David led the healer inside the house. He thanked him with a nod.

David: Can I get you anything makhosi?

Makhosi: Call me Mvumba, cha angifuni lutho okwa manje. (No, I don't want anything at the moment)

He politely said. Mvumba was a very good and honourable man, many know him for his good deeds. David nodded as he led him up the stair ways to the room where his wife resided in. Mvumba shuddered as they neared the door.

David: Ukahle Mvumba? (Are you okay)

Mvumba: Yeyy, yeyi inkinga eziningi kabi, makhosi (Problems, a lot of them)

David looked at him with apprehension but nevertheless opened the door for him.

They opened the door, there Mvumba found a woman sleeping in bed. If anyone else didn't know any better they would've thought she was dead with the way she laid there looking up and pale. Mvumba's body shook, he chanted incoherent ancestral words that David could not understand, during what he was doing, Zanele woke up, eyes barely opening, she looked around blinking a ton to rid of the sleep in her eyes.

Zanele: What's going on?

She croaked out, she coughed as it was moreover painful to talk, hell it was a mission to swallow her own spit. When no one responded, she looked around again, noticing the man who wore traditional attire, she paled even more, if that was even possible. She turned to her husband who's been mute, standing just.

Zanele: David! What the hell- cough -what's going on here?

Mvumba: David I want you to sit on the bed with your wife.

David nodded moving to go sit with Zanele, taking her hand in his.

Zanele: Who's this man David, and why is he in our room?

David: Calm down, he's here to help you get better.

Zanele shook her heard, with occasional coughs here and there. She tried to sit up but cried out in pain. David shushed her as he laid her back in her earlier position. Mvumba took out his ancestral rug, laid it on the floor, took out his bag of ancestral bones. He got up and shook the bones, moving to David and Zanele. He brought the bag made of goat skin closer to David, knowing exactly what expected of him, David blew inside the bag, Mvumba placed the bag in front of Zanele.

Zanele looked away, not having none of whatever her husband and his pal were doing. Mvumba grunted.

Mvumba: Blow woman!

He commanded, Zanele cringed at his tone, she looked over at David, who in return urged her to blow with his head. She rolled her already eyes, regretting it already, she blew in the bag with a huff. Mvumba went to his mat and kneeled again. He shook the bag twice between his left and right side of his head. He threw the bones on the mat. He scrutinized the bones, shaking his head in disappointment. He jerked his head back looking up the ceiling with closed eyes as he shuddered. Zanele looked at him with exasperation, having enough of this already.

Zanele: Get to the point mkhulu!

She shouted slightly in irritation. David glared at her in warning, she just rolled her eyes as she coughed.

Mvumba collected his things and rolled up his mat, tucking it under his armpit. He sighed.

David: Is everything okay makhosi, can we get help for her?

Mvumba looked at him with a disapproving gaze.

Mvumba: The ancestors want her to tell the truth, she's hiding the truth from everyone.

Zanele paled as she coughed, not from the sickness but on her own spit as she stared at the man with blazing eyes.

David: Makhosi, I don't follow manje, ukhuluma ngani? (now, what are you talking about?)

Mvumba: Lo, unemfihlo anayo, manje ke abaphansi bafuna ukuthi akhulume, (this one, has a secret, now the ancestors want her to talk) her time is up now, it's been 27 years, and everytime they've given her a chance to come clean she managed to somehow cover it up.

David looked at his wife with a lot of confusion, she blinked looking guilty.

David: Zanele?

Zanele flinched as if someone shouted at her.

David: 27 years? What's he talking about?

Zanele: D-david, I also don't know.

Mvumba: Yekela amanga mfazi, amaphansi bathukuthele kabi, mawathula namanje, uyoshabalala. (stop with the lies woman, the ancestors are very angry, if you keep quiet even now, you'll cease to exist.)

With that he left, David couldn't even comprehend what was going on as he stared at his wife for answers he knew she had just by looking at her. Zanele gulped, did she want to die, no she didn't, but that meant her exposing herself. How do you tell your husband that he has a 27 year old son, and you denied him that privilege of knowing him.

