The Giant and His Light : Book 2

Part Eighteen

Before I had another coughing fit, I got a hold of myself. I couldn't let them catch on that I knew something.
Phila: "Really? Why do you think she's dead?" She was also whispering.
Me: "Yes, why?" I also whispered.
Phozisa: "Why are you guys whispering?" She asked whispering.
Phila: "You started it first." Still in a whisper. I nodded. We all looked at each other and then burst out laughing.
Phozisa: "Oh my God! We look like crazies." We definitely did but it was good to laugh with friends after everything I've been through.
Phila: "So why do you think she's dead?" Phozisa shrugged.
Phozisa: "It's just a feeling I have. Like she disappeared right after the attack. Maybe she had something to do with it."
Phila: "That would be crazy guys, if that's true. I mean, we almost died in that attack." She said hotly. Like me, she got shot at. A bullet had even grazed her arm. Phozisa was the one who had been lucky amongst us three.
Phozisa: "Yeah. But it's just my thoughts. I could be wrong." Phila exhaled.
Phila: "I hope you are." She said taking a sip on her juice. It was a little scary to see Phila peeved. She was always soft spoken, shy and friendly. But now...Phozisa and I shared a look.
Me: "Let's not think about it. It's in the past." Phila sighed.
Phila: Yeah let's. But you guys have no idea. I still get nightmares of that day. Worries my Teddy a lot." I rubbed her back. Those nightmares sucked. Trust me, I would know.
Me: "I also have them sometimes." I told them.
Phila: "Really?" I nodded... "oh Busi they're so terrible." She said miserably. I nodded. The giant hated that I had them and he blamed himself. So sometimes I tried my best not to disturb his sleep when they happened but because the giant was so in tuned to me, it was near impossible to hide them from him.
Phozisa: "I don't have any nightmares about that day but I can imagine how bad they can be. I'm sorry guys." She said regrettably... "It's my fault. I shouldn't have brought up Mandisa."
Phila: "No don't say that. It's not your fault." She patted her hand.
Me: "Let's change the subject. Tell me what you guys have been up to since I've been AWOL." And that's what they did.

I woke up in the middle of the night because I had an urge to pee. I noticed that the giant wasn't next to me. I sighed sadly. I think I knew the reason why. It wasn't the first time something like this happened. I went to the bathroom and relieved myself, and then I went to the living room where I was sure I would find the giant. Yes, as I had guessed, he was there. He was sitting in the dark. I had to strain my eyes to see him. I just went to him sleepily and climbed on his lap.
Me: "Nightmares again?" I asked him kissing his forehead. He just pulled me into his arms breathing me in and said nothing. My poor giant! I hated when the darkness of his tragic past would attack him in his sleep. During those nights, he really suffered. He would battle with the darkness the whole night. I tried my best to be with him when that happened but you guys know the giant. He liked his space. He wanted to deal with his demons alone. He's stubborn and infuriating like that. But I never left him alone. I stuck by him. Always.
Zano: "Go to bed woman." He said after a while in this almost unrecognizable voice.
Me: "No. I'll accompany you."
Zano: "You'll get cold." I shook my head.
Me: "I won't." He didn't say anything after that. Just continued to hold me and breathe me in. We sat there until the sun had risen outside. Tell you no lies. I raised my head from his shoulder and looked at his face. The darkness seemed to have lessened from his eyes but he still looked a little tortured.
Zano: "I'm sorry my heart." He said hoarsely closing his eyes. I shook my head
Me: "Don't say that. I'll always accompany you honey." I said holding his face. He groaned and buried his face in my breasts... "do you want to go to the gym?" Going to the gym helped the giant a lot in times like these. In those days, I would just accompany him to the gym and watch him workout. He would go on for hours and hours until he was completely drained. I just let him be because I realized that it was how he dealt with his darkness and it helped him chase away the darkness. He nodded giving me a squeeze... "okay let's put on our clothes and go."
Zano: "I'm sorry my heart." People! His voice was all shaky. This killed me.
Me: "Hey hey Zano stop apologizing honey. There's nothing to be sorry about. Nothing. So please." He exhaled and took a long breath.
Zano: "Let's go." We went to the bedroom and wore our clothes, and then we left for the gym.

4 days later....

