THE HEIRESS

The sniffles is what gets me the most. Not knowing whether they are real or fake. Also not caring about them. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even be here, going through all this bullshit, but I had to see for myself. See the real end of this "Great Influential Man". Speakers have went to the front and shared their heartfelt condolences and snippets of their shared life with the deceased. None of the shit they said moves me though. We clearly know two different versions of the man lying in that clearly expensive casket with silver lids. Talk about nice after life.

A loud wail breaks out from the front and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. This is the third time since I got here that this woman has delivered the dramatic wail. It is timed perfectly. Almost too perfect. Like you never know when it's going to hit until it hits. Talk about the element of surprise. Why is she crying again? My eyes travel to the podium and it almost makes sense. One of the deceased's friend is paying his respects, or delivering a speech? I am not sure. He is going on and on about their days in varsity. No one cares about that shit. At least I don't.

"Amos was a great man, a great friend, a great leader, a great husband and an amazing father. We all knew that his death was coming because of the disease that conquered him, but it was all too sudden." The 'friend' states and I scoff. Great man my foot. If he was as great as this friend claims he was, then he wouldn't have done what he did to me. What he did can never be undone.

"The least you could do is try to be more sympathetic." The woman next to me murmurs and I frown, turning to look at her and lowering my sunglasses a bit.

"Excuse me?" Bitch who the fuck do you think you are talking to?

"It's people like you who makes it hard for families to grieve properly. If you are only here for the food, go and wait for us in the tent back home. We will see you when we come back from the cemetery." She fixes her hat before starring ahead. Hebana! What the fuck just happened? Who is this woman? A family member? Or maybe one of his many side chicks? I wouldn't put it past that man.

The man on the podium moves to sit down and someone takes the mic and starts singing. The 'friend' goes to hug Amos's family at the front. I can bet my right boob that he is promising to be there for them whenever they need him but that's all just a lie. People say all promising words to a grieving family on the day of the funeral and a few days later, they are distancing themselves, unless they wanna get their filthy hands on a piece of the deceased's inheritance.

The MC finally calls the deceased's children and I sit up straight. This is what I came for. This is the main event. This man had so many children. About 8 of them go to the front. That's not all of them by the way. The youngest one of probably 6 years or so. You can see that she feels the grief but not as much as the eldest daughter who looks like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. The youngest, Andiswa, I heard that her mom was one of Amos's side chicks. she died while giving birth and Amos and his wife had no choice but to take her in. I envy her a bit. The heir, his eldest son, looks emotionally detached. He has black sunglasses on, so there is no telling whether his eyes are red or clear. The youngest starts talking. She tells everyone about her last moments with her 'papa' as she calls him. I wish I was as naive as her. But God don't do backwards. I am pissed off by all the bullshit coming out of their mouths. The man they are describing isn't the same man that I know or knew.

Time comes for the eldest daughter to speak. She is married, has been for 5 years not, but has always been daddy's little girl. Yeah. That's what happens when you marry a man who works for your father. You never really detach from the family long enough to stand on your own. She literally wears the pants in her marriage.

"My dad is my first love. He taught me how to ride a bike, taught me how to fight, taught me how to comb my hair, taught me how to dress up smartly. Basically taught me every important aspect of life. Mom was there but I was more attached to my father. He was a career based man, but he was never absent from my life. He made sure I had everything I needed and wanted from the day I came into this world until the day he died. I was fourteen when he taught me how to drive in his brand new car. I wrecked it a bit, well okay maybe a lot." She chuckles and everyone laughs. "Mom was really mad but dad was super chilled. He fixed the car and we continued with the lessons. When I gave birth to my daughter, he was there every step of the way and embraced Bhelekazi as his lastborn, well until Andiswa showed up. His death left a huge hole and space in my heart and life. I will never forget you, Mahlobo. The role you played in my life, no one can..." She starts crying and her younger brother hugs her as he ushers her back to her seat.

I almost feel bad for her, but it doesn't undo all the shit Amos has put me through. Hell, it makes me feel even more angry to know that he was capable of such love, actions and affection. I wish I can wake him up and just punch him over and over and then let him die all over again so that his family can feel the pain tenfold.

