Maid For Marriage

2

"Ma, what are we going to do?" She seemed completely calm. "The person who he trusts to do the test... that old lady... What's her name again? She did your tests when we visited that one time. Sindiswa. Yes, I think that's what her name was. You don't have to worry about her. She'll do anything for money. She's notorious with the woman for this. She's been taking bribes for years now."

That calmed me down a little bit. "Okay, how much?" She sighed. "Back in the day, she used to ask nothing under five hundred rand, but that was a few years ago. We'll need to ask her. Don't worry about it. I don't want you to go back either. That place is toxic. Especially for young girls. I'll make some story up and pay her whatever she asks. The children's father increased my allowance, so it's fine."

"Thank you!" I hugged her tightly and then went to check up on our neighborhood. "MaRadebe, do you need anything done?" The old lady was sitting on the couch. "Oh, I finished everything, my dear. I'm just too weak to move my husband out in the sun. Can you please help me?" She asked, wanting to get up. "No, ma, it's fine. Relax. I'll go get him."

I went into their room, and he was in bed. "Thandi, good to see you, my child." I greeted and helped him out of bed. I got him out off bed and helped him outside. He loved sitting in the sun, and MaRadebe and I took him outside whenever we could. He seemed to gain some strength after being in the sun. We all decided to sit out there and just enjoy it.

"Is that... Is that my son?" A black car with tinted windows stopped outside the fence of the house. The whole entire neighborhood came to see. "It's my son!" He shouted joyfully when the man got out of the car. I helped him up and he went to the man.

The guy was wearing a suit. He had a bald head and a little bit of a belly. Not too much. They hugged, and he helped his dad back into the yard. He greeted his mom, who was crying. They eventually went back into the house, and I was about to leave. "Thandi, come meet Senzo!" MaRadebe said excitedly.

I went back in the house with my head bowed, which was a sign of respect in our culture. "Senzo, this is Thandi. She's the neighbor who has been taking care of us. Thandi, this is Senzo." We shook hands and greeted. I made and served tea, and I could feel their son's gaze on me.

They spoke about his business and his family. I didn't know he had a family. His parents gushed at his stories. Their smiles were so wide it could break their faces. It was the cutest thing. This would surely help his father's recovery. I just know it.

"I know you guys don't want to move out of the neighborhood. I know, but I've seen a few nice houses a few streets down. If they're not on the market, maybe I can convince the owners to sell." His parents just sighed, and we were left in an awkward silence.

"So, Thandi, what will you be doing now that you're done with school?" MaRadebe asked. "I'll be looking for a job, ma." She looked worried. "Full time?" I nodded. "What would happen to us?" She asked her husband, and then they looked worried. "Ma, I've said this a million times. I could get you a full-time caregiver." Ma rolled her eyes.

"Stop it. We're not moving, and we're not letting some stranger take care of us. I have an idea. I know I've said in the past not to do anything to the house, but we can renovate and make it easier to move around. Then, we need someone to help us, and Thandi needs a job. So why not pay Thandi for what she's already been doing?"

I was shocked. I was not expecting that, and by the look on Senzo's face, he wasn't either. We just sat in awkward silence until ma brought up another topic.

I cleaned the dishes while they continued speaking. I was on my way out when Senzo grabbed me by the arm. "Stay away from my parents. I've seen women like you. You're a leach. Just look at how you're dressed. What do you want from them? What do you want from them?!"

"Leave that girl alone!" One of the neighbors yelled. "Nthombi! Come see what this man is doing to your niece!" A small crowd gathered quickly because the woman kept screaming for my aunt. "Senzo! What are you doing?!" MaRadebe yelled. My aunt came out of our house and saw him holding my arm. "Let go of my child!" My aunt yelled, and he finally let go of me.

"Sies, you ungrateful pig! My child has been taking care of your parents and this is how you treat her!" Most people my age around here hated me, and I had no friends, but a couple of the older women knew my aunt from church. They had a problem with how I dressed, but they tried ignoring it. They always kept an eye out for me. Mostly to catch me doing something I wasn't supposed to, but in situations like these, it came in handy.

My aunt and MaRadebe were yelling at him, and I started crying. That was one of my talents. I could cry on command. "Look what you've done! MaRadebe, I won't tolerate this. My child and I have been nothing but nice to you because this man failed as a son. Look, you've made my daughter cry! Come, Princess. We're leaving and you won't come back here until this thing apologises!"

My aunt took me and we started walking. "I won't appologize. Look how she's dressed. She's trying to take advantage of my father and get to my money!" He yelled and angered the women of the community. While they shouted him, my aunt walked me back home.

What the fuck?
He didn't even know me!