Maid For Marriage

103

"Do you think I want more of your witches! Gumede, what do you take me for! I finally escape the claws of your daughter you sent to destroy my family, and then you send another! I'm not stupid, Gumede! You want to kill all my wives and then me so you can have all my wealth!" Baba yelled at him. It brought me a tinge of happiness.  "Senzo, no, my son. I just want to correct what's wrong. My grandchildren need a loving my mother, and you need a wife. This is the only way for me to fix what my daughter has done to you. It's the only way." Bab'Gumede said. "Senzo, just think about it. This will restore your dignity." I was so over Senzo's elders. How would this restore his dignity?

"Zamo, my child. Speak to your husband."
"Baba, I promise you I am nothing like my sister. I am a Christian woman who believes in spreading love and kindness. I'm also not going into this blindly. I will show you and your wives the utmost respect. I'm here to restore and build. I profusely apologize for my sister's mistakes. They were vile offenses, and she deserves what's coming her way. God doesn't sleep. Baba, I am nothing like her. I'm here to help the Dlamini family grow."

There was more back and forth. His elders eventually convinced him to think about it. Then they gave him until the end of the week to come back with an answer.

The Gumedes left, and all of us went back into the house. The wives were silent as the elders boasted about what a respectful young woman Zamo was. "Senzo, I don't understand what you need to think about. This is how things are done. MaKhumalo, what do you say? Don't you think this is for the best? This is tradition. This is our culture." I knew at that moment that this girl would take MaGumede's place. My life was just one blow after the other, wasn't it? Even without out MaGumede's muti and witchcraft.

"Leave my wives out of this."
"How can we? We need their approval as well. Let's have their answers now. MaBhengu. What do you say? Do you accept MaGumede into the family?"
"Dlamini, listen to me when I say leave my wives out of this. I will speak to them privately and make a decision on what they think. Do not anger me. Not right now." I know we were in a very serious situation. A life altering decision had to be made, but my husband has never been this hot.

Snap out of it, Thandi. Snap out of it. Your husband is taking another wife.

That snapped me out of it really quickly. "Senzo, we know you are going through a lot, but don't take that tone with me." He sighed. "I apologize for my tone, but that's the only thing I apologize for. I'll discuss this matter with my wives." They didn't look happy, but they accepted it.

To say the rest of the day was awkward was an understatement. Nobody knew what to do with themselves. I spent the day with my son and decided to make a fire outside and film a cooking vlog for when I started posting again. 

"Mamakhe." Senzo came and kissed me on the cheek. "Baba, I'm filming." He shrugged. "So?" I just chuckled. "What are you making, my love?" I opened my pot. "It's just a beaf stew. I felt like something simple today."
"It smells delicious." I just smiled. I filmed inside my pot and then put my camera off.

"What do you think about this whole situation?" I just shrugged. "I don't know. I really don't know. I'm not just saying it as a way to avoid talking about it. I just don't know what to feel. It's as if I'm numb." He sighed. "I don't know either. I was hoping to get guidance from the four of you." He sighed. "Judging from this big pot, I'm assuming you're cooking for everyone." I nodded. "We can sit down to a nice dinner, and then we can talk about it. Is that fine?" I nodded again. "Yebo, baba." MaMlambo joined us, and she helped me cook and film. Just as the sun was about to set, Senzo's three uncles came into the homestead, shouting the Dlamini clan praises. With them was the all to familiar figure of Zamo wrapped in a blanket.

"What is this now?" He asked, looking at the spectacle. MaKhumalo and MaCele joined us. "As allowed by her father, Zamo will be staying in your homestead for the week until you we come and hear your decision. She's here to prove herself to be an asset to your family. Zamo, my child, this will be your home until our son has made a decision. MaKhumalo, I trust that as the matriarch, you will make the new MaGumede feel welcome." They said and just left her there.