On that Sunday, Betso woke up first. Muzi was still fast asleep on his stomach, his head rested on his one arm. She made her way out of bed and into the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, she stepped into the shower. When she came out, her sight fell on Muzi by the basin.
"Good morning", she said adoringly while carefully stepping out of the shower so she doesn't slip.
"Morning baby", he gave a muffled greeting since his mouth was full of toothpaste and a brush. She fixed and tightened the towel around her body before hugging him from behind, placing her head on his bare back. He continued with his business until he was done. He then pulled the towel off its round metallic hanger on the wall and wiped his mouth.
"You okay?", he asked before turning to face her and place his cold hands on her cheeks, after playfully fixing her shower bonnet. She nodded with a smile.
"Are YOU okay?", she asked with her hands on his waist.
"You're smiling. That's all it takes to make my day no matter how bad it would've turned out", he rubbed her chin.
"Uhm, we need to talk", she alerted and he frowned.
"A...bout?, curiosity anxiously took over. She laughed.
"Why do you suddenly look like you've seen a stripper ghost?", she continued chuckling up. He had no choice but to laugh as well.
"I told you how much I hate those four words"
"You must've done something you shouldn't have then", she said and he laughed harder before picking her up like a bride.
"Lutho njan"(I've done nothing), he assured before smothering her lips with his. He placed her on the bed and sat in a squat in front of her.
"I'm all ears"-Muzi. She took his hands and exhaled with her lips puckered in a smile.
"Hawu. Kwenzenjan wa moyizela kab'hlungu kanje? Is it something I've done?", he questioned with a baffled and curious smile. She nodded. The excitement was beginning to choke her.
"And that is?"
"Uhm let me see... gave me another baby?", the smile on her face was reaching her ears as his diminished in confusion.
"If this is a joke then it's not funny baby?"
Betso laughed.
"I am not joking! I am 6 months pregnant!", she exclaimed and laughed even harder.
"Wait what?", the confusion further consumed him as his eyes scanned her tummy.
"Where is the baby?", he asked and his lip was left hanging.
"Somewhere in here. I suspected that I might be pregnant then mom said we should go see my doctor. She performed an ultrasound scan when we got there and bam, I found out that I'm about to be a mother again", she informed and placed her hands on his head.
"But how? The scarring. They said--"
"I don't know baby all I know is that we're about to parents again"
She stood up when the news rendered him speechless. She fetched the printed scan from her handbag and came to sit back down in front of him. He hadn't moved. She handed it to him and he studied it with growing admiration.
"Do you know the gender?"
Betso shook her head in disapproval and watched him slowly brushing and running his thumb on the scan, still in disbelief. He then knelt and placed the side of his head against her tummy, hugging her. She hugged him back and caressed his brush-cut head.
"Mrs Khumalo?", he hoarsely called for attention.
"Hm?"
"Ngiyabonga mama. Words fail me. I don't have enough vocabulary to express how happy you've just made me", he whispered and hugged her even tighter. A tear settled on her eye and fell on his scalp when she shut her lids.
"Can we pray? I feel like we should for some reason"-Betso.
This took Muzi by surprise since she barely does what she was asking of him. Neither did he.
"Sure?", he agreed, however. They held hands as they knelt down on the carpet. A brief laughter escaped her lip and he opened his eyes to see what was going on. She still had hers closed.
"I don't even know where to start. God is surely going to have a heart attack at the sound of my voice", she said and Muzi couldn't contain his own laughter.
"Uyathandaza or ngisukume mina la?"(Are you praying or should I stand up?)
Betso's laugh delivered itself in breaks and pieces. She was trying too hard to be serious.
"I can just imagine him calling Moses ukuthi ezombonisa lemihlola ayibonayo la"(... to help him spectate the taboo he's seeing here)
Betso wrapped up her laughter and said, "Okay okay. On a serious note now..."
Muzi closed his eyes and bowed his head.
"Papa Modimo yo maatla Modimo yasa hloleng ke selo. Re tlile pele ga sefahlego sa Gago ka Sabatha e, gotlo kgopela tshireletso. Ke kgopella lapa laka kokeletso ya matsatsi a bophelo. Please protect and strengthen this pregnancy to full term. Bless the birth and arrival of this precious little one. Bless the life of baby Miracle. Amen"(Father, God of all might the God who makes all things possible. We come before you today on this Sabbath to plead for protection, for my entire family. I am asking that You extend all the days of their lives, she stated her plea and they both opened their eyes.
"Baby Miracle?", he asked with a slight smile and a raised brow.
