I'm more than just the second wife

6

I'd successfully avoided Nobuhle for more than 3 weeks but I guess our meeting was inevitable. Velile and I were in one of the huts MaBhengu and KaMabaso had asked us to clean in preparation for the extended family that was coming over for Christmas tomorrow. "Velile what are you doing in here with all this dust?" She asked in English looking at me up and down. She assumed I didn't understand English. That's the general idea everyone had about me. That I'm an illiterate village girl. They all made it a point to communicate in IsiZulu in my presence to accommodate me. Although not everyone thought little of me they thought I was uneducated but I didn't clear up the misunderstanding.

I looked at her. She looked the part of a groomed glamorous city girl. She had on a long sleeve shirt beneath a strapped silk day dress that went up to her mid calf, a  weave that went up to her behind and those silky Gucci scarves as a head wrap. She had long lime green coffin shaped nails and her face was lightly made up. I was interrupted from my assessment by Velile's voice. "Nobuhle please, if you aren't here to help please leave."

"If anyone should leave its rural unwanted peasants." She said now in IsiZulu. I'm guessing to ensure I understood her insult this time around. "Sis' Vee I'll move on to the next hut. You'll join me when you're done here." I spoke dismissing myself from the room. I knew she was baiting me but I wouldn't fall for it. She's fighting me for a man I don't know nor have spoken to. If only she knew she was wasting her breath because I didn't want him.

"Koki!" Zanda yelled as soon as she saw me emerge in the yard. She stood up from her cousins and waddled over to me. I met her half way, picked her up and threw her in the air. Her giggles filled the air and my heart warmed at the sound and I peppered kisses all over her face. I forgot my anger and worries at the sight of her elated as she saw me emerge from the hut.

"Ncam ncam Koki." She asked placing her hands on either of my cheeks making me look at her. "Alright nana let's go make you some food." I said settling her on my hip and made my way to my house. I stopped when I made eye contact with Yanda as he and Nkosinathi were sitting beneath a tree and their conversation seemed to have ceased. I'm gathering they must have stopped to watch Zanda and I. "Good day sis'Zonke!" Nkosinathi shouted across the yard. I just raised my hand and waved smiling at him as I couldn't shout across the yard. It was seen as unbecoming behavior.

"Would you guys also like some food?" I asked the three children Zanda had been with. "Yes please mama." The eldest one who looked about 5 replied. "Follow me then." They all got their dusty selves up running ahead of me. They all took their shoes off before going into the house and rushed to the sink and washed their hands and sat before the television on the floor. "May we please watch tv mama?" The 5 year old asked. They were so well mannered "Yes you can honey." I replied making my way to the kitchen and made them pb&j sandwiches and chopped up fruit and juice. I took it to them. I attempted to put Zanda down to sit next to them but she clung onto me so I took her with me to the kitchen. I made her a slice of bread and took off a small bunch of grapes rinsed them and made her a nido milk and poured it into her feeding cup.

She bit into the center of the slice and got peanut-butter and jam all over her face, I giggled taking in the sight of her. I cut up the bread into pieces and fed them to her until she finished. She then grabbed globes of  grapes with both her hands and shoved them in her mouth. "Calm down baby no one will take it from you.One at a time." I said gently prying the grapes from her left hand "One koki?" She asked gazing at me curiously as she popped just one grape into her mouth." Yes baby! One." I said back happy she understood. She's such a smart baby.

"Hello Koti. I see the pair of you get on very well. Thank you for assuming the role of a mom in her life. I could never neglect her she's my daughter's child but she has me wrapped around her finger. I can't play the role of her disciplinarian very well. She just smiles at me and I just melt." MaBhengu stated and we shared a laugh.