“Are you awake?” Zanele asked to her wife as soon as she opened her eyes.
Lihle scanned the room, she was tired and her vision was a bit blurry. “Everything’s such a blur. Where am I?” Lihle asked.
“We’re at the hospital, my love,” Zanele said, smiling at Lihle.
“My baby. Where’s my son, Zanele?” Lihle asked, trying to sit up straight, but the pain she felt would not allow her.
“Relax, he’s with the nurses. They’re making sure he’s okay,” Zanele responded. Lihle nodded in response, then she closed her eyes and licked her dry lips. “Simphiwe,” Zanele continued.
“I thought you said you didn’t like that name,” Lihle said, trying to laugh.
“I do now,” Zanele responded, then she kissed Zanele’s hand.
While the two were busy, the nurse came in carrying baby Simphiwe in her arms. She handed the baby to Lihle, and Zanele stood up. “He’s so beautiful. Thank you,” Zanele said, then she kissed her wife’s forehead.
“Hold him, he’s yours too,” Lihle said, laughing.
The little boy whimpered as Zanele held him. “Sihle will be very happy to meet her brother,” Zanele said.
“Who did you leave her with?” Lihle asked.
“I left her at Amy’s house,” Zanele responded, smiling down at her son.
**********
“Now I got you,” Nombuso thought, smiling to herself while she watched Zanele help her wife into the car, then hand her the baby.
After watching the couple, Nombuso followed behind them slowly. Finally, it was all coming together. She finally knew what to do to hurt Zanele. She had it all figured out, and she did not even need to kill someone, just hurt them. That would definitely break their happy family apart.
**********
“When last did you see the baby?” The policewoman asked while jotting down the notes.
“For goodness sake, I left him alone for a minute, I needed to use the toilet,” Lihle cried as she sat in her lounge, holding her baby’s toy. It had been two weeks since she had given birth to him.
“Did your guards see anyone suspicious come in here?” The woman, named Moodley, asked.
“My guards get the afternoons off on Saturdays,” Zanele responded, hushing her wife while also crying. Sihle, too, was wailing for her baby brother.
“And where were you, Ms Ngwane, when your wife was in the toilet?” Moodley asked.
“I was in the shower, and my daughter was taking a nap,” Zanele responded.
“Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt your family like this?” Moodley asked.
“No, I don’t have any enemies,” Lihle cried, looking at Zanele.
“And you, Ms Ngwane?” Moodley asked, looking at Zanele.
“I don’t have any enemies, at least none that I know of,” Zanele responded, shaking her head.
“You’ve never offended anyone before?” Moodley asked.
“Zanele, if one of your cheap skirts took my baby, it’s over between us,” Lihle said, pushing Zanele away from her.
“Cheap skirts?” Moodley asked.
“She’s used to endangering our family with her affairs,” Lihle responded, accusing her wife.
“Is there any recent one, Ms Ngwane?” Moodley asked.
Zanele shook her head in response.
“How recent and serious was your last entanglement?” Moodley asked again.
“Eight years ago. But she was in prison, the last I heard of her,” Zanele responded.
“Is she out?” Moodley asked.
Zanele shrugged.
“Can I have her name?” Moodley continued.
“Nombuso. Nombuso Langa,” Zanele responded.
“I’ll look into it. We’ll do our best to find your son,” Moodley said before walking out.
“I swear Zanele, if one of your cheap skirts did this, it’s over!” Lihle screamed, then she threw a glass at Zanele, who quickly ducked.
“Lihle, this isn’t my fault. And stop acting crazy, you’ll scare Sihle,” Zanele said, then she walked out of the house. But, while she was walking out, she knew that, if Nombuso was out and responsible for what was happening to her family, she would regret the day they met.
***
Tell us: What do you think Zanele should do once she finds out that Nombuso is the one who took her child?