Maid For Marriage

95

"I'm not going anywhere."
"Then I'll call the police."
"Senzo! I'm your mother. Thandi talk to him!" She has to be insane right? She has to be. "Thandi, you're carrying my grandchild. You can't expect me to just ignore that fact."
"MaRadebe, you have several other grandchildren who you're able to ignore just fine. You can add this one to the list." Gogo said, and I heard a few chuckles behind me.

"I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say we've failed the women who marry into this family. It's why we sit with this curse. Our bloodline will never see an heir, but our daughters will one day be wives, and I will turn in my grave if their in-laws treat them the way we treat our daughters. We've learned from our mistakes MaRadebe, and we're trying to fix this family. If you can't do the same, then maybe we should cut you from the Dlamini fold."
"My son won't allow that."
"Yes, I will, ma. And I'll do it in a heartbeat if you don't stop hurting my wife. Now... I'm going to ask you this one last time.  Leave, please." She got up silently and left.

I was so relieved. Not just because she left but because I didn't have to utter a word to get her to leave. I hope to always be protected like this. I was so tired of fighting in this family, and having people who were willing to fight for me took a weight off my shoulders. Yes, I had my mother, but I'm sure she must be as tired as I am. This was such a breath of fresh air.

The elders wanted to stay a few days longer, and I let them. What was I supposed to say. I couldn't exactly say no, even though I didn't really want people here.

"Mamakhe."
"Mm?"
"I love you." What?
"I love you too, Baba. Is something wrong?" He shook his head. "No." I didn't believe him. "Baba, what's wrong?" He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm scared. No, I'm terrified. You're not getting better. What if I lose you?"
"Baba." Tears welled up in my eyes. "Please don't think like that."
"But you do."
"Exactly, I need you to be positive. I need you to be enthusiastic because I can't be. I can't reassure you of anything. I'm completely hopeless, but..."
"But what baby?"
"I don't want you to be. I don't want anything forced on me, but seeing you fight for this baby gives me the strength to get up from the bathroom floor. It gives me the strength to force food down my throat. It gives me the strength to stay alive. Baba, I'm not okay. Every single day, it feels like I'm fighting to stay alive. Your hope keeps me going." We were both in tears. He held me tightly the whole night, not once letting go. 

I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. I couldn't take it. I ran to the bathroom to throw up. "Who the fuck is cooking in the house!?" Senzo voice roared from outside our room. "Who is it!" When I was done vomiting I shut the toilet door and opened the window for some fresh air. "Mamakhe, are you okay?" I just shook my head and threw up again.

"How is she doing?" I heard my midwife's voice. "Not okay." I threw up again. "Okay, the smell in here is not going to help. We should get her outside." They helped me out the house with my bucket in case I threw up on the way. MaCele came out in her pajamas with her baby on her hip. "Who was it?" Baba asked angrily. "MaGumede. I don't know what she was thinking. We all know not to even eat anything inside the house. She was making breakfast."
"Tell her to pack her bags. She's going home."
"Baba?" Everyone came outside to see if I was fine.

"Baba, I didn't mean to."
"You didn't mean to? You know the rules. Are you trying to make my wife sick? I don't care. Just pack your bags and go home." She rolled her eyes. "I won't. I was doing something nice by making breakfast for everyone. Even your so-called wife here." I just scoffed. "Oh? So you're apparently so weak you can't move from your bed, but you can sit here and scoff?"
"MaGumede, what are you doing here if you don't want to be here?" I asked because I was done. "I'm here to look after you and my husband. That's what I was asked to do."
"Well, neither me nor MY husband needs you. You can go."
"Wow, there she is. The real Thandi." The what? "I came here to help you, and this is what I get?"