Maid For Marriage

66

I was tired of hearing Senzo and his girlfriend going at it in our matrimonial bed so I went to sit outside. I was in the backyard sitting on a grass mat drowning my sorrows in his expensive liquor.

I heard cackling and laughing coming around the corner. It was a group of women and I knew exactly who. My damn sister wives. "MaBhengu. You stayed." MaGumede said happily. "Ma said we'd find you here. Ma and Gogo are sitting out front. Both of them in the worst mood." MaCele added.

"Thandi we're talking to you!" MaKhumalo said loudly but I just lifted my glass and drank whatever was left. "Thandi you're being childish. Ma called us over to come get you." I just sat staring into space. I couldn't. I could do anything besides drink. I wanted to be numb. Mentally and physically.

"This woman is not serious! MaBhengu!" MaGumede yelled angrily. She walked over to me. I guess she wanted to pull my leg to get my attention but she gasped when she saw my face. She put her hands over her mouth and took a couple of steps back.

"Mbali." MaGumede's voice was shaky. As if she was about to cry. "Mbali." She said more sternly. MaKhumalo walked over with the others who all had the same reaction. "Who did this to you?" I poured myself another glass. "It can't be. No. Senzo would never." I took a sip watching MaKhumalo try and convince herself that her husband wasn't a monster.

"He did. We saw it with our own eyes." Gogo's raspy voice came from around the corner. "He came in here with his mistress and beat his wife. He took her to the room. They haven't come out since. The elders are on their way. They'll be here in a couple of hours." MaKhumalo was frantically wiping away tears but they wouldn't stop falling.

I on the other hand didn't care anymore. They went into the house and there was a lot of shouting and screaming. I'm sure, like always, the neighbors were probably trying to figure out what was going on. I eventually went inside and took a nap.

"Thandi. Thandi wake up the elders are here." I tried cleaning some of the dry blood off my lip. I looked even worse now because the bruise was getting darker. My head and side of my face was pounding. "I brought something for the pain." I took the medication because any relief would help. "Here. Put this on." I didn't want to but I put on the apron she gave me and I let her cover my head before walking out of the room.

I sat on the floor in front of everyone. I didn't even care who was there but I did notice that Senzo wasn't.

"Makoti it's nice to see you again even under not so good circumstances." Senzo's uncle said. The whole room was just awkward. It felt like walking in a room where everyone besides you knew what was coming.

"Makoti on behalf of the Dlamini family and your husband we would just like to appologize for what happened here. I'm sure you can see that your husband is not himself. We as a family will have to sit and talk things out before finding a way forward."

I had no idea where this was going but I knew it was definitely not going in my favour. I've seen too many movies and read to many books. I knew I needed to get out of here but for now I needed to play along. Luckily for me playing along meant sitting here and being quiet.

"Makoti I would like to remind you that you are now part of the Dlamini family. Even though all the marital rites have not been concluded you have left the Bhengu's and you are now in the Dlamini fold. We expect of you to let us handle this. We'll work it out privately."

So they're were basically telling me to shut up.

"You and your husband have been through a lot but the fact that you're still here and still standing shows us that you're a strong wife. They say a woman holds the knife by the sharp side of the blade. You've been doing it so gracefully. Hold on Makoti and don't let go. We are here to help. If ever you feel you need to vent, don't go elsewhere. You have mother's and sisters in this room. A wife holds and protects her families secrets. She doesn't go share them with the world."

Why are all of them just being quiet and going with it? I thought they would at least stick up for me. Not even ma was saying anything. At least Ma needed to say something. She was like a grandmother to me. Why wasn't she saying anything? I don't understand.

"I think we are all on the same page. We are a family. This is a family matter and we will deal with it as a family."

I was dismissed after that. Ma took me to my room. I noticed it had been cleaned and there was even new bedding on the bed. Ma got clothes for me and ran my bath. She didn't once leave my side. She was rinsing the soap off my back when I heard her whimper. "Thandi please. This will ruin him. It will ruin his career and it will ruin this family." I was sure this was going to make her sick. Before Senzo was even part of my life ma was my family. I owed her and Bab'Dlamini so much but is it fair to pay with my life?

"Don't worry ma. I hear you." Nothing else was said. She just tucked me into bed after that. I fell asleep but when I woke up the house was completely quiet, all the lights were off and when I checked the time on my phone it was midnight.

I didn't want to wake anyone so I used the torch from my phone to silently pack a bag. I got some cash, my bank card, and ID. I got my bag and my car keys and silently walked to the front door.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

Senzo?

Shit!

I was going to die today.

This man is going to kill me.