UMSHADO

CHAPTER 13

After we left joburg we came straight to Ladysmith and sims came with us too. I was scared that I wasn't going to be accepted but the whole family was excited because my father had told them about me and that I was alive and not dead as they thought. They took me to my mother's grave and it was a better sweet moment being there and I didn't cry as much as thought I was going to because I was thinking about the baby and when I was there listening to my dad and brother tell her about me I felt a sense of belonging and peace. I saw her pictures and yes I looked like her, I have her eyes and smile.

I have an aunt and two uncles, one of the uncles is the one who took over the business after dad and the other one lives in Johanessburg handling the business there. I have 4 male cousins and 2 female cousins who have 2 kids each and married. I have a good relationship with all of them but i'm most close to my aunt another than my dad and brother and she has no kids and she treats me like her own daughter. She's the last born in the family even though she's 40, never married and dad is very protective over her and I call her ma not aunty.

There was a welcoming ceremony for me and the whole Ngcobo family was there including their business assocciates and it was beautiful and I told mbuso about the ceremony and he was happy but wouldn't come because he didn't want to disrespect my father and the whole family while he is still have to pay the damages for me getting pregnant. I was scared to tell dad I was pregnant but he told me he suspected that I was and he was happy and told the rest of the family and I have literally been treated like a baby of the family and I'm loving every moment. My brother well, he had mixed feelings about it and I didn't blame him.

I talk to mbuso everyday and he would send me R20000 every month for my needs and for whatever the baby would want as I'm pregnant. I told him it wasn't necessary because my dad and brother make sure I have evrything I need. Sims left after the welcoming ceremony and I miss her, I told thami a week after I have left what happend he was shocked and broke down and I haven't gotten hold of him since that day and so I decided to give him some space to process everything. My father invited uncle victor but he didn't show up because he still feels I hate him and won't forgive him but I feel like I have forgiven him even though I haven't said it to him but I know I will, I just need to have courage. Yes he did hurt me but he made sure I was always taken care of and honestly if my father can forgive and make peace with him, I can too.

My brother lives in Durban and works there but he has been coming home every weekend since I have been here and we are bonding everytime. Today is thursday and it's my first appointmen with the doctor and mbuso is coming with me to see the doctor. I'm going to be seeing my baby for the first time and I'm excited. I'm almost four months pregnant and starting to show and I haven't seen mbuso since I left. I wake up, make my bed even though we have aunties who help in the house but i like doing things for myself. I do my morning routine and go to the kitchen and find my handsome dad drinking tea and reading a newspaper..." Isolezwe ".

Me:" sawubona baba " (morning daddy ) I hug him on his shoulders and kiss his cheek and he smiles.

Baba:" I'm never going to get enough of hearing those words, morning baby did you sleep well? "

Me:" I did dad. what are we having for breakfast? "

Him:" ask your aunt?, you woke up early today where are you going? "

Me:" baba I told you on sunday that it's my first doctors appointment today, don't you remember ? " my aunt comes to the kitchen singing

Her:" Morning baby "

Me: morning ma. what are we having? "

Dad:" I'm coming with you " I look at mah asking for her help with dad

Mah:" Zakes you know you cant' go, she's going with her babby daddy "

Me:" baby daddy mah? " I say embarrased and dad has stopped reading the newspaper looking at me unimpressed