insert 48

iFAIRYTALE KaMAGEZA

𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 48

[NARRATIVE]

It has been almost a month since Nomeva departed. Things are slowly falling back to normal. Today is Thando's last therapy session. She's better than she was 2 weeks ago. She's talking and playing again. The nightmares are gone too. She understands what happened and that she will never see Nomeva again. That she's resting and in a better place.

Connie and Mahlathini were by her side on all the sessions. What affects her affects all of them. What happened was something they had no control over. If he had known it was going to happen, he was going to make sure she doesn't see it. Now she's going to live with that image of her grandmother for her life.

"Daddy, can we please have ice cream?" Thando says as they walk out to the car. He's carrying her like the baby that she is "...one for me and one for Miracle" she adds with a wide smile. Mahlathini laughs at his daughter's tricks.

"Let me guess, you're going to eat it for him"

"Yes, just like Mammi does, she eats food for her and Miracle" Connie is laughing.

"But that only applies to Mammi, Miracles is inside mammi's tummy"

"Dad. Miracle and I talked. I'm going to eat on his behalf until he arrives" Connie and Mahlathini are both laughing but Thando is keeping a straight face. She's very serious.

"Ok. We're getting ice cream for you and Miracle then"

"Thank you, Daddy"

They get in the car and drive to Spur. The queue isn't bad, they will wait. Connie picks a table and sits while Mahlathini and Thando joins the line. When he glances back at the table there's a white folk sitting there talking to Connie. He feels his palms sweating.

"Thando, stand here, don't let anyone move past you, I'll be back in a minute" he says and Thando nods.

He walks back to the table "Are you lost?" the white folk asks him when he sits down.

"Maybe" he says getting comfortable on the seat. Connie is holding her breath. The white guy should leave if he knows what's good for him.

"Move along man, can't you see we are busy here?" he says now looking irritated by Mahlathini's presence.

"Busy with my woman?" the white folk laughs.

"Ey boys! come hear this!" he calls the two buff guys standing in the queue. They look like they are rugby players "He's saying, this is his woman, isn't that funny?" they all laugh now catching attention from the rest of the customers. Connie stands to leave when one of them grabs her arm. Mahlathini loses it in that same second.

*

"He's not spending a nigth in a cell, that is not going to happen!" Connie is shouting at the police captain. She doesn't give a shit who he is. She wants her man out of the cell.

"The case was opened, there's nothing we can do"

"Bullshit!!! they provoked him! What was he supposed to do. Smile? If you don't get my man out of that cell I'm going to sue this station and the whole South African Police Service!! I am not bluffing! Now decide! my man or your job?" The captain sighs and looks around. His police mates are not helping him. If this goes out to the public he will lose his job. And for what? Over a spoilt brat who has no respect for other people or woman?

"I'm sorry mam" he says and calls one of the police. Connie is told to sit down, she's sweating. One police woman goes over to her and hands her a bottle of water "I'm a fan" she whispers with a smile before walking away. Connie is confused until she remembers she's a Facebook celebrity.

After a few minutes Mahlathini emerges with two police officers. He collects all his belonging and signs some documents before they allow him to go.

"You're not going to go around beating everyone, they were not worth it and look at where you ended up? Violence doesn't solve anything. Thando didn't have to see all of that" Connie says as they walk out to the car. Mahlathini doesn't reply.

"Did you hear what I said?" he looks at her, she's angry.

"I heard you" she walks faster and gets in on the driver's seat.

"I can drive-"

"Get in the fuckin' car!!" Mahlathini does as he's told. It must be the hormones.

*
*
*

CONNIE

I'm pacing up and down in my bedroom. I've probably grown muscles. How can I relax when my fate lies on 5 old men who can subotage this whole thing and make it about them? "I know uncle Charles very well, he's controlling and hard headed. They all are"

"Will you relax?!" Aunt Bella finally gets up and pulls me to sit down "You really think they can mess things up for you after everything you and Jackson have been through?" She asks looking at me. I take a deep breath. I know I'm overacting.

