SIMPHIWE SHANDU THE HUSBAND
CHAPTER 10
SIMPHIWE
Today is my doctor's appointment. Just to see how my leg has been. It's been a month and I must say my leg is healing fine but not what I had anticipated and expected. I still limp but better than other days. It still stings especially when the weather decides to freeze.
“They are doing so slow.” Complains Nozi who has been quite moody lately. I do not know why her mood swings jump from zero to hundred at times.
“I'm sure he is busy with a patient.” I say not wanting to press on her buttons. I don’t want my head to be beaten off Infront of people.
“Yea right.”
What did I say? Her moods are always upside down.
“Next please.” finally the nurse called out for us. Nozi helps me stand and wraps her hand around my waist. Nozi is doing her wobbly walk Infront of us. I cannot believe she now walks. We make our way to the doctor's examination room.
“Dr Shandu.” That is the annoying Jele. I don’t know what the hell he’s doing here.
“What are you doing here?” I hate him. I hate how he carries himself around here. He makes himself indispensable to the team and ensures that he looks better with him on board. No matter how stress-inducing.
“Dr Manzini didn’t tell you? He asked me to take over his patients for today. He has an emergency at home. Shall we begin?”
He is not even giving me a glance.
“I will be outside.” says Nozi ready to dump me here Infront of an enemy. She cannot possibly leave me and be with him in one room. Two bulls can't be in one room. My heart leaps ready to jump out of my throat. I sit down with the help of Nozi and take a deep breath.
“No need to be out mam, you can have a sit and wait for you husband.”
Nozi sits down irritated. I get it she doesn’t want to be here, but she doesn’t have to show.
“How is the leg doing?”
I wish I could tell him to fuckoff but Dr Mazini has faith in him, I guess.
“The pains shoot from time to time. I still limp but it's way better than what it used to.” I speak.
“Can I inspect your leg?”
Why is he so professional or is it because he is behaving Infront of my wife?
“Sure.” I stretched my leg to him. He squats Infront of me and begins to touch every bone and every muscle.
“I believe you have fluid in your leg but I want to confirm first by taking tests. Well, that is if you agree to it, or you will wait for your doctor?”
Is that a historical question? Cause if it is then I don’t understand why he asked me cause it's not making any sense.
“I’d rather wait for my doctor.”
I respond by landing my foot carefully down. I don’t trust him one bit. He will take the tests and later I must be amputated. Never trust the devil
“Okay, I will just leave notes for this and he will contact you regarding the next step.”
I secretly roll my eyes and turn to look at Nozi who is half asleep on the chair. I chuck shaking my head. How the hell will she drive when she is this sleepy. Zuri on the other hand is just sitting there looking at one person to another.
“I will prescribe the medicine for you to tone down the fluid.”
Fore that he can never rob me. That I am sure of. I know what medication I need. So, he is not going to chance me. Never!
I wait for him to finish scribbling and hand me that paper. Surprisingly today he is on his best behavior and I do not know why.
“Nozi, let's go home.” I shake her. She wakes up and looks at me confused.
“Huh?” she's lost. That's it. She is not driving!
She stands up and yawns and picks Zuri up.
“You will find us in the car.”
She walks out.
“Never make fun of one person, even in good fun. It seems obvious, but it's an important point to make. This can make someone feel singled out.” Jele says with a smirk on his face. I knew that he was acting because my wife was here. The devil has awakened.
“Whatever your statement means, I don’t care.”
“Ow trust me you will care one, ow trust me Sir you will care.”
He gives me an evil grin and walks past me whistling. He stops and turns to face me…
“By the way My ex-girlfriend Dudu, your baby mamma cannot get hold of you.” He whistles and walks out leaving me smashed. Did he just mumble everything in one sentence. My heart races up and down. I pulled my phone out and decided to give her a call. My phone is always silent these days.
She picks up on the first ring like she was expecting my call.
“How do you know Jele?’ I ask. I am fuming in anger! Moments of silence are something I do not have!
“Talk Dudu!”
“He is my boyfriend.”
“Ex or…”
“He is my boyfriend.” she repeats. I feel my heart sinking to my testicles. This cannot be happening. So, this adds up all. Jele and his attitude towards me. Him salivating over my wife! I made his girlfriend pregnant!
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I no longer have the energy to be angry. I am just disappointed in myself. I dipped in someone's honey pot.
“I didn't think it…”
“That is the problem with you, you do think. I wonder how you made it in school cause clearly you are not intelligent.”
She keeps quiet for a moment – surely, she's grasping the information, if she knows what I mean.
“The baby has been sick for two months.”
