Maid For Marriage

18

Sunday morning, Ma decided to stay at home. Senzo was at our doorstep early with a smoothy and a bunch of flowers. "Please don't break up with me." Were his first words when I opened the door. I just laughed and let him in.

We spent the morning together while Thabo picked up my aunt and the boys. "Come sit on my lap." I side eyed him. "No." He just rolled his eyes. "Come on." I rolled my eyes at him. He just started kissing my neck he tried lifting me into his lap, but I broke free from his grasp. "Not here. Anyone can just walk in." We went to my room.

Just as he was about to take my clothes off, there was a knock at the door. "No, leave it." I pulled away from him. "I can't. Let me just see who it is. It might be your mother." He groaned, and I went to the front door.  Right when I opened it, a cold, thick liquid was thrown on me. I couldn't even scream. I was in shock.

"Who was it?" I turned to him and heard the footsteps running away. I wiped my face, and I was convinced it was rotten milk by the smell and the color. He helped me to the shower, and I tried getting everything out. "Where is she?!" I heard my aunt, and she came into the bathroom. "Seriously? Did they do this? You're not even in school anymore. What is it that they want to achieve?" She helped me out and dried me off.

"Senzo is cleaning. Well, trying to clean the mess they caused. I'm sorry, baby. I'll speak to their parents." I shook my head. "No, it's fine. Just leave it. Please, leave it. It'll only make things worse." She sighed. "Okay, I'm going to cook something. Will you please eat." I didn't have the energy for this. I didn't have the energy for any of this.

My aunt got me some clothes and I went to help Senzo clean up. "Are you okay?" I just nodded. Senzo and I were in my room, and he was helping me take out my plaits so I could wash my hair properly. My aunt opened my door widely and narrowed her eyes at him. Both of us just laughed.

"I should get going. Ma and my aunt have been dealing with those crazy kids the whole day. Let me go check on them." He left, and I had lunch. I actually ate something. It was just mushed pumpkin, but it was something.

I was too scared to leave my house to go to work. I jumped the fence, hoping nobody would see. Most of Ma's family was gone, but  her two sisters and the kids were still there. "Oh, you're here. I didn't think you'd come." She took a seat. "Of course I'd come, Ma." I gave her the usual breakfast and sorted out her medication for the week. Her sisters watched me in awe.

"Thandi, you made it." I just smiled when Senzo sat down for breakfast. I cleaned the whole day and made a list of everything we needed. "What are we going to do with the extra rooms and this big kitchen now that your father is no longer with us?" Ma asked Senzo.

"I don't know, Ma. Now would be the perfect time to find a new wife, get married, and move her in." He said, clearing his throat, and I acted like I didn't hear him. "But I'm still working on that." He added, and ma just hummed in response.

In the next few weeks, renovations on the house were finished, and my aunt's wedding was around the corner. I was not looking forward to it because my father would be coming. We prepared the house for all the guests, and I would be staying with MaRadebe. Senzo wouldn't be there because he was summoned by his wife. She needed to go to a funeral on her side of the family and expected him to be there, but she couldn't come to her father-in-law's funeral. Their relationship was messed up.

Finally, dress fittings went well, and the wedding was in two days. My father arrived and with him came the grandmother all the girls in my village hated. The one who actually did the virginity tests. My heart began racing when I saw her.

"We're using the hut. I'm sure you can just use the room." She nodded at my father, and I was told to go lay on my bed. My aunt came with me. "We are not going to get lucky a second time." I said under my breath while she closed the windows.