Ntsumi ka Moreetsi

Take It Back.

I am sitting here in the waiting area with Pheko, we are waiting for Dr Lerato to call us in. Today we are both facing our fears. He has his leg fixator out, it looks painful and people have been giving us stares since we walked in here. I hold his hand and give him a smile.“Moreetsi.” The receptionist calls us.
I wheel him into the office, Lerato moves the chair for us. “The Moreetsi’s how are you?”
“Surviving, we are okay.” Pheko and I answer simultaneously laughing.
“Mr Moreetsi, I haven’t formally met you. Would you please tell me about yourself?” She smiles.
“This feels like a dating show. I’m Pheko and I’m bubbly.” He cracks up.
“I see the humour, you told me about. Ntsumi.”
“His a funny guy.”I squeeze his hand, and smile looking at him.
“I am Pheko Moreetsi, a husband, father, last of 2 children, a pilot in the air force, I have a commercial license as well. A business man, Ntsumi’s Muntu.” Pheko, pecks my cheek after saying that.
“Let’s start with the Pheko hat. How do you feel? Since your accident.” Lerato.
“I feel out of touch, I am hurting for my friend and colleagues.” Pheko.
“Please walk me through that day.” Pheko blinks his eyes and faces the ceiling.
“Take your time.” Lerato hands me the tissue box.
“It’s okay to cry my love.” I assure him. He gulps and kisses my hand.
“Our mission was simple, fly to Car and fetch our members, get to town and fly back home. The morning of the attack we were told that we couldn’t fly and had to go on land because the airspace was not safe. My team and I got our attires ready, took out 9mm for safety and battle jackets. In the truck we got in an Mabusa started preaching, he said God loves us and his plans are never to hurt us. He then started singing gospel songs.” He drinks water.
“We backed him up and sang along. He gave me a hug and asked that I look after his family especially his wife who was expecting their first child. They had been struggling to fall pregnant.”
“I told him, we will both be there to take our boys fishing. *clears throat. * we prayed nearing the camp side. He gave me a tight hug and told me he loves me. We got off and went to help the guys load their things into the truck and the injured members. Smit screamed and we all turned to face him.
“he told us to finish loading and get the cars started because he had stepped on a mine. We took out the trunks and stacked them to get weight. We packed them near smit, while he was taking of his battle jacket. We were able to get him off the mine safe.
“We celebrated and sang taking the last things in the truck, I don’t know how or when but Mabusa shot a rebel who was aiming at me. While taking cover and explosion happened. My eyes were ringing, I could not see as my eyes burned. Mabusa called out my name in laboured breathes.
“I asked the guys helping me to take me to him, water was poured into my eyes to rinse it. There was fire and gunshot sounds. I was told to take cover, my hands burned. I couldn’t hold anything but I wanted Mabusa.“We were put In different truck, I asked him to hold on and he promised. I woke up in a hospital and my whole body hurt. The commander told me my wife was called.“I asked them not to call my family, I died on the table and that scared them. Mabusa was in high care and later we flew back home. We had a chat, he was talking to me. We had a proper conversation, spoke. *Shakes his head.*
“I’m struggling doc, how did we move from talking to him being dead? Before he got to the hospital. Was I imaging the conversation?” Pheko leans back on his chair and wipes his eyes.
“Thank You for sharing with me. Do you not think of the conversation as greeting you?” Lerato.
“I honestly never thought about it.” Pheko.
“Think about it. Get a journal and write your thoughts on the matter, our next session we will unpack. How are you sleeping?”
“Last night was better than all the other nights. Ntsumi slept well, her bleeding and cramps are better.” Pheko.
“Okay, you don’t need me to write you anything to sleep?” She asks and he shakes his head.
“Okay then, I will see you in 2 weeks.” Lerato.
“I thought we were to fix our union.”Pheko.
“We are, first week need to be okay ourselves before we are okay with other people.”