CHAPTER 76
SHLOBOSENKOSI MAVIMBELA

It feels like my heart has been ripped out of
my chest. I still cannot believe that we have
been stripped off our joy, our love in human
form. Naledi and I are good people, we are in
love and would have made amazing parents. I
have never felt so much pain in my life, being
a dad to my own blood was what made life
more exciting but now I’m left feeling empty
and useless. I don’t know how to comfort my
wife in this trying time, especially because
she blames herself for losing the baby. I have
told her not to say that, it wasn’t her fault
but that crazy Londeka woman that came
here. If she didn’t cause a scene then my wife
wouldn’t have been scared and our baby
would still be growing inside of her.
God, I have never hated a stranger like I do
that woman. She took so much from us and
then ran away. The villagers who were
watching as everything happened said
Londeka and her husband got into their car
and left the same morning. She ran like a
caward and scammer that she is and I hope
word gets around and others don’t fall victim
to her nonsense.
I walk out of the bathroom after a good cry
and head to check on my wife, she hasn’t had
anything to eat today. I’m gonna try and
convince her to take something, even if it’s
just a fruit salad. I find her with MaZikode,
her mom and Manana. The two women
showed up a few hours after we called to
inform them about the miscarriage. They are
as heart broken as us, but I’m grateful for the
love and support they’ve been showing us.
“Hey,” I say, setting down next to her.
She offers me a ghost smile and my heart
breaks even further. The hurt I see in her eyes
causes my throat to go dry.
“Are you okay?” she asks and I kiss her
forehead then she rests her head on my
shoulder.
“No, not right now my love,” I need to be
honest about my feelings so we can both be
able to heal and move on.
“It will get better, I promise,” My mother-in
law comforts us and as I’m about to coax my
wife into eating a knock comes through the
door. That must be my sister, Thalente. She
couldn’t come sooner because of her duties at
the childrens shelter.
“Let me get that,” my mother says, getting on
her feet.
“Baby, I should make you something to eat
and after that we can call and check in on
Bassie,” I know the princess will cheer her up.
She’ll be staying with her father until we are
done with the cleansing ceremony and we all
go back to Johannesburg.
Her mother and I decided not to tell her over
the phone that she’s no longer having a little
brother. We want to do it face to face and
comfort her ourselves.
“I had a banana, babe. That’s a start right?”
she responds and I nod vigorously.
At least she had something, I’ll push her
slowly for something heavier.
My mother starts shouting and we all
exchange a confused look. Manana and the
minister are the first to hurry to the
commotion happening in the kitchen. I try to
stand but my wife holds me in place, I want
to insist but her pleading eyes have me taking
her in my arms and kissing the top of her
head repeatedly. This must remind her of the
night we lost our baby. Manana is calming my
mother, asking her to walk away from the
situation. The noise dies down but my mother
doesn’t walk back in.
I wonder who is here, okay no, I have an idea.
But would they be stupid enough to show up
here after what she did to us?
A few minutes after a hushed convesation,
footsteps approach and the first to walk in is
Manana, followed by an elderly man I don’t
know then Londeka and her husband. This
crazy girl, once again, drops to her knees and
starts asking for forgiveness.
“Get the fuck out of my mother’s house!” I
sneer through gritted teeth. I’m mad as hell
and I’m about to lose it on her because of the
painful sobs that are coming from Naledi.
“Yobe Mavimbela, please calm down, please. I
am here to help her explain herself and the
message that comes from your father and the
other Mavimbela elders. It’s really important,”
I start chuckling, not because I’m finding this
funny.
“Shlobo, calm down. Please, let them give us
the answers. We all want to know why,”
Manana.
My mother and the minister get in the room
and settle down without saying anything. I
guess this man and Manana managed to calm
them down so we can hear out this lunatic.
“You can have a sit,” Manana says and the
elderly man and Qopehlo sit down while
Londeka remains on her knees.
“I’d firstly like to apologize on behalf of
Londeka and offer my sympathy for what you
are going through as a family,” I smack my
lips, brushing my wife’s back in circles.
“What are you here to explain? Say what you
want and take this girl and leave my house,”
MaZikode might seem calm but deep inside
she’s on fire.
“I’m Mkhize, Londeka’s spiritual mentor. She
has a gift like myself but hers is much
greater. She has touched the lives of those
that have come across her, her husband even,”
I roll my eyes and that makes the old man
heave a sigh, “She has a church in Durban, it’s
very big, people from near and far come
seeking help from her. But from time to time
she travels around the country to deliver
messeges to those that cannot come to her,”
can he just get straight to the point and leave
my house.
“Would a good person say it’s for the best that
I was losing my child?” Naledi asks with a
shaking voice.
“I allowed myself to speak from the truth I
know. I didn’t think of how those words
would hurt you. That’s why I left the same
morning, I was ashamed of myself and how I
handled the situation but Mr Mavimbela’s
spirit won’t let me rest and that’s why I’m
back here. I want to sincerely apologize for
that night and also for what I’m about to tell
you,” she says with sincerity and a cold shiver
runs down my spine. Okay, this is getting
intense now.
