[MABONTLE]
It’s been a week since we’ve welcomed a new baby in the house and we still can’t get enough of Vutlhari. He’s so adorbs but when he sleeps, you can even forget about him. This boy sleeps like his life depends on it. I’m laughing because I know he takes it from his mother. He’s peacefully resting in my arms while Kuli washes his feeding bottles. She looks tired, and she says she has to express some milk after this. I feel so sorry for her, hence I try to take the load off whenever I can.
‘You’re awfully quiet’ I try to get her out of her head. She briefly looks at me and smiles.
‘I just need some sleep, that’s all’
‘You can though. You still have a bag of milk in the fridge’
‘It’s not enough’ she argues. I carefully get up from my seat and go stand next to her – facing the other direction as she faces the sink.
‘You’re doing great as a mom. I just wish you’d stop being so paranoid and being so hard on yourself’
She stops and sighs.
‘I can tell that you haven’t been sleeping properly and it’s not even Vutlhari’s fault because he’s such a peaceful boy. Why are you doing this to yourself? And I’ve also seen how you want to be hands on even when Kurhula wants to help. He’s the baby’s father. Allow him to play his part’
‘He’s just so small and so fragile and—’
‘All babies are, Kuli. Nothing bad is going to happen to him. He’s healthy’
She leaves the bottles and takes a seat.
‘Every time he’s asleep I always have this urge to check if he’s still breathing. Losing the first one has left me with such a huge and open wound, I don’t think I’ll ever heal from that incident’
‘And it’s understandable. It’s called trauma. You are traumatized and you should do something about it. Otherwise you are going to become that parent who’s overbearing and never wants their child to leave their sight in fear that something bad might happen to them’
Fikani walks in, wearing an all-beige jacketless suit.
‘Sesi’ he greets Kuli and kisses me on the cheek. She greets him back and goes back to her baby’s bottles.
‘I don’t deserve to be greeted verbally?’ I tease. Vutlhari wakes up.
‘Ey marha varhena. We woke up on the same bed. Or did I not greet you properly?’ he asks and squeezes my bxtt. I laugh and Kuli warns us not to go TMI on her. This thing on his head suits him. I should ask him what it’s called. It’s like a tiara but for Nguni men. Made of leopard skin with two fur thingies hanging down from the back. I am so jealous of people who are well-versed in Shangaan culture. It always pinches at my heart when I remember that my dad never raised me, especially when they start breaking out in the language and I have to be translated to when they get too deep. He balances his walking stick against the counter and takes the baby from me. He starts playing with him, reciting his clan names to him.
‘Hey boy. Avuxeni Mlambya. Hey? Khwembe ra ndlela? Xi upfa hi moya? Nsizwa ayidavuki? Avuxeni thambo le nyoka. Ikhamba elihleka nama ntombazane. Masiya a govile’
Now why am I finding him innocently playing with his nephew sexy? This man has fed me something strong and he got it from wherever he had disappeared to.
‘You must know that ahidlayiwi hi munhu hina. Hiti fela hi hexe. Nobody kills us. We just die’ he continues and Vutlhari keeps smiling. This is so sweet.
‘Go back to your mother’ he hands him back to me. ‘I have a meeting with the council in about twenty minutes. I’m not sure if I’m going to come back home immediately afterwards but I’ll call you, okay?’
‘Hao, where are you going?’
I hear mhan’ Singi clear her throat by the door and I immediately feel my facial skin itch. She’s going to give me an earful.
‘Drive safely baby’ I say to Fikani before he speaks and steal a kiss from him. He leaves the kitchen. Kuli is holding in laughter. She knows I’m about to be thrown into the abyss.
‘He may be your husband but he is still your king. Where do you get off asking him about his whereabouts?’ she asks, leaning against the door frame.
She’s not impressed. She’s the least strict out of all the ‘law-enforcing’ women here but I’ve managed to upset her today. No I’m lying, she’s not the least. There’s aunty Lydia. That one is in an aunty league of her own.
‘I’m sorry mme’
She walks in.
‘I think the first talk with you did not go well. You need a second session. You are not just a wife here. You’re the people’s queen. They look up to you and see a mother. Please start acting like it’ she speaks while tapping my exposed calves multiple times interchangeably with one hand. My dress is not that short though.
‘We want to see less of your skin and more of your modesty’
I am still quiet and covered in shame.