"That's his womb name", she said and laughed.
"His?", he questioned with the same tone.
"I'm hoping it's a boy", she said as they stood up and he placed his hands around her waist.
"Hayi baby abafana abangaka. I'm hoping that it's a girl this time. I never got to raise Ava as a baby. I can just imagine nje. Daddy's little girl. Ngizom'spoil nize nimemeze ukuthi kfanele nginqandwe"(I'm going to spoil her until you all scream that I should be stopped), he said and she laughed before he could even finish his sentence.
"Since you're on this prayer warrior tip today would you have a problem menginga shis' impepho?"(... if I burn some incense?)
He still had his hands on her waist.
"Of course not", she assured and brushed his beard.
"I was just making sure", he teased and turned her around so he could caress her tummy.
"She must be so small", he remarked. Betso laughed.
"I also couldn't believe that there's a baby in here"
...
Manqoba walked into the bedroom where Enhle was fastening the thin belt to her green maxi dress.
"Hawu. You look like you're going somewhere?", he said as he settled down on the bed. She continued with what she was doing and said, "Iyup".
"Uyaphi?"(Where are you going?)
"Out", she flatly said before walking back into the closet. She came back with her white sandals, thudding them onto floor before slipping her feet into them.
"Out?"
"Yes. Out"
She continued to spritz on her cologne before placing it in her handbag.
"What is the meaning of out Mbalenhle?"
"Baby I should be asking you that", she said vengefully.
"What do you--"
"Have you seen my watch anywhere?", she cut his sentence short while looking around.
"There...", he pointed with his head, defeated.
"But this dress you're wearing thembalami"
"What about it? It's long nje?", she coolly defended as she swayed it to display how it sweeps the floor.
"Ibele lakho lonke liphumele ngaphandle"(Your breasts are completely out on display", he complained.
She raised her hands to fix her slightly showing black bra and jiggled her cleavage.
"I see nothing wrong with how I'm dressed", she stated before picking up her handbag and kissing his cheek. He shifted his straight face away from her. She stopped and stared for a brief second. She then shrugged and picked up her handbag, leaving the room.
...
Enhle arrived at Bareng's house and rang the door bell. When Bareng opened, she handed her the bottle of red wine as a peace offering and gave her an anxious, regretful smile. They'd agreed that she should come over, over the phone. Bareng looked at her and feigned a serious face before sighing and smiling, then taking the gift and letting her in.
"I'm really sorry for how I behaved the last time I was here", she said as she went down the three steps from the entrance, into the open space between the kitchen and the living room.
"It's cool"
"Chomizer!", Benzy yelled from the couch and Enhle immediately rushed to hug him. Bareng just smiled before heading back to the kitchen.
"And when did you get here?", Enhle asked as they settled down on the couch. Benzy downed his large Tanqueray glass.
"Oh you know I'm no statue bubu!", he exclaimed and Enhle laughed.
"I was in Durban and Bee happened to mention that Sfiso was out of town and I thought yassssss haunty! Let the pajama parties begin!", he exclaimed loudly and ran his hand over his dyed white hair.
"Oh you been sleeping over here and you didn't think to tell me?",Enhle said and scoffed although she wasn't mad. He grabbed the bowl of cheese curls and dug his nail into one and tossed it into his mouth. His manicures were long enough to be used as forks. Him being way younger than the two makes him the life of the friendship. The baby monitor called for Bareng's attention amidst the jazz music she was playing. She pushed the chopping board with robot peppers forward before grabbing the dishcloth to wipe her hands. She continued wiping them on her tight blue jean as she made her way to the baby's room.
"Oohhh that a** honey! Sfiso had better be laying that pipe good and doing that booty some JUSTICE!", Benzy said and Bareng shot out a laugh but never looked back. She continued walking and dragging her slippers as she swayed her huge, round hips.
"And then? What was happening between the two of you?", Benzy whispered to Enhle.
"What do you mean?"
"I asked her about you when I arrived and she changed the topic. And I damn heard your pink a** apologizing at the door"
Enhle laughed lightly and picked up her handbag from the couch and placed it on the table.
"Why didn't you persist and ask because you always do?"
"You know Bee has a vault for chest. She don't crack", he said as he refilled his glass while texting.
"Ah we had a fallout when I told her that mans wants to take somebody else. Long story"
"Take as in, rondo rondo Sarah?", he with his eyes popped, referring to polygamy. Enhle nodded and took the glass that was meant for him and sipped on it, trying not to dwell on the hurt.
