Nathi is over a year old now and the second baby I have on the way has been baking in my tummy for seven months. I miss Zithulele with all my heart. I needed time and space to get our affairs in order, then I could get him out of prison and bring him home to comfort. I used an estate agent to find my ideal home in a quiet and gated suburb where we would have peace and have to drive to chaos if we wanted it instead of us living in the centre of the chaos. The estate agent found me my perfect home in a beautiful suburb called Lakefield – in Benoni. Our house is a stunning and spacious five-bedroom home. It has four bathrooms – one of them being in suite to our main bedroom, and one being downstairs and serving as a guest toilet. This house has a spacious kitchen, a spacious TV room and a dining room attached to the TV room in an open plan style. I love this place – I really do. 

I found a creche for Banathi and he absolutely loves his creche. When I drop him off at his creche, he runs so fast from me as if he cannot wait to leave my side. Now, I have to force him to hug and kiss me before he just sprints off to his class. This makes me comfortable with leaving him there every morning for the day. I usually spend my days strategizing on how I will get my husband home. I even start job hunting because after I give birth, I need to find a job. My skills are considered to be scarce skills anyway, so I don’t think I will have too many challenges trying to get a job. There is still a lot of money left after buying this house cash. But I need a job to make sure that I never run out. 

Nobody knows who we are here and it is so refreshing. I used to get extremely nervous when traffic officers stopped me just to check the car. I have a weird fear for law enforcement officers. But, it is getting better now. I am getting to a better place. I just need to get my husband home right now. 

My mother passed away and I couldn’t go and bury her. I haven’t spoken to my family in forever – my brothers and Suzi. I don’t know where my dad is. Maybe when I speak to my siblings, they’ll update me on his whereabouts – I am prepared to put money on him having a new whore in his life already. 

I have just dropped Banathi off at creche. He is in high spirits as per usual. Yesterday, he asked me about his dad and I told him that he will be back home today when he comes back from school. That is how determined I am to return with my husband. I told him that he is going to aftercare today because I know that I will not be back on time to fetch him at 1pm. He said thank you a million times. This child’s love for school is weird. 

“Mama, will baba be home after creche?” He asks me as I hug him before he sprints back to his class. 

“Mama is going to make sure that he is home after creche. I’ll actually come with baba when I come fetch you from creche.” I say. 

He dances and jumps for joy. 

“Be a good boy for your teachers. I love you, okay?” Me. 

“I love you, mama.” 

Then phooofff! He’s gone!

I get back into the Ford Ranger that I have been driving and get on the road, headed to Tholoana Kingdom prison with a bag of R5 million in the back of my car. I need to buy someone today to make sure that my husband comes back to us today. 

…

“You look, wow”, he says. 

“You look tired.” I say.

He smiles. 

“How is my boy?” He asks me. 

“He misses you. He needs you. We need you. Your second one is on the way”, I say. 

“They gave me three life sentences”, he says. 

“Are you adjusting okay?” Me. 

“I’m doing what I can. I’m not as smart as you are, so this is the price I have to pay for that”, he says. 

“Who can be bought in here? Now that the heat is off on this case, who can we buy to get you out of here?” Me. 

He looks at me. 

“I have money. You did say that I am the smart wife, right? I’m not leaving here without you. Who can be bought?” I ask again. 

“Babe, Nothile is in here as well. The Mohales haven’t bailed her out yet. I don’t expect much when it comes to me, but I did hope that Khotso would pull through for Nothile at least. I can’t leave her in here.” He says. 

“Zithulele, I promised Banathi that you’d be home when he comes back from creche. I promised him that you’d come with me to pick him up.” 

“Baby –

“Zithulele!”

“Tlali, she’s my sister.” 

“And I’m your wife! Banathi is your son!” 

“Is there a way that we can both get out? There is someone who can be bought and he will make all paperwork and records of us disappear. I just need to know if we have enough to get both of us out.” 

“I only brought R5 million. Can it get both of you out?” 

“It can. I’ll give that guy R4 million. The R1 million will be for the people he needs to pay to delete our records.” 

“Fine. Call him!” 

He sobs. 

I know. I am the happily ever after in this relationship. Not him. I needed him put away while I sorted things out for us. Running away with him would have been a terrible distraction. His family has been used to get to him and he played into it. I’m glad he has seen for himself who his brothers truly are to him and in his life – just as glad as I am that they are dead. I can live with his sisters, but the brothers were a bit much. Zee’s loyalty is to a fault. 

A guard is in front of me. I give him the three handbags loaded with money. 

“Go sit in your car. He will meet you there”, he says. 

“Not just him… Nothile as well.” I say. 

“She’s already being released. She will probably get to your car before you.” The guard. 