Someone clears their throat and I look up. Ow, time for the new head of the family to speak. I nearly missed that. "Mahlobo was a great, strong, powerful man. He always told me to put family first but my happiness on top of that. He wasn't selfish. He was generous. I remember when he came up with the idea of funding 20 varsity students a year. I know he had the funds but twenty was a lot. He sat me down and said 'son there is nothing you can't achieve if you set your sight on it. Sure there are tons of cons but look at the bigger picture. The end game is more important than the failure rate'. He was a motivational speaker sometimes." He chuckles and takes off his glasses. I can't tell if his eyes are red or not from the distance. "We have lost a great man and a greater father. To my family, I know I won't be half the man that he was, but you will never suffer as long as I breathe. To the company, I would never replace his awesomeness but as long as I am here, you have nothing to worry about. To the community at large, nothing is going to change. We are still going to continue with the Mahlobo Legacy until time stands still. Mahlobo, rest in peace, baba. You will surely be missed and no one will replace you in our lives."

That's it. That's when I reach my breaking point. I shoot up from my seat and the rude woman next to me rolls her eyes. What is she going to say? I strut to the center of the aisle and everyone turns to me. No need to get all shy now. I have come this far. I have to see it through. The heir, Simo, looks at me and it's like he is seeing a ghost. I wish I could smirk but I am not in the mood. I cat walk to the podium and take the mic from him. He seems to be frozen or something. I turn to the audience. Wow. So many people. The fucker was loved, no lie. Too bad he couldn't extend that love to me.

I clear my throat. "Honestly, I am fed up with all this 'great man talk'. Clearly we knew two different people because the Amos Ntombela you were all talking about, isn't the same Amos Ntombela I know. Well I am pretty sure you are wondering who this bitter bitch is. I will let you in on a little history between the deceased and I." I see men in black in my peripheral vision. Looks like I am about to be taken out like yesterday's trash. I turn to them. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Take a look at this face. Do you know who my mother is? I can have the firing squad descend on you by only a tap of a button." That seems to stop them. I smirk and turn to the audience.

"Where was I? Ohh yeah, my history with the deceased. I wish I could say he didn't know of my existence, that I am a bastard or imposter trying my luck because he is dead. Truth is, this asshole lying here is my sperm donor." I hear gasps. People love the juicy details. "I won't indulge you about how he treated my mother. The fucker denied me from the moment I was a fetus in my mother's womb. He wasn't there during my birth. He didn't teach me how to ride a fuckin bike or buy me my first Barbie doll. As a result of him not acknowledging my existence, my maternal grandparents banished my mother because she bought shame into the family. She had to work twice as hard to make ends meet for the first five years of my life. She is a very prideful woman, but during those five years, she swallowed her pride and constantly begged Amos to do right by her. The jerk didn't do shit. When I reached 6 years, mommy had her first break. I stopped asking about the father who was absent from our lives. I legit thought he was dead, but one day when I was eight years old, we bumped into him at a mall. He was out and about with his happy family. Imagine my surprise when I saw a boy who looked exactly like me but slightly older. Silly and young me, I waved and he waved back. When I showed mom, it happened to be the same time the boy pulled his dad to the side. I smiled and waved again but the old man looked angry. I swear I saw smoke coming our of his ears." I hear murmurs and a lot of noise coming from the audience.

I chuckle, shaking my head at the memory. I will not break down. Not today. Not in front of them. "So the man came towards us. He grabbed mom's arm roughly before dragging us both away from his family like we were a disease. He shouted at mom for trying to ruin his family. He told her that the next time he saw her and her offspring he would put a bullet through her head." People gasp audibly and some are shaking their heads. Yeah, the beloved Amos Ntombela isn't such a saint anymore. "Imagine getting your first death threat at the age of 8. Funny because 5 years later, after mom and I relocated, he came knocking at out door. Apparently he had to introduce me to the ancestors as his kid or his wealth would perish. He wasn't alone though. No. He was with his lovely grieving wife, his perfect heir and his brother. Again, he threatened mom. So she had no choice but to let him take the child he never acknowledged as his, and link her to the family that didn't want her. His parents were mad the entire ceremony. After he was done, his wife pulled mom and I aside and made it crystal clear that this meant nothing. She wasn't about to let a gold digger claw her way back into her husband's life. Well, dear Mrs. Amos Ntombela, Google my mother. I know you know her name."

"I didn't wanna come here but my stepfather said I needed to close this chapter of my life. I intended on sitting there at the back like an outcast that I have been all my life, but I just couldn't take it. All of us here know different versions of Amos, but mine is the worst. He treated me like trash, as if he didn't shoot me out of his penis and forced my mom to carry me for nine months. So, Amos, may you never find peace in your after life. Rest in Hell you Fucker." A lone tear manages to escape my eye and I don't bother wiping it. I make my way out of the church with my head held up high just like my mama taught me. Getting to the door, I find a car already waiting for me.

"Where to, Miss Myeni?" Pule, my head of security, asks.

"Let's wait for everyone to drive to the cemetery and we will follow them. Shouldn't be long now." I mumble, sliding in the backseat. He nods and closes the door behind me.