SIMPHIWE SHANDU THE HUSBAND

The news of me being a father hit home to my mother. The baby has been on her lap ever since Masindi and her mother left. I haven't said a word. And my mother finds my infertility in handy.
“If your father was here, he would have been proud of you.” she says. She condones cheating.
“So, you wouldn’t have minded if your husband brought another child out of wedlock?” I ask. Is this woman really my mother? How can she be so happy turning my house hold upside down?
“He wouldn’t have. My womb is very much blessed. Unlike for some people who are failing to hold their household. Why don’t you marry this woman since she has already given you a child?”
I chock my own saliva. I have no time to entertain her. My main worry is my wife. I stand up leaving my mother ranting utter rubbish. I found her in the kitchen cooking dinner. How will things unfold if she gets to learn about Bagqibile. The very same woman that…
“You can help by chopping the vegetables.”
She threw the knife in my direction, almost chopping my hand. I catch the knife before it gets to do any damage. But unfortunately, it cut my hand.
I looked at her and held my breath in. Did she do this on purpose? I am bleeding. She doesn’t flinch. She takes the dishwasher and wraps it around my hand. No words being exchanged. I look at her and find her looking at me.
“I'm sorry babe.” I repeat.
“Are there anymore secrets that I should know of?” she gives me her back and continues to chop on the chopping board. I do not know this cold wife of mine.
“No.”
My response is too quick. I don’t know what she has in that beautiful head of hers.
“Good.”
I look at my hand and I just pray that my mother dies not get to see it. Hell will break loose.

BAGQIBILE
‘You are just a hidden carpet remember.’ I am trying to process what I have been told earlier on in the day. I am still finding it hard to believe that Simphiwe just told me that without remorse. But I think he is just under a lot of stress – he will come around.
“So, you are trying to tell me that the wife bumped into you on purpose?” I even forgot the topic we are on.
I believe so. I think she knows me and she is just playing dumb.
“She did. I mean how do you explain her being there on the very same isle as me? She knew I was and I was there for shopping. I cannot be a coincident.” I snap.
“How did she know?’
I hate it when I have to explain myself to my sister all the time. I know I may sound bizarre but I know what I saw.
“The hate in her eyes was very much visible.”
She chucks and stands up leaving me seated.
“The problem is you here, you just cannot accept the fact that man you claim to be your baby daddy does not love you. You are so stuck up in this world of yours thinking that he is the man for you. He will not just drop his high school sweet heart for a woman he just met moths back. Open your eyes before it is too late. Do not say I did not warn you.” she walks out. I know that Simphiwe loves me. He is just afraid to leave that woman because they have been stuck together for a very long time. No man just drops everything to be with a side chick. That means I clearly mean something to him.
I tried calling him this morning and his phone is taking me straight to voicemail. Let me try again, maybe he was just busy earlier on.
“Avbob hello.”
A womans voice greeted me. I frown removing the phone off my ear thinking that maybe I dialed the wrong the number but it is his number.
“Avbob hello.”
She repeats. My spirit goes down. I drop the line with my mouth tongue-tied. Could this be? No, it is highly impossible. Maybe it is his sister that is playing tricks on his phone. It cannot be his wife. This morning he told me that she went missing because of the fight they had about me. A small smile creeps on my face. See what I mean? I am very important in his life.
A call comes through.
I compose myself before picking it up. Looking at his name displayed across the screen ‘babe’ makes my heart melt.
“Babe,” as usual respond.
“Do not call me. I am with my family.”
“Family?” I am confused. He always tells me whenever he is travelling home.
“Family meaning my wife and daughter.”
“What?” I am still confused. What daughter is he talking about because as far as I am concerned this is his first child. First legacy.
“I have other commitments Bagqibile. Just because you are carrying my second born does not mean I should drop my family whenever you need me.” The line goes dead. Did he really say my child is his second born?
“What is that look on your face?”
“Simphiwe just told me that my daughter is his second born.”
“So, what is shocking about that?”
“You do not understand. He told me that my child is his first born and now he just told me that he has another child.”
“Clearly this child is also another busted child out of wedlock.” She shakes her head and laughs a bit. “And you are here believing that – that man loves you. No sane man will ever leave his wife for a side chick. I repeat”
It's pointless having this conversation with my sister because she finds this very amusing when it is not. What is wrong of falling in love with a married man? A man that will make you a second wife. I do not see a problem at all. I always envisioned myself being a stay home mum looking after our kids while he is at work. This means he will be spending too much time with me since his wife cannot bear his kids. But he still needs to explain that part of my daughter being a second born. I am still stuck on the Avbob phrase. He still has some explanation to do!

SIMPHIWE
Apologizing to my wife will be the first step. I know I have been a failure as a husband but I want to make it up to her. Pouring my heart out will be the first.
“I am sorry for my actions, and I can only hope that you will one day forgive me. I cheated on you, and that is unforgivable. But for the sake of our children in the future, I hope we can find a way to resolve this so that we can keep our family together. You are my first love and the most important person in my life. I know my apology can't undo what has been done or ease the pain in your heart. You have been the perfect partner that I could ever have. You have done a lot of things for me and you have always been supportive to me but I…”
“Who is avbob?”
I know where this is going. I will tell her that it is one of the pregnant floozies.
“It's one of the chicks I have been hanging out with.”
“Is she also pregnant?” she asks with a hint of pain in her voice. I can't bring myself into answering and breaking her heart even more.
“No babe. You do not have to worry about yourself.”
“Will I ever get pregnant?”
The topic that I always get to avoid all the time.
“Since the doctors have confirmed that you are one hundred percent healthy. I believe that the right time for us to have our very own will be granted once God has approved.”