I'm more than just the second wife

23

I hardly got any sleep . Yanda kept on overheating and I used a wash rag dipped in a bowl with iced water to cool him down. He kept on groaning in pain and it took everything in me not to give him another dose of the painkillers. He finally fell off to sleep around 4am. I lazily got out of bed at 7am took a quick shower and pulled on Yanda's sweatpants and shirt hoping to make it upstairs without my parents in law spotting me dressed like this. I quickly gave that up when I saw the lot of them bustling in the kitchen. "Morning my baby. You look like you hardly got any sleep." MaBhengu said as she slid a plate of pancakes to me over the counter. "Good morning everybody. We didn't sleep much. Yanda kept on overheating but he's asleep now." I replied in a voice I hardly recognized as my own.

"Sisi we can't stay. I for one have three deadlines to meet this week but I'm only a call away if you need me." Meluleki said in between spoonfuls of cereal which earned him a glare from mama. "Quit eating like a pig!" MaBhengu reprimanded him as she walked past him giving him a slap upside the head. He grumbled as he brushed his head. We all laughed at his scowl and shared our breakfast over mindless chatter.

"Koti May I have a word please." MaBhengu said after her other children had left and baba went to check on Yanda. "Yes mama." I replied wringing the dishcloth I'd been wiping the dishes with dry with. "How are you doing child. I know everyone is concerned with the weight of Yanda's illness on him but overlook how it's affected you too." I looked at her willing the tears not to fall when words failed to come out. She pulled me into a hug and I just crumbled in her warm embrace. We sat there waiting for my hiccups to subside. " It's hard mama but I love him and right now nothing matters more than that. I'll be patient with him. He'll come back to me and we'll get through this together." She looked at me and now it was her who was trying hard not to let the tears fall. " Thank you baby. I fear wives aren't told that often enough. You owe no one strength. If you want to break down I'll drive all the way here so you'll have my shoulder to cry on. You and your needs matter. I'm grateful that Yanda has a selfless wife but I don't want you to be consumed by caring for his needs so much you neglect your own." She spoke her eyes not moving away from mine and I could see the sincerity in them. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear those words until MaBhengu said them. I was grateful to have her as a mother. "Thank you mama. I will take care I promise." She nodded seemingly happy with my answer. "We'll be on our way today but please don't hesitate to call us if you need us. It's just that I know you youngins don't want us infringing your space longer than necessary." She said laughing to herself before she left the kitchen.

I decided to make Yanda some omelettes. Those would be soft enough. As I was about to knock on our new bedroom door baba opened the door "Thank you ntombi yami." He said softly smiling at me before he walked away. "Good morning love. I made you omelettes." I said as I stood at the door and we stared at each other. He just blinked at me. My heart sank in disappointment but I didn't let my smile falter. I walked over to his side of the bed and sat next to where he lay with his back on the headboard. "I'll be going to work, I'll call the hospital and hear when they can arrange for a nurse to come in with your treatment. I'll leave your lunch in the microwave and I'll comeback to prepare your dinner before I go to the hospital." I spoke even though I didn't know whether he was listening to me. I cut up the omelettes into small pieces and picked up a piece and lifted it to his lips. He looked at me with a scowl but I was unbothered. He eventually opened his mouth and I fed him the omelettes as we sat there in silence. I did a little victory dance when I looked down at the plate and it was empty. I handed him his glass of juice with his painkillers which he finished in two gulps.

"Let's get you clean." I said placing the tray on the pedestal and helped Yanda out of bed.  After I'd helped him get into the tub he looked at me expectantly making me chuckle. "I've already showered if I join you I'll be later than I already am." I explained and he nodded. I helped him bathe being careful not to hurt him when I reached his genitals. He again withdrew into himself when I got there, not that the room was filled with chatter before but the air shifted when I washed his penis. It didn't react to my touch. They'd prescribed pills that'd decrease his libido as erections would prolong the healing of his stitches. I'm sure the sight of his limp penis in my hands didn't help his self esteem at the moment.