Azalea The Queen

Azalea

"Hey Zee, remember you asked me to look for your sister? Well I found her." Nkululeko said, looking at me with an indifferent look. I immediately got reluctant to even ask where. But I needed to know, I needed to know if my older sister was safe along with her baby.

"Wh-what did you find, why do you look like that, is my sister okay?" I threw questions at him none stop, he had to hold his hand out to shut me up. Don't blame me I was worried. Nkululeko's wasn't really helping me in any case. "Nkululeko marn, khuluma."

Nkululeko man, speak!

"She's okay, she's uh living with her boyfriend. You know what, I think you need to see this." He slid his iPad towards me, I spared a look but took the iPad and what I saw shocked me.

Azola wasn't the same sister that left our home, when our mother kicked her out on the basis of her being pregnant, no this Azola was broken. She was beaten black and blue. I felt my heart break in pieces as I took in her unfamiliar features. For a pregnant woman, her weight was concerning. She looked thin, but her bump was showing.

"She looks like she could give birth any time now." I averted my gaze to Nkululeko, my eyes searching for answers from him.

"She's due any day now, whatever you are planning to do after finding her, better do it soon because your sister is in danger the longer she stays with that man." He sighed and resting a hand on my shoulder for comfort. I sighed.

***

I looked around me to see if there was anyone that could jump me and take my bag, worse hurt me. The area I was in was not good for a woman, especially a woman who was pregnant such as Azola. How did she manage to stay in this part of town I will have to know from her.

The building was tall, worn out and looked like it could collapse any day. The worst part of this place, my sister stayed here. I held back the vomit that wanted to come out as the strong vile smell hit my nostrils. Finally after taking I don't know how many steps to the fifth floor I made it to Azola's door. I took a deep breath as I raised my hand to knock. But before my hand could even make contact with the door, it flew open and a pregnant Azola showed up.

Her face was unrecognizable, a blue eye was was.spotted on her left eye, her lower lip was busted on the corner. I gasped as I took in her whole appearance. A whole lot of emotions were playing on her face, shock, relief and happiness. She jumped on me and hugged me for dear life. I felt tears burn at the back of my eyes.

"Sesi wami, oh my god." I pulled back a little and looked at her again to make sure that indeed it was her. "What is this? What has he done to you mntaka ma?" The tears slid down my cheeks as I saw my mother's child sob and broken.

My sister

My mother's child

"I'm so happy to see you, please take me away from here, please before he kills me." Like a brain switch she pushed me out and dragged out a small duffel bag. "We have to hurry before he comes back." She took my hand and hurriedly walked before me. For a pregnant woman she was strong and fast.

"Azola calm down, I'm here to fetch you so you have to slow-" I was cut off by a shrill coming from Azola. She stopped in her tracks and her hands held her stomach as pain showed on her face. "What is it? What's wrong sis?" I immediately went into panic mode.

"I think I'm in labor." She looked at me in panic and screamed again. Shit! My hands searched my purse for my phone. "What are you doing!?" She yelled at me that I even dropped my bag along with my phone.

"I- I am uhm I'm calling the police- no I mean I'm calling the ambulance." I was a stuttering mess, I didn't know what to do in that situation.

"Where's your car, I know you have one, you a damn princess now so where is your car!!?" She gritted the words out as she bent down to suppress the pain in her stomach.

"Right, my car." I had totally forgotten about the car, my head was a little dizzy from all the events that were taking place all at once. "Can you walk? Do you need help?" Instead of receiving a response, I got a glare. Right.

I took her arm and held it over my neck and tried to help her walk down the stairs which was a nightmare because she was busy cussing me out the entire time. Finally we made it to where I had parked my car, so grateful that it was still there. I placed Azola at the backseat and made sure she was secured before climbing in the driver's seat and hitting the road.

We made it to the hospital , barely but we made it. I made sure to park in front of the maternity entrance, so it could be easier for us to get help. I helped my sister walk to the entrance, but fortunately there were wheelchairs placed there and the security guard helped us.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay." I tried to reassure her by telling her that things were going to work out just fine.

"How do you know that, my baby could not even make it. Have you seen how unhealthy I look-" another shrill came from her. I felt bad seeing my sister in this situation. But more than anything I felt guilty, I should've looked for her earlier. She wouldn't be this broken and unhealthy as she was.

A nurse saw us and approached us. "Please help us, my sister is in labor." I looked at the elder woman as she smiled at us. Why was she smiling, didn't she hear me?

"Hi, my name is nurse Nomvula, don't worry everything will be okay, just let me take over from here." She took the reigns of the wheelchair and led the way as I followed after her. "This is the reception, can you please fill out the forms of admission while we get your sister settled and ready for labor." She sent me yet another reassuring smile, which I got to be honest was reassuring.

"I will come get you as soon as she's settled." I nodded.

I watched as she wheeled my sister away who was sweating and crying while clenching her stomach. God, I needed my husband.