It was Friday afternoon. I didn't have classes today. I was getting my wedding dress altered since I had lost weight. I was with Phila, Phozisa and Mam' Philda. Mam' Philda had given me an earful when we had met up about disappearing on her. I just told her that I had been dealing with family problems. Maybe she could see how see how serious it had been from my face because she had pulled me into her arms and nothing was said after that. I was glad that she didn't ask any questions after that. Questions that I wasn't ready to answer. I had my wedding dress on  with my hands stretched out, and the seamstress was altering the dress against me, putting pins on it. Phila, Phozisa and Mam' Philda were sitting by the couches. I was looking at myself in the mirror. The dress was beautiful and I must say, I looked good in it. I loved the bodice the most. The dress was a high neck but it was sleeveless and it flared out when it got to my waist. It was called a chiffon gown. I also hadn't known the name but the seamstress had informed me of it. Anyway, it looked good on me. I really liked the fabric. Now that I was wearing the dress, I couldn't believe that in 2 months I'll be getting married. I still got jitters when I thought about it. It was still surreal. This was really happening. I blinked back the tears threatening to spill out and breathed out a shaky breath.
Phila: "You're going to look breathtaking on your wedding day. I can already see it."
Mam' Philda: "Xoxo did well. He chose a good woman to be his wife." She said proudly. My lips trembled a little. I wiped the tears at the corners of my eyes.
Phozisa: "Look at her getting all emotional." She said sniffing.
Phila: "I would say you're the one who's more emotional than her."
Phozisa: "Shut up." She said hitting her arm. I giggled softly... "I'm just so happy for her okay." I mouthed 'thank you' to her. After the alterations were finished, we talked to the seamstress about the design for the bridesmaids dresses. On Sunday we were going to come back so that she could take the measurements of the women who were going to be the bridesmaids. But I was short with 5 women. I had to make calls to some of the ladies from my church and ask them to be the bridesmaids. I wasn't looking forward to seeing Sisanda and them on Sunday and it wasn't because I was scared of them or anything. I just didn't want to deal with them or even see them but I had no choice. After getting the right, we left.

It was Saturday. I was having lunch with those ladies from church who I had asked to be my bridesmaids. I had decided to take them out for lunch. I mean, I hadn't seen them in a long long while. The lunch was a show of good faith. All of them had been excited when I called them yesterday evening and asked them to be bridesmaids to my wedding. When they had saw me earlier on, they had been shocked. Well...saying they were shocked was putting it lightly. They fawned over me, telling me that I looked great and that I was glowing. I had blushed of course and felt a bit uncomfortable and overwhelmed. I mean, I wasn't used to having this much attention on me. It was nerve wrecking to say the least. We had finished lunch and I had already settled the bill. We were just chatting now. They were asking me questions about how I met the giant and stuff. And I was telling them the watered down version of how we met. I had already texted the giant that he could come and get me 20 minutes ago. The time was 4:30pm when the giant texted saying that he was outside. I sent a text telling him that he should come in and meet the ladies. I mean, they were going to be part of our wedding ceremony so it made sense for him to at least meet them. I even instructed him in the text not to be rude...to try to be nice. I couldn't have the giant act the way he did the first time he met Andy and Fiona. I'm sure you guys remembered that fateful day. He just replied with a "okay woman." The way the ladies were so excited to see him. You guys have no idea. I rolled my eyes at them. I saw the giant entering the restaurant and I waved at him and he came to our table. He just stood next to our table saying nothing and just stared at the women with his emotionless eyes. Oh gosh! This giant! It was so comical how the ladies were looking up at the giant. Their eyes were bugged out and their mouths were hanging open. Some had fear in their eyes and some were looking at him in awe and shock. I pinched his arm so that he could say something. Anything!
Zano: "Hi." Oh gosh! Seriously? I can't take him anywhere. I pinched his arm again... "I'm Zanoxolo. Busisiwe's man." He growled out the last part possessively. Okay that was better. Shy 'hellos' went around the table. Some even gave him small shy waves. These bitches were swooning over my man people! ... "okay woman, I met them. Can we go now?" He said to me. I could see that he had reached the end of his rope.
Me: "Give me a minute to say my goodbyes okay." He grunted and did that thing where he got into my face. I sucked in a breath. I could never seem to get used to him doing that. It was intense.
Zano: "Say your goodbyes. I'll wait in the car." Then he gave me a bruising kiss right there in front of those ladies and he left. Yikes!