Holding On

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Siya takes my hand in his and walks me to the direction of his sister's ward. My heart is drumming aggressively against my chest, and I have a hot lump in my throat. We get to her ward and Siya knocks once before he lets us in. We find her sitting up straight on the bed with her back leaning against the pillows staring at the wall. I can see her wrists wrapped in a cream bandage and my heart bleeds for her when I see the evidence of what she tried to do. When she hears us walk in further into her room, she turns her head to look at us but quickly shifts her blank stare back to the wall. I feel Siya tighten his grip on my hand and I squeeze his back in return to reassure him that I'm here. "Khunji?" he calls out to her but she doesn't respond. "Mntakamama?" he calls out to her again, so softly. (My mothers daughter) She shifts her gaze back to our direction and smiles faintly at him. I guess this is his endearing name for her hence she softened up immediately after he called her that. My heart swells as I witness the love between the two. "I have someone here with me that I'd like to introduce you to," he says to her as he turns his gaze on me. I look up at him and smile. "Khunji, this is Nomzamo, iskwiza sakho," he says while still staring deep in my eyes. (Your sister in-law) I giggle a bit and punch him lightly on his chest. I told him not to introduce me like that, he could have just said that I'm a friend or something not her sister in-law. Ai this man of mine. I look back at her and see her smiling at us and I smile back at her, shyly,

"Hi sisi." (Sister)

"Hi," she responds ever so softly.

"I'm Nomzamo, like your brother mentioned, and it's lovely to meet you."

"Likewise. Well, mna ndingu Khunjuzwa, his younger sister, well one of his younger sisters," she says, as she giggles. (I am)

Even though I haven't known or seen her for over five minutes, something about seeing her smile makes me happy. It feels like it's her way of communicating with us to tell us that she's going to get better, that she's fighting as hard as she can to get back to her old self. Siya's grip on my hand loosens a bit and he pulls me towards the chairs next to her bed so that we can sit.

"Mntase, I thought I could bring uZamo by should you feel like talking to someone who is not me or utata or a nurse. She will keep you company for as long as you need while we wait for uLulu. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. She's here to offer whatever you need," he says to her. (My sibling)

"Did she bring more of her food?" she asks him in a low tone.

One can't miss the glimmer of hope and excitement in her eyes as she asks.

"Unfortunately, not, nomdade, but she will make you anything you want if you ask her nicely," he says, staring back at me with humor plastered all over his face. (My sister).

Her face falls as though greatly disappointed. I guess I have to step in and salvage the situation then,

"What would you like to have?" I ask her, as I shift closer to her bedside.

"Uhm, I feel like something meaty and spicy. Something like spicy chicken livers."

"I can make that for you."

Immediately after I say that she springs forward to sit in an even more upright position and smiles widely at me.

"Really?" she asks me, with excitement laced all over her face.

"Yes, really. I'll ask your brother to get me what I need because I'm not sure if we have livers back home. Right, love?" I ask, turning my face to look at him.

He stares at me with a smile plastered across his face, and continues to not answer my question.

"Love?"