Chapter 54: The Pregnancy

 

A few weeks after our white wedding, I finally went to see a doctor. The nausea had not stopped. If anything, it had gotten worse. I could barely keep any food down, and I was exhausted all the time.

Qondanisa came with me to the appointment. He held my hand as the doctor examined me, his face full of concern.

"Congratulations," the doctor said, smiling. "You are three months pregnant."

I felt a rush of joy, but it was quickly followed by worry. "Three months? But I have been so sick. Is that normal?"

The doctor's smile faded slightly. "Your pregnancy is not the easiest, Mapaseka. You have what we call hyperemesis gravidarum—severe nausea and vomiting. It can be very draining. You will need to rest a lot, stay hydrated, and take your medication."

I felt my heart sink. "Will the baby be okay?"

"The baby is fine," the doctor assured me. "But you need to take care of yourself. No stress and overworking. You need to rest."

Qondanisa squeezed my hand. "I will make sure she rests," he said firmly. "Whatever she needs, I will provide."

The weeks that followed were difficult. I was sick constantly. I could not keep food down. I had no energy. My business, which I had worked so hard to build, was suffering.

But I was lucky. I had Thulani, my data scientist, and Naledi, my assistant. They stepped up in ways I never expected.

"Mapaseka, do not worry about anything," Thulani said during one of our Zoom meetings. "We have everything under control. Just focus on your health."

"Yes," Naledi agreed. "We can handle the clients. We can handle the reports. You just rest."

I felt tears prick my eyes. "Thank you. I do not know what I would do without you."

"You would manage," Thulani said with a smile. "But we are here to help. That is what a team does."

I worked from home as much as I could, attending Zoom meetings and reviewing reports. But there were days when I was too weak to even sit up. On those days, Qondanisa stepped in. He would go to my office, meet with clients, and handle the negotiations.

"Your husband is a natural," Naledi told me one day. "He handled the meeting with Mr. Zungu perfectly."

I smiled, my heart full. "He is amazing, is he not?"

"He is," Naledi agreed. "You are lucky to have him."

"I know," I said. "I am so lucky."

Qondanisa would come home every evening, exhausted but smiling. He would sit beside me on the couch, rubbing my back as I tried to eat something.

"How are you feeling?" he would ask.

"Like I have been run over by a truck," I would say, laughing weakly. "But I am okay."

"You are not okay," he would say, his voice full of worry. "But I am here. I will take care of you. I will take care of our baby."

I would lean into him, feeling safe and loved. Despite the sickness, despite the exhaustion, I knew I was blessed.

One evening, after a particularly bad day, I looked at Qondanisa and started crying.

"What is wrong?" he asked, panicking. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," I said through my tears. "I'm just so grateful—for everything. You have made my life so much easier. You transformed my company, and you even pushed yourself to learn my business just so you could make my life easier. No one has ever loved me the way you do."

He pulled me into his arms. "You are going to make me cry," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "And I do not cry."

I laughed through my tears. "You cried at our wedding."

"That was different," he said. "That was joy."

"And this is joy too," I said. "This is everything."

He kissed my forehead. "I love you, Mapaseka Qwabe."

"I love you too, Qondanisa Qwabe," I whispered.