Turning Table

Part 118

***The in-laws***

🌹Liyana 🌹

I cant sum up the entire experience in words, I had with my very first official meeting with Ntsika mother,  Still to start with I was nervous when the car came to a halt outside a big beautiful triple story house, my first thought was that Ntska is more nervous than me and I was right he was,  because I am going to be introduced before his mother and he will expect her more than anyone in his family to accept me to be part of the family.

As much as we argued and fight throughout the drive to his mother's house when we walked to his mother's house, I fixed his blazer, kissed his lip, and held his hand... After all, he is my man and I don't need anyone's validation to say I'm not good enough for him when I know I am the perfect woman in his eyes, and to top it up I'm soon to be a mother of his son.

I knew being brave for the both of us was going to make this dinner less tense,
As Ntsika once mentioned that her mother is more nervous and has her own insecurities about me like:
'What kind of a girl I am ?',
'Am I cultured or willing to be ?'
'Do I know the values of the royal family?"
'what if in the long run, I hate the idea of being part of the royal family?'
'What if I'm too educated ultra-modern with less sensitivity and more pragmatism?'
As much as Ntsika reassured her that I am special and she would love me, she still was not certified and was still doubtful.

On the other hand, I myself walked inside the house with my own insecurities as well, as in
'Will she accept me, give me the love and care I longend for?'
'If not more, will she help me with the baby and how to be a mother "
'What bout my independence? What about my lifestyle will she be ok with my job that I love so much..."
"Will she understand my aspiration to become more than somebody wife of Queen?"
'Will she respect my opinion and values'?

Well with all these insecurities when we met, after a few hugs and a warm welcome I was then faced with my first question and I was stumped for a minute. I am a straightforward person, but I didn't expect someone bowling bouncer as the first ball. So Ntsika's mother just up and asked me 'What are your views about Marriage'?
I was speechless for a minute as I dint know what to say. I mean I can't share my views with people I dint even know a couple of hours before. But I could sense the insecurity right behind the question and to assure them I dint answer their question I addressed the insecurity by saying
"my Queen I come from a joint family set up, and I don't see much of a difference in your and my family' except that my parents went through a divorce when I was a teenager,  and maybe that gave me an unsettling impression about the marital union but neither less I know better now that there is no happy ending in life,

However we both follow rituals, we both believe in culture and the importance of tradition, we may come from different parts of KZN I am from Ixopo situated in the middle lands of Natal, and the royal Bhengu is in
uMhlathuze North East coast of KZN, but the end of the day we both  Nguni people..Zulu people to be precise and maybe our ritual and culture may  differ a bit,

But emotions don't need culture, but all lineage needs emotion.
So I can say I understand what you may feel, about accepting a total stranger in your family, but let me assure you I believe in relations, I respect emotions and things will change in the future but for good. I will not break this family, I will be an adhesive to bind it together as long as I am here. But this will be possible only if you bind me with trust.

Her smile alone was enough to reassure me that I have worn her heart, So that was the first meeting and it was a success and within few minutes  we got acquainted, laughed and talked like we have known each other for years,
I will be too soon to admit that the Queen loves me but she has showered me the warmest love I have never received from my own biological mother,  and that for me is a good start.
So I guess it helped that trough out the dinner, I was myself, I was respectful and assertive. . . I guess that was the key aspect they needed from me and I delivered just that.

Even though the mother of my man showed that she accepted me and my unborn baby there was still a long way to go before the Bhengu family can acknowledge me as their own.

Especially since my mother has acted out of character, to her my relationship is a meal ticket to riches, and now the Bhengu's think of me as my mother-daughter...
" that frown is not good for the baby "
Ntsika said walking into the seating room, I looked at him he looked like a train wreck, he threw himself next to me on the couch and  rested his head on my lap, I ran my hands on his face
Me: hi"
He faintly smiled while his eyes are shut closed
Me: well how did it go?"
Him: we keeping this pregnancy a secret till this shit blows over "
Me: I don't understand?"
Him: my uncles are not happy..."
Me: is it because of what my mother did?"
Him: babe stop stressing I will resolve this..."
Me: so what happened"
Him: I don't want to stress you with this kind of talk... "
I looked at him and ran his hand on my tummy 
Him: I have called in a sangoma to shield you and my son from harm's way "
Me: what?"
I snapped a sangoma??
Him: your brother is coming over tomorrow... He refuse to hear me out when told him about my intention of marrying you, so he needs your validation that I'm not kidnapping you "
Me: what?"
Him:since you decided to give our housekeeper a day off, did you cook Mkami?"

Me: Ntsika hold up! .... Time out!....what happened in the meeting with your uncles? You not making sense, first, my pregnancy must be kept secret, and now you calling a Sangoma...  can we  at least talk about this first?"
Him: aish my head is pounding sthandwa sami, hhayi kancane but so hard... I need to shower, eat your delicious food and go to sleep  holding you tight..."
I opened my mouth to say something but he placed his finger and said " shuuuuuuu"
I looked at him and nodded he slowly stood up and walked down the passage, I dished up for him, places his food on the trey and made my way to our bedroom and found him sleeping across our bed fully dressed with his shoes still on,

I sigh and placed his plate on the side table, I took off his shoes and set next to him, and ran my hand on his head
I keep thinking about what he said, so now I need to consult with a Sangoma to be protected? I feel like I'm losing myself, just the thought of the things I have done or still have to do to endure my relationship with Ntsika...
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