MATHONGA

Chapter 22

BONGIWE-

“I’m sorry, there is no heartbeat.” Her worst fears are confirmed.

She knew in her heart there would be, right when she started bleeding after running out of her husband’s house. Flashes of him holding a man in his arms replaying in her head like a broken record.
She panicked when she felt something wet oozing into her panties, and sent a hand to inspect, her heart sunk to her stomach at the sight of blood on her trembling fingers.
She was right to panic because the bleeding was not brown, but bright red and terrifying.
Already sweating and in tears, she shouted for the driver to drive her to the nearest hospital in Northcliff, where a nurse assessed her, blood was taken for tests before attending a scan.
Minutes seemed to crawl by as she waited, she didn’t have anyone with her to hold her hand or tell her everything was going to be okay.

Now here she is, with a broken heart. She’s staring at the ceiling above her, unable to make eye contact with the nurse, willing her to say it was a mistake, there is a baby.
“We managed to get through to your husband, he’s on his way.” The nurse says, patting her shoulder. Maybe she shouldn’t have, or it’s the mention of her husband that has her bursting in painful sobs.
The nurse tries to console her, doing her best to keep her calm. But of course for anyone in her condition, one is simply inconsolable.

The door to her ward opens and in walks a lanky buff man, brows knitted and lips formed into a thin line. His eyes are wide and forehead pearled with sweat. She can tell he ran here with the way he’s breathing raggedly.
“My baby.” Her scream pierces through the room, tears pool from her eyes, showing the extent of pain gritting her heart. One large step and he has her locked in his arms, she rests her head on his chest as she laments for her baby.
“Phephisa Mshengu, phephisa Shabalala.” (I’m sorry.)
He is at a loss for words, nothing comes to him but a lousy apology.
“Why me? Why us?” Endless questions surge through her, none of them with an answer. Zakhe has no solutions for her, he holds her tighter. The only way he can assure her that he’s here.
“I’m so… sorry sthandwa sami.”   
“No, no you’re not…” She pushes him off of her. “You wanted this to happen, you wanted me to lose my baby.” She accuses him, barely able to speak through crying.
“You know that is not true Bongiwe.”
It’s not. Yes he wasn’t happy about her falling pregnant, when she knew he didn’t want kids, and even had the audacity to accuse her of cheating. But he’d never wish death upon an innocent baby. Sure he didn’t get time to bond with the pregnancy or get the hang of it, it hurts him too that she’s lost the baby.
“Then why aren’t you crying with me? Your face is so cold Vukuzakhe. We just lost our baby… our first baby.” Her bloodshot eyes are stained with pain and grief.
She can’t ignore the chaos she feels inside. How did she come from the absolute height of joy only a few days earlier to now arrive in this bottomless pit of despair?
Zakhe cups her face, places a kiss on her forehead and brings her close to his chest.
“I’m hurting too Bongiwe, I know it’s nothing compared to what you’re feeling. I need you to understand that I’m here for you, you’re not alone in this.”
The sincerity in his voice is assuring enough, Bongiwe clasps her arms around him and releases excruciating sobs.

NTABEZIKUDE-

He’s different from his brothers, he’s the reckless one in the family. The ugly duckling. You can easily pick him out. While everyone tries to walk around with halos crowning their heads, he presents himself the way he is. Raw and unfiltered.
Like all his brothers, he grew up needing attention from his parents. His only sin was that he was the middle child, stuck in the middle between four perfect boys who always outshined him. No matter how hard he worked, it was never enough for his parents.
If it wasn’t Dalisile giving Vukuzakhe too much attention and working overtime to hate Mathonga, it was Vumile loving Mathonga with everything he was and patting Hlabela on the shoulder for being so perfect, while trying to put a disruptive Ndleleni on the right path.

For years he held on to the hope that, one day they will notice him. Until one afternoon, he spotted his father gallivanting around with a woman who was not his mother.
He was 14 years old, and too tall for his age thanks to his father’s genes. His long legs didn’t rest that day, following his father and his mistress around until they jumped into a car and drove away.
He couldn’t follow them, but he waited. He waited for a day his father would slip and expose himself, he waited for a day his father would ask his mother for a divorce and tell them he’s bringing another woman into the house.
He waited for two years with a heavy heart. That’s when he learned how to be patient but it was all in vain. The day never came.
Eventually, his body lost its strength, his mind shattered and the rest of him followed suit.