Chapter Twenty Five

As Munzi walked out of the doctor's office, she couldn't feel happier. Married life was a breeze. She and Adrian had been married for a whole month now. There was no better way to celebrate their four month anniversary than by telling him the good news of her pregnancy. That's right. She was expecting and they would soon be parents. Apparently, Adrian had some really good sperms and had knocked her up on the night of their wedding. In just five months, they would be having another member in their family. Maybe news of the baby would even spice up their sex life which had become slow. It had been two weeks since they had done it. Speaking of family, what had happened to Munzi's? After leaving with Akila more than ten years before, the relationship with her family had improved greatly. They had forgiven each other and became something that could be envied. They would spend all the holidays together and even take trips to other places. A lot had changed in the village too. Kabila had passed away from HIV/AIDS. Kwela and Hita were still married but Hita had gotten a second wife after Kwela was unable to conceive again. Their marriage was rocky but they held on for the kid who had grown up to idolize Munzi. Such a great kid. Kensi had grown up and chosen to go to campus and was now a teacher; at the school where her parents had taught before. She was married to a teacher who had been her classmate and already had her first twin kids. She had chosen to live close to home to keep her parents from growing old. Anita was still living with her husband and her children were now almost teenagers. She used to tease Munzi that she would grow old without any children to keep her company. That was before Munzi announced her marriage to the whole family. They had all been shell shocked but over time came to accept that their daughter had eloped with a white man. Open mindedness was what they looked at everything with.

"Let's go home Juli." Munzi told her driver after getting into her black Mercedes Benz. She prefered to not drive since it made her nervous.

"You are glowing miss. What's up?" Juli asked pulling out of the hospital's packing lot.

"You will find out soon Juli. I just need to tell Adrian before the tabloids do." Munzi replied looking at the ultrasound picture she was carrying. A very tiny dot was the life growing inside her womb. A fruit of hers and Adrian's love.

"We are here miss." Juli announced a few minutes later pulling Munzi out of her day dream.

"Thanks Juli. You should go home now." Munzi smiled taking his hand and getting out of the car. She composed herself and walked to the family home she and Adrian had purchased. Opening the door, she sensed that something was not right. There were noises of something breaking coming from the kitchen. She took out her pepper spray can from her bag and took off her shoes to avoid making any noise. As stealthily as she could, she walked to the kitchen with the spray open and ready to spray. When she got to the kitchen, she pushed the door open and saw Adrian lying on the floor. She let out a breath of relief until she saw that he was lying in a puddle of blood and vomit. She dropped the pepper spray and ran to his side.

"Adrian, oh my God." She said feeling his neck for pulse. She got some and almost died from relief. The blood was coming from a cut on his wrist on his left hand. On his right hand was a shard of glass. So the noise she had heard had been the wine bottle shattering.

"Was he trying to kill himself? But why?" She asked herself crying. "I thought we were happy. Well I'm not letting him go that easy. He has to at least give me answers this time around." She resolved and dialed 911. As they came, she cleaned him up and put a bandage on his cut. They arrived soon after and took him. She travelled to the hospital in the ambulance holding his hand and crying silently.

"We are here miss Munzi. We have to take him out." A doctor said and she let go of his hand. Adrian  regained a little consciousness and opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry moon." He whispered before slipping back into unconsciousness.

"You don't look too well Miss. Let's get you checked up." Another doctor said before Munzi also lost consciousness.

Hours later, Munzi woke up in a hospital bed. By her side was Akila.

"What's happening?" She asked after recalling everything that happened before she slipped into the darkness.

"Thank goodness babe. You scared us." Akila said rushing to Munzi's side.

"What's happening Akila? Adrian is probably in the ICU. I feel so angry at him but I still worry if he's okay." Munzi said sitting up. She felt a pain in her lower abdomen but ignored it. After all it was just pain.

"Oh babe. I'm so sorry but don't be mad at him. He didn't mean to do it." Akila said hugging her friend. Munzi wanted to cry but she stopped herself. She needed answers.

"What happened to him?" She asked separating herself from Akila's hug.

"I need you to be strong babe and keep an open mind. Adrian is very sick. That's why he has been doing all those things." Akila said holding Munzi's hands.

"What do you mean very sick?" She asked her eyes welling up.

"He has a brain tumor and syphilis." Akila said and Munzi laughed.

"That is not funny. Why am I laughing babe? My husband has a brain tumor and syphilis." Munzi said laughing again which only caused more tears to fall from her eyes. Akila hugged her like a little baby. She couldn't meet her eyes as she said the next part.

"I swear he didn't mean it Munzi. He only slept with her once. She flirted with him and the tumor controlled him. He couldn't resist. He called me later crying and saying that he wanted to die. I swear he didn't mean to hurt you."

"He slept with another woman. When?" Munzi asked.

"Two weeks ago."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He probably forgot. The tumor does things to the personality sometimes."

"I know what a fucking brain tumor does to a person Akila!" Munzi yelled. She felt hurt and betrayed but not angry. She knew that Adrian wouldn't hurt her intentionally. "But why did he tell you and not me. I'm his wife. He should trust me. Instead he got really sick and suffered alone and cheated and now he has a sexually transmitted disease."

"I'm really sorry babe. He didn't mean to hurt you. He was just in so much pain and fear." Akila said still not letting go of Munzi who was pushing at her with all her might.

"I know that but why didn't you tell me?" Munzi asked increasing the force at which she was pushing.

"Because I didn't want to stress you. You are pregnant Munzi. I don't want anything bad to happen to your baby." Akila said also crying.

"Go away. I want to be alone." Munzi finally stopped pushing and said.

"I'm not going anywhere babe. Your husband is in emergency surgery and you are stressed. I'm not leaving you. Also I called your parents." Akila said holding her friend even tighter. They held each other for a long time just crying.

"Munzi. Are you okay?" Jana asked bursting into her daughter's room.

"Mom." Munzi cried pulling her mother into her arms and crying even harder.

"Baby." Jana called stroking Munzi's hair. She could feel her pain. She knew all too well the pain of losing a loved one.

"He's in surgery mom and he might not make it." Munzi said and cried even harder.

"Don't say that baby. Adrian is too stubborn a man, to leave you by yourself." Jana said kissing Munzi's hair.

"I'm so scared mom." Munzi said and broke the hug. She looked outside and couldn't see the moon. Her face fell. The sun and the moon were the signs of their love. Every time, the sun rose, the moon would also rise and shine. But tonight, even the moon was nowhere to be seen. It was hidden by the clouds which was not something that Moonlight Paradise experienced.

"Munzi, don't forget that as long as God is on the throne, the sun will rise and so will your man." "I'm losing it mom. What if I lose him. I just got him back."

"What are you saying Munzi? You are not going to give up okay? Adrian is going to get better. Faith can move mountains. Do you remember, when five years ago we were in an accident?" Jana asked and Munzi nodded.

"Everyone was so hopeless because I was stuck below the car. The towing company wasn't answering but you told us to have faith and single handedly lifted the car from my body." Munzi smiled at the memory. She had lifted a whole car by herself.

"You are strong Munzi and you can move any mountain. Adrian is going to be okay."