Amile The Queen

Chapter Ninety-Seven

***Amile Gumede***

Finale

“Where is baba?” the boys are jumping around me.
I had to come back and pack everything for him, and myself. We took the decision that both Khaya and I will go with him to Durban, and we will book accommodation close enough to the hospital where we can visit him.
I’m not allowed to be travelling, even my doctor gave me a scolding, but this is a life or death situation, I need to be by my husbands’ side all the time. It’s a sickness and health thing, a forever thing, I’m not going to drop him for anything.
“Baba is at the hospital, he has to stay there for a few days so he can feel better.” I say brushing Mgcini’s head.
They are so dirty, you can tell that they were exploring the garden.
Halle is staring at me, he understands more than Mgcini does, he’s a little older.
“Did you have fun exploring today?” I ask trying to trail off.
My mind has a lot of things clogging it up. I feel like I’m running out of breath.
“Yes, Aunty took us for a walk.” I kissed Mgcini’s forehead.
“That’s great my boy! You guys need to get a bath.”  I say hugging Halle.
His body is stiff.
“Are you also going to leave?” he asks me.
I sighed. I hate breaking their little hearts, I hate it so much.
“Yes my boy, I have to go take care of baba right, so he can be better and he can come home.” I say.
I see both their faces fall.
“When I come back, I will have a surprise for the both of you, right!” Mgcini nodded excitedly.
Halle still looks unhappy about me departing.
“You want to help me pack?” I’m trying by all means to make it up to them.
“I want to talk to baba.” Halle demands.
My heart falls.
“Okay, I’ll ask Khaya to call him.” I don’t even know if baba has his phone on him.
They accompany me upstairs to my room. Sis’ Melo has already packed two bags, mine and the baby’s. That leaves me to do my husband’s bag.
“Sisi have you seen Khaya around?” I ask her.
“He’s in the king’s study my queen.”
“Please call him up for me. Thank you for packing my things.”
“Will do my queen.” she rushes out the room.
The boys help me take out baba’s bag and I take out his pajama’s and underwear. That’s all he’s going to need, I don’t need to pack him clothes. I also gather his toiletries, gown and a throw.
I’m walking around the room trying to find everything, and put it in one place. I suddenly feel a sharp pain in my abdomen. An involuntary scream escapes my lips. That caught me off guard, and it was freaking painful.
“What’s going on?” Khaya asks as he walks in.
The boys look scared all of a sudden.
“I don’t know.” lean on the wall and listen to the pain.
“Maybe you are in labour.” he comes to help me up.
“No, I’m not in labour Khaya.” I stand up right and take a deep breath.
“You were asking for me?”
“Yes, the boys want to call baba, does he have his phone on him?”
“Yes, he does.” he pulls out his tablet and calls the boys to come and speak to their father.
They both look excited to see him. I continue with my packing when I hear his voice rumble from the tablet.
“How are my boys doing?”
“We are okay baba, when are you coming back?” Mgcini asks.
“Baba is in the hospital because he is not feeling well. But I will be better soon okay.” they both nodded.
Their sad faces got to me. I turned away, I couldn’t stand watching those sad faces.
Another sharp pain attacked me.
“Ayibo Khaya what’s going on?” that was baba’s voice.
“Mageba can I call you back.” he says.
“Don’t call me back, bring her to the hospital!” I’m a sobbing mess.
“Yes my king.”
He comes to help me up and we limp to the door.
“Someone help!” he shouts from the door and practically the whole palace comes rushing up the stairs.
He asks Mgabadeli to carry me down to the car. The pains are worsening by the second.
Mamizana!” I hear one of the little voices crying behind me.
My heart breaks. I’m shaking in my boots, it can’t be that I’m in labour, not now.
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“It’s called Braxton hicks or false labour. You might experience this often before you actually experience true labour.” my doctor explained while she moved the transducer around my belly.
The heart beat is loud.
“She looks like she’s ready to evacuate.” she says smiling at me.
Someone is holding their breath.
“Can’t I be induced then?” I beg.
I’m tired of being pregnant, and the best bet right now is to give birth before baba goes into surgery, which has been scheduled for the 5th of January.
“Induced labour is only advisable in the case where the mother or the child is in danger, both of you are fine, so there is no need. And it is way more painful than waiting for your water to break on it’s own.” baba squeezed my hand.
I really thought she would agree.
“But everything looks good! I’d advise you to rest, these are the final days, and you will miss these days when baby is here.” she chuckles.
I don’t share the joke.
Baba helped me wipe the gel on my stomach and helped me up.
“Thank you doctor.” he said.
He left his ward as soon as they rushed me in. His excuse was he’s not sick, it’s just formalities that he’s here. He was so scared when he walked in. He was both scared and excited, thinking I was going into labour. He really doesn’t want to miss it, and I understand where he is coming from.
“About your trip to Durban...” she says folding a note and slipping it into an envelope.
“I can’t not go doctor, I have to be there for this surgery.” I say.
“I understand that, that means I will have to be on stand-by, and I need to inform the ob/gyn at eThekwini Hospital in case of an emergency.”
“Please doctor.”
