The house was eerily quiet when Mmabatho woke up to the sharp buzz of her alarm. Groggily reaching for her phone, she squinted at the screen. 3:00 AM. She sighed, sitting up and glancing over at Sonele, who was peacefully asleep in his crib next to her bed. Today was going to be a long day.
Carefully, she lifted the sleeping baby, cradling him close as she made her way to the changing station. "Let's get you freshened up, my boy," she whispered softly, kissing his forehead. By the time she was done changing and dressing him in a cozy onesie for the flight, he was stirring awake.
"Shh, don't even think about crying," she warned playfully, rocking him until his eyes drooped again. Placing him back in the crib, she tiptoed to Sandile's room.
When she knocked and opened the door, she found him sprawled across the bed like he hadn't set a single alarm. "Sandile," she called, her tone half-annoyed, half-amused.
He groaned, pulling the blanket over his head. "What time is it?"
"Time for you to get up! I'm not carrying this entire morning on my own," she quipped, yanking the blanket off him.
"Alright, alright," he muttered, sitting up with a yawn. "You're way too chirpy for this hour."
"No, I'm just organized. Get moving!"
By 5:00 AM, the house was alive with activity. Lumka and Mavu were up to see them off, already fussing over the baby.
"You didn't forget his extra blanket, did you?" Lumka asked, peeking into one of the bags.
"I packed everything, Mama," Mmabatho replied with a small laugh, holding Sonele in one arm while checking her phone with the other.
Mavu stepped forward to take Sonele, cradling him gently. "We're going to miss this little one," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
Sandile appeared, slightly more awake now but still running a hand through his messy hair. "Alright, everything's packed. Let's get going before we miss this flight."
They said their final goodbyes, with Lumka sneaking in another kiss on Sonele's cheek. "Take care of my grandson, Mmabatho," she said warmly.
"I will, Mama," Mmabatho promised before they headed to the car.
The drive to the airport was quiet, the roads almost empty in the early hours of the morning. Sandile glanced in the rearview mirror at the car seat where Sonele was snoozing peacefully. "This is probably the calmest he's going to be all day," he joked.
Mmabatho smirked, leaning her head back against the seat. "Don't jinx it."
By 6:00 AM, they were weaving through the hustle of the airport, Sandile pushing a cart piled high with their luggage while Mmabatho carried a drowsy Sonele in his baby carrier.
"You know," Sandile said as they stood in line for baggage claim, "flying with a three-month-old might be the boldest thing we've ever done."
"Speak for yourself," Mmabatho shot back. "I'm the one carrying him and all his things while you just walk around looking rich."
Sandile chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
After checking in their bags and going through security, they finally boarded the plane. Mmabatho sighed with relief as she settled into her seat. "Please let him stay this calm the whole flight," she whispered, adjusting Sonele in her lap.
By 6:40 AM, the plane was in the air, and surprisingly, Sonele slept through most of the flight, save for a brief moment when he woke up for a feed.
An hour and a half later, they were landing at O.R. Tambo International Airport. "Home sweet home," Sandile muttered as they waited for their bags at the carousel.
With all their luggage in tow, they spotted the driver Sandile had hired waiting for them just outside. "Mr. Jabavu," the driver greeted, taking the cart from him.
"Thanks for coming," Sandile replied, motioning for Mmabatho to follow him to the car.
Once everything was loaded and Sonele was secured in his car seat, the three of them finally began the drive home. Mmabatho leaned back against the seat, letting out a long sigh.
"You okay?" Sandile asked, glancing at her.
"I'm just glad to be home," she said with a tired smile, looking down at a now-alert Sonele. "But we survived our first flight with this little guy, so I think we deserve a medal."
Sandile laughed. "Agreed. Welcome back to reality, Mmabatho."
The warm afternoon light poured into the living room as the soft hum of the air conditioner filled the air. Mmabatho and Sonele had dozed off on the couch, both exhausted from the early flight and long day of travel. Mmabatho's arms were wrapped protectively around the baby, her head resting against the cushion as her chest rose and fell in rhythm with his small breaths.
