Red Lace

Chapter 58

SHADOW

I push her onto the bed, I'm about to get on top of her when there's a knock on my door.
"Ignore it," she says wrapping her arms around my neck.
I untangle her arms, "I can't. I'm a busy man." I say and head out. I'm in nothing but my boxers. It's a Saturday anyway and its not like I'm expecting anyone of importance. People know not to how up unannounced. I am shocked to find Iyazi standing on the other side of the door. What is she doing here? This woman ghosted me for three whole months and now she is here? Why? What does she w- my inner questions are cut short when she pukes on me. What the hell?
"I am so sorry. I did not mean to do that," she says quickly an apologetic, "I've been sick since my flight and I-"
"Who is it?" Miranda asks or did she say her name was Miya? Also what the hell is she doing? I don't like forward girls. My focus right now is on Iyazi and she does not look pleased at all.
"May I please use your bathroom quickly?" Iyazi says already pushing me out of the way. And who the hell is supposed to clean this mess up?
"Whats going on? Is she your wife?" she asks. Must have seen the big rock on Iyazi's finger and made assumptions.
"Yes, now you need to leave!" I say quickly to her heading to the bathroom because I need something to clean myself up with and the mess in the front door. I'm going to need a fxcking shower! I walk into the spare bathroom and she is kneeling in front of the toilet seat puking her insides out. I grab a towel from the towel rack and whip myself.
"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on? I thought you immortals did not get sick?" I say wiping myself. She's about to respond when she pukes again. I stand by the door waiting for her to finish. Seeing her look so pale and weak makes me feel terrible. I pour water in the cup and hand it to her.
"Here," I say, and she takes it forcing a smile.
"Thank you," she says and sits down in front of the toilet seat.
"I'm sorry to disturb whatever this is but I need an uber home," The girl says. I can see the judgement in Iyazi's eyes.
"You can find your own way home," I say to her and then get a bucket and fill it up with water. The girl remains in one spot not moving. "Have you lost your hearing? Find your own way home," I say to her and she huffs in anger and head towards the door leaving. I follow her carrying a bucket and a mop to clean up Iyazi's mess. Yah neh, the things we do out of love. I start cleaning up.
"You didn't have to do that, I can do it." Iyazi says walking towards me with calculated steps.
"Its my place so. You seem sick, don't you need a doctor?" I ask her because I'm really concerned about her. She looks weak.
"I'm f-" she's cut off by her woozing and holding onto the counter for balance. I rush to her side to hold her up. "You're sick. Im taking you to the doctor!" I say and pick her up placing her on the couch.
"I can walk!" She says proudly.
"Doesn't look like it to me. Let me get dressed quickly and then we'll leave," I say to her and walk to my bedroom to get dressed. After getting dressed I return to the lounge and pick her up putting her inside my car in the back. As I drive to the doctor, I keep turning to look at her to make sure she's still alive. I've never seen Iyazi look this weak before. Its unlike her.

KHAYALETHU MNGUNI

I am sitting in the office busy with work when my door swings open. I look up and its my wife, she's carrying food.
"That smells good," I say and she smiles walking over to me. I stand up and meet her halfway.
"I brought you lunch," she says hugging me. I kiss her after we break the hug.
"You look yummy," I say to her and she giggles blushing. "One thing about you, you will blush like a little child," I say and her cheeks grow wider and pinker.
"Leave me alone!" She says walking past me and putting the food on the table.
"Can I have a quickie before lunch?" I say pulling her by her waist and turning her to face me. She chuckles.
"No. Lets eat!" she says.
"Awung'bhebhise phela Sthandwa sam," I say and she laughs.
"That's new," she says laughing pushing me off. My phone rings just as we talking like that. Mihlali is quick to turn around and take my phone. "It's Shadow," she says answering my phone and handing it to me.
"Whats up?" I ask him.
"Did Iyazi not show up at my place all sick and stuff? Literally greeted me with puking. Like what the fuck?" he complains and I put him on speaker laughing.
"What?" I prompt him to repeat and nudge Mihlali to listen.
"Ehh! Iyazi showed up at my place and puked all over me bruh. Had to take her to the hospital cause she's all weak and fragile," he says and Hlali and I laugh at him.
"You sound so cute when you care about a woman either than your sister," Mihlali says and he groans annoyed.
"Khaya, keep your wife in check. I'm in hospital and I don't know what to do with myself. I thought immortals didn't get sick? Can modern medication even help her? If she dies, you fighting Olayemi with me right? That sick fxck will blame me for her death," Shadow says with panic, Mihlali and I are in stitches listening to him go off, "This is not funny!" he adds angrily.
"What is her doctor saying?" Mihlali asks.
"I don't know bruh. They busy with her as we speak. I don't even know why she's here. Why leave Joburg to come and die in my arms like some Romeo and Juliet shxt?" he complains.
"I'm sure its not that deep. Puking could be a pregnancy symptom," Mihlali says and I look at her, I raise an eyebrow.
"Preg- what? Mihlali what do you mean?" Shadow asks, the panic and worry in his voice is unmissable.
"I'm just saying. It could be anything wethu. Just find a doctor and find out whats going on," Mihlali says and Shadow drops the call on us. I look at Mihlali and we both crack up laughing.
"If she is pregnant, he will make a great father. He's had enough practice with the triplets and Lethu,"

