His Love Healed My Heart

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TWO DAYS LATER (SUNDAY)
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OYAMA
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Lonwabo has been here every night since I got here. His brothers also come to check up on me.  I am feeling much better.  The swelling has gone down but I still have a lot bruises.  I'm sure they will disappear soon.  The doctor has also recommend a therapist who has been coming to see me once a day.  I must say for a male therpist, he is easy to talk to.  I finally told Lonwabo about how Lunga has been treating me and the beatings.  He told me not to me worry because Lunga has been arrested and he is going to jail for a long time and apparently I was not his first victim.

He has made me  feel so worthless, made me feel like  what I was doing was wrong. Made me feel like saving myself for the right person was wrong.  He controlled every aspect of of my life and in the beginning I thought it was just his way of showing me that he cares.  He is my second boyfriend.  My first boyfriend broke up with me because I wouldn't give the  cookie.  At least he was honest about it.  When he tried to sleep with me I told him I was not ready, I told I was still a virgin and he'll have to wait until I'm ready.  He told me straight out that he wants someone to have fun with, he is not all about commitment and everything, which I appreciated.   With Lunga it was different.  He said all the right things to make sure I stay with him, only to realise he only wanted my cookie. After a while he really became obsessive over me.  After my classes he made sure I went straight home or he would take me to his place and take me home later.  I felf like I couldn't do anything wrong.  I couldn't make mistakes because he would just snap at me and beat me for  little things I do wrong  and he always made sure he beat me where no one could see my bruises until the first day I met Lonwabo.

My mom also made me feel worse by saying that I probably provoked him. She made me feel I desrved the things Lunga did to me.  She did apologise but when I asked her why she did that, she couldn't tell me so I just let it go. Honestly I just want to forget the whole thing.  I just want the nightmares to stop. I just want to stop seeing his face when I close my eyes.  I just want to stop seeing his dick in my mouth whenever I try to eat.  I just want it to all stop. 

Lonwabo:  hey why are you crying (I didn't even realise that I was criying.  Lonwabo hasn't hugged me since I got here.  I think he is afraid that he'll hurt me.  He sat next fo me on the bed and looked at me.  I just threw myself at him and cried on his chest.  He hesitantly pulls me close and holds me tight but also careful not to hurt me. He feels safe.  I feel like, I don't know but it's not how I felt when Lunga held me.  It's a good different.) He won't hurt you anymore.
Me: but he haunts me in my dreams,  in everything I do, he haunts me .
Lonwabo:  eventually it will get better.  Just give it time.  You won't forget but you will heal.  Remember that we are not all like him.
Me: thank you for being so supportive and yes I know there are good in this world.   I'm sorry I got your t-shirt wet my tears. (I say as I pull away from him.)
Lonwabo:  it's ok, don't worry about it.
Me:  I really don't know how I'm ever going to thank you.
Lonwabo:  well there's too things you can do for me.
Me:  I wonder  what could be those two things
Lonwabo:  well my brother and my sister are getting married in July and I need a date. If you don't mind please be my date.  It's a double wedding.
Me: I can do that, no wait I can’t Lonwabo.  The wedding is in July and  now it’s almost end of May that  means I only have a month to find a designer that can make a dress for me.
Lonwabo:  I’m sure my sister in law’s and my sister’s designer can fit in three  more dresses for you.
Me:  hayibo Lonwabo three more dresses, why?
Lonwabo:  one for the white wedding and two for the traditional wedding.  they were suppose to only have a traditional wedding, I don’t know what happened the ladies decided to have both.  I just feel sorry for their future husbands.
Me:  ok I see.  ( I wish he could stay until I fall asleep, at least when he is here, he has a way of distracting me and making me concerntrate on something else rather than what happened to me, and he doesn’t show pity.  He just makes me feel ok,  he makes feel worthy.)
Lonwabo:  I’ll speak to Lina and Lungi the brides to be and see what we can do about your dresses.
Me:  thank you.
Lonwabo:  I have to go for now.  I’ll be back tonight.  Should I bring you anything?
Me:  No I don’t need anything but I do want to ask you for a favour. 
Lonwabo:  What’s the favour?
Me:  tonight can you stay until I fall asleep?
Lonwabo:  I’m sure I can manage that but I’ll have to talk to my parents and let them know I’ll be here till here late.
Me:  Thank you I really appreciate it. (he gently hugs me and kisses my forehead.)
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KHAYA
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Seeing Oyama like that really did bring back memories of mom being like that and it hurt.  It really hurt but I couldn’t show the pain I felt for Lonwabo’s sake.  I had to be strong for him. I think he really likes this  girl and I don’t think he knows it.  My brother is taking his own time when it comes to girls.  He says he just wants the one girl, the one that’s meant for him, the one he’ll marry and I really admire that because not all of us can do that.  He always says that he doesn’t want to turn out like his father or my father, he wants to be the best husband and the best dad to his kids. I really think that Oyama is the girl for him but I don’t think he knows it and if he does then he is doing a job hiding it.

