Son of My Sorrow

Description

The story is about Thandeka, a young woman who years ago agreed to be the junior wife to the wealthy Msizi Myeni despite the protests of the first wife, Zondiwe. The story starts with Zondiwe coming home from the hospital with Msizi\'s fourth child, to the chagrin of Thandeka, who has failed to bear Msizi any children. That night, Thandeka weeps bitterly to her husband and demands that they use her sister, Khethiwe, as a surrogate. Msizi is at first resistant, but Thandeka wears him down. Msizi agrees, on the condition that he impregnates Khethiwe naturally, without the use of IVF. Thandeka is uncomfortable with this, but she agrees when Khethiwe assures her that she would never allow any emotions to develop between herself and Msizi. Thandeka, determined on maintaining control and oversight of this peculiar arrangement, insists on waiting outside while Msizi and her sister do the deed.Months later, a heavily pregnant Khethiwe is living with the Myeni’s. Msizi pays close attention to Khethiwe, making sure that she and the baby are comfortable. Khethiwe bonds with the life growing inside her, and, being more agreeable than her sister, she even connects with Zondiwe. Thandeka at first thinks nothing of this, but when Thandeka\'s best friend casually reminds her that of the false security that Zondiwe once had in Msizi\'s fidelity, Thandeka grows uncomfortable. Tension begins to develop between the two sisters, and things come to a head when Thandeka confronts Khethiwe, reminding her that both the baby and Msizi belong to her. Khethiwe assures Thandeka that she has no designs on her husband, but conspicuously says nothing about the baby. Thandeka begins to spiral, and demands that Msizi kick Khethiwe out, but he refuses. That night Thandeka has a nightmare. She is in a field and starving when she comes across Zondiwe, who is carrying a basket of corn. Thandeka asks her for some, but Zondiwe asks if it is not enough that she has taken her husband. Suddenly, Zondiwe transforms into Khethiwe, and the basket into a baby. Thandeka wakes up drenched in sweat.Finally, the day of delivery arrives. Thandeka tries to enter the delivery ward, but only Msizi is allowed in as the father. Thandeka sits alone in the waiting room for hours, anxiety and fear slowly welling up inside her, as she wonders if she has made a mistake by letting her sister into her family in such an intimate way. All of the insecurities she has suppressed about the situation, and her unresolved guilt come bubbling to the surfae. Finally, the baby is born and Thandeka is allowed in. The scene she finds seems to confirm all her worst fears: her husband and her sister, huddled together tenderly around the baby. Thandeka approaches timidly, uncertain. She reaches for the baby, expecting Khethiwe to give it to her, but Khethiwe\'s grip is firm, unyielding. The eyes of the two sisters meet - one panicked, the other defiant.

Biblical Connection

The biblical source for my story is Genesis Chapter 30, focusing on Jacob, his wives Leah and Rachel, and their handmaids Zilpah and Bilhah. In Genesis, Rachel\'s infertility leads her to offer her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob to bear children, sparking rivalry with Leah, who has already borne Jacob several sons. I adapt this narrative to a modern Zulu cultural context, wherein polygamy is still widely practiced. Msizi Myeni, a wealthy rural man, is married to Zondiwe and Thandeka. Zondiwe, like Leah, is the first wife who bears many children but lacks her husband\'s love. Thandeka, akin to Rachel, struggles with infertility and convinces Msizi to use her sister Khethiwe as a surrogate. The cultural tension between modernity and traditionalism is heightened by Msizi\'s refusal of IVF, which he sees as as an abomination. He insists that if Thandeka wants to do this, she must be prepared to do it in a natural way. Finally, while in the Biblical narrative the rivalry and fertility contest between the wives culminates in Rachel\'s death in child birth, in our adaptation Thandeka’s insecurity culminates in her alienation and isolation within the family structure, highlighting the dangers inherent in such arrangements.