This is all she knows. Baby this baby that!
“Did I not send you money to send her to the hospital or a specialist?” I ask.
“You did. The prophet said the baby needs imbeleko.”
I want to laugh so bad.
“Wel tell that prophet to do an imbeleko for the baby not me. I didn’t tell you to go look for healers in the mountain. Mihlola kaSimphiwe.”
It's pointless talking to this girl. You can never have a meaningful conversation with her. I wonder how Jele approached this girl honestly but that is a question for another day. I swallow a hard full lump that is stuck in my throat.
I take my aching legs towards the pharmacy. I need to tell that girl to prescribe stronger medication for me.
“Simphiwe!” the nerve.
Who the hell is shouting my name for the whole nation to hear? I slowly turn my head, here she is with her big stomach making her penguin walk towards me..
“Bagqibile.”
“Babe,” she delighted to see me that I can tell. But this is not the right place nor the time.
I am in no mood to see her face, honestly.
“I am here, with my wife.”
I go straight to the point.
“Okay, I think it’s time we got to know each other since we are going to be a family soon, don’t you think?”
Satan is really testing me. My lungs are exploding.
“Family with who?” I cringe.
I look at her incredulity. I am not believing my eyes and ears. Did she truly say…
“What have I done?” I ask myself out loud.
“When are you paying the damages?” Another jaw-dropper.
I take time to collect myself.
“We will talk. Can I just go get the medication and I will call you when I get home.”
I look at her with pleading eyes. I want her out of my sight. My house is doing pretty just fine for the whole month without drama and fights. She sighs and smiles.
“Okay.”
“I’m sorry. I am just in a lot of pain.”
“Are you not going to ask me how your baby is?”
I thought I was moving forwards but it looks like I am moving ten steps backwards.
“I can no longer stand. I will call you when I get home.”
I leave her standing. I need to be out of this hospital as in yesterday!
Driving back home felt weird after a very long time. My leg was numb throughout and the problem started when we got home. I had to take an over dose of pills – it felt like someone was cutting my leg with a sharp blade. Needles sticking in and out.
Nozi is somewhere in the house sleeping, that is what she does best these days. All of the blue she has started disliking my shaving cream – the smell of it. She says it doesn't sit well with her and it makes her stomach upset.
This has been beyond weird and I am failing to under her weirdness that has just occurred within a blink of an eye. My phone vibrates and I can see Dudu’s name flashing on the screen. We have unfinish business with this woman. So, I decided to pick it up.
“Dudu…”
Sh is crying hysterically on the other line hurting my eardrum. I remove the phone from my ear and frown.
“Yini!” I am just suddenly annoyed by her. If this is the reason for this phone call so she should not have bothered calling because I don’t fucken know where all of this is going.
“Fihliwe is sick again. I don’t know whether she is dying or what. She is constantly hot and I don’t know what to do.”
Her voice keeps cutting like she is running. Bloody moron naming my child this stupid name. I do not even get the sense and humor of it.
“Where are you?”
I ask already on my feet wearing Nozi’s slippers. Those are the closet shoes I can find. I wear her slippers at all time but she cannot wear mines. I am a size eight and she is a size seven. I limped to the upstairs guestroom and I found her sleeping.
I kissed her cheeks and she flung her eyes open.
“I am going to town; I just got a call from the hospital. I forgot some of my medication.”
I say praying that my plan works.
“Okay, bring me a mealie meal when you get back.”
I kiss her again and she responds already clinging onto my chest.
“Babe, I have to go before the pharmacy closes. My legs hurt really bad.”
“Then let me take you.” She offers sitting staring at me. What! Hell no!
I laugh hiding my awkward laugh, “so you can sleep on the way? No thank you Mrs Me.”
“Mxm, just go. I’m not cooking I'm just tired.” she leans backwards on the bed.
“Take as much rest as you need babe.”
I perk on her lips again and dash out of the room limping.
“Schwarzenegger!” she shouts.
I will catch her later on; she will have to explain deeply about this sudden name. I limp down the steps, grab the car keys from the kitchen counter and limp out.
I decided to send a text to her, I cannot still get over what she just told me.
“I will catch you later on.” I click send and toss my phone aside.
Driving along the way, people probably think that I have gone marbles. I am laughing to myself. What the hell has gotten into Nozi? That woman will amaze you in different levels of degree.
Arriving at the hospital I find an old woman with this Dudu chick.
“Where is Light?” I ask. I will not have my daughter named after some old dead ancestor I do not know. The ugly woman shooting daggers at me.
“I see, he doesn't even have respect.”
