I'm more than just the second wife

19

We got home at midnight. I wanted to weep when I thought of the fact that I'd have to be awake in 4 hours, well I'd slept for 4 hours because Mr here wouldn't let me drive for more than 2 hours at night. I was grateful for that even though sleeping in a car isn't the most comfortable thing. As soon as we entered the yard I pulled out my head wrap and put it on and a shoal since I'd worn a sleeveless dress today. As soon as Yanda opened the door for me I shivered. It was cold around the wee hours here. He pulled of his suit jacket and wrapped it around me.

"Thank you." I said in my raspy voice that was laced with sleep. He only let me carry the toiletry bag and had both our bags as we walked to my house. I unlocked it. I expected it to be dusty but instead it was clean. I know mama has everything to do with the clean state of my house. I made a mental note to thank her.

I went into Zanda's old room and there was no bed there. Well this is a problem. Where will Yanda sleep. He seemed to be way ahead of me. When I walked into my room his clothes were on top of the washing basket, I'd let the fact that they're not in it bother me later now I'd like to know why there's a shirtless man on my bed on his MacBook. "Yanda, where will you sleep?" I asked hoping I was jumping into conclusions with the thoughts racing in my head. "He tapped the bed before going back to his work. "Sleep at the other house." I demanded folding my arms. "Oh and you'll explain why that happened in the morning to the elders?" He asked mockingly.

I didn't bother answering him I just grabbed my bag and went to the bathroom. I wasn't about to shower now. I changed into my pajamas brushed my teeth then walked out placing both bags in the wardrobe and put our clothes in the washing basket. I switched off the main lights and then my lamp and then got into bed making sure that I lay far from Yanda I was basically on the edge. A gentle breeze would push me onto the floor that's how close to the edge of the bed I laid. After 10 min I felt myself fall back to sleep when Yanda switched off his MacBook and lamp. He then pulled me in and laid me on his chest. I was so tense and my heart was beating so loud I'm sure he could hear it. "Relax Ntombizonke.Sleep." He coerced whilst rubbing circles on my back.
I eventually relaxed and fell right of to sleep in minutes.

I was rudely waken up by my alarm and the chicken outside. I reluctantly got out of Yanda's warm embrace and dragged myself to the bathroom. I showered got into a long skirt, long sleeved t shirt and a pinafore over it and put my head wrap on and slipped on my trainers. That's the hack I've learnt when I'm home for ceremonies, wear my trainers that way I'm comfortable through out the day and no blisters by the end of it.

I got into the kitchen and made porridge and started cooking breakfast as well by the time the clock struck six Yaliwe, Velile and Noma walked in. "Good morning!" We all greeted excited to see each other after such a long while. "We should do something together that does not entail us being confined in the four walls of a kitchen." Yaliwe said and we all hummed in agreement with her. Before the chaos took over. We all took the dishes to the main dining room where we all had breakfast over loud conversation.

After breakfast Aunt Sinikiwe started barking out orders especially to the young wives. " Who'll clean the insides if you are all sitting here being a bunch of gossips?!" She yelled from the door with her hands on either side of her wide hips. Mind you we were not sitting around aimlessly. We were cleaning the kitchen but that clearly didn't matter to her. Yaliwe,Velile and I followed after her and went to the 3drums filled with cow insides. It had flies buzzing about but they thankfully didn't sit on the meat as the drums were covered with trays.

We opted to work through one drum at a time together. By midday we'd cleaned most of the tripe and intestines. We wreaked of cow dung and were covered in splatters of it, we desperately needed to shower. The little that was left was for Noma to clean. She always dodges the disgusting bits but today we left her, her bit. Does she think any of us like being covered in cow dung and fighting flies in this heat?