“Do you have a midwife?” I don’t even know what that is.
“No, I don’t.”
“Will there be anyone who will able to take care of you, and monitor you closely at all times?” she asked again.
“Yes, we will be travelling with my personal maid.” she nods and writes something down.
“Then I don’t think we are going to experience any problems.” she handed me the envelope.
“Thank you doctor.”
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He refused to climb in an ambulance, that’s how stubborn baba is. I refused to travel with him in the same car, so it’s just me and Sis’ Melo in mine.
There are three more cars behind us, and two in front. What for you may ask? Formalities they call it. The security force wanted to add some sirens too, but baba and blatantly refused, it’s already too much that our vehicles have flags flying on them, causing traffic everywhere, sirens would have been over the top.
We have arrived in Durban, but all the cars are driving to the hospital first, because they have to escort the king.
He told me he doesn’t want me to be running around, going up and down in the hospital. He gave me strict instructions to stay inside and not come out. I’ll only go to the hospital on the day of his surgery, and that is it.
My phone rings, startling me from my thoughts. It’s my mom. I haven’t spoken to her in a while.
“Umuntu waganwa wasikhohlwa.” I laughed.
“Hi mommy.”
“Hi baby, how are you?”
“I’m good, how are you, how is everyone there?” I miss my brother so much.
Being with Halle and Mgcini reminds me of my brother, the close relationship we had, and the love I have for him. My little Siviwe.
“They are good, your sister has started walking.” what?
“So quickly! Wow I can’t wait to see her!”
“She’s too smart, she reminds me of you when you were a baby.” I laughed.
“You sound like you are on the road, where are you going, aren’t you supposed to be at home waiting to give birth?”
“I am, we are going to Durban for baba’s surgery.”
“What? Is he okay?” he sounds concerned.
“Yes, he’s okay, but his arteries are starting to clog up again, so his doctor said it’s best he get bypass surgery before it’s too late.”
“Oh my gosh, we will keep him in prayers. And when are you giving birth?” I sighed.
“Thank you mama. Any day from today. I thought I was going to do it today, but it was false labour.”
“That’s the worst trust me I know.”
“Of all things mama I just hope baba’s surgery goes well. He doesn’t want to do it now because he might miss the baby’s birth.”
“His health should come first, so he can be there for his daughter.” mom echoed my same sentiments.
“That’s exactly what I said to him. But he agreed, and I can see that he’s crossing his fingers that I go into labour as soon as today, before the surgery. The excitement on his face when I was experiencing false labour pains was priceless.” she giggled.
“Oh man, he’s excited, it’s his first child.” first, not so much.
“Yeah, I understand mama.”
“Where will you be staying, so I can bring Siviwe and Iyamangalisa to come see you.”
“Some house in Durban North.”
“In Mandlenkosi’s house?” she asks in a haste.
I roll my eyes.
“No, I think baba has property there.”
We are passed that phase where I can’t be trusted around Mandlenkosi, he’s moved on, so have I.
“Okay, send me the location, we might pop in tomorrow if you aren’t busy.”
“I won’t you can come.”
“Okay then, let me not keep you, we will see you tomorrow.”
“Okay mommy, I love you.”
“I love you too baby.”
I hung up and placed my phone aside.
I can see the hospital. I haven’t been in Durban in a while, the last time I came was before I knew I was pregnant. Even when Khaya went to buy my baby clothes, he left me behind.
The cars are now slowing down, adding on to the traffic that is already caused by the people leaving work rushing to go home. It’s peak time!
Sirens go off, and I immediately know that it’s that time, they are forcing their way through.
We forge our way through the traffic successfully and when we get to the hospital, the car line up in front of the entrance. I know I’m not coming out, so I’m going to sit and relax till we go off again.
My door opened, and baba stood there. I gave him a smile before leaning in to give him a kiss on the lips.
I don’t like fighting with him, that fight we had in Mhlongo’s office bothers me, but he’s doing what I told him to do, so we are fine.
“Please take care of yourself.” he said holding my hand.
I should be telling him that.
“I will Mageba, and you must also take care of you.” he smiled and placed his hands on my tummy.
“Please listen to Khaya, do not give him a hard time.”
“Yes baba.” I wanted to roll my eyes so badly.
“I’ll see you after tomorrow.” I’m kind of sad that I won’t sleep in his arms tonight.
That is unusual.
“Okay.” I said.
He cupped my face and kisses my lips tenderly.
“I love you.” he whispered.
“I love you too.” I whispered back.
He turned back and Khaya came into view.
“Call me if she gives you a hard time.” really?
I crossed my arms across my chest and stared at him. Wow!
“Yes my king.” Khaya said with a giggle.
He blew me a kiss before his guards escorted him inside. Khaya climbed in the car with me and two of the cars took off with us.
“I don’t know why you guys got so much security. Who’s left at the palace.” I asked Khaya.
“Don’t worry yourself about all those things.” I leaned on his shoulders.
He’s so hands-on, and I know it’s his job, but he’s doing so much more than he should, and it’s making everything so smooth for everyone.
“Thank you Khaya.” I said.
“It’s my job Ndlunkulu.”
What would I be if he wasn’t here?