Maid For Marriage

30

"Wake up, baby. We're home." I opened my eyes to find I fell asleep in the car. He came to my side and opened the door for me. Everyone was having dinner, and my aunt expected me to join them. I didn't want to be the cause of any more stress, so I joined.

I actually really wanted to go lay down because my back was killing me. I wasn't used to being up the whole day. When the babies started acting up I went to my room. I found an oversized t-shirt and went to take a bath. Most things were difficult now because I didn't have the same range of motion but I tried.

I didn't want to ask my aunt to come help me but the doctor gave me ointment and I obviously couldn't put it on my back myself. It was almost like she read my mind because she knocked on the door asking if I needed help. I sucked it up and let her in.

"I got an ointment today." I said giving her the tube. She nodded and made sure my scars were cleaned properly and dried before she put it on. "We'll fix your door tomorrow." I just nodded. "I only had it broken down because I was worried about you. I didn't mean to invade your privacy." I nodded again. "I know." We sat in silence as she wrapped my wounds.

"I'm sorry." I said to her. "I'm sorry for everything." She sat in front of me. "There's no need to appologize baby. None of this was your fault." She hugged me and helped me to my room. "I know Bhut'Thabo is here but will you stay with me tonight?" She seemed shocked but nodded and quickly joined me in bed. We laid in silence. It was nice having her close to me.

"Ma." I said after a while. "Mm?" She rubbed my head. "I think I'm getting married." She chuckled. "Yes, baby. That's usually what happens after your husband pays your lobola." She joked but then got serious. "Is there something wrong? Don't you want to go through with it anymore?" It seemed like I was always saying the wrong thing and by the time all of this blew over my aunt would have heart problems.

"I do want to marry him it's just that I realized today that it's actually something that's going to happen." She just smiled at me. "If you're not ready you can always wait a year or two. Many people have long engagements." I shook my head. "It's not that." It got silent again before I spoke. "I would have to move out. I don't want to leave you." Both of our eyes filled with tears.

"But won't you be staying with MaRadebe? It's right next door." A tear escaped her eye. "I don't know. What if he want me to move?" Not being close to home was my biggest fear. I don't know what I would do without my aunt. "Maybe you should talk to your husband about it." She said and held me tightly.

The next day I got up and helped with breakfast. I decided that I needed to get out of the slump I was in. The kids were extremely excited to see me up but the house turned into chaos when I couldn't pick them up. They didn't understand why.

I almost retreated back into my room but Senzo called me so we could have a meeting with his mother and first wife, Mbali. I was on my way out when my aunt stopped me. "Is that what you're wearing?" I looked down at my oversized tracksuit. I didn't wear much of my old clothes after the incident. I didn't feel pretty enough to wear them.

"What's wrong with this?" I asked as if I didn't know. "Thandi, you're going to a meeting with your sister-wife, mother-in-law, and husband. There are rules in our culture and you know them as well as I do. Like it or not you're getting married into a traditional Zulu polygamous marriage. You're going to have to follow the rules. You know you can't wear pants. You haven't completed all the marriage rites but technically you're his wife, cover your head."

I knew she was right so I didn't fight it. All my dresses were so tight and I didn't have the confidence to wear them but I didn't have a choice. If all of this didn't happen I would be totally fine with it but I could even look in the mirror most of the time.

I got dressed anyway and went next door. I thought I would be expected to sit on the floor but luckily I was shown the couch. I kept my head bowed as a sign of respect and greeted them.

"The reason we called you here today was to discuss a way forward. A lot has happened and it's left a lot unsaid. Usually I would have another elder like an uncle present but we thought we would speak privately first." Senzo said and I kind of wanted to smile. I liked it when he was all formal and traditional.

"My wife here, MaKhumalo, has advised me to ask you one question before we moved on. With everything that has happened we believe this should be up to you. You should feel no pressure from anybody." He cleared his throat. "Do you still see yourself getting married into this family?" He asked and I kind of knew that was the question and luckily I had an answer. "Yebo baba. I still see myself getting married into this family." Ma ulilated joyfully and I just smiled to myself.

"Okay." He sounded relieved. "As you know I already have four wives, MaKhumalo being my first wife. I expect you to respect her as such and I do believe you won't have a problem with that. MaKhumalo, would you like to take it from here?" She nodded. "Yebo, Baba. Um, MaBhengu..?" This was so formal but I should've expected it. I'm glad my aunt made me change clothes.

"Mamkhulu." I addressed her as the first wife. "I wouldn't be doing you justice if I didn't tell you there's still a lot of work that needs to be done in this marriage. It's going to be difficult and we hope that you can bear with us. We still need to find our rhythm of how things work.
Bab'Dlamini recently married three wives and they still need to find their footing. For now Baba has two physical houses. I live in the main house in the city because baba and I work together. The three other wife's live on the homestead. Baba is planning on building two more houses. I mention this because I dont want it to become an issue down the line.
Ma needs someone to look after her and I work. I'm just going to be honest neither me or ma is comfortable with any of the other wives coming to live here to take care of her.
You also know that ma's husband passed away so baba is now the head if this house. We are hoping that you will join this house and for you nit to be discouraged by the other wives having houses built for them."

All if that just for something I was going to ask for anyway. "That won't be a problem Mamkhulu. I would prefer to live with ma so I can take care of her and to also be close to my family." She smiled. "Well it's settled then. We hope you can move in as soon as possible."

As what as what?
This was happening faster than I thought.

"There's just one more thing. We need to set up a meeting at the main house to formally introduce you to all the wives."

I knew it had to happen at some point but I was nervous.

These woman were already ganging up on their husband would they even allow us to get married.