"Child!", Benzy exclaimed and lightly slapped her thigh.
"So what are you gonna do because you can't leave him?"
Enhle laughed.
"You sound sure"
"Bxtch I'd cancel you if you did. You can't leave all that yumminess because of a glitch"
"A glitch?", Enhle couldn't help the laughter that was itching in her mouth.
"Yes. A glitch. If it's the game he wants to play you should also get yourself a side snack béby!"
He said and Enhle shook her head while sipping on the gin, thinking about what he'd just said. Benzy had already moved on. He was now on a video call making the loudest of all noise.
...
Muzi called everyone to the table for a family meeting. Violet had left for her own house since her husband was back. He sat on one end of the table and the Betso on the side next to him. Lwandile went to sit next to his mom and Mxolisi walked over to a chair on the other side.
"Before this starts, whatever I did was not intentional and I can fully explain?", Mxolisi exonerated himself of any possible sentencing.
Betso and his brother laughed.
"Boy sit your a** down", Muzi said impatiently. Mxo pulled out the chair and dropped his weight there.
"Uhm, as you all know that I was at home these past few days for Melo's sake. A lot happened and I feel like you all deserve to know", Muzi gravely stated. They kept quiet waiting for him to continue.
"Despite him having to deal with the loss of his girlfriend, the mother of his child, Makhosonke was also kidnapped on Friday"
"What? By who? Why!", Lwandile and Mxolisi shot out at the same time as if propelled by an unspoken agreement. Betso sighed and took one of Muzi's hands. Muzi explained everything about the suicide suspected to be a murder, Melo's treacherous friends and him being buried alive. The only thing he left out was the part about Khuzwayo suffering from the wrath of 'his' cruel gun.
"I was just talking to him now and he never told me about that. I could tell he wasn't okay but I just figured that asking why would be dumb of me since he's... well, grieving"- Mxolisi
"Yeah he's not in the best of spaces right now", Muzi said and squeezed Betso's hand. She squeezed back.
"Yoh. Have you booked him into therapy?", Lwandile asked from a place of shock.
"You know how stubborn your brother is", Muzi languidly said and fell back on his chair. Silence joined the conversation around the table.
"I don't know when but we're going to have a thanksgiving ceremony to show the ancestors how grateful we are for saving Melokuhle's life and also...", he stopped and looked at Betso. He was asking if he should tell them. She understood the eye communication and nodded. The two were questioning themselves about this hidden statement behind Muzi's trailing "also".
"And also, to thank them for another expected addition to the family three months from now", he informed with a growing smile, his eyes lodged on Betso. She blushed and bowed her face. After all these years, he still hadn't lost his touch with making her weak with just a look. It took a couple of moments for it to make sense to the two.
"Wait? You're pregnant? Whaaat?", Lwandile got up and hugged her with cheerful countenance. Mxo was still to pick up his hanging jaw. Betso hugged him back.
"And then wena?", Muzi asked Mxolisi, a brink away from laughing.
"Is your English somehow kinda warped or am I the one who doesn't know how to count?", Mxolisi questioned and blinked a couple of times.
"Count what?", Lwandile asked as he broke the hug between him and his mother, settling down back on his chair.
"He said three months FROM now?", Mxolisi said and Lwandile began processing the statement. He'd missed it upon impact. The rents laughed.
"There's nothing wrong with your father's English nor your mathematics Koppi. I am six months pregnant"
"How? Where is the baby?", Mxolisi questioned further, the confusion intensified.
"Apparently he or she is "hiding"", she imitated quotation marks with her fingers.
"So the 'I didn't know I was pregnant' show is not a hoax?!", Lwandile asked.
Betso nodded with her lips pursed, forcing herself not to laugh. Mxolisi had his hand on his mouth, in utter disbelief.
"I never thought I'd see the day where you run speechless", Muzi teased him. Mxolisi never replied. He kept switching sitting positions on his chair.
"How small is the baby going to be? The size of a chihuahua?", he asked and Betso finally exploded.
"Ketlogo bethela ngwano waka wena"(Keep trolling my child. I'm going to beat you up), she threatened while laughing, with her index finger pointed out. Muzi stood up and prompted Betso to stand too. Mxolisi sunk into his chair and ran his hands down his face.
"Anyway, congratulations mommy", Lwandile said happily. She brushed his head with adoration and gave a mute "Thank you".
"So I don't deserve to be congratulated?", Muzi asked.
Lwandile laughed.
"You too dad"
"Nxa"-Muzi exclaimed and they all laughed except the traumatized Mxolisi.
UNEDITED.