I'm more than just the second wife

8

"Koki!" Zanda yelled throwing herself at me dropping her school and lunch bags where she stood. "I missed you too my nanakie." I yelled back as she leapt into my arms and I peppered her face with kisses. "Koki, Muso could be watching!" She reprimanded. Sliding off of me. Muso was her "boyfriend" "I'm sorry. I just got too excited." I replied holding back my laughter. "It's okay my Koki, you can make it up to me by taking me out for waffles and a milkshake." She said and a wide smile stretched on her face and her dimples came out. She tried to bait me every afternoon and each time I refused. We only ate junk over the weekend. I wonder why she kept on trying day after day but I guess she was hoping for a day such as today because I relented besides it was Friday anyways. "Sure, Wimpy or Spur?" I asked looking at her through the rear view mirror. "Ahhh! Thank you Koki! Spur please!"

We drove into Spur and walked in and Zanda was already at the play area before we even got assigned a table. I should have known there was more to it than just waffles and a milkshake.

I ordered for the pair of us. I also added a side of creamed spinach and pumkin which as I'd already anticipated Zanda made a face at when she saw it. "Koki do we have to eat veges even when we eat fast food?" She whined. "Yes nana you do." I replied smiling at her as I dished a generous portion of each onto her plate. "I guess that's what I get for having a doctor for a mother!" She grumbled to herself shoving a forkful of spinach in her mouth and swallowing. The smart mouth on this 5 year old! "I love you too princess." I laughed at her until she eventually reluctantly smiled making me laugh harder and pull out my phone and snap a picture of her. I showed it to her, she had spinach stuck on her front teeth, we laughed at the picture together. We continued taking silly pictures in between our meal and cracking up at how the other looked.

"I'll get you for that Koki." She said as we both sobered up and I blew her a kiss. Just as the waiter came to collect our plates curious Zanda reared her head. "Koki what are you drinking?" she asked. "Juice nana." I replied "Can I taste it please?" She asked and I was saved by the waiter bringing our dessert. She forgot all about her surroundings and she devoured the waffle. I made it a point to quickly finish my wine and asked for grape juice in a new wine glass whilst little missy was distracted.

I took more pictures of her caked in whipped cream and chocolate sauce and sent them to her grandma, speaking of we should go visit them next weekend but this weekend I'm spending it with my nanakie. I've been so busy the past three weeks that I didn't even get to tuck her in at bedtime. She would sleep at Sim's house and I'd get her when I finally got home which was late at night. "Nana have you decided what color you want your room to be? I asked even though I had an idea what color she'd say. She'd over heard a conversation between Amy and I. We were discussing her wedding colors and she'd heard us mention dusty pink and now anything she bought had to be or close to dusty pink.

"Dusty pink Koki and May I please have a book shelf and may I please please have the x-men series collection!" She asked her big beady eyes begging me not to say no. "Alright we'll all that tomorrow along with the paint and we'll paint your room together." Her eyes got bigger as she exploded with excitement and she bolted out of her chair and straight into my arms and peppered my face with kisses. "Thank you Koki! I love you more than Mulan , Belle and Moana!" She placed another kiss on my nose before she rushed off to play again.

"You have a great relationship with your daughter. I hope to have the same with mine." A heavily pregnant Caucasian lady said to me whilst brushing her belly as she passed my table. "Oh Thank you. Congratulations by the way, how far along are you?" I asked making polite conversation. "Full term, she'll be here any day now." She said and the smile on her face could be spotted a mile away. "I'm sure you can't wait." I said "You have no idea." She replied chuckling shaking her head, she waved and walked out. She met her husband at the door, they held hands and made their way out. My heart clenched in longing at the sight. I'd never get that.

My train of thought was interrupted by Zanda coming back. "Koki is it time to leave yet?" She asked and I could see she was hoping I'd say no but we had a long drive back home so I nodded. She nodded , sat down and put her Sandals on. I grabbed my purse and went to pay and also collect my order. Simnikiwe was expecting her second baby and she was obsessed with hot food so I bought her spicy buffalo wings and a kiddies meal for Onami.