Sandile entered the room, his footsteps light as he spotted them. His heart softened at the sight: Mmabatho's serene face, her body curled around their son like a shield, and Sonele's tiny fist clutching a piece of her shirt. He grabbed a light blanket from the armchair and draped it over them, careful not to disturb their peace. For a moment, he stood there, just watching them. The house suddenly felt like a home.
He shook his head, muttering under his breath with a small smile, "You two are going to be the death of me."
Two hours later, Mmabatho stirred awake to the sound of Sonele's cries. She blinked groggily, adjusting to the light streaming through the window, and gently rocked him in her arms to soothe him.
"Okay, okay, Sona-bear, Mama's got you," she murmured, rising from the couch. She made her way to the kitchen, grabbed the bottle she'd prepped earlier, and sat down to feed him.
As he fed, her drowsiness faded, replaced with that warm, familiar feeling she always got when holding him. "You're my little hungry hippo, huh? Always eating," she teased.
When he was done, she lifted him over her shoulder to burp him. "Let's get this done quick, so Mama can change out of these travel clothes," she joked, patting his back. But before she could even finish her sentence, she felt the warm, wet splatter of baby spit-up soaking her shirt.
"Oh, come on!" Mmabatho exclaimed, staring down at the mess. Then, much to her surprise, Sonele giggled.
It was a small, bubbly sound, but unmistakably a laugh. Her jaw dropped. "No way. Did you justâ"
He giggled again, his little eyes sparkling as he looked at her, as if he knew exactly what he'd done.
Her frustration melted away, replaced by pure joy. She laughed with him, her head thrown back. "You're lucky you're cute, wena. Spitting up on me and laughing about it?!"
Still laughing, she pulled out her phone and called Sandile.
Sandile walked into the living room moments later, his face lit with curiosity. "What's going on? You soundedâ"
"He laughed, Sandile!" Mmabatho interrupted, holding up Sonele like a trophy. "He actually laughed!"
Sandile's eyes widened. "Wait, what? For the first time?"
"Yes! He puked on me, and then he laughed about it. He's clearly a comedian," she said, shaking her head fondly.
Sandile moved closer, grinning as he tickled Sonele's belly. "Did you laugh at your mama, little man? Huh? Are you already giving her trouble?"
To their delight, Sonele giggled again, the sound filling the room like sunshine. Sandile and Mmabatho exchanged a look, both bursting into laughter themselves.
"This kid," Sandile said, shaking his head. "He's already stealing the show."
Mmabatho wiped a tear from her eye. "I can't believe it. His first laugh. And it was because of spit-up. Typical boy."
Sandile reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're doing so good with him, you know that?"
She glanced at him, slightly caught off guard. "I'm just doing what needs to be done."
"No, it's more than that," he said, his voice soft but steady. "You're incredible with him. I see it every day."
Her cheeks warmed, and she looked down at Sonele, who was now cooing happily. "Thanks, Sandile. That means a lot."
That night, after bathing Sonele and putting him down in the crib beside her bed, Mmabatho found Sandile in the living room. He was sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in his hand, scrolling absentmindedly on his phone.
"You're not working?" she teased, sitting down beside him with a glass of water.
"Taking a break. Big day, you know, with all the laughter and spit-up drama," he joked, smirking.
Mmabatho laughed, leaning back into the couch. "He's growing so fast. It's like every day there's something new with him."
Sandile nodded, his expression softening. "I was so scared when all this started, you know? Being a father. Handling everything with Khanyiswa. But... you've made it easier."
She turned to him, surprised by the honesty in his tone. "Me?"
"Yeah," he said, looking at her. "You've been my rock, Mmabatho. For me and for Sonele. I don't think I've ever said it, but I'm grateful. For everything."
Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say. "Well... I guess we're both just doing our best," she finally replied.
He smiled, and the air between them grew quiet, filled with unspoken words.
Before the moment could stretch too far, the baby monitor crackled to life, and Sonele's soft whimpers filled the room.
"Duty calls," Mmabatho said with a laugh, standing up.
Sandile watched her go, a small smile on his lips. He knew something was shifting between them, but for now, he was content to let it unfold at its own pace.