Maid For Marriage

29

I stayed in my room and my aunt was getting more and more worried by the day. I really didn't want to hurt her or stress her out like this but I was numb. All I wanted to do was sleep.

"Thandi." My aunt was knocking on my door like she did everyday. "Thandi, please." She sounded exhausted. "Okay. Thabo is coming today and we're taking this door down." I didn't even have the energy to react. She already tried a spare key but I moved a cabinet in front of the door.

I thought she was just lying to get me to open the door but she wasn't. Thabo came and started breaking down the door. The constant banging had me cowering in a corner clutching onto the little sanity I had left.

They finally broke through and moved the cabinet. "Thandi!" My aunt ran to me and hugged me. I cried in her arms. "He killed my mother!" I couldn't keep it in anymore. "He's a murderer! He killed my mother and he wanted to kill me too!" She froze. She didn't know what to do. She eventually just helped me into bed and cleaned up.

Senzo came the next day and told me I had a doctor's appointment. I didn't have the energy to fight. I just bathed and got ready for the day. "Ma, wants to come too. She's really worried about you but she told me to ask you first." I nodded. "It's fine." My voice could hardly get out.

We walked next door and he went inside to tell Ma she could come with us. Ma made a big scene about me sitting in front until I finally told her it would be too painful to sit in front because I would have to wear a seatbelt and it would force back in my seat and hurt my back. She finally let it go.

It wasn't like I was lying. It would hurt my back but she was going on about how I was technically Senzo's wife because he paid lobola and that as his wife I should sit in front. It was extremely awkward because Senzo and I hadn't even had that conversation yet. I hadn't even thought about it.

We got to the doctors office and I let them come in with me. They were more nervous than I was. Luckily everything went smoothly. I wasn't fully healed but the doctors were happy with my progress.

We dropped Ma at home and before I could get out Senzo was at my door. "Sit in the front. Let's go for a drive. Come on please." I didn't have the energy so I just did as he said.

We stopped in front of a fancy restaurant. "I'm not going in." I said softly. "Why? There's nobody else here. I booked the place. It'll only be the staff." I shook my head. "No." Everyone's obsession with getting me out into the world again was annoying. He sighed. "Thandi, you have to start getting used to the world again. You can't sit in a room the whole time."

"I don't want to go in the restaurant and I'm out of my room now aren't I." I was getting upset and he could tell. "Fine. I'll get them to bring us food and then we'll go park somewhere." He went inside and I sat there wondering what the hell this man wants from me.

After all of this does he really still want to get married? Is it about the money because I knew he already paid the the bride price to my father who obviously used the money to disappear. I wasn't a virgin and he knew it so what did he want from me?

He came back and we sat in silence waiting for the food. At some point he took my hand in his and I didn't know what to do with myself. A knot of nervousness rose in my throat. I couldn't stop it. My tears fell.

"Thandi? Are you okay?" I just nodded trying to wipe my tears away. "Baby, please talk to me. Did I do or say something wrong?" I shook my head. Our food came and they loaded it into the back. I hid my face as much as I could. I finally gathered myself enough to breathe and stop crying.

"Okay, how about we go to the beach house. Do you remember the beach house I took you to?" I nodded because I couldn't speak. "Okay, let go there and we can do anything you feel like." We drove out if the city to the beach.

The house was massive. Everywhere was just glass so you could see the ocean from almost every angle. Most of the furniture was white. A wooden staircase led up to the second floor where the bedrooms were. We sat outside by the balcony and he laid the food out for us. The metal chair was a bit too hard against my back and he could tell I was uncomfortable.

"Can I get you anything?" I cleared my throat. "A pillow please." He nodded and came back with the softest pillow I had ever felt. It sort of felt like there was tiny grains in there. We ate and he got us a bottle of wine.

"We have a lot to discuss but I also don't want to push you. You've been through a lot and you deserve time. Time to heal however you feel you want but I do really want to know where we stand on the wedding, you moving in, or even just... Maybe if you could just tell me if you still want to get married." I was shocked. I didn't think he even still wanted me.

"You still want to marry me?" My eyes filled up with tears quickly. He took both of my hands in his. "Of course I do." I could help it my tears spilled over. "Why?" My voice was shaky. "You've seen the scars. I'm hideous." He came to my side.

"You thought I didn't want to marry you anymore because of your scars? Thandi, I love you and I will never stop loving you. You're even more beautiful than the day I first saw you." Something in me made me not believe him. I just shook my head. "Look at me. Look at me." He held my face close to his. "Please believe me when I say this. You're the most beautiful woman in the world and I'm not just saying it. I mean it. And those scars just add to your beauty. I love you MaBhengu and I will never stop loving you."