Sometimes I wish there were more people who are supportive of the good guys.  In as much as men are responsible for Gender Based Violence, there are men out there who are also being abused by other men and by women as well but they can’t speak up.  The minute they start speaking up they become the laughing stock of the community.  They are asked “stupid questions like how can you let a woman beat you up like that?”, things like that.  they are made to feel like the choice they made of being the good guys is the wrong choice but through it all, good man are still out there, still doing what needs to be done right.  We are also hoping that our project will bring out a lot of awareness to male abuse.

Dad:  are you getting nervous about the wedding?  you seem far away with your thoughts (he asks as he walks into the kitchen.)
Me:  I’m not nervous dad.  I was just thinking about Lonwabo’s friend Oyama.
Dad:  Is  she just a friend or is there more going on between those two? I think there’s more going on.
Me:  They like each other that much I can tell you and Lonwabo is not going to rush her into dating him, he is going to let her heal from this first which I think is a good thing to do.  She needs to heal first before she can be involved in another relationship.
Dad:  Maybe Lonwabo will be her healing.
Khaya:  maybe.  (Mom walks in as well, she goes straight to her husband and kisses him)
Mom:  what are you two talking about ?
Dad:  we were just talking about Lonwabo’s new girlfriend.
ME:  dad she is not his girlfriend, they are just friends.
Mom:  they might as well be a couple.  Lonwabo has been spending more time at the hospital these days  than he does here.  Lisakhanya even said that she doesn’t like sharing Wabo’s attention.  She is used to getting all of his attention whenever she needed it. 
Me:  well I think he is doing a good job balancing everything even his younger siblings. Mcebisi mentioned that his uncles are coming next week
Dad:  Yes they are and grandparents will be here too, all four of them.
Me:  I can’t believe I’ll be sharing a wedding day with my sister.
Mom:  I think it’s cute.  Whatever happened to that girl that was bothering you and Lungi?
Me:  I took care of her.
Mom:  oh is that so and how did you do that?
Dad:  do you even have to ask.  Khaya is just like you.  I’m sure he did what you would have done.  (he walks over to her and pulls her close and kisses.  I think they forgot that I’m here.  I clear my throat)
Me:  I’m still here you know that right.  Go to your room, I was in this kitchen first.
Dad:  No, you can leave and go to your apartment and leave us to our business, besides this is our kitchen and we can do as we please.  (mom just looked at me and smiled.  I’m just happy to see her so happy.  I grab my phone and my car keys and run out of the kitchen, leaving them laughing at me.
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MCEBISI
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After the whole saga of Oyama and that Lunga guy I decided to drive hom.  My dad said that he needed to see me.  It’s a good thing that I’m not that far from home, actually it’s a good that I moved back to Durban.  Being close to my family and being  close to the love of my life gives me peace.  I love her family and truly appreciate the way they have accepted me.  We are family even before I am even married to their daughter.  As soon as I drive into the yard Sne’s mom sees me.  Why did she have to see me now.  She is going to waste no time coming here.  I don’t understand why this woman can’t get it through her head that I don’t want her daughter.  Everytime I come here it’s Sne this and Sne that. it has gotten worse now that they know I’ll be getting married soon and I really pray they don’t do anything stupid.  Just as I get out of the car, she is already standing next to the fence.  I still don’t know why mom didn’t just allow me to build a wall around here.

Sne’s Mom:  Mcebisi how are you?
Me:  I’m ok ma and you?
Sne’s mom:  I’m good too.  it’ always good to see you.  Are you staying long?  Sne will be back later she went into town.
Me:  No mama, I’m not staying.  I am just here to see my dad and I’m leaving again.
Sne’s mom :  oh I see.  I hope Sne is back before you leave, she would really love to see you.
Me:  Yazi ma, with all due respect, I don’t like what you are doing.  I don’t like that you keep forcing your daughter  to get close to me.  I don’t like her in that way and I have told her that.  I have a fiancé ma, a woman that  truly love with all my heart and I am marriying her soon.  So you need to stop what you are doing it is not good for your daughter.  I don’t love her and I never will, and I won’t have you terrorising my wife when she is here otherwise there will be trouble.  I don’t love your daughter and I never will, so please you need stop this.
Sne’s mom:  you can to love her Mcebisi.
Me:  Did you hear everthing that I just said?  You need to stop this otherwise you and I we’ll  problems.