Family is a safe place that you can escape to with no worries. There is a feeling you cannot explain whenever you are around your family, and there is a warm feeling that makes you feel welcomed and gives you a sense of belonging. As a result, one needs to appreciate and treasure their family, especially in this borrowed time of ours.

If you were wondering, that was just me reminiscing about my family.

“Girl, I’m so nervous and excited at the same time,” I said with a loud voice, sharing the good news I had just received on my phone with my best-friend, Celiwe. “I can’t wait to deliver the news to my mom and my baby brother, Simosihle.”

But wait, where are my manners? Let me first introduce myself.

My name is Ndalo, and I am the daughter of Hlengiwe Jiyane, who was married to the late Sifiso Jiyane, and may his soul rest in eternal perfect peace. I miss my father, and I wish he was here to witness me growing up because I was his first seed. My father loved me, and he would do almost anything for me. During the good old days, the first thing he used to do when he got back from work, was shout me and my baby brother’s names, and when we ran to him, he would give us forehead kisses and hug us tightly.

Well, I was seven at the time, and I knew nothing. I am 23 now, but the one thing I remember very well about my father is the love he had for us, especially his wife, our Mom. Damn, that love was pure. I remember how he used to treat her with care and love, and that was how I ended up writing a list of how I wanted my future husband to be.

I wanted a husband that will cook for me when I am tired; a husband that will hug me and give me forehead kisses after a long day; a husband that will remind me how much he loves me; a husband that will madly stare at me like it was his first time seeing a pretty face; a husband that will support me through thick and thin; and, most importantly, a husband that will respect me and love me for who I am.

You know what, being Ndalo is not easy. I am so naughty, but in a good way. But trust me, it works. Anyway, let me get back to the story.

After Celiwe and I had parted ways, I rushed home. When I got there, I found Simo standing by the front door, so I smiled at him and he smiled back. “Hey cutie, where’s mommy?” I asked him, but I secretly knew he was going to give me a rude answer.

“I thought I told you yesterday that I’m not her PA,” he replied.

Instead of asking Simo any more questions, I just rolled my eyes at him and took out my phone from my jean to call our mother. When I called her, I found that she had left her phone on her favourite couch. “Wow,” I thought to myself, and I was a little annoyed by Simo because he was refusing to tell me where our mother had gone.

After hanging up the phone, I quickly went upstairs to my room to freshen up. I then took a quick shower and put on my comfortable clothes, and after freshening up, I went to the kitchen and ate the pizza that Simo had bought for our mother. I had to steal it, mainly because I love pizza with a lot of cheese and mushrooms on it, and I could not help myself.

After committing my crime, I went to the living room to watch my favourite drama, but just as I was sitting down, I heard my mother’s car outside. When that happened, I immediately stood up from the couch and went outside, and when I got there, I found my mother standing there, looking as beautiful as she always did.

But, before I continue with this story, let me tell you a little more about Mrs Jiyane, my mother:

My mother is a qualified accountant, and she has a flawless, bright skin, and a beautifully structured body. She is also very intelligent, humble and free spirited, and she is a God fearing woman. I love her whole heartedly, and she is my number one role model and my world.

***

Tell us: What do you think about Ndalo’s relationship with her mother?