OUR LOVE STORY

33

Nomandla Paris Mhlongo

Lifa is acting weird, like he is all up in my face, overdoing things for me. When I ask him what's his problem, he says it's nothing to worry about. Like right now, he insisted on bathing me even after I told him it was fine.

Me: "Ndlalifa!"

Lifa: "Baby?"

Me: "You getting on my nerves now, yini ngempela?!"

Lifa: "I'm trying to do something nice for my wife nje baby."

Me: "Don't make me a fool." he sighs.

Lifa: "Okay. There is something but I can't tell you, baby."

Me: "Did you cheat?!" he frowns.

Lifa: "No."

Me: "Are you going to jail for something?"

Lifa: "What?! No baby!"

Me: "Then tell me!" he sighs.

Lifa: "I need you to be calm baby okay? Think about the baby and be calm."

Me: "Okay." he is scaring me now. He stares at me for some time while scratching his beard, before he sighs and speaks.

Lifa: "I just found out that your family didn't turn against you by will but that girl has been feeding them something. Well your brother was an easy target for her I guess and so that's how she gained access to your home." I keep quiet listening to him. I'm shocked and most of all hurt.

Lifa: "That is not all, there is a different muthi she has been feeding your father and it was slowly damaging his organs which will result in them shutting down."

Me: "Ndlalifa." I whisper as a tight knot builds up in my chest and throat, making me want to cry out loud.

Lifa: "MaKhoza is trying to help your father though and I believe in her. I believe in MaKhoza, I know she will help. We need to have faith and pray now." I nod.

Me: "I want to see him." I say in my shaking voice.

Lifa: "I will talk to my uncle then we'll take it from there okay?" I nod playing with my hands. As soon as he pulls me into his arms, I weep painfully.

Lifa: "Ngiyaxolisa sthandwa sami." It is just so painful, especially the fact that Nelihle was someone I considered a big part of my life and then she goes on to do this. I can't even imagine that she would go to such lengths, just to hurt me.

Lifa: "Do you want me to catch that girl and bring her to you so you can rough her up a bit?" he asks in an amused tone making me giggle.

Me: "Mxm" he chuckles kissing my head. A light knock comes through our door, and they then both start screaming Dada. I honestly felt betrayed when their first words were dada and gogo but they better now. As time goes on their speech is improving and I'm happy even though I'm still not mama.

Lifa opens the door for them and they run in, they start screaming while running around the room.

Me: "Hey!" They stop and look at me for a minute before Andile walks to me and lifts his arms for me to take him. I take him and kiss him all over his face. I missed my babies.

Me: "Sampona khehla lamama."

Andile: "Dada."

Me: "Mxm! Ndlalifa take your kids away from me." He laughs and takes this one from me.

_________

Lifa: "I spoke to my uncle and he said we can come anytime." I nod and start searching for my phone on the bed.

Me: "Please help me with my shoes baby." he looks for them and helps me wear them.

Lifa: "We going now?" my eyes immediately water.

Me: "Yini awufuni?!" I'm so close to bawling my eyes out.

Lifa: "Cha baby, we can go." I nod. He takes my hand and leads me outside. We get in the car and he drives off.

Me: "Please buy me food." he smiles.

Lifa: "What would you both like?"

Me: "Anything with meat." he nods.

******

We get to MaKhoza's house and walk inside. We find Lifa's uncle sitting comfortably on the couch with a tray of food in front of him. My mouth waters at the sight of the food. This pregnancy is turning me into something else.

Lifa: "Look at you chilling like the man of the house." they both laugh.

Uncle Khaya: "Niyaphila?"

Lifa: "Siyaphila malume. Where is the woman of the house?"

Uncle Khaya: "She will back just now, sit." we sit comfortably on the couch opposite him. I'm suddenly nervous about seeing my dad, what if he still hates me?! MaKhoza walks in, wearing her full attire, and greets us. She walks to the kitchen and comes back after a while with a tray of food. She hands us plates before she sits next to me.

MaKhoza: "You will see him after you are done eating, okay?" I smile and nod. We eat while conversing and laughing. I clear the plates when we are done and wash them before going back to the lounge room. Lifa and his uncle have disappeared so I sit with MaKhoza.

MaKhoza: "How is your pregnancy so far?" she asks rubbing my stomach.

Me: "Hard and exhausting." I say with a sigh. She chuckles lightly.

MaKhoza: "You still have a long way to go mntanam." I sigh.

MaKhoza: "Let's go see ubaba wakho now." she leads me to the back of her house where there is a rondavel. She lightly knocks and opens.

MaKhoza: "Uright? I brought you a visitor."

Dad: "Who is it?"

Me: "Babah." I say already crying. He chuckles.

Dad: "Ngiyabonga sisi. Woza Gcinozi kaBaba." I rush into his arms and cry my heart out. He brushes my back softly.

Dad: "I am so sorry sthandwa sami. I know words can never be enough to fix what we did to you kodwa I want you to know that I am sorry Gcino. Ngiyaxolisa ngempela mntanam."

Me: "I understand babah, it wasn't you..."

Dad: "Even so, ngiyaxolisa kakhulu magcina wami. As your father, I wasn't supposed to hurt you like that or even break your trust like that. I'm your father, your first love. I'm supposed to protect you against all odds no matter the situation. I'm sorry I broke that. I know that me treating you the way I did, did a lot of damage to you and your self-esteem. I promise I will work on that till I take my last breath. You are my angel and I was a fool to let the devil play around my home and mess with us. I love you, baby girl." At this point, I'm even hiccuping.

Me: "I forgive you babah. I missed you."

Dad: "I missed you too baby girl. I want you to forgive your mom, she really didn't know anything about the arrest." I nod.

Me: "Baba, is Nelihle really your daughter?"

Dad: "No. Her mother and I have history but that's it. She isn't mine, I only took her as my child after you introduced her as your friend."

Me: "I hear." I say nodding. The door opens while I'm still snuggled up in his arms.

Mom: "Mntun... Gcino?" She walks to us slowly and sits next to me putting me in between them. She opens her arms slowly and I hug her crying.

Me: "I missed you."

Mom: "Not more than I did." she says rubbing my back. I pull back from the hug and look at her. Her whole face is red and puffy.

Mom: "Ngiyaxolisa sthandwa sami."

Me: "It's okay I forgive you."

Mom: "Awww thunjana kaMah!" she says pulling me in her arms again and squeezing me.