Chapter Two_THE KHUMALOS.

I slept till I felt soft tapping on my shoulders ,my eyes flew open and saw the driver had opened my door and we were parked at the front a gigantic three storeyed manor.

I gingerly got out the car as my eyes widened taking in the beauty before me.

I felt I was living in a fairy tale.

A three storeyed white cobblestone manor was before me,a large waterfall of large sculpted rose flower with it's petals opened and water flowed from it's nectar was situated at the front of the house .

A lady was standing farther away at the top wide stairs that led to the Manors door.

I swallowed hard and walked torwards her with my bag,she looked farmilliar yet different.

I felt my heart stopped,when I realised I knew her.Thembe selepe a woman that I had last seen when I was 7 years old,my mother.

she looked so.... different.Her black hair that had always dressed as short afros were now braided into a long blonde plait .she looked so younger and the crisp white chiffon gown she was wearing made her look elegant and wealthy.

I stood awkwardly before her,she smiled at me and pulled me into a warm hug." lerato you've grown to be a beautiful child".

she took my hands and I followed her into the house.i was looking round the large sitting room that had a large balck wall tv mounted over an unlit fireplace.

cream colored armschairs and settees were arranged with strategically placed sculpted tables with flowers.

There was a large adjoined dinning area and a door that led to the kitchen a female servant dressed in Black and White emerged from.

mom took me to the second room on the East wing into a room she told me was mine.

she took me to the ensuite bathroom and showed me how things worked inside.

"I know you're hungry and it's been a long journey from you.ill send in a servant to bring a bowl of friuts for you. you'll meet the khumalos during dinner tonight"she said and left the room.

I fell on the queen sized bed.it was soft and fluffy and I loved it.my bed was facing an enclosed balcony and there was another door,I opened it and saw a walk in closet that was already filled with clothes.

A sizable wall tv was facing my bed and a reading table and full length mirror was mounted.

I could feel it,I knew life would be better from now onwards.i missed father a lot,it was his death that had made me to leave shakaland and to come Stay with my mother and her employers.

while reminiscing through the past memories in my mind's eyes,I slept off.

* * *

I had bathed and was dressed already in loosed grey pants and a tight white tank top from the clothes in the closet.

I was staring at my reflection in the mirror,the pants were tighter at my buttocks region.i was a girl from the zulu tribe of my country and zulu women were known to be endowed with plumpier backsides and I was no different.

Towards 8 pm ,mom came to my room and told me dinner was already.i was nervous and my hands were shaking due to the fact that I had to meet the khumalos.

I followed her to the dinning area where servants were already arranging sweet smelling dishes on the table,I waited for her to sit down and I sat beside her.

Mr khumalo was sitted at the head of the table,a woman I could tell who was his wife was sitted at his left side and his youngest son was sitting next to her.

mom was sitting next to the little boy and I was sitting next to mother.

On his right side was his eldest son.

I just couldn't take my eyes off as if I was hypnotized...

He was so... attractive.

His short trimmed curly dark hair,his rich mocha skin was a shade lighter than mine.

His dark full brows were perfectly arched,under those brows were light brown eyes surrounded by full long lashes.His well sculpted chin and jawline,he could easily pass for a runway model for male masculinity.

His lips....I thought,as if he could hear my thoughts he abruptly raised his eyes and stared at me,my heart literally stopped.

"lerato!!"my mom whispered shout my name to pull me back to the present.i felt embarrassed, apparently mr.khumako had being talking to me and I wasn't listening.

"Lerato welcome to Johannesburg and the khumalo family.my condolences to you for your father that passed away.we're honoured to have you here and please feel free with us because your mother is a trusted worker of ours and we consider her family".I smiled and nodded without saying a word.

"This is my wife Thandeka,my youngest son jabulani and my eldest son kilowanje and your mother is the caretaker of this resisdence.Thandeka please say the Grace let's eat".

we ate in silence the sweet and surplus dishes and side dishes the servants prepared.Throughout the dinner I was self conscious and my eyes kept drifting to kilowanje but he never paid any attention to me and he was the first to leave the table.