I waddle my way to the car. Nothile comes out first and she finds me standing outside the car. When she sees me, I smile at her. We hug each other as soon as she reaches the car. She is so relieved and now, we wait for my husband to come out of here. Two hours later, my husband, my sister-in-law and I drive off to pick up our son and head home together.

…

It’s quite difficult to believe that I’m waking up in a comfortable bed this morning, next to my pregnant wife. What makes me happier is that Nothile is in the room next to my son’s room. We are all here and we are all safe. My wife is a real one. 

It’s 4am. I suppose I’m used to prison times. It will take me some time to get used to my freedom. I’m just glad that I’m far away from Tholoana Kingdom. 

I make my way to the kitchen to get some water. I bump into Nothile sitting on the couch and watching a blank TV screen. 

“Mnta ka-mah, uvukile kanti nawe?” I ask her. 

“Yep. I honestly couldn’t sleep past 4am”, she says. 

“Nami futhi, yaz. I didn’t even have the heart to wake Tlali up. She was sleeping so peacefully.” I say. 

“Let her rest. She needs her rest. She’s done a lot for us. I’m eternally grateful to her.” 

“She’s a real one, definitely.” I say. 

“Let’s take a walk sibone indawo.” She suggests.

“I like that idea. Just breathe in some air of freedom.” 

We change into exercise clothes. Tlali wakes up as I move around in the bedroom.

“Zee? Is that you?” 

“Yes, baby. I’m just changing. Nothile and I are going for a walk just to see the place.”

“What time is it?” She asks me. 

“4:15”

“A.M?”

“Yeah.”

“Yho. Enjoy your walk.” She says then goes back to sleep. 

I just kiss her then dash out. 

Walking these streets of Lakefield is actually nice. The houses here are beautiful. People are already running and keeping fit. 

“Usebenzile umakoti“, Nothile says 

“Kakhulu.” I say.

“I can’t believe Phendulile and Jabu sold us out, yaz.” She says. 

“They sold me out more than they sold you out. You were just collateral damage because you happened to be by Mohale’s side. Speaking of which, where are the two of you at the moment?” 

“We are not together. I doubt we will ever find our way back to each other. Besides, the whole marriage thing was because I got pregnant. Kodwa masichitheka isisu, kuvele kwachitheka konke nje.” She says. 

“Ncesi, Nothile. Really. I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this. I’m sorry we are here today and that I couldn’t protect you from all of this.” 

“Don’t do that, Thule. What were you going to do? The important thing is that you never left me behind and I’m so thankful. You did good in protecting me. Vele mina nawe will always have each other.” 

I smile at her. 

“Lalela, Thule. I don’t want to crowd you and your family. Your wife is heavily pregnant and Banathi is so excited to have you back. You guys need some space to adjust to each other again.”

“Hai bo, Nothile. You are part of our family as well.”

“You know what I mean though. I just don’t want Tlali and Banathi to feel as if they cannot have you all to themselves.” 

“Nothile, Tlali is okay with you being here. You are not crowding us at all. Ngiyakucela, just get used to being out before you go out there to be alone. Please, Nothile.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

We get back home after a two hour walk and we find Tlali making breakfast. She is heavily pregnant. She will give birth any time soon.

“Hey sisi”, can I help you? Nothile offers to help her as we enter the kitchen.

I just hug my wife because I just love her so much. I don’t even know what it is that I can do to let her know that I love her dearly and I appreciate her more than life. 

“Thank you so much. I’d really appreciate the help. I’m done with everything. I just need to squeeze orange juice for Banathi then we can all eat.” 

“I’ll do that”, Nothile says. 

Tlali and I are very touchy.

“Tlali, thank you for letting me stay here with you guys.” Nothile says 

“Nothile, don’t do that. You are family and we are going to get through this.”

Nothile smiles at her. 

“Besides, your brother keeps knocking me up. We are going to have two under two soon and all three of us will have our hands full.” 

We all laugh.

“I need to go and wake Nathi up, baby. I need him to come eat breakfast then I’ll be on my way to the doctor.” 

“Why? What’s wrong?” 

“I have the strangest cramps on my side. I’m sure it’s nothing serious, but I want to make sure that everything is okay.” 

“Tlali, we need to get you to a doctor now”. Nothile. 

I’m also worried.

“Do you think I should be worried?” 

Silence.

“Guys?” Tlali. 

“I’ll stay with Banathi. The two of you can go.” 

“Are you sure?” Tlali asks Nothile. 

Nothile nods her head. 

…

We got to the hospital and we were told that the baby no longer has water… which is serious because a baby needs to be inside water when in the womb. My wife went under an emergency c-section. I was right by her side when my second son, Mnqobi, was born.

