Authentia

(Two weeks after Belair) The taxi pulls up just after noon. My little sister spots the taxi before the driver even stops in front of the gate. "Juunee!" she screams, arms flying open as she runs to me with no shoes on. I laugh and drop my bag in time to catch her. Her body crushes into mine. "You didn’t tell us you were this close." Just as we break apart my older sister walks out with her arms crossed her lips curled into the calm smirk she always wears when she’s about to say something sick. "You got taller." She says, scanning me like a barcode. "And you look nice." I respond. I make it to the door and wipe my shoes on the old mat without thinking. The smell of snoek invites me in. In the lounge Gogo is perched on the edge of the couch, her legs neatly tucked under the blanket, which is weird because from what I remember no blankets are allowed in the lounge. Next to her is the lady from next door, Ma Noma, They’re drinking tea from the glass mugs and watching something on SABC2. The TV is muted but they’re still looking at it. The moment she sees me, her face lights up. She pushes herself up quicker than expected. "Look who finally came home," She says, walking toward me. "Missed me much?" I murmur into her shoulder. She pulls back to look at me. "You’ve lost weight, mtanam." "I brought dinner." I grin, nodding towards the table. Her eyes follow mine. I don’t know what I expected… applause maybe, but she just nods and smiles. Regardless I feel a bit proud of the gesture, it's not like I bought a car or something but I can't help but feel like I’m an adult. Ma Noma doesn’t stay too long; she leaves right after I put my bag down. Gogo walks her out. I use the moment to pull the bags from the counter and start laying things out. Cherri, my little sister who hasn’t stopped talking since I stepped in asks. "You brought us cool drinks?" "And that brandy ball cake you love." I say. "I saw that." She says, already jumping for the cups. My other sister, Amaya, is standing in the doorway with her arms folded. "And what is the reason behind you not answering my texts?" "I haven’t left a single of your texts unanswered, what are you talking about?" "Three-word replies don’t count." I smile not saying anything. They talk over each other, filling the room with stories and complaints from school. Gogo comes back in. "Come let’s sit down I’ve missed you so much." I follow her to the dining table. "I know, I missed you guys so much too." She pulls a chair and seats down. "I hope you’re not spending all your money on expensive clothing to try and look like those rich kids." I don’t respond right away and she goes on to say. "I mean, it’s fine to look nice but don’t forget where you’re coming from." "I won’t." I respond. My old room looks different but everything appears to be the same. Nothing’s moved, not even the hair tie I twisted around the curtain rail, except for the scented candle I used to light when studying for exams, which I suspect cherri. I sit on the edge of the bed, then lie back, staring at the ceiling. I don’t want to scroll through my phone but I do anyway. Still nothing from Valerio. I didn’t expect anything…not really. Okay maybe I did… just a little. I close my eyes for a second, I can hear my sisters laughing in the next room. The door creaks open without a knock. "You’re just going to lie there?" Cherri asks, leaning half in, half out. "Why, is that illegal?" She shrugs. "No, just boring, we haven’t seen you for months and now you want to hide in your room." She stares at me for a moment. "You want to watch a movie?" I nod. "Coming." She disappears again. I sit up and tug my hair into a bun. I pull my mirror a little closer noticing the tiny fading mark on my shoulder I had forgotten about. The mirror wobbles due to its uneven base. I grab a wipe from my bag and run it over the surface slightly, clearing off the smudge near the top right corner. Outside I hear my sisters arguing over the remote. I quickly change into my pajamas and join them. Before I even open my eyes, I hear the kettle boil, cupboard doors thudding and the soft slap of slippers against the floor. I roll over pulling the blanket with me. "Juunee." Gogo calls all the way from her bedroom. "Juuneee, wake up." "Oh my god let a girl rest...I just got back." I mumble rolling my eyes under the duvet. I walk up to her room and the first thing she says is. "You can’t still be sleeping at this time." What? Is she being serious? I look at her lying in bed. "You’re the one who usually wakes up before all of us." She says without looking at me. I don’t respond. Yes that’s true but it has never been voluntarily. "Please make me some coffee." I simply nod. "Alright." Cherri is already up. "Since when do you use the kettle on your own? What if you burn yourself?" "Hush now mom, you’re starting to sound like Grandma." "Excuse me? Me, mom?" I act shocked and laugh. I open the window, reach for a mug and the water boils. I carry the tray back down the hall, careful not to spill. Gogo’s already half-asleep when I knock softly and step inside. "Thank you, mtanam," she murmurs, eyes barely open as I place the tray on her bedside table. "I'll leave it here." I say. She gives a small nod and turns onto her side. I step out and close the door gently behind me. The kettle’s still hot when I get back to the kitchen and Cherri has gone back to her room. I pull the pot from the lower cupboard and set it down softly, careful not to make too much noise. I scoop the maize meal into the pot without measuring and throw in a pinch of salt. I stir clockwise, lower the heat and the porridge starts thickening. I lay out the bowls on the table just as footsteps pad into the kitchen. Amaya appears first with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and her face flattened on one side from sleep. "You’re already up." She says, her voice soft. "Yes." I say, pouring the porridge into the bowls. She grins and slides into a chair. "It’s been a while since someone made this." "I don’t remember you making it at all." Cherri teases as she walks in. I shake my head, smiling to myself. "Here." I hand them the bowls. "Thank you." They echo, almost in sync, spooning the porridge before it even hits the table.