Redeemed

Epilogue

ONE MONTH LATER
SIYA

Me: “Hi”
Didi: “Hey and thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”
Me: “You sounded displeased over the phone. Where’s Israel? I thought you’d be here with him.”
Didi: “He went out with his brother and father. I’m tired of your wife harassing me Siya and she’s starting to really piss me off now. I don’t want to tell Kgosi because he can be crazy and gives zero fucks about gender, so I’d appreciate if you have a talk with her and get her off my back.”
Me: “(shocked)What? When did this start because she’s only recovering now?”
Didi: “It’s a week now. She blames me for her son’s death and went on to say I conspired with Kgosi since he was a doctor. She even created a fake Instagram account and has been trolling me. If this continues then you’ll end up getting supervised visits with Israel.”
Me: “(sigh) I’ll talk to her and I apologise for my wife’s behaviour.”
Didi: “She’s really so different from the Tshidi I knew.”
Me: “Trust me, I know. I hear Ona works for your boyfriend now.”
Didi: “Yes she does. She’s gotten humble and that’s as far as I can go with the gossiping. We’re no longer together.”
Me: “(chuckles) Come on, I’m married now, and I thought we got along.”
Didi: “Yes we do, and I must say you’ve lost weight for a man who’s married to the love of his life.”
Me: “Because she spent close to four months in a coma, so the change was inevitable.”
Didi: “Are you OK now though?”
Me: “Honestly? (she nods) I don’t think I am. I found out something about my wife and it’s hard for me to process it. What sucks is, she’s just fine with it.”
Didi: “I’m assuming if you wanted me to know you would have straight up told me, so I’ll just ask if you’ve told her that whatever she told you doesn’t sit well with you. If yes, what did she say?”
Me: “That it happened way before we met and that I shouldn’t hold it against her the same way she doesn’t hold my past against me.”
Didi: “Then you should just respect her wishes and stop judging her over her past. I agree with her.”
Me: “(sighs) Easier said than done.”
Didi: “You’ll be OK. I know you love her so you’ll both be OK. Don’t stress much about it and if it’s really bad in your eyes, remember all the other things you like and love about her. I swear it’ll make everything a lot better.”
Me: “That time you’re younger than me. Age is really just a number.”
Didi: “(laughs) Do I need to remind you that your wife is seven years older than you?”
Me: “(chuckles) No. (touches her hand) Thank you for this and yes, I’ll talk to her. you look good too.”
Didi: “Thank you for the compliment and if you continue looking at me like that, I might think that you want to bed me. I’ll see you around Siya”
Driving home, I know it’s time I had a talk with Jhene and put the matter to rest. I’ve been bothered by the fact that she has a teenage child somewhere but Didi is right, I should respect her wishes and stop judging her over her past.
I find my wife in the kitchen washing dishes. It’s Tuesday so the kids are at school since Mason stays with us.
Me: “Hey, can we talk?”
Jhene: “What did I do this time?”
Me: “(pulls a highchair for her) Please sit”
Jhene: “Is this about what I did eighteen years ago?”
Me: “That and Didintle. Why are you harassing her and accusing her of killing our son?”
Jhene: “That man she’s dating is a gangster, and have you forgotten he once threatened me? He was at the wedding and suddenly I’m bleeding, it’s not a coincidence.”
Me: “The doctors found nothing, and I’d love for the matter to be put to rest because I don’t want to lose you too.”
Jhene: “(rolls eyes) Fine. It’s just been hard for me to accept that he’s gone. I’m almost forty Siya and I can’t exactly fall pregnant again, so I hate that I’ll never be able to give you a son.”
Me: “I don’t want another son baby, I’m content with you and our kids. I don’t want any more and I don’t want you putting pressure on yourself. Let’s focus on raising the kids we have, loving each other and growing older together.”
Jhene: “(smiles) OK.”
Me: “And about the adoption, I’m sorry for giving you hell about it. You had your reasons and it’s not my place to judge you. I can’t force you to track down the child either, so I promise I’ll let it go. In fact, I’ve let it go.”
Jhene: “(embraces me) Thank you so much. I love you”
Me: “I love you too. Now, how about some champagne so we can toast to this new slate?”
Jhene: “(giggles) AS you wish daddy”
.
GINA