Zenande Okhethiweyo 2

Chapter 2

I have been going through everything  on auto pilot mode today,it reminds me of the day I left South Africa five years ago. We woke up at the crack of dawn,it's not like I slept at all but the boys excitement eventually died down when we got on to the plane. We just landed and they are hyper again.
"Mommy are you okay?" Lwandile asks.
If I have to compare these two,Lwandile is the soft caring one while Lwandle is his father's son. He reminds me of Zano in so many ways,these elders were leading us to doom when they named him after Zanothando.
"Mommy is okay baby" i say squeezing his hand.
I'm far from being okay,my head is all over the place and my heart is beating so loudly that I'm afraid it would fall out of my chest.
"Uncle!" Lwandle shouts pointing at my brother.
He runs as fast as his little legs can carry him followed by his brother.
He lifts them up with ease and when I get to them,they are already talking going on about how they saw clouds and the sun. Diego puts them down and gives me a hug.
"Don't worry we are here for you" he says hugging me.
I'm sure he can see straight through my facade.
"Thanks bro now let's get these boys home" i say smiling.
Or at least trying my best to fake a smile.
He looks at me for an entire minute and then nods. And then he leads us to the car.

That's the exact same thing dad did when we left this morning. He asked me if I'm okay and whether I really want to do this. I had to assure him that I'm not the little girl I was five years ago,I know what I'm doing. He was sad that his grandkids were leaving but I could see it in his eyes that he was proud of me,no longer hiding but facing my reality.

When we get to Diego and Rea's house the boys are ecstatic.
"My bestie" Rea says giving me a tight squeeze.
"I missed you so much" I say hugging her back.
She hasn't changed a bit still the same Rea but with a bit of maturity now.
"Don't you want something to eat?" She asks leading me to the kitchen.
"Maybe when I come back,can I freshen up and go to the hospital?" I ask.
Better get this hell ride started than wait another day.
"Of course let me show you to your room" she says turning a passage and I follow her as the boys continue playing with Diego in the kitchen.
"Where is Tessa?" I ask as we walk to the guest bedroom.
"She loves sleep that one. Here you go" she says smiling.
Diego has already brought the bags in,I thank Rea and head for the bathroom. I take a quick shower and get out.
I put on a change of clothes. A long dress,a cardigan and tie my hair into a bun. No headwrap it's not like we are in KZN this is just about enough,if I was somebody else I wouldn't have even bothered.

The boys are eating when I get downstairs.
"Mommy is coming back right now,will you be fine with uncle and aunty?" I ask kissing their heads.
They both nod frantically and I smile. They missed their uncle a lot.
"Don't you want me to go with you?" Rea asks.
I look at her and Diego. I shake my head indicating no with a smile.
"I will see you guys later" I say grabbing my bag and heading for the door.

Luckily Diego's driver is driving me to the hospital,the way I'm shaking I would have crashed. To calm myself I look out the window,so much has changed. The buildings don't look like before,some stores have moved and others have closed down. Trees have grown and even more buildings have been built. But one thing hasn't changed for sure,the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg. The 15 minutes car ride comes to a stop outside the hospital entrance. I thank the driver and get off as he looks for parking space,I'm sure Diego ordered him not to leave me here. I appreciate that because I don't know what I'm going in to.
"Hello please let Dr Naidoo know that Dr Zulu is here" i say to the young woman at reception.
"Okay mam please take a seat" she says pointing to the waiting area.
Luckily since this is a private hospital every floor has its own waiting area or I would be sitting with the Zulu family right now. I can't help but laugh to myself.
Fifteen minutes later Dr Naidoo,an old man wearing his white coat with stethoscopes hanging around his shoulders  appears.
"Dr Zulu I'm so glad you could make it on such short notice" he says.
I got an email from him a day after I was told about Zano. In the email he described that this is one case they can't solve that is why as one of the best surgeons he reached out to me,a day later I replied to him telling him that I will be flying in to assist with the surgery at the hospital and that it would be an honour to perform this surgery alongside him. Knowing that having me would elevate this entire hospital's reputation he agreed immediately and that is why I'm here today. I know it's risky because when they find out that Zano is my husband I will be removed from this case but I just couldn't come budging in here with no plan. I'm also his best bet at finding out what's wrong with him.
"It's an honour Dr Naidoo " I say.
"Follow me,I will show you to your temporary office and then after you have settled in I will show you our patient" he says.
Wonderful treatment I must say.
I nod my head and follow him,along the way he tells me about the hospital and staff.

The office is smaller than the one I had in Italy but it makes up for it by the spectacular view of the city when you are standing by the window. My white coat is already here. I take off my cardigan and put it on over my dress. I take my bag and take out my white stethoscopes engraved with my initials on them,my dad gave them to me as a graduation present. I hang them on my shoulders,I take out the files of research I have been doing and put them on the desk. I will properly settle in to this office when I find out what's wrong with my husband.

After an hour of reading through my research,Dr Naidoo knocks on my door.
"I see you have already settled in" he says.
This man must be crazy it looks like I have borrowed this office no personal touch whatsoever. I get up and follow him,we take the lift to the third floor the more we walk along the corridor my heartbeat accelerates. I start walking slower behind Dr Naidoo to slow down my racing heart.
"Good afternoon Mr Zulu as i have promised that we have one of the best surgeons flying in to help us with this case she is already here"
I can't hear anything,I guess nobody is speaking they are all listening to him.
"Please meet Dr Zulu one of the best medical surgeons of her generation" he says that as I come to stand by his side.
The looks on all their faces is priceless,they are shocked to the very core. The king,gogo,Duduzile,Enhle,Muzi, Siphephelo and Mamkhulu are all sitting there looking like they have seen a ghost.