“What message does my husband want you to
relay to us?” MaZikode is also feeling the
intensity in the room.
“I love my gift because I get to help people.
But I won’t lie, it’s a difficult job most times.
What I tell people change their lives forever,
either for good or bad,” Naledi looks at me
and I see fear in her eyes.
“Is my daughter and her husband in danger?”
My mother in-law speaks and Londeka looks
down and starts crying.
“I’m truly sorry for doing this to you but this
marriage cannot hold. You both need to
separate and start extensive cleansing. It’s
going to be a difficult journey for all of you
but I’m hoping that everyone comes out of it,”
I shift uncomfortably on the couch.
“Why? I love my wife and she loves me too.
For what reason must we divorce?” I ask,
feeling anger bubbling in my stomach.
She has absolutely no idea how much I adore
this woman, how long I’ve waited for her to
come into my life.
“Mama, who is Naledi’s father?” Londeka asks
the minister.
“What has that got to do with anything?”
My mother in-law asks defensively.
“I’ll get to my message sooner if everyone
answers honestly and without hesitation,”
That’s Londeka’s response.
“Uhm I… I don’t know Naledi’s father,” it
comes out in a whisper and everyone in the
room exchanges a puzzled look, except for
Manana. I can tell for a fact that she knows
something the rest of us don’t.
“Mama please, this is important,” Bab’Mkhize
mutters.
“I have never met him, I don’t know his name.
I used a sperm donor from a fertility clinic in
Cape Town,” Naledi gasps in shock.
“What? Ma, why didn’t you tell me this? I
know I never really cared to know about my
father, but the little hurt I always felt when I
thought of the possibility of him not wanting
us wouldn’t have been there if I knew the
truth,” I start to sweat, my heart drumming
against my chest.
“I am so sorry my baby. I just wanted to have
a baby so badly. I couldn’t tell you how you
came into this world because I was scared
you’d judge me. I mean we never really had a
smooth relationship until about a year ago.
Naledi you know how we always said the
most hurtful things to each and I thought
you’d use it against me during our fights,” I’m
listening to everything and I feel like my
world has been turned on its head.
“Baby, are you okay?” Naledi asks, reaching for
my hand, but I quickly get on my feet and
move away from her. I feel disgusted by
myself right now.
“Shlobo what’s wrong?” she’s shocked by how I
just rejected her touch.
“You now understand why you have to divorce
her right?” Londeka asks I close my eyes.
Hating every bit of what makes me… Me.
“What’s going on here? Baby?” oh God!
“Shlobosenkosi Mavimbela! Explain yourself
right now,” MaZikode orders, tired of being in
the dark, but I guess everyone is, except
Londeka, her husband and the old man.
“You need to tell them,” Bab’Khoza gently
coaxes me but I shake my head. How the hell
do I even say it with my own mouth? How did
I go that far? How did I not push to find out
her pertanity? I’m so stupid, Jesus, I fucked up
big time!
“I can’t, I just can’t…” I slowly sink to the floor
as my knees become too weak to carry me. I
pull my knees to my chest and hug myself
before wailing.
“Babe, you’re scaring me. What’s happening?”
she’s at my side, hugging me. I don’t have the
energy to push her away but we shouldn’t be
this close to each other.
“Many years ago a young man left home to
persue greener pastures in the city, but things
were tough for the first couple of years.
Money didn’t come by easily and he had to
survive and also send money home to his
parents and sister. He came across a
newspaper advertisement, a clinic in Cape
Town was looking for black sperm donors and
the money they offered would help him out
until his business picked up,” Londeka tells my
story the way it happened and I can’t help but
cry harder.
“No… No… No! Stop right there, there’s no
way!” Naledi begs but it can’t change the
truth.
“A young woman who desperately wanted to
prove to people that she is still a woman
despite not having legs went to the same
Cape Town fertility clinic and she was given
the seed donated by the young man from
KZN,” I stop breathing as Londeka puts it out
there.
“Oh Lord!” Manana exclaims.
“Yei man! Stop narrating stories and tell me
what’s happening,” MaZikode hasn’t put the
pieces together like the rest of the people.
“Shlobo fathered Naledi, that’s what I’m trying
to explain ma.” My wif… I mean Naledi faints
next to me.
“No, this must be a joke. Shlobo would have
told me if he had a child out there. You’re
wrong, Naledi is my daughter-in-law. Please
leave my house with this nonsense.” Mama is
livid, trying to get up from the couch to
personally push them out of her house.
Londeka gives me pleading eyes as I stand
with the unconscious Naledi in my arms.
“Tell her I’m not lying,” I look around the room
and my mothers eyes are threatening to fall
off. The minister has her head thrown back
with tears escaping the corners of her eyes.
Manana has both her hands on top of her
head.