FORCED TO MARRY AND I CHOSE YOU

52

"Lindo mfethu!?" I almost scream at him to let go of me. "Yini!?" Naye he shouts from besides me acting like he doesn't know what I'm going on about. "Stop cuddling me!" I complain trying to get his hands off me,nokuthi what is he doing on my hospital bed is beyond me. "Argh,I'm not cuddling with you. I'm cuddling with Pumpkin" he says dryly. Acting like I'm thinking highly of myself for even assuming that he would ever want to cuddle me. "Okay then get your hands off me,ungibangela ukushisa" I'm serious here,plus he's making my back pain because I haven't changed my sleeping position all because yena he wants to cuddle his nephew.

He reluctantly let's go of me which is the first,I have to first look at him in the eyes to understand why he let go of me that easily. "Yini?" He asks when I narrow my eyes at him in question. "Nothing" I mumble before sitting up straight away from the headboard. I sit on the edge of the bed and let my feet dangle from the bed and try to stretch my aching back. "Mah ngilambile!" Trust me to be a baby whenever my parents are around. My mother who's sitting next to her husband on the hospital couch chairs rolls her eyes at my "cute" behaviour. But she stands up nonetheless to dish up for me.

Ugirl cooked curry stew and idombolo for me. I don't like using the term dumplings...I feel like it does no justice to the delicious steamed yeast dough. While I'm happily eating and my visitors have their way with some of the fruits and yoghurt they brought me...Mmabatho walks in carrying a basket,no doubt its full of food. Yummy!!

She greets my parents giving them hugs including uLindo and lastly comes to me. "How are you feeling?" She asks. Are all doctors like this...umuntu is familiarising herself with my chart. She is not even looking at me. "I want to go home" I cry out knowing very well that my wish won't be granted. She laughs at my misery,"you will after a few days" she crashes my hopes.

My doctor came in earlier on to check up on me. Apparently my high blood pressure is high and the lower back pains that I have been experiencing aren't normal. So to guard against a condition called preeclampsia or any risky third trimester conditions,they will keep me here for a few days and monitor me.

As I'm sleeping,I roll over to face the other side. However I come to realise that,that was a mistake. I should have continued my peaceful slumber in the position that I was in before. Because now I don't feel like sleeping anymore. I'm awake,so with my head against the pillow and body on the bed,I open my eyes and lazily move them around the ward. My body freezes and eyes remain stuck on what's standing in the middle of the room carefully watching me. How did I not feel or even know that im not alone.  Our eyes lock however he doesn't react.

I quickly sit up on my bed and in seconds I have the emergency button in my reach. For some unknown reason,I don't feel scared. Yes I did a few seconds ago but the more I look into his eyes,a certain calm over powers me. He stares at me without saying a word or showing any emotion. Even as he sees that im holding the emergency button. I suddenly let go of it. Its of no use...I'm not going to press it. I know that I should be scared considering that I'm sharing a room with a ghost but I'm not. His soft gaze tells me that he can be trusted so I relax.

"Wanga?" He calls out to me just when I thought that he's mute. I close my eyes and hold my head,even in death his voice still send shivers down my spine. I take a moment to breathe and remind myself that he's a ghost. When I open my eyes,I find him standing on my bedside. "Am I dreaming?" I finally ask, he shakes his head No while staring at me as if he doesn't believe that he's actually seeing me. I don't get it...I'm the one who's supposed to be perplexed here. "Ku njhani(how are you)?" He asks taking a sit. I look out the window to see that its dark outside...its night time also the dim lighting in my room verifies that.

"I'm okay wena?" I ask him and he doesn't respond. Of course how is a ghost supposed to answer such a question,phela he is dead. "Are you haunting me?" I ask not wanting to sit in silence with a ghost. "No,why would you think that?" He asks genuinely confused. "Because you are a ghost" I state the obvious in a duh tone. He looks taken back by my reply which I find quite comical. "I'm a ghost? Nhlawuleko why would you think that?" Now he sounds rather curious but also upset. I giggle but stop when I see that he's serious.