Umakoti Ngo Wethu

27

MaKhumalo came running in with the family following her. "What did you just say?" She just smiled. "Oh, calm down. We're just talking."
"Did you just touch my child?" MaKhumalo looked livid. "Oh, calm down and stop acting like you own my children."
"Litha, did this woman touch you?" Her breathing was heavy. "Yebo, Ma." As I answered, she lunged for my mother and started punching her.

I just watched as the woman who beat me for so long couldn't defend herself against someone her own size. MaKhumalo threw her to the ground and started kicking her. Baba had to jump in and pull her away while another woman in our family dragged my mother out. She was screaming my name and screaming for me to help her. My dad came to comfort me and I cried like a baby.

I locked myself in my room for the rest of the day. I couldn't interact with people. "MaGumede. Please open the door. I brought dinner, and Jabu is asking for you." I didn't know what was wrong with me. I couldn't talk. I couldn't even move. "I found it!" I heard my dad call. I heard some fiddling with the lock, and then my key fell out. I heard more fiddling, and then they got the door open.

"MaGumede." It was my dad. "Are you okay?" I just nodded. He came to kneel in front of me. "You have to eat something. Tomorrow morning Jabulani is going to take you to see a doctor. I'll go to the village chief and have your mother banished. She'll never come here again. Let me help you sit up." He forced me to to sit and then ma came with my food, but it just made me nauseous.

"Okay, I'll go make you some avocado toast and ginger tea, okay?" I just nodded.  She came back quickly. "Baba, there's someone at the door for you." He left immediately. "Litha, your ankles are swollen, my baby. Let me take off your socks and help you get comfortable." I was sitting on the bed with my feet up eating my toast. "Litha, she's never going to hurt you again, okay?" I just nodded.

"She's in here." He walked in with Jabu's mother. Everyone left us alone. "Your father told me what happened. I'm sorry you have to go through this. It should be the happiest week of your life." She sighed. "It's so unfair. You deserve so much better, but don't you worry, okay? You are loved. Everyone in your family is in there right now at the edge of their seats waiting for you to let them love you. You deserve it. I say for this week, forget about that woman and enjoy being celebrated. After that, you need to start talking to someone. A professional, maybe, so that you can move forward in life. It'll really help. Anyway, I've come to check on you. I have my medical kit. Is that fine." I nodded.

She said my blood pressure was high and my glucose levels were low. I just needed to eat something and relax. She rubbed my feet and put a warm rag over my forehead. It really helped with the headache I didn't even notice I had.

"Litha, what's this?" She moved my face to the side. She touched my cheek, and I winced. "Litha, is this from that woman?" I nodded. "She slapped me." She just shook her head. "I don't know why such monsters are allowed to be mothers."

"Is there anything else I can do to help?" MaKhumalo asked, coming into the room. "Yes, please. Could you bring something cold for her face. I don't want it to swell up even more."
"It's swollen?" She came to see. "I should've strangled that woman."
"Whoa, MaKhumalo. Calm down. Calm down. It's okay. Your daughter is fine. Let's not stress her out anymore. You don't want to go to jail before her wedding." Ma calmed down and got me some ice.

That night, Jabu would not let me go, so I just let him spend the night in my bed. I didn't sleep much, and it showed on my face the next day. I didn't have the energy to do anything about it. I took a shower and got dressed pretty early. "Oh, you're awake. Baba ka Jabu will be here at seven. Should I make you something to eat so long?" I nodded. "Yes, please." I still had a headache, and I could feel it in my swollen eyes. I slipped on my slippers that didn't really fit my feet anymore because they were swollen.

Most of the women in the house were awake. "Morning." I said, joining them in the kitchen. They all greeted back and wanted to know how I was. I didn't even know how I was. I ate and took my medication before going back to my room and trying on all of my shoes. A pair of flip-flops was the only thing that fit. I looked terrible.

I kissed Jabu goodbye while he slept and met his dad outside. "Do you need help?" I just nodded, and he came over and helped me into the car. We couldn't really show much affection with my whole family staring at us, but it was just enough for my heart to settle. "How are you feeling?" I just shook my head. "I just want to know if our baby is okay. I can't deal with anything else at the moment."

He held onto my hand as much as he could all the way into town. I didn't want to stress myself out too much, so I held on for dear life too. It calmed me, knowing he was right there beside me.

We got to the doctor, and all was well. She even wrote a report that I could use for a restraining order against my mother. That was the very next thing we did after the doctors. We went to the police station. I needed witness statements. I called back home, and everyone was willing to make a statement. I would have the restraining order in no time.

Since we were already in town, I did some retail therapy before we went home. We mostly bought things for Jabu and the baby, but it calmed me down.

Preparations were back in full swing when I got home. My family was going all out. It was amazing to see. We were up and ready by five Friday morning. We had to complete a few cultural practices the night before, and so did the Dlomo's.

The Dlomo's were outside our gate, announcing themselves for more than three hours. It was part of the tradition, but my dad was also doing too much at this point. I couldn't be seen, so I let my sister go and record as much as she could for my vlogs. My page was really starting to pick up. I was halfway to a million, and I was really hoping for a few brand deals, but I think I should first start with a few product reviews.

At nine, my dad finally sent one of my brothers outside to speak to the men at the gate. It was a back and forth, and they even had to pay to come inside. This was all part of the process. They spoke and negotiated for hours before I could come out. Nthombifuti, thembi, and I were wrapped in blankets. Jabulani's uncles had to choose who their makoti or bride is. If they chose wrong, they would have to pay a fine.

They took their time and then pointed to the one they thought was me. They burst with pure joy when I took off the blanket, and it was me. We left, and formalities were wrapped up. It was time to party.

Ma helped me dress. She got me a traditional print peplum dress because I wanted to hide my bump in pictures. It worked. My head wrap matched my dress, and so did my sash. The scarf worn as a sash or over the shoulders plays a big part in a married woman life. Covering your head and shoulders is a sign of respect not only to your husband but also to your in-laws and ancestors.

After all traditional customs were complete, the gifting ceremony commenced. So many pictures were taken, and the festivities began. It was the biggest party, and the best part of it all was the dress my mother-in-law dressed me in.

It was a blue poofy princess dress with a beaded bodice. I had a matching blue traditional Zulu hat, and the shoes killed me, but they were to die for. Everyone was shocked when I came out of the house led by my mother-in-law. I approached Jabulani, and he quickly bent down on one knee open a small velvet box revealing a ridiculously large diamond. Gasped and ulilating could be heard from the crowd. I gave him my left hand and he put on the ring. More singing and dancing erupted, and the party carried on throughout the night.

Jabulani and I didn't spend the night together as there were more formalities to be done the next day. Ma dressed me in another peplum dress. I had a matching shawl and head wrap. My sisters and cousins also had dresses that matched mine. We started singing and dancing all the way to my in-laws' homestead with baskets filled with groceries. Family followed behind us with even more, and because my father is dramatic, he had two bakkies filled with even more things following behind us slowly. I was let in and gifted mother-in-lawlaw and the family. There was another party after acustomstom and formalities were done.

It was beautiful. The way his family welcomed me realtoucheduch my heart and made my father extremely happy.

While everyone was still partying, we went to our home and made love until the sun came up.