QUEEN OF DIAMONDS

CHAPTER 48

"Did you get it?" I asked him the minute he walked. "Yeah," he says, waving the envelope. "Did Andile see you?" I asked. "Yeah," he said dismissively. "What? I told you to hide i-" I start but he holds his hand up to cut me off. "I said he saw me not your dirty little secret," he says with a smirk. Sigh. "Thank you Lubanzi," I say and he nods as he sits on the chair across the bed. "And then? You can go now," I said. "Hawu, I can't sneak that thing in for you and then get kicked out. I want to be the first to know," he explains. Wa tena wetsi. "Yeah, no. Bye Banzi, thanks again," I say nodding towards the door. He sighs before getting up. "Call me as soon as you can," he says kissing my cheek. "So never then?" I say and he smiled. "I hope you don't get better," he says and leaves. It's been almost a month since that brunch date with Lubanzi and I must say, we've gotten considerably closer. We are alike in many ways, ie he listens to Drake and J Cole which in my book gives him brownie points and he's actually not a bad person (well not entirely). I came down with the flu though recently and so Andile put me on bed rest despite my protests. And so now I have to get Lubanzi to sneak things into the presidential residence because I can't afford Andile knowing what I'm doing just yet. I say a quick little prayer before opening the envelope.

"I thought I told you to stay in bed," Andile says. "I got tired of it, and anyways I needed to get a delivery at the gate," I replied. "Uhm sure. Because you couldn't find anyone in this entire house who would get it for you," he said. Yho ayi. "It's actually for you," I said. He takes the key ring and looks at me confused. The ring has 3 mini Nike sneakers, all different colors. "I don't get it," he said. Yho. "Each sneaker represents our kids," I explained. "Are you trying to say I'm a kid?" he asked. Grrrrr. "Andile! Focus! Each. Sneaker. Represents. Our. Kids!" I said again. "Yes but we only have two ki-. Ohhhh. Are you being serious?" he asked as it dawned on him. "Yep. Results came in today. You're going to be a dad of 3," I said. He laughs and swoops me off the floor into his arms. I squeal as he swings me around. He kisses me and I giggle before he puts me down. He starts brushing my stomach and I roll my eyes. "How far along are you?" he asked. "9 weeks," I say. "Thank God for Italy," he said and I rolled my eyes. "And also, I promised Qhawe that you'd give him some bottle of scotch if he didn't tell you," I said. "I know which bottle he wants and he's not going to get it," he said. I tried. "You shouldn't be up, get back in bed," he said tucking me into bed. Sigh. "Andile I'm pregnant, not sick," I protested. "Yeah yeah, whatever," he said kissing my stomach.

<><><>

"Be careful, should I carry you downstairs?" he asked. I'm going to scream. "Andile, get away from me before I start cursing you out," I said. I'm really going to beat this man up one of these days. He has been treating me like I'm incapable of doing things myself for the past 7 weeks. He's been home more often which I love when he's not mothering me. "Do you need me to drive you?" he asked. Woosah. "I'm pretty sure that the drivers who have been driving me for the past year are more than capable of doing it Andile," I said as I got to the bottom of the stairs. "Okay, be careful. Call me if you need -" he started as he ran down the stairs. "Andile you're a going to shut up now and kiss me goodbye," I said. He smiled and kissed me. "Bye, say hi to Tshego for me," he said kissing my belly. "Bye baby, be good to mommy for me okay?" he said. "You do realize that he's still just a fetus right?" I said and he rolled his eyes. "Can I go now?" I asked. He kissed my forehead and once again told me to be careful. As if I'm going to walk out and trip and get struck by lightning all at once. I'm meeting Tshego for brunch today, he flew in yesterday from where he has been hiding out: Ethiopia. I would have gone to see him yesterday but he said he was jet lagged and needed rest. He's staying at our old house because he said he didn't want to stay with me and my insane pregnancy hormones and I wasn't going to let him stay at a hotel. He opens the door after about 5 minutes of me ringing the doorbell. My mouth literally drops to the floor. "Tshego!!" I squeal and he smiles. "Yeah yeah I'm gorgeous, I know," he says turning around slowly. He has dyed his hair pink and got a nose piercing. He's wearing ripped jeans, a white T shirt with a smiley face jean jacket. "Whatever," I say and he squeezes me. "You're crushing my baby Tshego," I manage to wheeze out. "Sorry. How is he?" he asked letting me go immediately and brushing my belly. I've started to show a bit but I can hide it in baggy tops and wide dresses and skirts. I had my third scan a few days ago and we also find out the gender of the baby; it's a boy. "Jeez. What about me, why doesn't anyone ever ask how I am? This baby is not carrying itself," I say pushing my way inside. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him roll his eyes. Mxm. "Are you going to offer me something to drink?" I asked. "You know your way around here. I'm coming back I just need to go grab something," he said and leaves. I make my way to the kitchen and pour myself some orange juice. Oh the things I would do for a mimosa. I find a packet of Oreos and sit down on the kitchen bar stools to eat. "They aren't going anywhere, relax," Tshego said coming back. "Wa tena wetsi?" I said and he laughs as he sits next to me. "How's Ethiopia?" I asked. "Hot," he said and I laughed. "The men or the weather?" I asked. "Both and it's man," he said and I choked on my juice. "Tshego!" I said and he smiled. "What's his name? What does he do? How did you meet? How long have you been with-" I started but he laughed. "Wait, one question at a time please," he said and I rolled my eyes. "His name is Lorenzo, he's from France. He's a music instructor at the orphanage I teach at -" he started but I gasped. "You work at an orphanage? How do I not know this?" I asked. "Never mind that. I'm telling you about your future brothers-in-law!" he said dismissively. "Anyways, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted :he's a music instructor. Uggh Kea! He's kind and smart, he reads books and can play right about every song in the world on almost every instrument ever invented. He eats anything and everything which means I have become a bit of a foodie and wine connoisseur. He's great with kids and he loves me and I love him," he says. "But?" I asked. "But nothing," he said.
"Does ntate know about him?"
"I might have mentioned him..."
"Tshego!"
"And I'm thinking of proposing soon!"
"Tshegofatso Reginald Moloi!"
"Eyy, don't say my government names out loud like that, I have a reputation to maintain!"
"Mxm!"
"Which is why I'm here, I want to go ring shopping. And I thought it would be cute of we did it together... Why are you crying? Do I need to call Andile?"
"No it's just... my little brother is getting married!"
"I'm not getting married just yet I'm still -"
"Shut up! I know just the place!"
I closed the biscuit packet and washed my glass in the sink before dragging Tshego out of the house and asking the driver to take us to the mall.