Mmabatho was a bundle of nerves, sitting on her bed, talking things over with Onalenna. The meeting with the couple was coming up fast, and she wasn't sure what to expect. "What if ga ba nthate?" she asked, chewing on her nails.(what if they don't like me)
Onalenna shook her head, trying to calm her friend. "Girl, Tlogela go ngomoga pelo. You've got this! Just be yourself. This could change everything for you."(stop stressing)
Mmabatho nodded, but her thoughts kept wandering. Kabello's reaction still stung. He'd barely spoken to her since the argument, acting like she'd betrayed him.
Last night, they fought again. Kabello had stormed into the room, his face twisted in anger.
"Tota o ntse o tsweletse ka seno, huh?" he'd said, crossing his arms. "You'd rather carry someone else's baby than respect me?"(so you're really going through with this)
Mmabatho tried to keep calm, even though her heart was pounding. "Ga se ka ga gago, Kabelo. It's about usâabout our future. This money could help us both."(this is not about you)
But Kabelo didn't see it that way. "I don't care about the money! You're not doing it. If you go through with this, I'm done."
His words echoed in her head as she got ready to meet the couple. She didn't know if Kabello meant what he said, but it didn't matter. This was about her future, and she had to think for herself now.
When she arrived at the surrogacy agency, she took a deep breath and walked in, doing her best to look confident. The receptionist smiled and asked her to wait. Mmabatho sat down, smoothing her dress nervously. Her heart was racing, but she couldn't back out now.
Sandile couldn't help but feel a strange mix of excitement and nerves as he sat with Khanyiswa in the waiting room. This was the moment they were finally going to meet the woman who might carry their child. He glanced over at Khanyiswa, who was more interested in her phone than anything happening around her.
When the door finally opened, his attention snapped to the woman who walked in. As soon as Sandile saw Mmabatho, he was taken aback. She was beautifulâmore than he had expected. There was something about her that caught him off guard. Her presence, her quiet confidence despite her nerves... she wasn't just another surrogate.
For a moment, Sandile found himself lost in thought. She's beautiful... he thought, before quickly shaking it off. This was business, nothing more. He had to focus.
Mmabatho sat down, offering a shy smile. Sandile smiled back warmly, while Khanyiswa barely glanced up from her phone.
"So, you're the one who's going to carry our baby," Khanyiswa said flatly, not even making eye contact.
Mmabatho swallowed nervously, nodding. "Yes, I'll do my best."
Sandile leaned forward slightly, wanting to break the tension. "We're really grateful, Mmabatho. This means a lot to us."
Khanyiswa sighed and put her phone down for a moment. "Yeah, sure. Anyway, we just want to get this done. How soon can you start?"
The room felt tense, but Sandile kept stealing glances at Mmabatho, wondering why he couldn't shake the thought of her beauty from his mind.