Maid For Marriage

27

My aunt was pacing while we sat awkwardly on the couch. She wouldn't allow any one of us to speak. It was three in the morning and I really wanted to sleep. Just when I thought this whole situation was boring she stormed out the door.

We ran after her and she was banging on MaRadebe's door. "Who's there?!" Ma asked from inside. "Me! Open this damn door!" The door went open and my aunt stormed in. I started "crying" right there. "Baby, it's okay." He tried comforting me. "I'm sorry." I whispered to him.

"Get inside here! Both of you!" Mbali was still there. I thought she left. "What's going on?" Mbali asked and we all took a seat. "What's going on is I found your husband naked on top of my niece. My niece is the chief's daughter and she's expected to be a virgin until she's married. Your husband decided that he just won't follow the rules."

Mbali sat there awkwardly. "How do you know that she's not a virgin anymore? Just because they were naked doesn't mean they had sex." MaRadebe tried to reason. "Thandi, are you still a virgin?" Ma asked me and I bowed my head and played with my hand nervously.

"Thandi?" I shook my head and everyone went silent. I made sure my tears were falling. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. You're going to call your elders and whichever uncle is closest will go with us were leaving at seven. We're going to see Thandi's father and bring cash. You're going to have to pay a hefty fine and be prepared to negotiate lobola because there is absolutely no way you're getting away without marrying her now. Thandi get up. Let's go!"

She dragged me out of there. "What the hell were you thinking?" She asked when we got home. "You said to force him. This is it. Either he was going to take too long or not marry me at all. This is the only way." She sighed. "I just hope this works. Go get some sleep. We need to leave early. "

The next morning we only left by nine because Senzo was at the bank. My aunt's husband, Thabo came with us. Unfortunately my aunt told my dad we were on the way and he was already in a bad mood. To make matters worse, Thabo's car got stuck in the dirt and we all had to stop. They couldn't get it out.

"Thandi go with them and when you get there send people to help." I led the way and saw my father busy ordering people around in the fields. He seemed to be in an extremely bad mood. I didn't even bother to lead them to the top of the hill where the royal hut was. I got out and tried to talk to my father.

"Baba, there are visitors in the car who need to speak to you." He just looked at me. "Okay. You!" He pointed to one of the workers. "Go with them and lead them to the royal hut. Tell them to wait for me." I turned around wanting to go with them. "Where do you think you're going? Let them go alone. You have somewhere else to be."

I watched as they drove away and I just had a feeling something bad was going to happen. "Ma and Bhut'Thabo are stuck in the mud on the road." I said softly. "I'll send somebody. First, you need to get tested."

"Baba, that's why I came. I need to talk to you first." He hit the whip he had in his hand on the ground and my body went into shock instantly. I knew that sound. I didn't know from where but I knew that sound and it sent shivers down my spine.

"Don't test my patience today! Not today! Hey you! Come take her away." Two guys came to drag me to a hut close by. I didn't even realize what was happening it was like I had a mental block after hearing the sound of that whip.

"Come, you know how this works. Take off your pants." I was in a daze. I didn't know what happened but I knew it was something bad and I was there when it happened.

"Thandi!" I looked around to see the hut was now full of women. "Lay down." I did as she said and she put a cloth over me. She did the test and said nothing. I looked at her and she just knew. She knew. She told the ladies to leave the room and then my father came in. He still had that whip in his hand. It looked familiar.

The lady shook her head. "Are you sure?" She nodded and my father made her leave. "Baba I can explain. I brought..." I was interupted by stinging in my legs. I screamed at the pain.

I couldn't believe it. He whipped me. I could see the evil in his eyes and tried running away. He grabbed my arm and started whipping me all over my back. "You're a slut! You're a slut just like your mother!" It felt like he was beating me with fire. I laid there screaming while he beat me. And nobody came to help.

"Today you'll die like her too!" He delivered one last lash and I blacked out from the pain.

I heard the the sound of the whip and screams. I didn't want to look. I was too scared. I knew that voice.

"Please! I swear I did nothing! Do the test! You'll see! She's yours!" I heard the sound of whip again and a earth shattering screaming. It was my mother. He was beating my mother.

"Do you think I'm a fool!? For decades there have only been sons in this family! Then you come and try and convince me this girl is mine! I should've questioned this nonsense earlier!" He kept on beating her and she screamed and screamed until she couldn't anymore. The screaming stopped but he didn't. The sound of the whip kept on going and going.

"If you don't leave I'll kill you myself! I'm not a boy anymore who's going to cower in a corner while you rule with an iron fist. You disgust me Baba!" That voice... I knew that voice.

"Chief, you have important guests waiting in the royal hut and we've sent men to go help your sister. They're stuck in the mud a couple of kilometers from the main entrance." I heard someone nervously say. "Go deal with whatever it is and leave my sister and I alone!" He said sternly. Sister? Yes. I knew that voice. It was my brother Ndumiso. He was the first born of my father's third wife. He was just a few years older than me.

"Sisi, stay with me. Come on. Stay awake." I couldn't.  My body was in so much pain that I threw up and passed out.