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Chapter Forty Four.

Chapter Forty Four.

"I've got options, you've got them too."

••

"Yes...should we wake this beautiful woman up?" I hear Bangi say from somewhere in this room. That's when I try opening my heavy eyes and adjust myself to the lighting in this room. There they are, my man and my sister's cute baby girl in his hold.

A smile creeps up on my lips, as I sit up. "There she is. Isn't she beautiful Lu? "
"Haybo good morning," I say and clear my throat.
"Good morning Sthandwa sam."
"Why didn't you wake me up Baby? What time is it even?" I stretch my neck and it snaps. I probably didn't sleep properly at some point of the night.

"9h00," he says easily.
"What? Bangi you were supposed to wake me up so I could feed and change Luthando's nappy."
"And I did all of that, so there was no need for me to wake you up."
"You mean to tell me you fed her with no hassle?"
"The house is still standing isn't it, and Lu still has all her tiny fingers too so yeah it definitely was no hassle whatsoever. Also I'm not completely clueless when it comes to babies."

I chuckle. "I didn't mean it like that. I just didn't want this baby to be your problem when I'm the one who insisted she come visit me here."

"Sthandwa sam, don't worry yourself about this. I'm here to help you and like I said, I didn't struggle, naye she didn't give me any problems."
"No crying?"
"Did you hear any crying? She was literally slapping my face and drooling on her top after she woke up," Bangi tells me and I find myself frowning.

How could Thokozani have been complaining about her uncontrollable crying when she hasn't even shed a single tear since I took her into my hold? Was I making her that comfortable to the point where she saw no need to cry?

"I hear you...well then let me go get showered before your people get here," I say and glance around the room, not believing that this will be the last time I scan it like this until we decide it's safe to come back. Also that's if we do decide to come back.

In the past few months of our marriage I could definitely say I have a lot of solid good memories and my own fair share of terrible ones in this house of ours. Even if it's the bad ones that are making us leave.

My shower isn't a long one. Neither is my choosing of clothing decision because I had already picked out clothes yesterday while they were packing, making sure that I don't ruin the packed stuff. After that Bangi and I headed downstairs for breakfast, just before the movers came and got busy doing what they were getting paid to do.

That's where my emotions got the better of me. I couldn't hold back my tears and Bangi comforting me was making it worse.

"And then? Yini inkinga manje Ma'Dlamini?"

"Ay, lutho," the tears flow even more as I'm just unable to control them like I would on any other given day. I feel weird though about this because I knew a long time ago that we were leaving so why cry now? Maybe because it was really happening now. The wheels being in motion now were probably the cause.

"Khuluma nomyeni wakho..." I look up and paste myself in his arms. "...is it the baby? Is something wrong?"

"No, no." I shake my head. "I'm just emotional. Us leaving right now is making me cry."

"Please don't cry Sthandwa sam, we'll be fine," he says brushing my back while holding me tightly.
"I know."
"Ngicela ungakhali..." I do cry even more, but when I finally settle down I thank him for handling my crybaby self like a pro.

The last of our bags are taken away. Luthando has luckily managed to fall asleep for her after lunch nap and I feel that would be better for her travelling experience. I've been distracting myself with reading up on the trending news and you guessed it, Bangi's speech was still a hot topic. I'm glad we're putting food on people's tables because of this. But I'm much more glad that this is making people see my man in a positive light again. Good vibes only even if the news of his arrest was still lingering at the back of everyone's heads, including mine.