“No, you weren’t, you were speaking English.”
“No. We were speaking isiZulu,” Beauty and Ntethelelo stood by my bed and eyeballed me curiously.
“That’s impossible, I don’t know how to speak isiZulu. Why would I?”
“Unjani?” Ntethelelo said and, without thinking, I answered and told her how I was.
“Ngikhona, ngiyabonga. Wena unjani?” I gasped. “Oh my God. Did I just speak another language?”
Ntethelelo beamed. “Yes, you did. And I’m fine, too, thanks for asking.”
“But . . . how do I know . . . uh, where did I learn . . . uh.”
Beauty tutted. “Now we’re going to have to stop gossiping about you in the corridors.”
“Hey! Why are you gossiping about me?”
“Joking.” She grinned. I think the ice had finally broken between us.
I smiled at the two ladies in front of me, feeling better than I’d felt in a while. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but hearing them talk in the corridor, hearing the language, those bold, expressive sounds, those clicks that echoed, something about it soothed me.
“Nawe idla!” Ntethelelo said, as she and Beauty walked to the door. I picked the pudding cup up and waved it to her.
“Fine, I’ll eat it!”
Moments later, with my stomach full, my eyelids heavy, I closed my eyes again.
CHAPTER 6
When I woke up it was dark outside and, much to my relief, my dove friend was still there. I sat up and put on the lights, and as I did, the dove turned his head and looked at me.
“Hello.” I waved at him.
He cocked his head to the side, as if he really was looking at me. He probably was; did you know that doves are incredibly intelligent and social animals?
“I would introduce myself, but I don’t know my name,” I said, and waited for a response from him. And I got one! As if he knew exactly what I was saying, he tapped the window three times. I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed.
“Do you know what I’m saying?” I asked.
One tap on the window.
“Okay, one tap for yes, two for no. Do you understand me?”
One tap!
“Oh my God. You do understand.” I stood up, but my dove friend startled and opened his wings, as if he were about to fly away.
“Please don’t go anywhere.” I sat back down and my friend closed his wings. Relief washed over me. “I’ll stay here, I promise.”
One tap!Either I was going mad, or I was actually communicating with a dove! Or maybe I had developed some kind of psychic powers during my head injury . . .
Two taps.
“You’re right, that’s crazy. I’m not psychic, or am I?”
Two taps.
“Do you know who I am?”
