The Mamazala Mode

Seipati had finally came to the decision to bring her mother-in-law to live with them in the city, since there was more blabbing about her being heartless for leaving her alone  in the village. Every now and then she would receive an update of gossip about her from her friends when they came  from the village to do shopping in Maseru. They would tell her all about what was being said by the villagers. Sometimes they would bring the news that her mother-in-law had been sick and the neighbours had to help her. The elders of the village made the matter their daily routine of greeting each other. They would tell their peers to be ware of the young women their sons bring to their homes. They would use Seipati's name as an example to rebuke their daughters- in- law. "Children of today don't know how to serve their in-laws", they would say. And Seipati's name would come up as the part of discussion. 

When her mother-in-law arrived in the city, she could not shut her mouth about the beauty of the house Seipati and her husband bought. She was more concerned about the expenses her son had been indulging himself in just to please his wife. She would ask the cost of every single item in the house. She could not stop gasping with astonishment at the size of the house. The house was a huge Tuscan style with open plan kitchen and dining room. All the rooms had ensuite bathrooms. A well manicured garden adorned all the beauty of the exterior of the house. A beautiful patio led to the pool and a braai area. During weekends they would enjoy outdoor hangouts with their friends.

Now that there was a new member of the family, there was a little bit of change. They no longer had their complete freedom. As for poor Seipati, all she had to do was to perform her wifely duties to impress her mother-in-law. She made sure she got all the necessary care she could get despite the fact that she was giving her a hard time. She prepared nice meals that were eaten by the people who live in the city. Sometimes she was forced to prepare traditional meals as per instructions by their visitor.

The time came for their traditional healer to come and perform a traditional cleansing and protection of their household. Seipati went out of her way to prepare for the day. She went to the mall to get all the ingredients to prepare a dinner. She even made sure that her mother-in-law was looking great. She bought her a new dress and a wig. Although she was not used to the fashion of wearing wigs, Seipati coaxed her into wearing it. She had a hidden agenda. She knew that Ntate Mogoadi was living alone and it was the time she tamed her monster-in-law. "A bit of love can change s person", she thought to herself.