[KULANI]
Kurhula walks in while I’m still trying to figure out which pizza flavour AK prefers. This child has a picky palate and he is a resolute creature of habit. If Akani really likes something, he can eat it for thirty days straight without complaining. He appreciates none of the slices I have in front of him. Everyone else has already eaten and he just woke up. I’m not the one who bought them, otherwise I would’ve gotten his favourite flavour, now he’s sulking.
‘Boy, you only have two options here. Pick one’ Kurhula is always firm with him and I can’t bring myself to be like that. AK continues to sulk.
‘Maybe we can go get—‘
‘No baby. You spoil this guy way too much. We cannot be dancing to Akani’s tune. Which one do you want to eat?’ he turns in his direction and waits for an answer.
AK petulantly drops his little shoulders, with his arms folded.
‘So, what you are telling me is that you’re not having any lunch today?’ Kurhula asks. AK doesn’t respond. His father simply says ‘Okay’ and threatens to take the plate away. Akani stops him and chooses chicken and bacon. Kurhula hands him his sippy cup with juice in it.
‘Do you need help?’ he asks when he sees AK walking slowly with his hands full – careful not to drop or spill anything. I laugh when AK doesn’t respond. He’s angry. Hungry, but still angry.
‘That was not gentle at all. I had this under control’
‘No you didn’t. I will not have my wife get abused by an unemployed but bossy resident here. How are you baby?’ he brings me towards him by the small of my back for a kiss.
‘I missed you’ I say and this earns me a kiss on the forehead.
‘I missed you too, terribly. I got you something here’ he hands it to me.
‘What’s this?’
‘You were complaining that you couldn’t sleep because your feet were burning last night, right? Google says those will help. I got them at Clicks’
They’re written compression socks but they look like stockings. I sit down and try them on.
‘Western people use them to relieve restless leg syndrome, which apparently has no scientific explanation as to why it happens. Maybe they also have a calling, who knows?’
He’s starting. These have minimum elasticity so they are very difficult to wear but once they’re on, they provide instant relief.
‘Verdict?’ he asks.
‘I’m gonna abuse these. I feel like the heat and discomfort are instantly leaving my feet. Thank you baby’ I get up from the chair and hug him.
‘You’re welcome. I hate it when you’re in pain’
‘I know. Take a seat so I can make you something to eat’
He does as I say and I put the lunch in front of him.
‘Where’s Tlhari?’ he asks before he starts eating.
‘Take a guess’
He laughs. ‘Told you he’s lazy’
‘Leave my son alone please. He’s resting, he was busy the whole day’
He feeds the pizza to me and I take one bite even though I’m full. I gave him a variety like I was trying to do with AK but Kurhula gave me the one without bacon because I do not eat pork.
‘Ey it’s hot in this kitchen. Let’s go outside’ he complains. We go sit on the porch and I silently watch as the chickens run around. He brought his food with.
‘What’s on your mind?’ he asks. I’m realizing now that I was gone, far away.
‘There was a boy here a few days ago. He brought a painting for Fikani’
‘A painting?’
I nod. ‘Of his mother’
He sighs and puts the glass down.
‘Is he the reason why you look so burdened?’
‘I’m just sad, you know?’
‘Come sit here and tell hubby what’s wrong’ he offers his lap and I go.
I like sitting here anyway. He puts his arm around my waist and looks at me attentively.
‘He doesn’t know that he’s the incoming royal healer. I’m just unofficially holding the reigns for him as he grows but as soon as he turns 21, I have to hand everything that has to do with the royal house over and focus on my gift of healing women and children. It just saddens me because he has hopes and dreams of becoming a mathematician but his destiny lies in art and healing. He’s going to be so devastated when he finds out because this is not an easy task, not by a long shot’
‘I know you can’t help it, but you can’t carry everyone’s problems on your back baby, have you seen your body frame?’
‘This is not a joke’
‘I know, I’m not joking. You are dealing with enough as it is. What he finds out and when is between him and his ancestors. Worrying about it will do nothing for you’
I can’t get over the relief that these socks are bringing me right now. I never thought there was a solution for this pain.
‘I hear you Mlambya’
‘I don’t want you to just hear me, I want you to understand me. You’re still human, okay? I want you to remember that before I, Tlhari and everyone else need the sane version of you, you need to keep sane for yourself first. I understand that you’re an empath but you cannot carry the problems of this world on your shoulders, and I won’t allow you to. Deal with what needs your attention and discard everything else’
‘I hear you, trust me’
‘Thank you. Have you spoken to your sister about that interior design project we discussed?’
‘Not yet’
I’ve just bored him.
‘See what I’m talking about? You’re worried about the wrong things when the things that need your attention exist!’
‘Don’t scold me. I will speak to Mabontle. I just feel like she’s heavily pregnant right now and she doesn’t need more baggage’
He exhales. ‘I did not mean to, I’m sorry. I am not saying that she should start immediately. All I’m saying is, give her a date so she can store it in her head and know what awaits after birth and plan for it. That’s all’ he gently says and kisses my cheek.
To be honest, the farmhouse is not my priority right now but I hate fighting with him so I am not going to tell him this.
