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Chapter Sixty Three.

I don't know what's going on here too... But with his reliable advice I go ahead and apply the red lipstick tying in the entire look. The dress I bought way before baby Shazi was born finally fit me and even though things were not back to their original form, I still loved me in the mirror. It took me a while though to understand that these changes made me carry a life for 9 entire months. It definitely took some work and those joint-snapping-back-stretching yoga classes.

I stand and admire myself even more before remembering I need shoes that can go with this stunning dress. With the same motivation I rush over to the closet where I find Bangi buttoning up his shirt. Within minutes he's making noises of...appreciation.

"Mama... who are you looking so damn fine for?" him. I don't bother looking at him because he'd see the stupid grin I have on my face. "You married? Cause even if you are... then I'm willing to be that sidemans you never knew you needed."

I snort.
What?

Where are they? "What are you looking for down there when my heart is up here?"
"My silhouette satin court heels," I say and look at the second shelf of my shoes.
"Oh so you can talk. I thought you couldn't hear me," he says and I glance up to him stopping myself from rolling my eyes at him again. He reaches for a shoe box and walks towards me. "I think these ones will do the job just right."

I'm stunned. I didn't expect new shoes. No scratch that - new Tom Ford shoes. How much did these even cost cause I could tell even by the packaging that this was mad expensive.
"Aren't you going to open it?" he asks and I nod and shake my head at the same time, sitting down on the ottoman and open it. I'm met by two grey bags and a smaller one which I put aside eager to get to my price. Oh my gosh.
I look at him mouth wide open.

"Bangi..." I glance down again and take one out. Oh my God, I'm going to pass out right in this closet. "... Bangi you shouldn't have, but you should've, but you shouldn't have."

The gold masterpiece of a shoe looks like a crime waiting to happen. I was in love with a shoe that could quite possibly give me wobbly knees and painful toes but it would definitely be worth it. The tiny padlock is everything too.

"Let me," he says and takes the shoe from me, crouches and puts it on my foot. It's a perfect fit. He does the same with the other one and I already feel like showing the world these. "There we go. My woman is all set now."
I look at him and shake my head. "If this is your way of trying to get into my panties, it's working."
He laughs and gets up. I follow suit and hug him. "Thank you, I love them."
"You love me too?"
"Obvious mpintshi," I say and chortle before breathing him in. Amazing. I'm taller bathong.
"Haybo dawg." he laughs and lets me go, showering my cheek with kisses. I let him go on and finish dressing while I went to fuss over Nzwano and her stuff. I want to make sure everything she needs is here so that Nandi won't have to worry herself. "Relax."
"I am relaxed."
"Nandipha knows what she's doing sthandwa sam. She's watched Nzwano plenty of times before."
"I know. I was just making sure."

He holds his hand out for me to take but instead I put my purse in there and straighten his tie.

"What a handsome husband I have," the words fly out of my grinning mouth before I hook my arm around his.

He opens my door for me and helps me in. Still the same man I fell in love with. Literally. He closes the door and I watch him walk around to his side. He's driving us tonight because he just wanted to makes things a little extra special tonight. We still had mannequins accompanying us though which was not a big problem.

He goes on to play the breakthrough album by Mary J. Blige which I can't help but put my own vocals into it to obviously make it sound better. After an interesting 40 minute drive we pull up to an empty parking to the most posh looking restaurant ever. This man has taste...Nothing new - I mean he chose me after all. I chortle and unintentionally earn his attention.
"What?"
"Nothing. Sorry." I state and glance at myself once in the mirror as he parked away. Again he's out first, rushing to come open my door and help me out. "Thank you."