Zenande Okhethiweyo 2

Chapter 21

When i get in the house Nokuzotha is in the kitchen alone with a whole mess of dishes. I sigh as I go over to her and help her.
"One thing I don't like about this family is that they will reprimand you for useless things but when it comes to real issues like these they just sit back and remain silent" I say.

"Why is it always only you two that have to make sure this house is in order amongst so many wives?" Zano asks before Zotha even replies to me.
"The others said they are tired,we can't all be tired and sleep in a messy house" Nokuzotha says.
Zano nods and takes a dry dishcloth taking dishes from Nokuzotha and wiping them as I make the kitchen more tidy. It's like people removed everything from outside and dumped it in  here,not even taking it to the storage room.
"Mageba shouldn't you check on the kids?" I ask trying to get rid of him.
"They are sleeping with gogo " he says bluntly.
Oh well I guess he is still mad and doesn't want to talk to me.
I pick up the big bowls and walk to the storage,I bump into Dudu who is dressed in pyjamas,how nice to be her. I pack the things nicely in the room and make space for the three legged pots.

"Baby can we talk?" Dudu asks leaning over the island top.
"Duduzile can't you see I'm busy?" Zano asks not even looking back at her.
I try carrying the three legged pot but it's heavy and it makes me huff. They all look at me and Nokuzotha comes to help me carry them,one by one to the storage.
Zano is now packing away the dishes and Nokuzotha is placing the groceries back into the cupboards. I sweep the floor as they are busy and then get a bucket and a mop,so that I can mop when they are done. Dudu decides to leave when Zano doesn't give in. When Nokuzotha is done she bids us goodnight and goes upstairs. I start mopping.
"You should go get a shower and some sleep" I say to him.
"We are not done here" he says not even looking at me.
"Most of the job is already done thanks to you,this won't take long i can finish it off on my own" I say.
"You are not my wife,you shouldn't" he says causing me to sigh.
"I'm the boys' mother Zano I should. It was their ceremony afterall" I say.
He just carries on with what he was doing like he didn't even hear me.
"Zano you can't be angry at me for moving on" I say after a while.
He stops what he was doing and turns to look at me.
"I can't be angry? I can't be angry that you disrespected not only me but my entire family? I can't be angry at the fact that you are confusing my kids with all these men in your life? I'm so sick and tired of you behaving like a child" he says as he angrily strides out of the kitchen.
I sigh for the hundredth time today.

When I'm done mopping Baba comes in with a coughing fit. I rush and get him water. I help him drink it all down by steadying the glass because his hands are shaking.
He seems calmer now and I sit next to him.
"Have you been sleeping well Baba?" I ask spotting the eyebags under his eyes.
He laughs.
"There has been a lot to do in a short space of time,I struggle to sleep" he says.
I look down out of shame,it's all my fault that this is happening.
"Baba the boys seem to enjoy being around you,I don't want you to collapse out of exhaustion" I say after a while.
"I know. They remind me of when Siphephelo and Zanothando were kids" he says chuckling.
"And who does Themba remind you of?" I ask out of curiosity.
He scrunches up his face,thinking.
"I don't know exactly,he is always so reserved. I think with him God tried to make the opposite of Zano,we couldn't have all the boys behaving like him now" he says laughing.
I nod my head.
"Baba I have sleeping pills in my bag I can go get them for you,you need to sleep" I say.
"I have a meeting tomorrow morning with other leaders,we are introducing the boys to them" he says.
So many introductions for only five year olds!
"They are not strong you will be able to get up on your own. What time is the meeting?" I ask.
"Ten o'clock" he says.
"If you are not up before that time then I will come wake you up myself" i say.
He nods and I quickly run up the stairs.

"None of this happened for Themba! Standing in front of the entire village introducing me as your wife and mother of your child never happened! Your father is picking favorites and you are letting him" Dudu says angrily.
"You woke your pretty little face up just to come and tell me that?" Zano asks.
I can't hear Dudu's reply.
"Listen to me carefully. Zenande is my first wife and by tradition the only wife I should have. She is not only a gift to this family but the entire village as well that is why baba addressed this because people have only been hearing rumours. I will not sit here and let my father or my wife be the scapegoat of your jealousy. If you don't like anything that is happening then the door is always open,I'm not holding a gun to your head to be here" Zano says.
Wow! The way he is speaking you would swear he still loves me the same.
"Are you dumping me Zanothando? You know if I walk out of that door I will destroy you and everything that you have built,all of it. The whole world will know the real Zanothando Zulu I promise you" she says.
"I don't care anymore Duduzile do as you please,you have been telling me that for how long? Go ahead I would really like to see you try,I have been letting you get away with plenty of things that you have started to forget the devil you are married to." Zano says.
So she has been threatening him? I quickly walk to my room and get the pills. What does she have over him?
I quickly run downstairs and give baba the pills. He drinks them and thanks me.
"Is there chocolate cake in the fridge?" He asks me.
I shake my head.
"I will buy it tomorrow and we will have it over a little chat" he says.
I nod my head. Knowing that by that little chat he is referring to what happened today with Ozan. That's what he did the first time I came here,gave me advice over chocolate cake. I walk him up the stairs to his room,I insisted that he takes a bottle of water with him. I bid him goodnight and go to my room. Should I ask Zano what Dudu is threatening him with? But I think Zano is more than capable of handling her. Is it cruel of me to think that killing Dudu would do us a lot of justice? And does this mean that they are just pretending to be this happily married couple?Those thoughts usher me into a restless sleep.