Maid For Marriage

68

I needed to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. From birth, my father made sure to prepare me to be someone's wife. I was only a pawn in his sick games and fantasies.

I know I could've ended up with someone worse if it were up to my father. He wanted me to marry someone with wealth and resources but not too much power so he could control them. For years, I was scared of marriage. Terrified even, and then I met someone who I liked. At some stage, I fell in love. He even fit my father's criteria. He was perfect, and we would live a perfect life together.

I knew that with multiple wives, there would always be problems. There would always be fights, but I never expected him to hurt me like this. Even though we went through a lot together, this is not how it was supposed to end.

End?

Was my marriage over? Was I still a wife? Did I still have a husband? Did he still love me? How was I supposed to sleep with all of these uncertainties?

I stood up and went to the kitchen to get something to drink. I poured some of the children's chocolate milk. I've been hiding from them ever since I got here. They didn't even know I was staying here. I took a seat by the kitchen island and sipped on my chocolate milk.

A light went on, and my aunt was standing there with her eldest son. "Sisi? Is that you?" His little voice made me tear up instantly. I've been avoiding them long before Senzo did this to my face. I just couldn't bring myself to be in the presence of any kind of joy and happiness.

"Sisi, what's on your face?" He let go of his mother's hand and held his arms up for me to lift him. I obliged. "What's this?" He placed his tiny palm gently on my cheek. It hurt a little, but I didn't care. "I was running in the house when I wasn't supposed to, and I fell." He sighed. "I think it's because you didn't listen." He said matter of fact. "Mama said, no running in the house. What did you do?" He was so cute I couldn't help smiling. "I ran in the house." He nodded. "You must stop doing that. I'm gonna tell on you." I chuckled. "Okay, I promise I won't run in the house again." He drank some water and ma put him to bed again.

I shopped online for a new phone and some clothes. I even stopped hiding in my room that week. I didn't leave the house but at least I left my room.

I woke up Saturday morning, and I already felt defeated. I had no idea what the outcome of the meeting would be. It didn't matter. Anything that was decided could affect me negatively.

I kept to myself for the first half of the day. I was trying to keep myself calm. I did not need to be emotional today. Sethu, my aunt's sister-wife, also joined us for the meeting. My in-laws arrived, and I was called when they were ready. Senzo's uncle's, mother, and grandmother sat on the couches while all the wives sat on the floor. Sethu showed me to an empty chair next to my aunt, and I took a seat.

"Um, usually our Makoti sits on the floor, and in this case, I think it's only fair that she joins her sisters just as a show of respect for her elders and our ancestors." The main uncle asked. "She will remain seated where she is. Let us not forget who's house we are in." Thabo said sternly.

After a few pleasantries from the Dlamini family were met with hostility, they decided to play the only card they had.
Money.
The men pulled out stacks and stacks of money. "Even though a fine has not yet been requested, we ask that you accept this as well as our humble apologies." I could almost roll my eyes, but I kept my head bowed.

"So your son tortures my daughter for months before and after losing her second child, and you expect money to make it better?" My aunt was livid. "I can tell you're getting emotional. Maybe we can let the man of the house speak. I'm not usually addressed by women like this." I could not believe the nerve of this man. "My wife can speak for herself." Thabo said, and I could tell by the grunts coming from the Dlamini side that they were not happy.

"You might be a man and an elder in your family, but here, in the presence of royalty, you are a commoner. You quickly forget that the very woman your son and family have abused outranks you."

"Abuse Nthombi? That's taking it a bit too far." MaRadebe finally spoke up. "MaRadebe, I wouldn't talk if I were you. In fact, that's what you're good at. Not talking. Your son put my daughter through a world of pain by faking a coma. Then, she had a miscarriage. None of us want to say it, but there's no other explanation other than your son's antics put her through so much stress that her baby died. You, MaRadebe, knowing how Thandi is, couldn't call me and tell me what was happening? You kept quiet because you knew it was your son's fault. Then he leaves her right after shelosest the baby. He doesn't come back for months. You kept quiet, MaRadebe. When he comes bacl, he verbally abuses and then throws her into a table so him and his mistress can go have sex in their matrimonial bed. What did you do MaRadebe? You kept quiet. You were supposed to be protecting my child! Instea,  you kept quiet and let her endure heartache after heartache from your son. You claim to love Thand,  but you don't."

"I do! Thandi is like a daughter to me!"

"A daughter?! A daughter! What kind of mother let's her daughter suffer like this!? You sat and watched as your family tried keeping my child silent after your son laid hands on her! Something that you and him both promised me would never happen! I have never been so disappointed in someone before!" Ma had tears streaming down her face. "All these years of living next to each other, caring for each other, and becoming a family was a lie!"

"Nthombi no! It wasn't!" Ma was also crying but I was numb and cried out. I was finished. "Yes it was! It was a lie! If you loved my daughter you would've protected her! You would've spoken up for her! You would've taken care of her as she's been taking care of you for years. You had no one! None of these people in this room with you cared about you at all! None of them! It was my daughter who decided to look after you. She loved you and cared for you when nobody did, and this is how you repay her?" MaRadebe was crying like a baby in Gogo's arms. 

"Where's your son anyway so I can throw this money in his face?" My aunt asked after she wiped her tears. "Um, that is also a point we wanted to discuss. Senzo will be away for a few months. After the news of his wife's miscarriage he got mixed up in the wrong crowd. Our son is suffering from a drug and alcohol problem, and he has opted to go to rehab. He started the program yesterday, which is why he couldn't be here."

"So what is it that you want from us? Why are you here?" My aunt asked, and I couldn't believe it. Was he in rehab? What exactly did he get himself into? "Forgiveness." My aunt scoffed. "We were hoping to talk it out. Our son is not okay, but he is willing to work on himself and his marriages. He does not want anyone of his wives to leave him. So we've come to make sure that MaBhengu is still part of this family. We also want her to come back home. Her mother-in-law needs her." One of the other uncles explained more calmly.

"What you're asking is not something that can just be answered. Just like your son is working on himself, my daughter also needs to work on herself. She will not be dragged into this toxic marriage again. She needs to heal. After that she can decide." Ma said, and it didn't look like they were satisfied.

"Okay, I would like to hear from the Princess. While you are working on yourself and healing, will you be willing to stay with MaRadebe and look after her?" I wasn't expecting to talk in this meeting. I knew what my answer was, but I didn't want to disappoint or hurt anyone.

"Makoti, please speak up." My hands were getting sweaty, and my heart was racing, but I knew my decision was the right one. "Um." I said with a shaky voice. "I won't be going back to live with Ma, but I'll make a list of caregivers you can choose from." Ma was screaming in Gogo's arms. My answer shocked all of my in-laws. It even shocked my sister-wives. I knew what they were doing. They knew I had a soft spot for Ma, and having me look after her was a way of keeping me there with them.

"But your whole life is with MaRadebe. Your home, your clothes, your car, everything is there." I didn't care anymore. "You can keep it. I don't want it. All I want is my daughter's memory box." They were stunned into silence.

"If you want our granddaughter's things, you're going to have to come view it in MaRadebe's house. Her things won't leave her grandmother's house. She's a Dlamini. That's where her memory will stay. With the Dlamini's."

I never wanted to set foot there again, but I needed my daughter's things. They so desperately wanted to get control over me that they would keep her from me. When I heard their cars pull off, I started sobbing. "I need the box, Ma." She hugged me. "I know, baby. We're gonna get it. Don't worry about it." I thought I was all cried out, but once they denied me the box, it was like it all started from over.