Following tradition

Insert 29:

Alutha
Its been 3 months of hard work trying to get back in shape and heal and today am able to walk, talk and write. Its my last day in this rehabilitation centre and I have no idea where too from here and what next. Iv been watching a lot of TV and i learnt of the Royals.Amani has been a God sent. She visits every second day and brings in her cooking with her and iv noticed that she and Zwakhe have a very loving sibling bond.
She walked in carrying a bag and looking as beautiful as ever.
Amani: Hey
She hugged me and sat by the chair.
Me: Hi cc
Amani: You excited about today?
I looked at her and sat on my bed.
Me: I don't know
She looked at me and smiled.
Amani: everything going to be fine
I took a deep breath and looked at her maybe I can trust her with this. I took a big breath..
Me: my dad passed away when i was really young so i never meet him and my mom was forced to work and she worked as a domestic worker. She put me through the best schools she could afford and did her best for me but unfortunately she passed on while I was doing my 3rd year of varsity. Everything she worked hard for my aunts and uncles took every single thing. I thought that was the end of it until my uncle told me he has accept lobola of the Zikalala family.

Zwakhe
I was about to walk in and heard Alutha talking so I stopped and listened.
Alutha: i was crushed when he told me that this year am not going back to school but am getting married to a guy iv never meet. Being tradition i kept quiet since I was told Everyone follows tradition. I never registered at school and my family introduced me to Sabelo zikalala.

Amani
She wiped a tear that rolled down and she tried smiling but the pain was too much.
Alutha: The first few months were amazing. He took care of me, allowed me to register at school and was very supportive. I stopped hating my family for what they did and started to accept him as a husband. I graduated from school of fashion designing and he opened up a shop for me and that was a dream come through. Life was great and things were perfect. I had a huge house, a business and a loving husband. 3 years of a beautiful marriage but no kids. We tried so many times but just couldn't and he was okay with no kids but I wanted one.
She wiped a tear and took a deep breath.
Alutha: Than Girls from nowhere started popping out like pop corn claiming they are his baby mamas. 8 kids and I stayed being a mom to all those 8 kids until one night things changed. I came home and his eldest son baby mamma was in my kitchen, in my gown, naked and making him breakfast as he was walking around in his boxers.
I could see Alutha tears blinding her and held her Arm.

Alutha
Iv never told anyone this but i somehow trusted Amani with my whole soul.
Me: At first i was quiet and than something in me snapped. Am 23 years old and here I am being a doormat of a wife. So I lost it. I kicked her ass and at first he was apologetic but as time went on as he did this more often he stopped apologising until I mistakenly slapped him when I found him cheating. It like something in him changed and he whopped my ass. That was the first time i landed in hospital. I know you thinking i could have left or start something or whatever. But when ever i went home my aunts told me to stay little did I know he was paying them monthly for my discomfort. The next 2 years was hell on earth. I lost the business, i lost friends, i lost family and I lost myself as I became a bunching bag for every frustration he might have, at some point when he started selling me to his foreign friends I knew he never loved me. I was just an investment to him making more money. When his girls that he had were fully book he will use me as one of his prostitute. I tried running so many times and each time resulted in me being tortured for days and landing in hospital. This time around i was pregnant and i knew i had to live not only for myself but for my child too. I really didn't care who baby it was cause iv been raped so many times I lost count of all the man that has tortured me. But i wanted my baby to live to have a chance on life so i stole money from him googled an online lawyer and told him my story of being in an abusive relationship and how i want out. He asked me to keep record of all the things I go through so if this get to court i can fight him. He draw up some papers and emailed them to me and I printed them out in his office. The last thing I remember is him kicking me full force in my tummy and me bleeding instantly and when I creamed my baby....
I felt my throat tighten up and I swallowed and looked at the crying Amani and i closed my eyes taking a deep breath.
Me: When I screamed my baby he took a broom broke it on me hitting me everywhere than he laughed and said " let me dig it out of you"
My chest closed up and I couldn't talk as Amani crushed herself on me as we both cried. I cried for the pain iv felt and the anger of what has happened to me and also for the fear of what next. Where too from here.... i looked up and I saw Zwakhe standing there with tears rolling down his cheeks and he quickly turned leaving us..