wrong to talk with her mouthful

Nomafu nodded at her daughter's apology and handed her a glass of juice. "So on Saturday,"

"Uh huh," Nomadlozi answered absent mindedly while eating her lunch

"It's Adam's birthday. Pa said it's a must to attend his birthday braai"

Nomadlozi didn't want to meet Adam anymore. In fact, she had planned to play as far away as possible from him

"I'm not sure I'll be able to attend. I've got a winter line to finish, and I'm running out time." Nomadlozi avoided eye contact as she said this. Nomafu didn't think much of it she simply shrugged and continued with her lunch

Later, Nomadlozi returned home from work. She felt much better, but she was extremely exhausted. All she wanted to do was take a long bath

Once stepped inside the house, she saw Josh, Lily, Nomafu, and Aiva talking happy like a happy family. At that moment, she felt like she was an intruder, that she did not belong

Nomadlozi's face became glum from a heartache. After she closed the door, she went up without greeting them

Upon noticing that, Josh felt angry and shouted

"Hey hey hey," Josh stopped Nomadlozi from going up the stairs

Nomadlozi realised it was too late to escape. She put her work bag on the chair and went over to hug her dad

"Pa, sorry I didn't see you guys. I'm just so tired," Nomadlozi whined on her father's chest

Nomadlozi was Josh's weakness. He always wanted her to have it easy, but he also wanted her to be strong. Compared to his other children, she was far by the most tenacious out of them all.

The rest of the family watch the scene of daughter and father afar. Nomafu felt a surge of jealousy welling up in her. She wanted to be that close to Josh as well, and she was willing to do anything to make that happen. Lily looked at Nomafu and watched as she clung her fingers in her fist. She felt sorry for her.

"Sesi, what is this? I hear that you won't be going to that boy's braai." Josh pushed away some hair on her face

"Pa, I really don't have time to do playdates with our inlaws. I'm behind at work," Nomadlozi firmly said with her head down

"I'm not discussing this with you. It's on Saturday," Josh said and walked back to the table. After he sat down, he said

"Now, this is your home. This is your mother, and that is your sister. Whenever you step inside that door and you find any of us inside, including Mavis, you greet and go about your day understood?" Josh elegant face remained nonchalant, but his voice exuded a strong tone

"Yes, Pa." Nomadlozi nodded with her head down

"Go upstairs and change so you can come eat," Lily said a little, annoyed

She hated that Nomadlozi always slipped away from things easily with Josh's protection. It made her irritated to the core

After dinner, Lily went to check on Nomafu

Knock Knock !!

"Come in, Ma." Nomafu was sitting on the bed lotioning her body

Lily got in and quickly locked the door. Nomafu lifted her face in astonishment

"Why are you locking the door?" Nomafu stood up from the bed and sat on the sofa. Lily followed her and sat as well

"Well, I want us to talk,"

Nomafu looked at her in a suspicious way

"About?"

"How far are you with getting close to that boy?"

"Ma" Nomafu couldn't understand her question very much

Lily rolled her eyes at how slow her daughter was at grasping things

"Fufu this Marriage is not a joke if you marry that boy we are going to be set for life and you will be living on vacation everyday" Now that Lily was speaking her language she understood her mother

"Yes, but Ma Adam has been distant. I tried asking him to lunch, but he refused, saying that he was busy." Nomafu sighed in disappointment

"Nomafu, you dated the guy before. You slept with him. You know which buttons to press don't be stupid. " Lily casually slapped Nomafu's head in frustration. Nomafu was dumbfounded at her mother's remarks

"Don't look at me like that. You have tarnished the Radebe's name enough. You went and dated our garden boy and got pregnant with lishangaan. "

"Ma, don't talk about Thomas and Aiva like that,"

"Yah angisho you love them at their lowest Now that boy has clubs everywhere but you don't want him as for Adam you had no problem giving him your cookie while you were a child and now that he's grown and about to take over the family business you are still lacking"

"He's taking over?"

"Yes vuka emacadzeni imagine nje sitting and dinning with the country's elites, having lunch in italy and dinner in paris. Shoes, bags, you name it. " Lily stood and demonstrated taking them both on an imaginary world

"Ma, I see it." Nomafu's eyes lit up

"Then you know what to do, Goodnight." Lily patted her shoulder and went out of the room

Nomafu stared at her daughter sleeping peacefully and thought. Her deserved nothing but the best from both worlds. From there, after she was determined to make Adam hers and be the Radebe's princess