She cups my face in her hands "They are not going to do that to you. Everything will go as planned, you have to relax, you're stressing the baby"

"Ok. I'm relaxed" I try to do the breathing exercise. No one told me how stressful this will be. To have people discuss about your future while you're not there, it's not nice, especially when you're 7 months pregnant. I might give birth any minute now.

Jackson and I have been fighting lately. My hormones are always on the roof. He might as well decide I'm too much and leave. I know I would die if that happens. I love that guy.

Aunt Bella gets up and pours me a glass of water "Thank you" I say chunking the whole glass down.

I'm thankful that she's here. She has been pampering me while the others stress me. Her and my Mom were so close, more like sisters. She couldn't come on the first negotiation date that was proposed because of her military work but after everything was postponed, she made a plan. We've always had a great relationship. We only see each other on family gathering once after years but whenever we are together it's as if we've never been apart.

I have my cousin's Tessa and Dakota also keeping me companied. We are not that close but our relationship is not bad either. We live in different continents it's just hard to keep contact but they are supportive and I appreciate it.

My phone buzzes. As soon as I see his name my heart melts. I also get a sense of relief. He's not going to run and leave me here.

I open the text. It's a whole paragraph, God. He's leaving me.

I get up and walk to the bathroom and close the door. I pull the toilet seat down and sit. I take a deep breath and start reading.

"My love. Sthandwa senhliziyo yami. When I met you I never thought things will turn into what they are now. You came into my life when least expected it. I've always heard people talk about soulmates as things of fairytales, things that don't exist in real life but I've found a soulmate in you. I've found a woman who loves and understands me. A woman who supports me with no question. You came into my life and loved my daughter as if she was your own. There's nothing more I can ask for in this world, I'm complete with you. If I had the ability to let you see yourself through my eyes you would understand how crazy in love I am with you. I can't wait for us to spend the rest of our lives together. To create more memories and make more kids. I know challenges and tests are still going to come but whatever happens, never forget the love I have for you. "

By the time I finish reading the massage I'm wet with tears. He just had to make me cry.
I stand up and wipe the tears with a towel messing my makeup in the process. Someone knocks on the door.

"I'm coming!" I shout taking a deep breath.

"Maconiza!!" That's Celiwe. I quickly open the door, does this mean the negotiations are complete?

She stares at me after I've opened the door, she can see I was crying.

"It's happy tears" I quickly say with a wide smile. I can hear singing, whistles and ululations outside.

She takes my hand "My brother is waiting for you outside" she says as we walk out of the bedroom. Aunt Bella, Dakota and Tessa are following behind us. The rest of the family was in the living room but they are all outside now. There are so many people than I expected.

I spot my man in full traditional gear, he turns facing my direction as the ululations start. I cannot explain how sexy he looks right now.
He smiles and begins walking to me or is he?

The large crowd forms a circle around us. He start singing while circling me. This is overwhelming I don't know what to do besides crying. God! I'm such an emotional wreck.

I can't understand the lyrics of the song he's singing but the crowd is going crazy, especially his fellow taxi drivers and Celiwe who is running around ululitaing.

He finally stops and goes down on one knee in front of me "No... " I kneel down as well, what am I doing? I get up. He's proposing? Is that what he's doing? I think I'm going to faint right here right now.

"Connie Morgan, would you do me the honour of being my wife?" He asks looking at me with a wide smile.

My God.

How can I say No? How can I possibly say No to such a request? Unless I'm crazy of course.

"Yes ...Yes I'll marry you!" I say in excitement. He takes my hand and pushes the diamond ring into my finger before standing up to kiss me. At this point I'm not hearing the crowd, it's just me and him. In our own world.

"I thought you were going to run" he laughs.

"Never" he kisses me again "I love you" he says against my lips while looking into my eyes "More than you'll ever imagine"