‘There must be a clear distinction between you and that man’s side chicks. You are not the same’
Side what now?
‘Why are you looking at me like that? You think you can satisfy the sexual appetite of a beast by yourself? Goodluck with that’
‘We will go shopping later in the afternoon. I promise’ Kuli swears. I see that she’s trying to put an end to this conversation. Mhan’ Singi says nothing and leaves the kitchen.
‘What beast is she talking about?’ I ask. She wipes her wet hands with a dry dishcloth.
‘It is believed that once a man conquers a wild animal in order to become king, the spirit of that animal merges with his. That’s the beast she’s talking about’
I frown and she laughs.
‘Don’t look so surprised. Are you trying to tell me that you’ve never felt like he’s a different person after his return?’
‘I have but—’
‘There’s your answer. And this is not something we casually discuss’ she shuts it down.
Noted. I don’t want to step on any more toes.
‘Anyway, I’m thinking of a little something to celebrate Vutlhari’s arrival. Something small and intimate, as a family’
Her body language tells me she’s not up for it.
‘We’ve already slaughtered a sheep?’
‘No man. That was more of a ritual. I mean something light. A braai maybe?’
‘When?’
‘Tomorrow. Around five six’ish?’
‘I’ll check with my husband first’
‘Ey wena my husband this, my husband that’ I laugh out loud and she joins me.
‘Whoever has a problem with me calling MY HUSBAND by his rightful title, which is MY HUSBAND, that person can take the matter up with MY HUSBAND and see if it will end well’
My cheeks are burning from watching this little performance of hers. Once Kuli says “My husband”, it is over. It is done.
‘Let me call him in fact’
‘Do that so I can know whether I’m coming or going with this idea’ I agree and fix Vutlhari’s head over my arm.
‘Mrs Kurhula’ he answers. She put him on loudspeaker.
‘Hey baby. Are you busy?’
‘I actually am. What’s up?’
‘Okay I’ll be quick. Mabontle wants to throw a party for Vutlhari’
Why is this girl lying?
‘I said a braai’ I correct.
‘Same difference’ Kuli argues.
Kurhula laughs. ‘Which one is it?’
‘It’s a braai. Just immediate family’
‘I don’t see why not. The choice is yours my love’
‘I wanted you to say no’ Kuli says and he chuckles.
‘Mabontle?’ he calls. It sounds like he’s typing.
‘Yeah?’
‘If Mhana Vutlhari doesn’t want a braai, then there will be no braai. Absofuckinglutely not’
We all laugh.
‘I’m saying no because she has a problem with me calling you my husband all the time’
‘Does she know how many cows I had to cough up in your name?’
Not these two ganging up on me.
‘On a serious note, sort it out between the two of you. I need to finish up here. And baby?’
‘Yes hubby?’
‘I love you woman’
She blushes and infects me with her happiness. Modimo…
‘I love you too, man’
‘That sounds wrong’ he complains and she shoots out laughter. They end the call and she tells me that she can manage a family dinner.
‘Let me text Larona quickly’ she unlocks her phone.
‘Why’ I ask. She raises her eyes and just looks at me.
‘Is she not family?’
‘I really don’t understand what you’re trying to do with that girl but I know it’s going to end badly’
‘And what do you mean by that?’
‘You are pushing Kurhula into her arms. I told you this the other day and you refused to talk about it. Stop this, otherwise it will end in tears’
‘Says the girl who willingly jumped into a relationship with a then married man’
I gasp. What? Is she serious?
‘Their relationship was over when ours began’ I defend myself because I am not going to allow her to paint me as a homewrecker.
‘No Mabontle. I’d understand if I was hearing this from someone else, not you. You’re a fine one to speak. The situation between Kurhula, Larona and I is not as simple as it looks and instead of you standing there and judging me, I would appreciate your support because it is not easy on me too as the first wife!’
She snaps and takes her baby from me. I have no words. She leaves me in the kitchen. Why would I support my sister in getting her heart broken? Has she seen that girl? I don’t like her but that won’t stop be from admitting that every man notices her when she walks into the room. If Kuli continues like this, it won’t be long till Kurhula crumbles under temptation. I don’t want my sister getting hurt when he starts neglecting her because of a new wife.
…
[KULANI]
Kurhula walks in after I’m done changing Vutlhari’s nappy and his outfit. He has AK in his arms and the situation doesn’t look good. I put Vutlhari on the centre of the bed and approach him.
