Umakoti Ngo Wethu

41

We went back home early the next day. All three of my sisters and my niece were there.  "I was about to call you." Thembi said. "Bab'Dlamini, we're sorry for just staying at your house without permission. We had a fight at home, and my sisters had nowhere to go."
"Don't worry about it. This house is always open to the three of you." They started breakfast, so Baba and I went to put the boys to bed. It was still very early, and they were still sleeping.

"I'll move the car to the garage so nobody gets any ideas." I chuckled. "I'll prepare MaShezi's room." I prepared her room and freshened up a bit. I wanted to start looking a bit more presentable since my house was full of people.

I explained to my sisters what was going on, and they were shocked. "Wait, I thought she hated you. Won't she just come and make your life hell?" I just shrugged. "I don't know. She said that after the whole thing with her sister, she finally got to talk to her mother. Apparently, her mother spoke some sense into her. I don't really know the details."

MaShezi arrived just in time for breakfast. Luckily, my sisters were there to make things less awkward.  Well, that's what I thought. "So, MaShezi, no disrespect, but what are your intentions in my sisters house? I don't understand the sudden change of heart. She has a lot to deal with, and you becoming a problem is something she doesn't have time for."
"Nthombifuti!"
"No, it's fine, MaGumede. Her concerns are valid. Don't get me wrong, I'm still hurt by my husband's affair, but I'm working on getting over it. In the meantime, I've realized that your sister is not my enemy. After everything I've done to her, she's been nothing but kind and respectful to me. I've come to the realization that eventually, my husband would've married a second wife, and I'm just glad that it is someone like your sister. I don't think someone else would've been showing me the level of respect your sister has. It took a lecture and a couple of slaps from my mother to realize that, but I'm at peace."
"Slaps?"
"Yes, slaps. Nothing resets your system like a hiding from your mother."

Just as we were laughing, the sound of banging came from the door. "Is it safe to assume that's who I think it is?" I just sighed. "I'll get the door." She went to the door, and we heard a struggle and shouting. Baba got up immediately, and I followed. "You will not come in here and cause chaos. Both of those babies are sleeping, and you will not come in and disrupt their sleep."
"MaShezi, who exactly do you think you are. This is my sons house. He'll let us in."
"No, he won't. Not unless MaGumede says so. Now MaGumede, I'm sorry to make rules in your house, but it's the only way this situation is going to work. Only one of you will enter this house at a time."
"I'll come first." My mother-in-law tried to push past her, but MaShezi squeezed the door so she couldn't get past. "Definitely not now. MaGumede, when is a good time for Baba's mother to come visit?" I was scared to even answer, but everyone was looking at me. "Um, at three. Xolani is usually awake then." She nodded. "Okay, ma. We'll see you at three, and if I even hear a protest or a fight, I'll make sure not one of you comes into this house."
"What about me?" MaKhumalo asked. "We'll get back to you."

They left peacefully, and I could finally breathe. My sisters cleaned. I went through the rest of the day, like usual, until three. I put on a long dress and covered my head and shoulders. I was looking at myself in the mirror, and I didn't like what I saw. I felt stupid. I literally had a baby a month ago. Of course, I was still going to have the baby weight, but when I looked at it, I just felt ugly.

A soft knock at my bedroom door broke me out of my pity party. "Come in." MaShezi opened the door. "Ma is here." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You look like you're preparing for war."
"I just might be." We chuckled, and I joined them. I pumped some breast milk earlier so Ma could feed xolani. She was busy doing that when I walked in. "Oh, Makoti. You're here. He doesn't want to take the bottle. Maybe he's not hungry."
"Ma, I've told you he doesn't like the bottle." Baba tried saying.  "Jabulani, what do you know about babies, huh? I was talking to your wife. Litha, I brought the cloth so we can wrap that big stomach of yours." It felt like the air was punch out of me. I couldn't understand. "Ma, there's absolutely nothing wrong with how Litha looks."
"Oh, shut up. What do you know? You're a man. Litha, he still won't take the bottle." I didn't know what to do. Everything was just overwhelming. 

"Let me take him." Baba tried saving the situation. "Why would you take him when his mother is right here. Litha, are you going through the postpartum depression that MaKhumalo was talking about? Is that why you can't hold your son?" I snapped out of it. I knew I wasn't going to survive the visit if I didn't sing to her tune. "No, ma. I'll take him. He's used to breastfeeding. That's why he won't take the bottle." I took the baby from her. "So then how many minutes did you waste pumping this?" She looked at the bottle in disgust and then threw it on the couch. He wasn't really hungry, so I just let him be.

"Makoti, let's go and wrap you. MaShezi, come. I'm going to need help with this one." What? I didn't even get time to process what was going on before being dragged to a room and wrapped up tightly as if I had been vacuum sealed. "Ma, isn't it a bit early to do this? She just had the baby."
"MaShezi, what do you know!? Just hold it. If she wants her husband to continue liking her, this is what she has to do. It works."
"Ma." MaShezi said in disbelief. I stood there taking insult after insult waiting for her to finish.

I couldn't breathe. I didn't know what to do. When we returned to the living room, ma was making a fuss because Xolani was drinking his bottle from his father. She almost grabbed him and acted confused when he started crying the roof off. "Okay! Times up! Ma, you should go. Thanks for the visit." MaShezi fought her all the way to the door, almost pushing her out.

"Dlamini! There is no way you can live with this nonsense. It's either you need to sit down with the family and have a discussion or you need to move. This is ridiculous." I left the living room because I couldn't breathe. I went back to my room to try and get this damn cloth off me, but nothing worked. I could feel the panicking attacking coming as I clawed at the cloth on my abdomen.

"Mamakhe..." He ran to me when he saw what was happening. "Get it off! I need it off!" I started crying as he tried getting it off me. My breathing was rappid, and I knew I was in a full-blown panic attack. "I can't get it off. Let me go get some help." He left and came back with MaShezi. "I can't get it off." I heard him say. She saw me and ran. She also struggled. "Ma said to tie it as tight as I could. Go get a knife or scissors or something! She can't breathe! MaGumede, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how tight it actually was. I thought Ma knew what she was doing. She's a midwife." He came back with a scissors, and she cut me out of it. "Baba, I'm sorry. I just did what Ma said."
"You did this?!"
"No! I just tied the knot, I swear."
"MaShezi!"
"Baba, she didn't do it. She didn't. Ma wrapped it and asked her to tie the knot. That's all."
"You don't have to cover for her."
"I'm not. I really am not."
"I promise I just tied to knot. I thought Ma knew what she was doing."

I could see Baba had no idea what to do about this. He was just as fed up and tired as I was. "I can't live like this. Something has to be done. He got out his phone and made a few phone calls while I got Xolani to sleep. I stayed in my room for most of the day until after dinner. We all sat to watch a movie and then there was a knock on the door.

MaShezi went to open it, and once again, there was a fight. I was so tired. I didn't know what to do. I was so tired of this bullshit.