LANGELIHLE #18
At the hospital.
Zimthele has been taken in after fainting at the restaurant. Langelihle has called Sondela to let him know what has happened.
She is waiting for further updates on how she is doing.
Her phone rings and she declines the call without even checking who it was.. The doctor that was tending to Zimthele approaches her..
Langelihle:How is she?
“She will be fine, it was just fatigue. We found a high level of stress in her body and that isn’t good for someone who is due to give birth soon.”
Langelihle:But she will be okay?
“Yes, she will be fine. She just needs to rest”
She sighs in relief. That moment scared her.
Langelihle:Thank you so much.
“We will do an ultrasound scan when she’s awake to guarantee that everything is perfectly fine.”
Langelihle:Uhhh I don’t think that would be necessary. I mean she has her own doctor. And her husband really is strict when it comes to the doctors that tend to her.
“O-Kay then, she should go to her doctor and check.”
Langelihle:I will remind her. Thank you once again.
The doctor walks away and Langelihle spots Sondela running to her.
Sondela:*Hugging her* I’m here. What is wrong?
Langelihle:She fainted, we had just finished eating lunch. I rushed her here. But the doctor said she will be okay.
Sondela:Okay let me go see her..
He disappears to the room where Zimthele is. Langelihle looks at the door and turns away making a phone call.
Inside the ward room.
Sondela brushes Zimthele’s arm, she was asleep.
He got so scared when Langelihle called her and told him that Zimthele is at a hospital.
Zimthele softly opens her eyes and realizes she is at a hospital.
She sits up.
Sondela:Hey..
Zimthele:Babe.. When did you get here?
Sondela:I just arrived. What happened?
Zimthele:I was out eating lunch with Langelihle when I fell dizzy. I don’t remember what happened after that. I’m only waking up now..
Sondela:You scared me. Are you feeling any pain?
Zimthele:I have been experiencing cramps lately.
Sondela:And you didn’t tell me?
Zimthele:I’m sorry, I thought it was part of the pregnancy.
Sondela:You could have put the baby at risk. Already he’s still in a breech and there is no progress with turning him. Don’t take anything lightly Zimthele.
Zimthele:I won’t do it again.
Sondela:It’s okay. We will go to your doctor and check if the baby is fine.
Zimthele:Doesn’t he work here?
Sondela:I will go check his office.
She nodded and Sondela went out to look for Zachary (the doctor).
He found Langelihle talking to someone on a phone, by the corner and she was whispering. He pat her on her shoulder and she turned back almost dropping her phone. She hung up and looked at him with a smile.
Langelihle:She okay?
Sondela:Yeah, I’m off to find her doctor to run an ultrasound scan.
Langelihle:Okay. I think I should go home.
Sondela:*Nodding* Thank you for bringing her here.
Langelihle:*Smiling* She would have done the same for me.
They hugged and shared a brief kiss before parting ways.
Sondela went to Zachary’s office and knocked.
“Come in”, he entered and greeted him.
He sat on the chair.
Zachary:Mr Mthembu, how may I help you?
Sondela:My wife was admitted here and I would like you to run a scan to check if the baby is okay.
Zachary:No worries, is she okay?
Sondela:She is fine. Tell me, why is the turning of the baby taking this long? What’s the hold up really?
Zachary:Sir we haven’t reached your wife’s name on the list.
Sondela:So you mean all this time, you couldn’t just squeeze her in?
Zachary takes out a file from his desk and gives it to him.
Sondela pages through it.
Zachary:As you can see I’m not lying. There are many names on the list.
Sondela:*Putting the file down* But she’s going to give birth soon. Won’t that give her complications?
Zachary:I will try my best to squeeze her in on the following days. The lady due for the procedure next hasn’t confirmed her appointment.
Sondela breathed relieved.
Sondela:Thank you so much.
He shook his hand.
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MTHEMBU SENIOR
Nono:I don’t know anything about him. He just came to me and offered to give me a child if I agree to do something for him. I was desperate and I agreed. When he told me it’s to kidnap Langelihle, that’s when I wanted to back out but he started threatening me, that he would kill my entire family if I didn’t comply. So I had no choice. I’m really sorry.
Mthembu:Can you draw his face for me?
Nono:Uhh… I can try. He was always facing on the other side though, so I don’t have his full view.
She takes a pen and paper and start drawing.
Mthembu:Where is he now?
Nono:He said he has some things to take care of, he returned to where he came from.
Mthembu:I see. And he planted you to be his spy.
Nono:Yes.
Mthembu:What a mess you have gotten yourself into.
She draws for a while and hands me the paper when he’s done. I look at it and I didn’t recognize him at all. How is it that this Mdididi is Langelihle’s father but he looks younger than her or her age?
Mthembu:A piece of advice, you don’t betray friends. No matter how much a person has offered you. Now you are going to stay the hell away from Langelihle, I don’t want to see you even breathing the same air as hers. When you see her, turn the other way. Verstaan jy? (Do you understand?)
Nono:Yes yes I’ll stay away….
Good. I left her and went to my car. I looked at this picture one more time. Something is off, and I don’t like it. Usually people strike when you least expect it, which is why you gotta stay vigilant at all times.
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LANGELIHLE
After leaving the hospital, I went to the cemetery. To visit my babies. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I brought fresh flowers. I place them each on the three graves that were next to each other. I kneeled in front of them and all the pain came back. How I have been told four times that they didn’t make it.
How I have had three funerals for each pregnancy.
My tears fall to the tombstone and I weep some more, crying all the pain out. Why won’t God favour me and give me a child?
This is too much to take in and endure.
I looked at the tombs and closed my eyes in pain.
Syabonga would be turning eight (8) this year. Ntombenhle would be turning six and Vumela would be turning three. My babies. Why couldn’t they live? What wrong have I done to the world that I would have to bury all my children before I could even hold them. Don’t I deserve happiness? The pictures of them being born already dead will be always stuck in my mind. No matter how much I try, I just can’t get it out.
I would be taking them to school every day like every mother. We would be having game nights every Friday.
I wipe my tears with the dress I was wearing but the tears just won’t stop. The pain doesn’t stop, it gets worse than the day it happened. It never stops hurting.
I lie on top of the three graves, spreading my body enough and weep loudly and painfully….
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To be continued…
