Umendo Chapter 20

Umendo Chapter 20

"Smelokuhle", she called my name. "Are you ok?" I thought "How could l?, would you be if you were me?". She asked if we both understood everything she had said. I hadn't, so l asked her to repeat. She then said, "You both tested positive for Trichonomas Vaginalis (TV) which can be treated by antibiotics and negative for everything else including HIV". I breathed a big sigh of relief, I didn't know much about this Trichonomas Vaginalis, in fact it was the first time I heard of it, l was just glad it was something that could be treated. When she said said positive earlier on, l just concluded that it was HIV, I don't know why, but I did, maybe because it was my worst fear.  I know HIV is not a death sentence and can be controlled, but l was just not emotionally ready as I was still trying to recover from everything else. In fact l don't think anyone is ever ready for it. A part of me was relieved because I knew that l wouldn't have been able to forgive Siya if he had infected me with HIV.  She prescribed metronidazole an antibiotic, to take twice a day for five days. She stressed that we should abstain from sex until the course was finished and not consume any alcohol during and two days after the course was finished otherwise the treatment won't work. She asked if any of us had slept with someone who could be at risk and needed to be tested? I thought, Kanti if you are pregnant don't they test you for STIs when you go to register? If they do, wouldn't that mean that Nicole had already been tested? I then thought I should just tell her about Nicole, whatever happens from there wouldn't concern me. So l told her about Nicole. She asked for her number and I gave it to her. She thanked me and asked my husband if there was anyone else he had slept with besides Nicole, he said that there wasn't anyone else. She told us to come back in 3 months to test for HIV again. She gave us STIs leaflets and asked us if we had any questions before we left. We both said no and left. I wanted to call Nicole and give her a piece of my mind but I thought against it. If there was anyone l should have been mad at was my husband. Nicole didn't owe me anything, she did not vow to always be honest, faithful and respect me for the rest of her life, Siya did. 

Siya: I am so sorry baby for everything I have put you through

Sme: Your apologies won't take away what you did, and I'm tired of hearing you say sorry. You sound like a broken record

Siya: Eish baby, what can I do for you to forgive me? Tell me what to do and l will do it. I will do anything I can to see you smile again

Sme: Help me understand why you cheated on me. Did I deny you sex? Did l not satisfy you?

Siya: No love, akunjalo.

Sme: Did l become unattractive to you? Do you not find me attractive anymore Siya? Do you not find me beautiful anymore?

Siya: Ah love, you know how much l'm attracted to you.  Sometimes I can't believe just how lucky l am to have you in my life. You are beautiful baby wam, inside and out. 

Sme: What is it then Siya. I am failing to understand why. Why, why, why?

Siya: It just happened, it meant nothing to me and l regretted it soon afterwards

Sme: So much so that you invited her into our home for more?

Siya: No love, l explained that incident to you. Seriously l never meant for any of it to happen. 

Sme: Or wawuvele ufuna ukubona if you could impregnant her? Did you do it because you wanted a baby so much you didn't care whom you had it with?

Siya: Baby, we both want a baby that's no secret. But that was never my intention. I haven't lost hope that we will have children of our own. 

 (I took out my car keys, ready to leave)

Siya: Kuzolunga sthandwa sam, I will do everything I can to make things right. Engikucelayo yikuthi ungalahli ithemba, ungibekezelele.  (He kissed me on my forehead and hugged me) 

A few weeks later  Lindo came to talk to me as l was driving past the gate. He ask me if I was ok with a worried look on his face, I told him I was fine and asked him why he was asking. He told me about the call he had received from Siya to help him take me to hospital because I had bumped my head and fainted. I told him not to worry and that I recovered just fine. He then started telling me about sis Barbara who used to live with her husband in the complex before we moved there. He said that sis Barbara always had bruises on her arms, face but tried to cover them up with make and always wore sunglasses even when it was freezing cold in June. He told me that she always made up excuses like, "oh, l tripped and fell on my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night" or "I was a bit tipsy and banged my head on the wall, I should stop drinking cos evidently it's not for me", or she would disappear for days and come back when the bruises have healed. I looked at him thinking, "ok, touching story but where are you going with this?". He continued saying that one day sis Barbara's husband beat her so bad, he hurt her spinal cord now she is wheelchair bound. "Ah shame, that's really sad, where is sis Barbara now?", l asked him. She went back to her parents' home KwaZulu with their children, her husband was arrested. 

Sme: Oohhh, you think Siya is physically abusing me?

Lindo: There is no shame in it sis wam, the sooner you leave him the better. 

Sme: No Lindo, thank you for your concern but my husband has never laid a hand on me

Lindo: That's exactly what sis Barbara used to say. She made excuses for him all the time

Sme: No, seriously I did bump my head that day. 

(He looked at me and shook his head with disappointment)

Lindo: Anyway, you should know that it's not to late to stop being his punching bag.

Sme: Hawu, Lindo, ngitsholo nje ngathi akunjalo?

Lindo: Ok then, if you say so. (He said it with sarcasm) 

Sme: Sharp (I drove off)

  

I told Siya when he came back from work about my interesting conversation with Lindo. Siya laughed and said that, that's probably why these two ladies from our complex had been giving him evil eyes when he greeted them, one of them even ignored him and murmured something under her breath. "It all makes sense now", he said, "Lindo has told the whole complex that ngikwenza ipunching bag, mnxx". 

When were about to sleep that night, Siya's phone rang. It was Lumkile, he passed it to me. I rolled my eyes and pushed it back to him. He answered and put her on speakerphone 

Siya: Hello

Lumki: Sabona Siya, kunjani?

Siya: Ngi right

Lumki: Aren't you going to ask me how I'm doing after your crazy wife and her demented friend traumatised me and my baby like that?

Siya: Arghh, just say what you called for Lumki

Lumki: Ok then, kuzofanele uze nabakini nizobhadala idamage nokulobola ingane yakho.

Siya: Ini???? 

Lumki: You heard me, you have to pay for taking Nicki's innocence and pay lobola for your child. 

Siya: Nicki's innocence? Did she tell you that she was innocent ?

Lumki: It doesn't matter, you got her pregnant ungamlobolanga, so took away her innocence as far as anyone is concerned

Siya: Ningjwayela kabi, do l look like a fool to you? I am NOT paying any damages or lobola for anyone, me and my wife have already paid for the baby's preparation. I will pay child maintanence after the baby is born and that's it, not amanyala la ongtshela wona. 

Lumki: What R4 000? 

Siya: Talk to your daughter. Don't call me about this nonsense again. Nxxxaaah (And he hung up)