It had been a week since the picture of Khanyiswa kissing another man had been released. The chaos was finally starting to settle as Sandile focused on preparing for the arrival of the baby. He had asked both Mmabatho and Khanyiswa to come with him to the hospital for the latest check-up. It was the first time the three of them were in the same space since the legal proceedings ended, and the tension was thick.
Sandile drove in silence, his grip on the steering wheel tighter than usual. Mmabatho sat in the passenger seat, glancing nervously at him every so often, while Khanyiswa sat in the back, scrolling on her phone as if nothing was happening.
When they arrived at the obstetrician's office, the receptionist greeted them warmly and led them to the room. Dr. Smit was already waiting, her cheerful demeanor a sharp contrast to the mood in the room.
"Good morning! How are we feeling today?" Dr. Smit asked, setting up the ultrasound machine.
Mmabatho gave a polite smile. "I'm okay, just a little tired."
"Understandable," Dr. Smit said, motioning for her to lie down. As she prepared the machine, Khanyiswa crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, clearly uninterested in the process.
The ultrasound began, and the familiar image of the baby appeared on the screen. Sandile leaned forward instinctively, his expression softening.
"There's your baby," Dr. Smit said, smiling as she adjusted the wand.
Sandile's face lit up. "That's incredible."
Mmabatho watched the screen, feeling a mixture of awe and responsibility. But then Dr. Smit's smile faded slightly as she tilted her head, adjusting the angle of the wand again.
"What's wrong?" Sandile asked immediately, his voice sharp.
Dr. Smit didn't answer right away. She zoomed in on a part of the screen and let out a small sigh.
"Well, this is unexpected," she said gently.
"What's unexpected?" Mmabatho's voice was barely above a whisper.
Dr. Smit turned to them, her tone soft but serious. "It seems there were twins, but one of them didn't make it. The second baby is hiding behind the first."
The room went completely silent. Sandile's face fell, his gaze locked on the screen.
"There's no history of twins in either of our families," Khanyiswa said, her voice cold. "How does this even happen?"
"Sometimes twins are just a natural occurrence," Dr. Smit explained. "Unfortunately, in some cases, one twin doesn't survive. It's called vanishing twin syndrome. The remaining baby is perfectly healthy, though, which is what's most important."
Khanyiswa stood abruptly, her expression hardening. "This wouldn't have happened if you eat healthier like I told you ," she said, her eyes narrowing at Mmabatho.
Mmabatho sat up, stunned. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Khanyiswa snapped. "This is your body. Maybe you did something wrong. Maybe youâ"
"Khanyiswa, that's enough!" Sandile cut her off, his voice filled with anger.
But Mmabatho was already getting off the bed. She couldn't stay there and listen to this. Without a word, she grabbed her bag and walked out of the room, tears threatening to spill over.
"Mmabatho, wait!" Sandile called after her, but she kept going.
He ran to catch up with her in the hallway, finding her leaning against the wall, her hands shaking as tears streamed down her face.
"This is my fault," she said, her voice breaking. "I couldn't even protect them. What kind of person does that make me?"
Sandile stepped closer, his own voice softening. "Hey, stop that. None of this is your fault, Mmabatho."
She shook her head violently, her sobs growing louder. "I failed, Sandile. I failed both of them."
Without thinking, Sandile pulled her into a hug. At first, she resisted, her fists pressing against his chest, but eventually, she broke down completely, clinging to him as she cried.
"You didn't fail anyone," he said, his voice steady. "You've done everything right. The baby is healthy, and that's because of you. Don't let Khanyiswa's words get to you. She's just angry and looking for someone to blame."
Mmabatho buried her face in his chest, her tears soaking through his shirt. "I just wanted to do this right," she whispered.
"And you are," Sandile assured her. "You're doing more than anyone else would've done."
They stood like that for a while, her sobs slowly fading into sniffles. When she finally pulled away, she wiped at her face and gave him a weak smile.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
He nodded, stepping back to give her space. "Anytime."
As they walked back to the waiting room together, Sandile glanced at her. "Do you want me to take you straight home after this? You've had enough for one day."
She nodded, exhausted. "Yeah. I think I need some time to process all of this."
"Fair enough," he said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Let's get through this appointment first, and then we'll figure everything else out."
Back in the room, Khanyiswa sat with her arms crossed, glaring at both of them. But Sandile ignored her, his focus entirely on Mmabatho.