Ntsumi ka Moreetsi

Baby Maybe?

The Chauke relatives think that I am pregnant. To them Babe is trying to hide my disgrace by getting me married before I start showing. Sesi arrived Yesterday evening and she has already asked me five times, why I am glowing and why I am limping. I had to show her my stomach and breasts because she’s now a certified home pregnancy test, like those old grannies.
Marriage has ruined her for me. My stomach being bloated had her suspicious, I promised go get a pregnancy test with her. That stopped her from asking. As if that’s not enough, Babe’s uncle, wants to charge Pheko a pregnancy fee, apparently it's a thing. My problems are many for a young person like myself.
Pheko and his brother said, their family must give mine anything they want. Eye roll. “Pheko is leaving on deployment and we want to be married before he leaves for the DRC.” Is the answer we practiced to give everyone and some of the aunts bought the story while the others are on the fence. The house is buzzing.
I don’t know why the whole Giyani had to come even though, they are questioning the urgency of my wedding. On Wednesday Pheko’s people paid my bride price, he said we must do the right thing, traditionally as we can’t fool our ancestors. We took pictures and videos, we danced around the street, why does the bride wear a heavy blanket?
We signed on Thursday and had lunch at bhuti Morris’s house, yesterday we received gifts from the Moreetsi’s, we invited a few people from the office, to come and witness our intimate celebration, and today I am being taken to his house in Zeerust, the celebration lunch will be held there later today.
My dress which aunty made, looks like a real wedding dress, it is in the red Tsonga traditional cloth, it’s an off shoulder tight fit. I am wearing white sneakers and a red matching doek and blue beads matching the flowers on the dress. Babe is still sulking. Today his clingy, he has been with me since I woke up.
The 2 taxies are full, I am in the car with Babe, Bab’Benjamin is driving us. Everyone is jolly except for us. It’s 3:45am, how are they this loud and cheerful? We arrive after 3 hours and 30 minutes. The family starts singing at the gate. Aunt Hlawu, Khanysile and Nhlamulo are dancing, showing off their moves in their traditional skirts.
The Moreetsi aunt and uncle open the gate, with a mini entourage behind them with Pheko, who are singing in SeTswana.
“Ntsumi, namela thaba o ba botse hore wena o nyetswe.” They sing. Pheko takes my hand after shaking Babe’s hand. Babe whispers something to him. We stand in front of the aunt who says their clan praises. She says we are welcome and we get into the house , Khensi walks with me.
“You look very beautiful dombolo.” Pheko. I lightly punch his arm.
“Abuse in my own home, wow.” His aunt and mother take me into a bedroom, there’s a blue seshweshewe dress on the bed and a matching doek, and white mini blanket.
“This is how we want you to dress when we have weddings in the family, and when we have ceremonies or parties you wear the brown dress. Usually the dress you come with we take, but Pheko said we must let you keep a piece of home.” Mrs Moreetsi says tying my doek.
“Thank you Mrs Moreetsi.”
“Bathong, listen to this child testing me. Last week I was mama, today I am Mrs Moreetsi.” She laughs, showing off her beautiful teeth. There’s a knock on the door, then it opens. Pheko peeks in, his aunt laughs and calls him in. Gomo is behind him in jeans, a white shirt with a traditional print on it. “S’thandwa, You look beautiful in your doek but we must go to the salon, my dad gave me money.” Gomo says giving me a hug.
“I told you it’s aunt Ntsumi or aunty.” Pheko reprimands.
“He can call me anything he wants Pheko. Thank you sthandwa sam, nawe umuhle. ” I roll my eyes.
We are led outside the house, at the back yard. We kneel in front of an aloe plant. The goat is slaughtered, after I am introduced and given the name Regomoditswe. I am starving when we get to the tent. I listen to my uncle’s lie about how long Pheko and I have known each other and the wonderful proposal. Our guests take in all the speeches. Lunch is served, Babe dishes up for us, I am grateful because wow, I was starving, people give him strange looks.
We take pictures together then he goes back to his seat. I feel bad for him. We cut the cake and everyone gets a slice. It’s a lemon and poppy seed flavour. “Ladies and gentlemen, my beautiful wife and I, wait, have you all seen how beautiful my wife is?”Pheko the crowd cheers.
“I have a gorgeous wife, Colonel, thank you for such an amazing woman, I promise to take care of her. Thank you everyone for being here at such a short notice, I know my friends are here for the booze and food. Colonel, this song is for you.” Pheko. We laugh and take our seats, the song from the party starts playing.
“Sir, I’m a bit nervous ‘Bout being here today. Still not real sure of what I’m going to say. So bare with me please, If I take up too much of your time.”
It's the song from the party, ‘Marry your daughter.’ Babe smiles looking at us, I get up to dance with Babe. He leads me to Pheko at the end of the song, and he gives Pheko a hug and hugs me longer. More songs play, other people leave while others stay and dance. Pheko and I leave the festivities at 7pm and go to Tapologo Lodge for our ‘honeymoon night.’ His mother paid for us.
“Don’t let him touch you.”  I laugh and show Pheko the text from Babe after he asks why I am laughing. The lodge is beautiful, with lots of trees surrounding it, you could easily miss the gate ,  because it is blended with the fence and trees.
We check in and get a key to the room, which has a king size bed, white bedding and orange pillows. A thatch roof, with thick pillars holding it. There’s a full length mirror near the sliding door that leads to the pool side and view of the fruit trees. There’s also a wooden giraffe statue by the couch.
“I hope you like the room, mama thought we should spend the night together and shut out the noise.” Pheko, places our bags on the floor.
“Its beautiful thank you. Are we safe?”
“That is covered, I’d love for you to relax for tonight. Tomorrow we will go back home and spend the week for the traditional duties.” Pheko.
“Shouldn’t I be doing that tomorrow morning?”
“I didn’t marry you to slave for my relatives, everyone can make their own food and clean. Besides we hired people to clean up. If anyone questions you please refer them to me.” Pheko. I nod my head and start unpacking my bag, to take out my toiletry bag and I go take a bath then, get dressed in the bathroom. He goes in after I am done. I prepare my bed on the couch. I face the wall to give him privacy when he gets done.
“And then?” Pheko wakes me up.
“What?”
“Don’t come with stories, come to bed and sleep.” Pheko.
“There’s no one, we don’t have to pretend.”
“I hope you are high from the snuff, because there’s no way a sane person would leave the bed and sleep on the couch. Come to bed, I won’t touch you.”Pheko.
“I’m good here .”
“Dombolo please. These giraffes are scary.” Pheko, I throw the pillow at him and he laughs.