I'm more than just the second wife

20

Yanda's POV

I'd somehow roped myself into hosting a braai this weekend and I'd talked my sweet wife into inviting her friends too. My wife, it felt good to call her that because I love her now. I want to tell her. Every time I look into her innocence eyes I want to bare my heart to her but I'm afraid I'll scare her and that's the last thing I want to do.

The past two weeks since we got back from home have been blissful. We spend our evenings in the backyard talking about everything and nothing. I love sitting and just listening to her talk and laugh to herself when she things she's rambling on but I don't mind. I can listen to her talk all night if we didn't have to wake up early the next day for work. I admit sometimes I lose track of what she's saying because I'm marveling at her beauty. Her thick loucious hair that she always struggles with in the mornings, her big beady eyes with a perfect feminine slant at the sides, her long lashes and those thick pouty lips that I haven't kissed since that weekend we went home. Not because I didn't want to. Lord knows I want to more than anything but I want her to see that I want to be with her for the person she is not because of her physical beauty or because I want to lay with her.

She'd just gotten the last of her pastries out of the oven when our friends started arriving. First to arrive was her very pregnant friend Zikhona and her husband, Phila. Before she greeted them she knelt before Zikhona and kissed her belly and then greetings were exchanged and I was introduced to them.

It wasn't long before our house was a buzz of chaos. Ntombizonke hired a jumping castle and inflatable pool because ours was too deep for the kids. She even made a special platter of hotdogs for them saying she knew they'd pick at the other food without eating it. She was naturally a nurturer. I've been watching her move about like a busy bee all day long. I enjoyed seeing her in her element, with her people. My heart clenched in guilt when I thought of how I'd alienated her from her family for so long because although she had means to see them it wasn't always logical to travel to them whenever she wanted to see them. My heart eased of the pain as I saw her laugh at something one of the other ladies had said. She had one of the babies in her arms. I couldn't wait until...

" Madoda I know that look! This man is in so damn deep he hasn't let Ntombi out of his sight all day long." Qophelo, Manga's husband teased and they all laughed at me but to tell the truth I wasn't even embarrassed to be caught staring. "You say that like you lot are any better." I replied. They grumbled in response but no one denied my claim. Thought so. "But my am I glad! Now I can have my wife back." Sbusiso exclaimed and there was a chorus of yes' followed. "When I wanted some all I'd hear was we should do this for Ntombi." Menzi complained. "Tell me about it! You my man gave us blue balls so you've got lots of making up to do." Dave followed in support of ganging up against me. "Like what took you 5 goddamn years to claim what's yours?" Thuthukani asked and there was once again a roar of laughter. "Man I tried convincing him to stake his claim before the likes of Melikhaya Khubona pounce on her." Wandile my best friend said. "No such thing will happen!" I grumbled and my voice sounded possessive even to me.

"Took you long enough!" Duma my other best friend said. I laughed along with them than got up to get us all another round of beers. "He's has his eyes on you the entire day. He's so into you!" Thobeka whispered in what she thought must have been an inconspicuous voice but I heard her loud and clear. It looks like we're both under the scrutiny of our friends and family. I heard her giggle as I entered the house. My heart fluttered at the sound.

"He's amazing! He's attentive. He listens to me. When he looks at me I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. I want to kiss him and more but I uh am not sure if..." I decided to walk out at that moment and walked past them as if I hadn't heard a word. It took all of me not to smile. She feels something for me too.