Infidelity

34

I stir slightly. I'm feeling a bit too drowsy. I completely freeze when I hear two voices bickering. They are whispering but I can tell who is who.

"You knew!" Sandile's anger hasn't subsided.

"I knew what?" Sphe asks him.

"You're still going to continue to act a fool. She's your best friend for heaven's sake, she wouldn't hide this from you."

"I was your best friend before I was hers."

"She's pregnant. You cannot tell me you didn't know that she's pregnant."

Sphe remains silent. I guess I've finally shocked her into silence. I must admit that her silence is rather alarming.

"I haven't talked to her in a while. She wasn't going to tell me, she knew I'd tell you." Sphe walks towards me and I quickly shut my eyes. It's not like I could see much from the squinting.

She brushes my forehead affectionately.

"What happened to her, what did you do?" Sphe asks him but her gentle hand never leaves my face.

"It's not me it's that scum bag." I can hear him pacing.

I want to sit upright and defend Keletso. I know he's not a saint but how dare he pin this on him. He's not a perfect man but he wouldn't do anything to harm me especially since I'm in this condition.

I decided against it. I'm not ready for the many questions that are going through their minds right now.

"Are you sure?" Sphe asks him after a short while.

"Of course I'm sure. What do you even mean by that? He's the one who's trafficking girls." He slams his hand into something in the ward.

"What?! Are you sure she didn't know already?" I'm quite glad for Sphe's suspicions. Atleast she's on my side.

"She did. That's why she's so stressed. She's carrying a criminal's baby." I can tell that Sandile is repulsed.

My subconscious and I both roll our eyes. Seriously, how low is he willing to go?

They both leave eventually and I'm finally able to open my eyes.

***

Sandile brings it upon himself to deliver my lunch. I notice him too late and I'm not able to feign sleep.

"Good! You're awake." His mood has improved since this morning.

"Where's my doctor?" I ask him indifferently.

"I'm your doctor." He tells me and I roll my eyes.

It's a difficulty to turn my body so I face the other side but I do it anyway.

"I thought you couldn't conceive or was that one of your many lies?" He sneers. "Is that why you were so reckless?"

"My doctor told me that there's a low chance of conceiving not that I couldn't conceive entirely." I try to be as impassive as I can.

"Well I'm your doctor now and I was assigned to your case and there's nothing you can do." I'm sure he has smug smile on his face.

"Doctor patient confidentiality." I say.

"So you were awake this morning. Typical. He's already taught you his ways."

"Stop pretending as if you're a saint."

"He's a criminal. Don't compare me that jailbird."

"Atleast he owns up to it."

"Really. Did he tell you his occupation on your first date, when you were cheating on me." His words are laced with venom.

"Oh grow up!" I struggle to sit upright and he doesn't even help me. "You're so caught up in the past and everyone and everything has to evolve around you, and live up to and under the shadows you refuse to let go!"

"You don't get to play the victim. I'm the one who has been wronged." He is angry. He is boiling in the chair.

"I'm not playing the victim you are. Everyone owns up to their shit except for you."

He doesn't say anything.

"I'd like to eat now and your presence is not good for me." I rub my belly.

He looks at my stomach then at me. It's hard to gauge his emotions.

He stands up and reaches out his hand to touch my belly.

"I love you. I can love you." I can see the promise in his eyes.

"I want more. I need more and neither of you can provide that for me. I have to choose myself." I tell him

He leaves with his head hanging low. I want to deny it, but I know deep down that I've stopped loving him. I've stopped a while ago.