LANGELIHLE #38
At the hospital.
The doctor comes to check on Sondela.
Sondela:When will I be released here?
Doc:When you are fine and when we are impressed that you will be fine.
He nodded.
Doc:How is the pain now?
Sondela:It gets worse. I feel very tired, it’s difficult to even breath. When will my bones heal?
Doc:It will take some time. Most of them have healed and they have different healing periods.
Sondela:Mhh okay.
He said and brought his head forward, and leaned back again.
Doc:Are you okay?
Sondela:Yeah I just have the urge to vomit.
The doctor quickly grabbed a bed pan, it was the only thing near him. Sondela vomited on it and brought back everything. The doctor went to dispose it on the bathroom and came back.
“That was one of the side effects, vomiting.”
He talked to Sondela but he didn’t reply.
He snapped his hands in front of him but still nothing.
Sondela face started to twitch and his muscles clenched, becoming rigid as a board.
He shook uncontrollably, having a seizure.
The doctor looked at his watch, and turned him to the side to keep the airway clear.
It went on for two minutes and Sondela stopped.
He turned him back to normal and looked at him in pity.
Sondela:I’m not going to be okay anytime soon, am I?
He asked blinking his tears.
Doc:Let’s take it one day at a time. I will call someone to help you go outside for some air.
He went out and came across Mthembu and Mlamuli outside. He called them to his office and they all sat down.
Mlamuli:Is my brother okay?
The doctor sighed.
Doc:I still don’t know how he woke up, none of the tests came back with a valid explanation. Your son is paralyzed forever. His legs will never work. Like I have explained, he suffered severe brain damage and his spine was badly broken. Right now he just had a seizure, it died down within two minutes, but we don’t know how long it will last the next time or if it won’t cause further damage to his already painful body. He cries of pain everyday, I’m sorry to say that he will be like this forever.
Mlamuli swallowed looking at his father.
Mlamuli:Isn’t there anything you can do?
Doc:We are trying but I’m not putting hope. I think it was best to switch off the machines, because he’s as good as dead. I’m sorry.
Mlamuli:But he’s alive. He will get better.
Doc:I’m not going to lie to you, he won’t. The only thing that will heal are his dislocated bones, and they all have different healing period. He still need a hip replacement surgery.
Mlamuli sighed thinking, how can one accident cause so much damage? He can see that there’s no hope for his brother. But he is alive, shouldn’t they be at least grateful for that?
Mthembu was quiet the entire time. This is exactly what he was telling his wife, that they need to let Sondela go. He can’t live in pain forever.
Mthembu:Uhh Mlamuli can you please give me and the doctor some space?
Mlamuli:Okay, I will go and see Sondela.
He went out and went to Sondela’s room. A nurse was helping him back to bed. He was heartbroken seeing his brother like that, his body was misshapen because of the dislocations. Sondela grunted in pain but quickly covered it up with a smile when he saw Mlamuli. The nurse left them.
Mlamuli:Hey.
Sondela:Hi brother.
Mlamuli:How are you feeling today?
Sondela:Getting better. In no time I will be out of here and be back home.
He lied. His body was pumping with pain.
Mlamuli:I’m glad, we all miss you. You will remember everything don’t worry.
Sondela:I hope so. I feel like so stupid, my mind is blank.
Mlamuli:You’re not stupid. It will just take some time. We will be here for you.
Sondela:When is Langelihle coming back?
Mlamuli:I don’t know, but she is a Queen. So I guess she’s busy, but she will see you.
Sondela:I hope so, I miss her even though I don’t remember her.
“Maybe their love was strong after all”, Mlamuli thought to himself.
Sondela kept taking heavy breaths.
Mlamuli:Are you sure you are okay?
Sondela :I’m okay.
Mlamuli:You don’t look okay. I will call the nurse.
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LANGELIHLE
Mlando and Nongcebo have been very helpful. I wouldn’t have done everything without them. I haven’t talked to Mlando about what Gobi said, that we have to marry each other. Because I’m not doing that. I’m not marrying my cousin, Gobi says I’m stubborn like my mother. I don’t care, but the ancestors are asking too much of me. That’s one thing I can’t give them, they’ll have to forgive me or punish me.
I’m going to see Sondela. I was already this side, tying up a deal. The investors keep piling up daily, they say Elangeni is a beautiful place and can create many job opportunities. I agree with them, we are in the process of rebuilding the farm. We may just get into the supply business and supply local business with whatever we will harvest on the farms.
The Gumbis made such a generous donation, I will forever be thankful. They are the ones who had food delivered to the villagers, I can’t thank them enough. Nkosenye and his wife are so kind. And they look so cute together.
I arrive at the hospital, I can’t wait to share all these good news with Sondela. I know he won’t know what I’m even talking about.
I arrived at his ward and he looked like he had just woken to up. I sat on the chair next to him and smiled.
Sondela:I thought you weren’t coming today.
Langelihle:I wouldn’t do that.
Sondela:I missed you.
Langelihle:*Blushing* I missed you too.
I noticed a wheelchair.
Langelihle:Were you outside today?
Sondela :Yeah, they took me out to get some air.
Langelihle:I’m glad, being cooped in here all day is not good for you. So how are you feeling today?
I asked as I took his hands, holding it. He grunted and closed his eyes.
Sondela:Please don’t let me go. The pain gets better when you hold me.
I looked at him and indeed he didn’t look so good. He has been putting up an act all this time??
Langelihle :What’s wrong Sondela? Talk to me.
Sondela:I can’t feel my legs. My body is painful. Everything hurts, I feel like my brain is about to explode. I’m in terrible pain Langelihle, everyday, day in day out. The doctor keeps on saying I should take it one day at a time but I see it in his eyes that he’s just giving me false hope. I’m always going to be like this. I’m never gonna walk again, I’m always going to look like this.
Langelihle:Please don’t talk like this. It’s only been two weeks since you woke up. You will get better.
Sondela:I don’t know. Dying would have been better than this.
I blinked my tears hearing him speak like this. Maybe I can heal him. I put my both hands on his legs and closed my eyes.
“What are you doing?”, he asked me.
Langelihle:Shhh.
He kept quiet and I continued putting my hands on his legs.
“It won’t work, it’s his fate. You weren’t supposed to bring him back”
Langelihle:There must be something I can do Ataru. I can’t just sit by and watch.
“It’s his fate.”
I opened my eyes.
Langelihle:Can you feel your legs now?
He shook his head no. I nodded disappointed. What kind of wife am I? I have all these abilities. But I can’t heal my husband, who has lost hope in life.
..
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To be continued
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