Tlali is back in the ward now, but she’s extremely drowsy. 

“Zee”, she says in a drowsy voice. 

“Yes, love?” 

“Did you see what our baby looks like?” 

“Yes, I did. He is handsome just like his father.”

“Good. They mustn’t steal our baby and assign a wrong child to us. Please make sure.”

WTF?! 

“Promise me, Zee.”

“I promise, baby.”

The nurse brings in our son in a little cot, wrapped in a hospital baby blanket. It reminds me instantly that I have to buy my child some baby essentials. Banathi had it easier. Tlali had a baby bag prepared a month before she delivered. Mnqobi is just born under difficult circumstances. 

I check my son to make sure that it’s actually him just as my wife instructed me to. It’s him. He’s a charming motherfucker. 

“Mrs Khuzwayo should be awake in the next hour or two. She will be in a bit of pain. But her doctor will be here by then to observe her.” The nurse explains. 

“When will she be able to go home?” I ask. 

“The doctor will let us know, Mr Khuzwayo. This wasn’t a natural birth. It was surgery, so we have to observe her accordingly. I see this was her first surgery. Is this your first child?” 

“No, it’s our second. She had a natural birth with our first son.” 

“I see. Recovery from this one will be different, but everything went well in delivery. We just need her doctor to come in and observe her.” 

I nod my head. 

I’ve phoned Nothile and told her about the arrival of Mnqobi. She told me that she will take Nathi with her to buy baby stuff then come to the hospital. 

Tlali is still out. Mnqobi is awake and is looking around. I stare at my son and I’m just overwhelmed with gratefulness to Tlali. I could have actually missed this moment all together. My wife made sure that I’m right here to witness the birth of my son – that I do not miss out on any of my sons. She made sure that I am a present father and husband. I’m supposed to be her shield of protection, but she’s ended up being mine. What did I ever do that is so right to deserve a wife like her?

Nothile walks in with Banathi and my eldest sister, Zama. No one understands where this person has been. I actually thought she eloped with some man and just ran away from us because she’s always judged us and was probably done with us. She’s always gone months without talking to us, so it’s no shock to me to see her come out of nowhere after all this time. But hey, as long as she’s alive. 

“Congratulations”, Nothile says as she walks in with balloons, flowers, plastics of stuff and Banathi. She finds a place to put all of these down then she dives for Mnqobi. Banathi is on my lap now, Zama put him there. It hits me now that I have two very small boys. Yho, I don’t think I’m going to be having anymore any time soon. 

“Sawubona, Zama”. I greet her because she’s just being unnecessarily awkward. It’s not that deep. 

“Hi, Thule.”

“Where have you been?” I don’t really care, but I’ll ask because I don’t know what else to ask her.

“I was in Nigeria for church things. I heard about Phendu and Jabu”, she says. 

Hmmmmm.

Nothile is staring at us as she holds Mnqobi in her arms. Now that there’s silence, Nothile says, “I was thinking that maybe Zama can come and live with us for some time. Her house was burned in the protests at Tholoana Kingdom. Besides, after everything that has happened, we should stick together.” 

“Nothile, umtholephi lo muntu?” I ask. 

“I phoned her. I’ve always known how to reach her. I knew she was landing from Nigeria this morning. Nathi and I just fetched her from the airport.” Nothile says. She’s always been the “keep the family together” type. You’d swear she’s the first born and not this one that’s married to herself and her Bible. 

“I see.” I say. 

“So? Can she stay with us?” Nothile asks me. 

“As long as she doesn’t make us feel constipated in our own house, it’s fine. Don’t overwhelm my wife. Nothile and I are used to you. We know you can’t help yourself and that starting shit is standard procedure for you. But I’m serious, don’t piss off my wife or overwhelm her. Uzoxabana nami and angidlali nawe.” I tell her. 

She just looks at me. 

My sisters left with Nathi ten minutes ago. Tlali woke up while they were still here. The nurse came in and made Tlali stand up and walk a bit. Nothile helped her. Zama didn’t know how to be. Tlali was in too much pain to even pay her any attention. 

I’m going to sleep here with my wife. 

She’s just taken pain medication and went back to sleep. Mnqobi has been taken away by the nurses as well. 

As I settle on the couch, cuddling to sleep, my phone rings. 

You have got to be kidding me!

“Bishop”.

“Legoa. Congratulations on the birth of your son.”

“Thank you.” 

“I hear you are out.”

“My wife organised to get myself and my sister out.”

“Good. We will give you your paternity leave. Then, we will be in touch. We are driving back to Tholoana Kingdom tomorrow from South Africa. But we will stay in touch”. 

“Sho.”

“Sho.”