Ziphozethu

15

Since MaRadebe came all the way to the city she stayed the night with us. She also wanted to make sure sure nothing happened with Nozipho. That scared me even more. What was this woman capable of? Moses and his mother were speaking in hushed tones around the house but I could never hear what they were saying.

Ma was cleaning up after lunch and I was feeding Buhle when there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Moses said from behind his laptop. He got up and went to open the door. "What the hell are you doing here?" I heard and tried looking to see who it was but he was blocking the door.

"I'm here for my child Moses. Get out of my way!" MaRadebe and I both jumped out of our seats and she stood in front of me. Buhle started crying and the woman stormed in. "Who the hell is this?" She said when she saw me. "And why the hell is she holding my child?!" I rocked Buhle back and forth so she could calm down.

"That woman is the love of my life! She's holding my child because she's more of a woman and a mother than you'll ever be!" Moses yelled at her and even though he was taking my side on this I was still scared that she would take Buhle.

"Oh wow, look who decided to grow some balls." She mocked him and I could tell she had an effect on him. "Oh shut up Nozipho. I've had enough of you. You are trespassing. Get out! Out!" She tried pushing past him and ma decided to say something. "Nozipho, if you know what's good for you you'll leave. I'll send you back to that dump you came from. I've done it before and I'll do it again."

Nozipho scoffed. "Really? You think I'm scared of you? With all the dirt I have on you and this family? I will expose you one day you old bitch." Moses tried pushing her out but she fought back. "Leave me! I'll go! Get off me! You and your fat fucking midlife crisis can carry on, but trust me he will come back to his wife when he's worn you out you fat piece of shit. So go Moses. Go fuck your plastic wig wearing whore and when you've gotten her out of your system you know where to find me."

Moses started pushing her out again. " You can fight me all you want but you know I'm speaking the truth and you better believe I'm coming for my child!" Moses finally got her out and shut the door. I was standing there in shock with a screaming baby in my arms. I didn't know what to do. I didn't even know how to feel.

"Mamakhe, are you okay?" I heard Moses say but I was frozen. MaRadebe took Buhle from me and Moses wiped the tears that I didn't know I was crying off my face. "Zethu?" I didn't know what to do. I knew this day would come. I knew his wife wouldn't go down without a fight but I didn't expect her to rip me apart the way she did.

But I still knew that I needed to do everything I could to play the long game. "I told you." My voice came out in a whisper. "I told you what we were doing was wrong." I said and he held onto my hands. "Love is never wrong Zethu. This, what we have is more real than anything I've ever felt with that woman. Please believe me when I say I will fight for us. With everything I've got. We will be together, and you will be my wife and the mother of my children. I'll make sure of that. You're my everything Zethu. Please don't listen to anything that woman has said today. She's evil and bitter and she doesn't care about me or our children. She's doing this to get back at me. She doing this because she can't stand to see me happy."

I cried in his arms and the rest of the day was spent in awkward silence. "What's going to happen when she comes back and takes Buhle? She could Baba and I won't survive that. I won't survive loosing her." I said as we lay in bed. "I'm working on that. Don't you worry about it." That was of no comfort to me. "I can't loose her Baba. I can't loose her." I said starting to cry and he tried comforting me.

The next morning I was up early. I bathed Buhle and made breakfast before Ma was even awake. "Zethu?" Ma cane into the kitchen. "Morning, Ma." She took a seat and smiled warmly. "I just put on the kettle. Would you like some tea?" She nodded and she was still smiling.

"Are you okay my child? You've been awake since two this morning." I just nodded. "Yebo, ma. I'm fine." She just sighed. "Don't do that. You've never lied to me before. Don't start now." I looked down at my hands and fiddled with them. "Zethu, I know what happened yesterday was a lot but don't listen to anything that evil woman says. She can try every trick in the book but Moses and I will protect you. I promise. I've never seen my son so happy and in love and I will do anything to preserve that. Knowing that you love him for who he is and nothing else brings me comfort and I will always be grateful for that."

"What if she takes Buhle?" I asked and my voice cracked. "Don't you worry about that. We'll sort all of this out. I'm sure Moses has a plan." I was getting frustrated with this nonexistent plan of Moses's. What was the damn plan! He probably didn't even know himself.

We had breakfast and Moses said something about meeting with lawyers. Before he could go we heard a commotion outside and there was a knock on the door. Ma went to go and get it.

"What are you all doing here?!" She asked and four old men walked in followed by Nozipho. "Nozipho, what is this?!" Moses yelled. "I'm here to fetch my child and my husband." She said smugly and I was terrified. Everyone sat down and I took a seat by Moses's feet. I could feel Nozipho glaring at me but I didn't once dare to look up. "Mamakhe these are my uncle's. They are the elders of my family. Everyone meet Ziphozethu, the love of my life." Nobody said anything.

Moses eventually cleared his throat. "What is it that you came here for because you're not getting my child." One of his uncle's just sighed and shook his head. "I don't care what you have going on here. In fact I encourage it but that child belongs to Nozipho. Nozipho is her mother and we are here to take her home."

Silent tears started falling from my face. "Nozipho may have birthed her but she is not her mother. She left that baby with my mother and my daughter almost died. She wouldn't eat for more than a weak because she was breastfed and her mother abandoned her. If it weren't for Zethu my child would've been dead. Zethu became her mother and I will not allow you to take her."

"That may be the case. But your wife has said if you don't give up the child she will have all of you arrested for kidnapping and she will blast all over the papers. You know how bad that would be for our family and your career Moses. So go and get the child Nozipho so we can go." She got up and started walking to the room.

I jumped up to stop her . "No! You can't take her! No!" She pushed me off her and I hit a wall. "Moses!" I screamed but looked up to see him being held back by all four men. Nozipho got Buhle and I tried getting my baby out of her arms. "No! She's mine! You can't take her!" I screamed trying to get Buhle out of that woman's arms.

"MaRadebe if you know what is good for you you'll stop that girl!" Someone yelled and I was pulled off Nozipho. I didn't care. I was kicking and screaming do I could get free but I was being pulled away. "Ma! Please!" I cried trying to get free but Nozipho left with Buhle.

I fought with everything in me but I couldn't get free. Moses was pushed against a wall and he fell to the ground. The four men left quickly after that.

I eventually stopped fighting and Ma left go of me. I curled up on the floor and cried. I needed her and she needed me. I knew I wouldn't survive this.