***

Mbali bathed Lungelo and dried him, putting him on her bed in her bedroom. She looked at him, he giggled, drool coming out of his tiny red lips, with his big eyes he looked at his mother as she made funny faces at him, he giggled again, Mbali laughed.

Mbali: You like that huh, hm hm?

She said blowing raspberries on his bare stomach. Sighing she knew she had to dress him up before he catches a cold. She took the vaseline from the nightstand and lotioned his tiny body, then took a diaper and dressed him in it. She dressed him up in gray warm clothes. She lifted him up, placing him on her chest, it was time for his meal. She sat down and fed him.

Downstairs Sanele, opened the door, in came his brothers and their women smiling at him, except for one person, Snakes, he kept his face neutral as always, not finding anything amusing seeing the same annoying face.

Siya: Bafo!

Sanele: Foza, Mamba!

Snakes: We not vampires that need to be invited in Sanele.

He said already getting inside, moving past Sanele.

Sanele: You could've just asked nicely.

Snakes: Yeah yeah, where's the fun in that?

Sino: Ukuphi uMbali? (where's Mbali?)

Sanele: Bathing Lungi.

Sino: Come on, let's go greet her.

She said looking at Lisa.

Siya: I think the uncle gets to see the baby first.

Lisa: No, the aunts do.

Sino: Rock paper scissors?

Siya: Fine, you on.

Snakes: When they done being 5 year olds, you'll find me upstairs.

Sanele: Yeah not happening anytime soon.

Snakes had already ascended the stairs leaving Siya and the girls arguing that Siya was cheating.

Siya: Ha, I won!

Lisa: How, I got paper, you got rock so I win.

Siya: Yeah no, that's not how it goes.

Sino: Babe, paper beats rock, you know this.

Siya: Uh no, it doesn't, rock makes more damage than paper, you know this

Sino gaped at him, Sanele raised his eyebrows at his stupid brother.

Lisa: What, this is not let's play who knows science, okay?

Siya: This is not let's play what got your panties in a twist okay.

Sino: Oh no, you hopeless, oh my God I got engaged to a manchild!

She exclaimed going over to the couch and plopping herself on it.

Lisa: I'm going up those stairs and you can't stop me!

Siya: You-

Mbali: Hey, look who's here, your rich uncle.

She said cooing at the baby. Snakes laughed lightly. Ever since he gave her that money she's been always sarcastically referring him to money related names.

Snakes: Hey little one.

Snakes kissed her forehead, and the babies head. Mbali had already tucked her breast away before Snakes came into the room.

Mbali: Where's everyone?

Snakes: Siya, Sino and Lisa are playing rock paper scissors to decide who sees the baby first.

Mbali shook her head.

Mbali: And you sneaked here?

Snakes: Well I just came, I don't think they noticed that I left though.

Mbali nodded playfully.

Snakes: Can I hold him?

Mbali smiled and handed baby Lungi to him.

He took him and automatically his smile grew larger. Mbali watched in fascination as Lungi gave Snakes a toothless grin.

Snakes: He smiled at me.

He said still looking at him, he put his index finger on his tiny hands to grasp.

Mbali: You'd make a good father one day.

She said bluntly, making Snakes to glance at her and smile. Looking at baby Lungi he wished for more with Lisa. A wife, a soccer team of children, hell just the thought of her pregnant with his child made him thrilled.

Snakes: Can't wait to knock Monalisa up.

Mbali laughed at his bluntness as she did not expect him to just say that. Snakes was always saying anything that came to his mind but no one could ever get used to someone who just blurts at you that your hair looks like a wet fish. That was how blunt he was with people, Lisa knew him and loved him with his unfiltered mouth. For him that was enough.

Mbali: Hurry up and make those babies wena.

They both laughed, Mbali pleased to hear him laugh. To her Snakes was a big brother she never had.