Part of me wants to slap the shit out of her.
“Formalities later I'm here to see my daughter.”
“The same daughter that you haven't seen in months? You’re a disgrace.” the ugly woman shakes her head with disgust written all over her face. She is the least of my worries at the moment.
“I was involved in a car accident, as you can see, I cannot even walk properly. But I did make sure that the baby is taken care of every month. Am I right?”
I shift my focus to Dudd who looks very much warn out.
“Not know please.”
We both keep quiet.
After a long hour of waiting the doctor has just surprisingly shared some concerning news.
“What do you mean you can’t see what is wrong with the baby?’
I ask. “Did you do enough blood tests?”
“Yes, we did. This is not the first time I have delt with a case like this. All the blood tests are negative.”
“That’s bullshit!” I scoff. “You know what, I will this with this my way. I will deal with my daughters' medical issues since you are failing to do one simple thing. Diagnosing her illness.” I click my tongue and grab the samples that were on top of the table. He withdrew enough blood earlier on so this will be of good use. Perks of working in a hospital. I managed to let Dube do the process for me again. And indeed, the results come back negative.
“Maybe izinto zesintu. Tiy also looking into it.” he says before walking out. If that is the road I have to take, that means I will be forced to notify my family which I am very much not ready for. Especially my wife. I sigh in frustration.
I walk out of the LAB and head to the NICU. The baby is tiny. The mother seems to be out of sight and it's just me and Dudu.
“I will talk to my dad and see what we can do. I've ran out of options as well.”
“Please. I am disparate for any help I could get at the moment.”
I feel like a useless jerk. I wrap my hand around her shoulder, I also don’t know what I'm doing.
I am just beyond hurt.” she sniffs.
“I’m sorry.” That is what I can be able to offer at the moment. Someone clears their throat making us turn our heads. That look in Jele’s eyes is making me very uneasy. I detach my hand from her shoulder and shove it in my pocket shamefully.
“Your other baby is outside the parking lot waiting for you.”
I curse underneath my breath. Baqibile wants to be a pest in my life.
“I didn’t come with her.” I confidently say.
“Well, she is waiting for her baby daddy. I wonder how you do it yaz,” he folds his arms and bites the pen.
“You leaving your wife at home to be other women and making them all pregnant. I just don’t get.”
“Leave my wife out of this.” I say through my greeted teeth.
“But you are failing to be a good husband to her. Nozi is such a wonderful woman and trust me every man out there wishes to have a bite of her.”
I don’t know what happened, I found myself punching the hell out of him. There was commotion in the room and we were being chased out like dogs. I will not let another man bully me about my wife. Dudu is looking at him so much hurt.
“I will kill you!” I half shout with my voice echoing across the hallway.
He smirks and turns to leave with his busted lip. The humiliation today is enough for me. How much does one get to take?
“Simphiwe…”
“Not now Dudu. need to be home with my wife, I'm sure she's wondering where I am.” She nods her head and walks out looking disappointed.
I walk outside and by God's grace no sign of Bagqibile. I got into my car and drove off in a lot of rage. Indeed, pass by the pharmacy before I forget and get that mealie meal. What Jele did there cannot be undone. I get I fucked up by going after what's his.
JELE
Seeing Simphiwe makes me have all sorts of emotions. He fucked me up and continues to fuck me up. He stepped on my toe's countless times without care.
“Did he hurt you?” The worry in Nozi’s voice makes me blush.
“I'm a big boy.”
“Big boys don’t cry. I don’t even want to know what the fight was about.” she laughs getting off the bed but naked.
See why I love her. An adult that you get to have a conversation with.
“Did you buy a pregnancy test like I told you to?” I ask.
“No, I doubt I'm pregnant.” she says taking a pee in the toilet. Doing video call with this woman has had me think I have started to fall in love with her.
“Do it.”
“Nah, I know myself. I am not pregnant.” She is getting defensive and I just know when to drop the topic.
“Okay sugar plum. I miss you.” I say making her blush.
“I miss you too.”
“When are you leaving again?”
“Next weekend.” she replies. Talk about having a simple communicative relationship. I now wish I made a move on her when I first saw her back in the days. I regret not doing so; my life would have been peaceful.
“Will you see me?”
“Of course, uthini uganga. Ngifuna ungibhebhe kamnandi futhi.”
She whispers making me choke of air. This girl has a crazy side I never knew existed.
“What!”
I can't believe she just said that. I continue to laugh loudly and boisterously.
I disconnect the call and continue to laugh my butt off. This girl will seriously be going to be the death of me. Yah neh, the people that we get to keep in our hearts.