Maid For Marriage

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Dinner was amazing. It was the first time Senzo and I sat down and reflected on some of the good times because there were good times and just spoke about any stupid thing. I was a bit scared because such a romantic evening always ended in sex and I wasn't ready. Before we even started making out on the couch in front of the view, I told him I wasn't ready. He was perfectly fine with it.

He was woken up at five that morning by a call. "Baby, I have to go. Something is happening at one of the mines. MaMlambo will be here at about ten thirty." He kissed me and then left. Since I was awake, I got up. I got the rest of the trash out of the gym and then cleaned up a little and did my exercises. I ordered some groceries online and took a shower, and got dressed while I was waiting for them.

I got a notification that my driver was close, so I went downstairs. I couldn't expect security to waste time bringing my packages up every single day. I asked the driver to just put the packages in the doorway. I started moving and pushing them in with my legs.

"What do you think you're doing?" I looked up and saw some old white lady coming down the stairs. "Hello. I'm moving my groceries." I was so confused. Who was she anyway. "Moving your groceries. Get out! Out!" She stormed towards me, and I didn't want her to push me, so I moved out of the way before she could. I ended up on the steps outside. "What is your problem? I live here." She rolled her eyes. "Sure you do." She said sarcastically. "Let me see your keycard and tag to the building."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Who are you anyway?" Her whole face started going red. "I'm a resident of this building, and I have never in my life seen you! You think you can just come in here and squat in someone's apartment! You're lowering our property rates!" What the hell was going on? Security ran to us.

"This thing is trying to break into our building!" She screamed, which then got the attention of some random kid with a phone. Great. Another public humiliation for me. "Ma'am this woman stays here." She was flabagasted. "Obviously, you're going to back up her story! You're probably in on the scam! I've lived here for a whole month and I haven't seen her once. Which floor is she on?" What was wrong with this woman?

I really tried staying calm and neutral because this kid had a camera in our faces. "She lives in the penthouse, ma'am." She started screaming. I guess it was supposed to be a laugh. She sounded like the evil witch in kids' movies. "Okay, I can prove this. I'll go fetch my tablet and scan her tag. You'll see her picture pop up on the screen with a few of her details. Is it okay if I do that, Mrs Dlamini." I nodded. "Please do." He ran down to their office.

"What are you doing? Are you in on this, too?!" She yelled at the boy. "Ma'am if I were you, I would start getting my affairs in order because I'm on live and millions of people are watching. You're about to ruin your own life." The boy said, and it kind of scared me too. "I don't believe a fucking word you're saying! I've had it! Leave!" She grabbed my arm. "Ma'am do not touch me. I've had surgery and I'm not fully healed. Do not..." She pushed me right in my chest.

Security came running to try and stop her but it was too late. The pain was so bad my head was spinning and I felt nauseous. It felt like my chest was exploding. I clutched onto the railing as the woman started screaming. I felt something hit my head and that's when I started struggling down the stairs. I couldn't see anything.

She was screaming, security was screaming at her, she was throwing my groceries all over the place and security had to call the police. "Ma'am, are you okay?" I nodded but I wasn't okay at all. I was halfway down the stairs struggling to even stand. My phone vibrated in my hand but I just needed to get my balance back.

The boy helped me down the stairs and got me seated in the security booth. "Is there anything I can do?" I handed him my phone because I was struggling to catch my breath. "Hello. Yes. She is here. I got her away. Security called the police. Yes sir. Ma'am. Ma'am it's your husband." He put the phone on speaker. "Baba." I got out. "I'm driving . I'll be there in about ten minutes. How are feeling?" I couldn't form words. "Mamakhe are you still there? Thandi." I hummed in response and then groaned right after from the pain. "Okay, I'm on my way. I'm on my way okay. MaKhumalo texted me. They'll be there in a little bit. They're closer. How's your breathing? How's her breathing?"

I was struggling. I didn't think there was anything wrong with my lungs. This woman just sent a shockwave of pain through my whole body. "It's heavy but she's breathing sir." He said to the phone. "Okay, what's your name?"
"Sipho sir."
"Okay, Sipho. That's MaBhengu. My wife. A few months ago she's went I to heart failure and had open heart surgery. During this time she also developed some serious lung problems. I need you to listen to her breathes. Are they heavy or is she wheezing?" There was silence my ears were  ringing. "She's wheezing sir." I was? All I knew was that my lungs were burning and my chest felt like it was bursting.

"Okay, does she have her apartment key with her?"
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, it should have her access card. Take it and run to the elevator. Go up to the penthouse. Once you're there I'll lead you to her pump." The boy grabbed my keys and ran.

I laid my head down on the table. I was sweating. My wound felt like it was on fire and my chest felt like it was tightening. I haven't had breathing problems since I stopped oxygen therapy.

I could still hear that damn woman screaming and shouting. "MaBhengu." The boy came in and gave me my pump. I took two pumps and it didn't feel like it was doing anything. I sat up straight and did one more and the tightness in my chest lessened. "Thank you." He just nodded. "Your groceries are ruined." He added and I chuckled a little but the pain stopped me.

He gave me my phone and then said he's going to film the crazy lady. Luckily that's when MaKhumalo and the wives arrived. "Where is she?!" MaKhumalo came and helped me out of the small booth and into the car. I was fine. Just in pain.

But that's when screaming and fighting broke out. MaKhumalo was in a screaming match with the crazy lady and the other three were backing her up. She started throwing groceries again and for what happened next I had to rub my eyes to see if I wasn't hallucinating. The crazy lady threw a small bottle of juice at MaKhumalo but MaKhumalo caught it. She threw it back at her and it hit the crazy lady in the face. Juice splashed all over and she screamed hysterically.

The residents were trying to watch from their windows. Some got in the crossfire just to see what was happening and the boy who helped me still had his phone out. He was laughing at the top of his lungs.

"Shut up!" MaKhumalo screamed. She picked up a bigger bottle from the ground. "Shut the fuck up!" Her voice boomed again as she held the bottle up ready to throw it at the lady. Surprisingly the lady went quiet. I would too if I was being yelled at like that. I have never heard anyone's voice travel that far.

I heard police sirens and I saw the cars pull in at the gate. Senzo's car followed. I saw him get out of the car and the wives pointed to me. He was running like a mad man. I was fine. They were probably going to make a big deal out of this. Before Senzo got to me another car pulled up. My mother jumped out of it before it even stopped with a damn sjambok. What was she going to do with that? She already went to jail once.

"Mamakhe." He opened my door completely out of breath. "I'm fine." He definitely didn't believe me. "I don't care what you say. You're going to the hospital." I just rolled my eyes. "You need to calm down. I'll go when all of this is over." I motioned to the scene in front of us. My mother was screaming at the lady threatening her with a sjambok and the wives were backing her up. I was dying from second hand embarrassment. The police were just standing there doing nothing.

The police eventually broke up the situation. The boy who helped me was forced to stop filming by the police and the lady was taken into custody because when the police got close to her she started throwing whatever she could find on the floor at them. It was a mess and the landlady was somewhere on holiday. They couldn't even get hold of her on the emergency number that she left.

When things calmed down Baba took me to the hospital.