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Chapter Thirty.

Chapter Thirty.

"Happiness is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty without happiness."

••

"Hold it." Lindiwe instructs me. "Breathe...relax and allow your body to become one with your mind."

One with my mind. Got it. Crap. Is there suppose to be so much pressure on my fingertips?
Both my legs and butt are up in the air, held up by the all ten of my fingers. It's hectic. I thought I was heavy, but now I definitely know that I am heavy. I peek in the direction where Lindiwe laid, holding her position like the pro Bangi hired. I envied her control and impeccable core strength. My forehead is even damp from the poses I've been put in since 06h00 in the morning.

Is yoga even supposed to make you sweat like this or...?

I wonder how my husband is doing too since it is his first day back in that gym of his after what he'd say is years of hardwork off his body. I wonder if he's surviving. He has a goal. A goal to have his old body back. The body he had once worked hard for in order to feel way better about himself.

"You can ease your legs Zano." I hear her say and immediately drop them, sighing out. Why is my first day going like hell?

The vibration of her laugh still manages to catch me off guard as she sat there, legs crossed and arms resting on her knees. "Excuse me for laughing Your Royal Highness, it is a terrible habit I've accumulated over the years."

I chuckle. "If you're laughing at me, just know that I'm laughing at myself as well." I sit up, eager to copy her sitting position.

The other leg is harder to cross.

"Does it get easier?"
"Very. But we can only achieve that with consistency and dedication. Nothing beats those two things," She says. "And if today is not the day you do everything perfectly then tomorrow and the day after that will surely be better."

I nod. I hope so. I pray I don't disappoint myself in all of this.

"Lets do a few stretches and call it a day?" She asks me.
"Yes."

Please!

I roll up my mat and rush to the kitchen for a bottle of cool water. I needed it's revitalization and something to lubricate my throat. Since the mannequins helped Lindiwe out, I didn't have much to worry about apart from waking up at 05h30 tomorrow again. I don't think I'm ready for any of that. My two dresses from Monique have arrived and I was so excited to wear them for today and whenever.

Today was going to be very busy, and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to tackle it all at once. There's the ducking of the press and media, the viewing of the new village, my meeting with Nyiso and then my check in on Buhle's moving arrangements.

A lot I tell you.

I hear the tapping of shoes coming towards the kitchen area causing me to turn in the direction it was coming from. Oh. My. Damn. Jesus.

Why?
I repeat why! Why does he do this to me? He throws me a smile, one that reaches his eyes. He was so sweaty...so confident...so mine. I've seen this torso before but today it looked anew. He heads for the fridge and also grabs a bottle of water for himself. He opens it and downs it, I'm watching his Adams apple move...up...down..the sweat dripping past his belly button before he catches it with the dark towel he held.

Yoh.

He pats more on his beautiful skin. Drying up.

"Eyes up here Sthandwa sam." He says and puts his practically empty bottle of water on the counter. I have long forgotten about the one in my hand. He makes his way forward, sandwiching me between the counter, himself...and something hard. I swallow, pressing my thighs together. "How was yoga?"
"G-Good," I clear my throat. He reaches for the bottle in my hand, puts it on the counter before hooking his towel around my neck. Pulling me in.
"And Lindiwe..was she as good as they commended her to be?"
"She was," I look at the lip he licks on.
"Does your body feel okay?"
I just nod profusely looking back at him in the eye. They had a calm tone to them, glistening perfectly underneath the morning light that came through.