By the time we got home Zanda was fast asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake her up to bath so I changed her uniform and put her in bed. I then went over to Simnikiwe's house. "Onami, please check who's at the door!" She yelled. She got lazier by the day, she was now 6 months pregnant. When Onami wasn't at school he became her hands and feet. He sometimes took Zanda on adventures away from home to run away from her nagging. When he did this they'd fight all the time. It was comical to watch.

He opened and rammed into me. I picked him up and kissed his cheek. "Hello my boy!" I greeted. "Hello Anti. What do you have for me?" He asked reaching for the paper bag in my hands. I handed it over to him and he thanked me and placed a kiss on my cheek and I put him down making my way to the living room. "Hey mfazi!" I greeted as I settled on the couch opposite hers. Onami handed her the paper bag and she pulled out the box and dug into the wings. "Mama, what do you say to Anti?" Onami asked taking on the stance she normally does when she reprimands him. I held back a giggle as she tried to reach for her shoe to throw at him but she failed so she grabbed the cushion she had been resting her back on  and threw it at him but he ducked it before breaking out in laughter to which I joined.

"Mfazi you laugh, this child is going to drive me crazy. If I'm not chasing him all over the yard, it's that smart mouth of his!" She said moving around trying to be comfortable but she'd thrown the cushion at Onami but she was now looking for it around her. Onami and I looked at her then at eachother and then broke out into another fit of laughter. She stopped looking at us and then spotted the cushion in Onami's hands and there she was again screaming at the poor child but he fired back. I interrupted when she made way to get up and try to smack him.

"Sim sit down please. You know he's just teasing." I said and that had her sitting down and digging in her wings. Onami and I didn't make a sound until she finished. I longed to be a mother but if this is what I had to go through to get there. I can wait it out. If Sim wasn't a ball of emotions, she was running around like a headless chicken and if not that she was feeling ill.

"So how was the meeting?" She asked smiling at me. I just shook my head as I sat there and told her how the meeting went. She fell into a fit of laughter when I told her about Philani. After that I went home because I could see she was sleepy but didn't want to tell me to leave.

I woke up early the following morning,just before sunrise. I took off the curtains in every room, my linen,  Zanda's and my laundry sorted it out into the respective colors and started loading it into the washing machine. I'd just finished mopping the floors and was going through some documents in the living room when Zanda woke up. "Morning Koki." She whispered as she climbed onto my lap and cuddled into me. "Morning nana. Did you sleep well?" I asked. She just nodded in response. She didn't like talking when she was either sleepy, had just woken up or wasn't feeling well but when she finally did start she didn't stop.

"What's for breakfast Koki?" She asked after a while. " I was thinking we have breakfast in town, before we go shopping." She squealed before jumping off of me and rushing to her room. We both got ready then off we went.

We had breakfast at Mugg & Bean before we made our way to Makro. " Koki can I have that the glow in the dark lamp and ferry lights too! Please." She asked and added as an afterthought. "You can't have them both, you have to pick." I stated then walked away as a kind gentleman helped me with the heavier trolley.If I stayed she would have argued her way into getting them both. I'd taught her to fight for what she wants and if she gave a good enough argument she'd earn it but some things she knew just weren't up for discussion such as this one. "Okay Koki I've decided. I'd like the ferry lights more." I smiled at her "You can have them but that's the last thing you're allowed to pick." I stated gently yet firmly.

We already had two trolleys filled to the brim. She wanted a plush white carpet to replace the one in her play area that was worn, she asked for a new multicolored linen set, we got bean bag chairs, a big container for her toys, a dream catcher, frames for her pictures and household essentials in bulk. I hated shopping for those so I bought them at Makro three times a year in bulk, saves both time and money. We also stocked up on food for her lunch box and groceries along with two buckets of her paint of course and paint brushes and plastic to cover up the floor. We then made our way to Joshua Doore to buy her bookshelf. I asked that they deliver it on Tuesday. By then I'm sure the paint would be dry.