A Mother's Pride

Chapter 69

Mmampho's POV

"Happy thirty fourth birthday." They all shout as soon as I walk through the door, their voices are not in sync.

"I don't have time for this." I say and pass through them. I have been staying with Chris ever since my third trimester started, that's when I took my maternity leave.

"Lesedi please bring warm water for me, I'm going to bed." I go upstairs, not saying a word to anybody else. I'm pissed can't they see? Birthdays are not even a big deal anymore. I'm turning thirty four, I'm not the first so what's the party for?

I struggle to walk upstairs, this belly feels heavy as I carry it up the stairs. I get to bed. I take off my shoes and lift my legs that have clearly lost their muscle tone and rest them on the bed. I am sitting upright, my legs stretched on the bed.

As soon as Lesedi gets in, I tell him to massage my feet and he does that. Because he saw how I was struggling when I was pregnant with Naledi, he never complains when I overwork him. Just when my feet start to feel relaxed, the baby starts kicking. As much as this is some type of joyful thing, I'm hating it right now, it's giving me cramps and my pelvis is killing me. The back pains are a huge problem and are making my life difficult.

I want this baby out of me. This waiting got me feeling trapped. I cannot wait to get to the ninth month and get this over with. I'm a month away from giving birth and I just cannot wait.

I decide to take a shower. The lukewarm water drips from the top of my head, dripping to my sides. My back aches because my entire weight relies upon it. The stretch marks are seeping across the sides. My heart pounds loudly against my chest. You'd think showering would help with the aches the baby keeps giving but no, it's still a huge strain. Standing alone is a strain on my body. This sure feels like my first pregnancy. It's been twelve years since I felt like this.

I leave the shower, dry myself then walk to my bedroom. I cannot believe that I get to spend my birthday like this. Worst part, I'm forced to be in this mood. This screw everything and everybody mood. I feel energy leaving my body with every breath I take. As if the energy is being transferred to the little soul that won't stop kicking me from the inside— because he seems to have quite the energy. Everything and everybody annoys me and these mood swings that I totally have no control over, have been going on for months. I don't think anybody in the house wants to hang out with me anymore. I don't want to be bothered and they know that by now. They would not want to see me boiling with anger so they do as I say.

Lesedi stays with Mavis, and I stay here together with my mom while Naledi stays with her father. Mavis checks up on the house every now and then. I should have stayed at my house, going up and down the stairs is just so much torture.

I got my matric results in December last year. I did quite great but I decided to take a gap year since I cannot go to school like this. I got seventy three percent for Physical Sciences, seventy nine for Life Science, sixty eight for Math and the rest are not that important to me. I got distinctions in Life Orientation, English and History. I was so proud of myself when I laid my eyes on the statement given to me by Lydia. My hard work paid off and I can finally go to college and get into the corporate world like I had always wanted.

I got a job as a sales assistant at Cotton On and I work there six days a week, and have been working there since November, just after my exams. Chris advised that I study online and keep my job at Cotton On and I think it's a great idea. I will do that next year in January, thirty five is not too late to study towards your goals right?

I get treated like a queen here. I would have cravings in the middle of the night and would not hesitate to knock on Chris' door and tell him. And since he's the father, he drives off and gets me whatever I would be feeling like eating at the time.