Umakoti Ngo Wethu

37

Being eight months pregnant was no joke. I was not surviving. I had no idea how I did this the first time around. Especially with the circumstances I was in. "Sisi, are you okay?" Thembi asked me. I just nodded. I was sitting on a gym ball just moving around. I had my eyes closed and my head tilted back. Sitting on this ball gave me the tiniest bit of relief.

"Are you having contractions?" She asked concern. I shook my head and opened my eyes. "No I'm fine. Just the usual discomfort. I'm just over this. I want my baby now." She smiled. "He's coming sisi.  Just six more weeks. What did the doctor say yesterday? Is everything still good?" I nodded. "Everything is perfect. The birth should go smoothly." She nodded. "And Jabu's father? Is he going to be here for the the birth?" I narrowed my eyes at her. Her questions were very suspicious. "Your questions sound like they come straight from your mother." She had nothing to say and I just knew I was right. "But I'll answer them anyway. My husband took MaShezi home early this morning. He went to his hotels in the city to finalize everything for his leave. It's about twelve o clock now. He should be on his way. Then he's going to stop at the site where his building his new place after that he'll go into town and then he'll come home. Since I know the questions won't stop I'll explain further. He'll work from home until I go into labor. After the baby is born he'll be completely off work for a month. Then he'll work from home for as long as he can. Are you satisfied? I'm sure MaKhumalo will appreciate the information."

"Litha, come on. You've been keeping ma and Baba in the dark. Obviously they'll want to know." I got up from my ball. "I haven't been keeping them in the dark. Ma could've visited or called if she was worried about it. I can't run every single detail of my life by her. My focus right now is not them. My focus is my family here at home, bringing new life into this world, and me. For once in my life my focus is me. I'm not going to call my parents for every single thing my husband and I decides. If they want to know they can call and ask. They don't have to turn you into their spy." She sighed. "I get it. I'll let them know. I don't know why they're so worried. Jabu's father is a good dad and a good husband. They don't need to worry. I'll tell them what you said. Ma also asked if she can come visit?"

"Anytime Thembi."
"Won't Jabu's father be annoyed?"
"No he won't. He's been wondering why they don't visit more actually. Especially after what happened. He doesn't want me to feel like my family doesn't have access to our home. They can come. They just need to call." She nodded. "But you know how your father is. He won't just come here. Tradition and culture or whatever the rules are will stop him from coming to see you even if he really wants to." I rolled my eyes. "I know. Maybe I should go visit before I'm not able to visit anymore."

My day was quite calm. I slept through most of it. I was drinking a smoothie in the kitchen. "So, I spoke to ma. She wants to come now." I just nodded. "She can come. Tell her to bring me something nice." She chuckled.  Ma came and brought homemade biscuits. I was in heaven. "When are we having a baby shower Litha. You look like you can sneeze and the baby will be here." Ma said. "I don't need one Ma. We have everything we need."
"Mama!" The front door opened and Jabu came running in followed by his grandmother.

"Hi baby. Did you have fun?" He nodded. He went into town with his grandmother because they needed to go shopping. MaMthembu came to sit down with a bag in her hand. She looked very suspicious. "Ma?"
"Mm?"
"What is that?"
"What?
"In the bag."
"Mine mama." Jabu said happily, pointing to himself. "Ma." I said sternly. "It's just a few nice things he picked out for himself. He picked some fruits too."
"Ma I warned you about him." She sighed. "I know but he said please a lot and hes so cute." I just shook my head while the others laughed.

"I was told to speak to you and Jabulani about cleansing your home and officially making it a Dlomo home so that you and the baby are protected when you give birth. Where's Jabulani? I don't see his car." I didn't want this to become a big thing. "He is wrapping up some work so he can be at home without distraction. He'll be home in a few hours." She just sighed. "He left with MaShezi at three this morning.  I thought he would be back by now." I knew what she was insinuating. "He should be with you."
"And he will be. He's finalizing everything with his businesses so that there are no distractions. Everyone needs to calm down about this." They let it go.

We spent the whole day together until Baba came home. I was so excited because he brought a feast from the restaurant. MaKhumalo left but MaMthembu stayed to eat with us. "The chef made all of this specially for you. I even accused him of trying to steal you from me. He changed his story and said it's for the baby." We ate to our hearts content. There was still so much food left over when we were done. Thembi went to give Jabu a bath and ma said she wanted to speak to us.

"I already spoke to MaGumede. We need to do a ceremony here just to invite the ancestors in and thank them for the home. Especially if MaGumede is giving birth here. We want her and the baby to be protected. It doesn't have to be anything big and we can do it in the week." He agreed. "The other thing. My husband and MaMchunu will be officially married by the end of the month if not sooner." Both our jaws were on the ground. "Why ma? What's the rush?"
"This would've happened anyway. We're old. We're getting it over and done with."

This whole thing was just crazy. I didn't know how to react.

In the days to follow we did the ceremony at our house. The family wouldn't stop going on about a baby shower. I didn't want one because I had everything and I didn't have the energy anyway. But they were relentless. I opted on a photoshoot where the whole family was involved and then a nice dinner. I didn't have to worry about anything. MaKhumalo was in charge of the dinner and Baba used all his resources to get the very best photographer in the country at such short notice.

I was concerned about the guest list because it just kept getting longer and longer. It was supposed to be just dinner for the immediate family.

Baba got me three dresses. All of them blue. They were perfect for the shoot. We accessorized with traditional beading in white and blue as well as a traditional Zulu hat in blue. The day of the photoshoot came and I was more nervous than excited. All the pictures were being taken outside with the views of the mountains and by the river. How the hell was I supposed to get there and was I going to be expected to stand the whole time.

We got ready and Baba and had a photoshoot with just us. Luckily I was driven all over. Our makeup and hair stylists followed us all over. The photographer even had a photographer. I mentioned to Baba that I didn't have the energy to vlog and I really wanted to. So he got a professional to vlog for me. I love this man so much.

We did outfit and scene changes. We decided to do the family photos in the mountains too. I was exhausted and tired at this point. Baba had me sitting down eating a granola bar and drinking some water as a fleet of cars pulled up hooting like crazy. A crowd of blue got out of the cars and I was gobsmacked. I couldn't believe it. Tears started running down my face and I started panicking. "My makeup." I said not sure if I could wipe my tears. "It's okay Mrs Dlomo. You can cry all you want. Thats why we're here."

I greeted and hugged as many people as possible. Even MaShezi came. I didn't care about the issues. I grabbed her and hugged her tightly. She showed up for me and I appreciated it. 

My hair and makeup was fixed and then we took a bunch of big group photos and then smaller family photos with everyone. It took almost the whole day. We let the photographer take photos of whoever wanted professional pictures of themselves and we would send those out later with thank you cards. During this time I went home to take a nap.

When I woke up baba surprised me with another dress. It was a flowy long-sleeved dress. It was floor-length and we also paired it with traditional accessories.  Because the dress was to plane I was adorned in beadwork.  My makeup and hair were touched up and a car came to get baba and I. We drove to the outskirts of the village to a big empty plot. A huge white tent stood on the land. We walked up the red carpet and into the tent where we were met with singing and cheering.  The decor was beautiful. It looked like something out of a fairytale.

In the front was a pile of gifts so high it wouldn't fit in our house. Only the elders of the family were allowed to give speeches and Baba said a thank you from both of us. We ate and partied and I didn't stay for the whole night but the next day I heard how much fun was had.

I had never been that happy in my life before.