‘What’s wrong?’ I take Akani from him and put my fingers against his forehead. This child is flaming hot. What kind of a fever is this? Kurhula sighs, heavily.
‘His grandmother called me and said he’s sick. When I got there, I discovered that he’s been sick for the past two days and she was hoping that he’ll get better. Apparently he hasn’t been able to go to the toilet all long’ he sounds defeated. I feel his tummy and I find that it’s as tight as a new soccer ball. Then I recall.
‘Baby?’
‘Hm?’
‘Do you remember when I told you that AK would be back home and that you didn’t need to fight?’
He nods.
‘He’s going to be fine but please do me a favour. There’s a traditional pharmacy just outside the mall, you know it right?’
He nods.
‘Please go get me a size 6 enema, those orange ones with a black head and some aloe. It can be liquid or solid. It doesn’t matter but it has to be pure aloe’
‘Will you be okay with the two of them? Let me call Mabontle so—’
‘I’m fine. Go so you can come back sooner’
I am not in the mood to be going back and forth with Fikani’s wife.
He leaves and I sit down on the bed.
‘Akani?’
He doesn’t respond. His eyes are open though. He’s so weak and has zero energy to even lift his hand up. It’s heart-breaking.
‘AK?’
‘Ma?’ his response sounds so low.
‘What happened baby?’
He’s quiet.
‘Tell these people that you are just a child and you know nothing. Tell them that they should stop pulling you in different directions and fighting over you because it’s hurting you neh?’
He nods. I smile. He doesn’t even know which people I am referring to.
‘Don’t sleep’ I urge when I see him closing his already hanging eyes. We wait for his dad and he doesn’t take long. He puts the things on the bed and takes him. I change into a long-sleeved white top, tights and tie my Njeti around my waist. I also cover my head. I go in the kitchen to find a two-litre bucket and boil some water. After mixing it with the aloe, I throw the enema and a green bar soap inside. I then go take AK and we head to the outdoor toilet. Walking barefoot is calming for me but I could never get used to it, especially outside. I go find a shovel to dig a small hole behind the pit toilet. I sit behind it, flat on the ground and take his corduroy pants off. This material is giving me so much nostalgia.
I lay him on my thighs as I mix the water and aloe with my hand. He starts crying after I ease the enema into his anus. My grandmother used to do this to me so I know very well what I am supposed to do.
‘Sorry. We’ll be done in two minutes, I promise. Just two minutes’ I lie as I squeeze the liquid into him. I refill and pump him again. All the green and black dirt comes out spraying to the ground. Some gets on my clothes. I make him get up so he can squat and release all of the diarrhoea into the hole I made. I go find a tissue in the toilet and wipe him. He becomes so distraught when realises that we are not done. I did not mean to laugh. This is too close to the brick fence. The people passing by must be wondering what I am doing to the poor child behind this wall.
We go again and he goes back to his little makeshift toilet. I watch him do his business while drawing on the ground.
The last time is much easier because he’s complaining but no longer crying. When he goes to release, only yellow water comes out. I get rid of the remaining mixture in the bucket and go wash everything at the tap, then go back to fetch him.
‘Are you done?’ I ask. He says no. I wait until I see that he’s doing nothing there but enjoying the doodling he’s busy with on the soil. I force him to get up to wear his pants. He can draw inside the house. It’s hot out here.
He’s slowly coming back to himself. I carry him to the house and throw his clothes in the laundry machine. I will handwash this Njeti myself. We walk into the bedroom so he can take a bath. After we get all cleaned up, I request an oat bowl for him and it is made in a jiffy. I sit him on the bar stool and place the food in front of him. He just sulks and refuses to eat.
‘What would you like then? Weetbix? Bread? There’s also yogurt?’
Kurhula walks in with Vutlhari in his hands.
‘Put some fruit pieces in it. He’ll never eat it if it’s plain like that’ he advises. He vigorously brushes AK’s head and asks him how he’s feeling. AK laughs at how his father is bullying him around. I cut a banana into pieces then throw it into the bowl together with some blueberries. Only then does he pull the oatmeal towards him. I’ve realised that he’s still afraid of me, otherwise he would’ve said what the problem is without the need for Kurhula to tell me. He proceeds to eat. Shame man, he was starving. The appetite was the problem.
