You promised

chapter 13

Am sweating non stop under this blanket, the nervousness isn't helping either, its normal for one to get cold feet right, am second guessing my decision yet again i cannot wait for it to be done and over with so we can get this day done , its still early in the morning my mother and my aunts hadn't missed the opportunity of scaring me more about marriage, i wasn't ready i was far from ready for goodness sake i was just 23 years old to be someone's wife.

"Am proud of you baby" mom said squashing me into a hug "Don't listen to them ,this isn't the  old centuries where your husband does as he wants and you keep quite and ibide by his rules nowadays you equals okay , when he is wrong you question him and fix his mistakes" she said whispering in my ear not wanting the women in the room to hear she smiles at me before nodding her head leaving the room , leaving me with all these women i don't know.

"Socela isihlobo esihle nina boNkosi
Ndlangamandla,
Mphazima, Mntungwa,
Mawandla kaNdlela,
Nina baseMandlovini,
Mlotshwa, Siwela,
Mphazima kaLanga,
Nina bakwaLanga libomvu, elashis'amabel'ezikhuthali,
Mabuya sezembethe'ugogwane,
Mlotshw’akangakanani, ngoba nasentendeni yesandl'uyahlala,
Wena owaphath'induk'emnyama washay'amanzi, kwavel'udaka,
Nkonjane yenkosi,
Mpangazitha" the continuous shouting outside made everything real i was going to be someone's wife ,my heartbeat couldn't help but pick up the heart race , i raced towards the window unconsciously as i peak over ,they were still shouting while no one even bothered to come out of the door, 10 minutes later Gatsha was the one to get out of the house.

"Ujaheni bo"( whats the rush) you know that one cool Aunt we all have , yeah that was her, that one who carries her own beverage that has a percent everywhere even when not needed, i turned looking at her.

"Lutho Auntie bengifuna nje ukubona kwenzakalani"( am not, i just wanted to see what going on) i said readjusting the blanket on my shoulders, i turned my eyes back but now the spot was empty, this would mark as the biggest mistake i had ever had done in my life, it was the stupidest thing, i was now going to be someone's wife, not just wife but a stepmother too ,i hadn't even met his kids , what if they didn't like me, what if they saw me as a monster trying to steal their father, his first born was Muzi the boy, his mother wasn't alive anymore and then the second born was Sthandile the girl was the second born her mother was still alive but has been in psychiatric hospital for 6 months now, reason i don't know he hadn't tell me why but just that.

"Girls" my mother's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, i looked at the door "you needed" she said motioning with her head we should follow her, i hadn't realise how much time has passed until now, we did, my knees were shaking, my whole body was shaking from the nervousness , finally i  could breath as i sat down next to my father, my head bowed down to the floor, as per tradition they were asked to point which one before my two cousins were dismissed.

"Liyana uyabazi labantu" my father asked ,to say my mind wasn't screaming i should say no would be a lie, i had doubts, second thoughts, thoughts i should denie these people but perhaps that was just cold feet talking.

"Yebo baba ngiyabazi" the were sighs of relief after i had said that, i was dismissed too before going back to the room, i said yes, i had sealed my life with him, Shaka, Shaka Maphumulo was now my husband a man i had no knowledge of, a man who was so closed off he allowed me to know what he wanted. It was it, so i was married the ululating comfirmed it, the were smiles around me, i had to accept it , it was now the rest of my life.
.............
My whole body was still complaining from tiredness, after the lobola negotiations yesterday the were celebrations and everyone was drinking, it was the first i saw Shaka Zulu yeah his Shaka Zulu to me let loose and much as smile, he and my father got along like house on fire which suprised me and my brothers too they got along now i was up at 4 oclock , i was being taken to my inlaws early in the morning ,i was finally leaving my home , it wasn't my home anymore as per say but i would be a guest now, i didn't look back as per instruction, the 2 hr 25 minutes drive was enough for me to nap , the loud cheering woke me up, the yard clearly was in celebratory mood, me and Shaka agreed to sign in court, i hadn't felt like a huge wedding knowing i wasn't getting married for the right reason, we were just doing the traditional wedding which was mandatory. Once we reach them ,the competition starts as we sing from both sides before joining in. The aunt i was introduced to i even forgot who she was helped me get ready, dressing me up, i was in traditional zulu attire and the traditional beards around my neck with the bearded veil , i carried my Assegai pointing it up in symbolizing my virginity. Everyone now was having a good time, i had let loose and allowed myself to enjoy this expirience as soon as the man who was now my husband saw me he had a smirk plastered across his face especially when i had to dance I've never been actual traditional person and I've never participated in any zulu things not when i grew up with 4 boys but i tried my best and did exactly what my mother had told me before dropping the Assegai face down.
.........
After the exhausting day i had all my body wanted was resting, the events of the past two days were taking a toll on me , i could feel the impact of those days on my body, i had retired to the room i would  share with my 'husband' yeah i still have the rest of my life to get used to the idea i was married, i was married that was a bitter taste to swallow, the was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in" i shouted before a boy came out, he looked to be in his mid teen years, a replica of Shaka, he had a warm smile on his face , i had concluded he was Muzi, but he didn't look 14 at all , the muscles on his body made him older than his age, were muscles able to inherit because if so then he did on his father.

"Hi uhmm Baba said i should bring you this " he said handing me a plate of food, i wasn't hungry much considering how much meal i had, had earlier on.

"Thank you" i smiled warmly at him, i wasn't sure if 'baba' was the man i think he was referring too "Muzi right " i said he nodded his head "how are you" i asked genuinely, i might be a decade late but it was never late.

"Yeah auntie Liya and fine thanks" i smiled at him nodding my head "Aunt Liya" he said in a serious tone "please be careful of my dad" he said before dissappeared out of the door leaving me confused at his words.