My best friends stepmother.

chapter 37

Monday, 19 February

It's my birthday today and my mom, my brother, Tebello is here. Bhekisisa and Zazi are here too, making the best of it for me.

There's a beautiful cake and a pregnant lady on the cake as the design on it. I also got a delivery of flowers from Kgotso. Mampho sent me a Prada purse and I love it so much!

Me: thank you! it means a lot.

One of my beautiful nieces comes to me and points at my belly.

Her: aunty, why is your tummy so big?
Me: baby, aunty ate a lot.
Her: aunty must go on a diet.
Me: what?!

Everyone laughs but that just makes me sad. Is she saying I'm fat?

As I'm thinking about that, I start having pains in my belly. Excruciating pains!

Me: ah!!
Mom: my baby.
Me: ah!
Mom: the baby is coming.
Me: no, it's too early!
Mom: it is. Zazi please get the bags. Son, please start the car. Bheki, please try and get ahold of Kgotso.

We head to the car and with each step I take, the more pain I feel. After sometime in that car, we finally get to the hospital. I get pulled in by stretcher and I'm taken to the maternity ward, where I suffer for hours and hours!

With Kgotso holding my hand and telling me to "calm down", every now and then.

Kgotso: calm down.
Me: shut up! this is all because of you!
Kgotso: me?
Me: okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.
Kgotso: good.
Me: what?!

The contractions are killing me!

Nurse: oh, the baby is coming.
Doc: ma'am, I'm going to need you to push when asked to.
Me: okay.

I do as told and after what feels like forever of pushing and shouting at Kgotso, our baby is out.

Nurse: it's a boy.

She says while the baby screams to the top of his lungs, crying.

He eventually calms down and sleeps on mommy's chest, my beautiful angel.

Kgotso: Hlompho Mokoena.

I just nod as tears come out of my eyes effortlessly. Kgotso wipes them but they just keep coming.

Kgotso: mama, please come back home. it's cold without you.