ADAEGO IYAZINKOSI IBRAHIM

I did not imagine our reunion would be anything like it was. I didn't imagine my baby revealing him/herself the way they did today. Waking up in a hospital bed is by far the most strangest thing to ever happen to me because immortals barely get sick and even when they do they don't end up in a hospital bed. Yah no, Shadow needs to pull through for me and father his child because there's no way I am going through this alone. Shadow intimidates me, he scares me and being face to face with him after everything brought about nerves I thought I had safely tucked away deep deep down. Even now, I suspect my sickness is because of the nerves and also seeing how he handle that girl he was with when I arrived. How could he be that cold to someone? Oh my Gosh, if I wasn't sick he probably would have thrown me out too. Will he even accept this baby I am carrying? What happens if he doesn't? Am I cut out to be a single mom? Someone clearing their throat disturbs me from my thought process, I look up at the door and its him standing there with his hands tucked into his sweatpants.
"Umithi?"(Are you pregnant?) is the first thing he asks, I raise an eyebrow. He strolls over to me and my nerves only increase and so does my heart rate. "I asked you a question Iyazi, are you pregnant?" he repeats. All I can do is nod, he looks hella pissed and that just scares me.
"Is it mine?" he asks and I nod slowly. "What? You can't speak now?" he says.
I have to swallow very deeply and audibly before responding to him, "Yes. I am pregnant with your child. That's why I was at your house. This puking is how I get whenever I fly. I should be fine in an hour or so," I say quickly looking down very much scared to face him.
"How far are you?" he asks. He's standing at the far end of my bed as he asks all these questions.
"Three months,"
"So you've been pregnant for three months and not once did you think to pick up the phone and say 'hey, I'm pregnant with your child', that would have sufficed than you showing up at my door step unannounced puking all over me and my front door." He says, he sounds really angry. "You ghosted me Iyazi, knowing that you are pregnant with my child,"
"I wanted to tell you but I was ashamed of the way things went between us the last time we saw each other. Shadow, I almost killed you and I've been feeling terrible ever since. You never responded to my apology text. What was I supposed to do?" I ask looking up at me.
"Apology text Iyazi? You stabbed me and almost killed me. Surely you didn't think some imessage text was going to undo what you did. You expecting me to just move on from that like its nothing is unfair. Ghosting me because you feel so ashamed is unfair considering you the one that led us here anyway!" he confronts, he's not angry but he's hurt and I see that now and I feel terrible.
"I'm sorry," I say looking down. I hate that I did that to him and to us ruining whatever chance of us being together. "I'm sorry for stabbing you, I'm sorry for ghosting you and most of all, I am sorry for not telling you about the pregnancy,"
"Mthunzi Mandela," he says, I am confused and look up at him waiting for him to explain. "My name is Mthunzi Mandela, hence the name Shadow,"

ADEYEMI PRINCE IBRAHIM

"Ntando," Nichume says getting up.
"This whole time you knew and you kept it from me? I thought we were friends, I thought we were sisters!" Ntando says, she's both angry and hurt.
"Its not Nichume's fault. If you looking for someone to blame then blame me, hate me for killing him." I say quickly.
"Can we not have this conversation over my sleeping children. I understand you are angry and hurt and I get it. But can we please go and talk about this outside," Nichume says, I look at the twins who are sleeping peacefully. Nichume leads the way outside and we follow behind her.
"So?" Ntando starts off.
"I killed Akin because he and his siblings were behind the kidnapping of the twins and had I let him live he was never going to stop. He was going to continue coming after you or Nichume or even the twins. I did what needed to be done to keep you and my family safe and unfortunately Ntando I am not sorry for that but what I will apologise for is keeping the truth from you. We never should have done that but after everything you had been through, we wanted to protect you and keep you safe. You seemed better off not knowing," I explain and she chuckles bitterly.
"You and Nichume made the decision for me. I would have understood if only you had just spoken to me, if only you had just been honest with me about what had happened Adeyemi and Nichume but nope, you both have to be the ones to save the day, apparently Nichume knows best and she knows better than everyone else. You were wrong for deciding for me and for that I don't think I want to be anywhere near you both," Ntando says angrily turning to walk away when Nichume grabs her arm.
"I'm not going to apologise for trying to protect you. Ntando I warned you against getting in a relationship with Akin but you went on and did it anyway. Me keeping how he really died was mainly to protect you and to avoid this. You know yourself Ntando, if we had told you the truth you would have stopped talking to any of us for days, you would have stayed away from home to avoid me because of it so no, I'm not sorry for keeping this from you and honestly, you can be mad if you want, you can hate me if you want but Akin deserved to die."

To Be Continued - Excuse the errors