UMSHADO

CHAPTER 3.

Me:" No.... No dad please don't to this!" I'm crying

Him:" Look at me!" He says with so much authority that I open my eyes and lift my head to look at him and see that he is standing and my face is on the same level with his crotch. If I were to kneel in front of him, his crotch would be right on my face. I don't look at him, I just look down again kneeling then make my way to my dad.

Me:" Baba...I don't want to marry my sister's fiancee please dad I'm begging you, I don't want to! ". I don't care that I'm creating drama but there's no way I'm going to marry a man I don't know, even love and worse a man who loves my sister and has slept with her.

Dad:" Stop being dramatic. We have concluded the negotiations and you will step in for your sister and marry into this family, it is tradition and it has always been done. You and your husband will grow the Gumede family tree with many children. Do you hear me lungi? " I shake my head no looking at him, straight in his eyez . I know doing this, is very disrespectful and in front of people because it would seem that I do not respect him as my father and the head of the whole family.

Dad:" Oh so you are disrespecting me in front of people, your in-laws!. You want them to say I didn't raise you with values, morals and respect?."

Me:" Kodwa baba anina ndaba ukuth mina ngifunani, why ningaba buyiseli imali yabo babuyele emuva la baqhamuka khona?" ( but dad you all don't care about what I want. Why don't you give them their money back so they can go back to where they come from?).

My dad stands up and slaps me across the face so hard I see stars. I cover my face shocked not believing that my dad has landed his hands on me like that.

Dad:" I tell you what to do and you want to tell me what I must do, who's the parent here? " He tries to slap me again but my uncle stops him.

Uncle:" Bafo stop. She is still in shock because she didn't know that this was going to happen. Lungi my child....." he comes and crouches down next to me and holds my face and wipes my tears and I hug him crying my lungs out.

uncle:" .....shhhh, don't cry my child. it's tradition arranged marriages have been done since the time of our ancestors, accept your husband. He will love you and you will learn to love him too. He will take care of you, treat you like a queen that you are. The Gumede's will love you once they get to know what an amazing young woman you are." I bury my face on his chest and he holds me tighter.

uncle:" I know this is very hard to accept but please do and I promise you, you won't regret it. You are our only hope and I have put my faith in you so please don't disappoint us, you hear me Luh? ".

It's days like these I wish my father was the one holding me like this and saying all these things but I know that will never happen. It will be always be wishful thinking and I hope my uncle is right that I won't regret it.

me:" yes uncle I hear you. I agree to marry him and I promise I won't disappoint you". I hear someone ululating and then everyone on the house is happy I think excluding me.

My uncle kissea my forehead and stands me up and all the while my 'husband ' to be has been silent and watching the whole thing and I'm now embarrassed that he had to witness everything. My aunt takes me back to my bedroom and when we pass the kitchen everyone goes silent. I get to my bedroom and I find my brother and sims there. She closes the door and I just stand there numb, my mind going through 1000 directions.

I slide down the door and sit on the floor, head on my knees and arms around my legs. Sims comes and hugs me and my brother too and I let it all out. They don't say anything and just hold me. I'm thankful that I have them in my life because without them, I wouldn't know what to do right now.