Like candles on a birthday cake, somebody had blown off the groom, and he was nowhere to be found. The wedding was swept away with a broom, and it was doom and gloom for the bride. She was a complete turn off that day. This was supposed to be their wedding day, a special day in their lives, but it was slowly turning into an ugly divorce. Mary’s naked body was all over the internet. There was a trending video of her having sex with another man. She was a naughty girl who had cheated on her husband, and people began to look at her with naughty eyes. The wedding gown she was wearing began to loosen up on her body, and it was like someone was undressing her all over again.

“Get that camera out of my face damn it!” Mary lashed out at one of the guests at the wedding after party. The icing on the wedding cake turned sour as Tshepo’s mother started yelling at the bride in front of all the wedding guests at the after party. Everyone was in for a treat as the cat fight between the bride and her mother-in-law began.

“What the hell is wrong with you makoti?” shouted Tshepo’s mother. “How could you do this to my son, huh?” While shouting at Mary, Tshepo’s mother slapped her on the face. Mary could barely say a single word to her. There was a bitter taste in her mouth. Salt was added on her wound.

“I am so sorry for being disrespectful to you, mama,” Mary said, apologising to Tshepo’s mother. Tshepo’s mother was disgusted by the sight of Mary as she attempted to apologise.

“Get out of my sight, you slut!” Tshepo’s mother said. The guests, who included Mary’s close family and friends, looked on as the tension around her continued to intensify, suffocating her dignity.

“Where is Tshepo?” Tshepo’s mother asked. “Can somebody take me to my son?” She stepped away from the bride. “Where the hell is my son?” she continued shouting, but nobody knew where the groom was, and all eyes turned to the bride. There was a dark cloud above Mary, and she could barely see her own shadow on the surface.

“Oh I am so sorry sisi wami,” Dineo, Mary’s sister, said.

“Everybody is saying horrible things about me, Dineo,” Mary said. She was right at the centre of attention, and people continued circling her, saying all kinds of nasty things about her. Tears continued to roll down her face.

“Everything is going to be alright, sisi wami,” Dineo said while holding Mary in her arms.

“You are a complete disgrace to our family, my child!” lashed out Malume Sibanyoni, Mary’s great uncle. “This is such an embarrassment to the Sibanyoni name!” While he spoke, the other family members were shaking their heads and clapping their hands once.

“Not even a single word should come out of your mouth right now my child” Gogo Sibanyoni, who is Mary’s mother, said, lashing out at her daughter. Mary felt shameful at that moment, and she continued ducking and diving. .

“Mama, I didn’t mean to shame the family, it was an honest mistake,” Mary said, wiping her eyes and nose with a tissue paper.

“Shut your mouth and listen to your elders when they are talking to you,” Gogo Sibanyoni yelled.

“That’s it! The wedding is over, everybody out!” shouted Mary’s father, Mr Sibanyoni. The crowd began to disperse, and there was finally some fresh air in the atmosphere, giving Mary the chance to breathe properly.

“Sisi wami, don’t cry, just ignore them.” Dineo said, brushing Mary on the back while she was crying.

“What a waste of our lobolo money!” shouted Tshepo’s father. “You people are horrible, I can’t believe my son got married to this rubbish bride.” Everyone was trying to make sense of what had emerged.

Then, out of nowhere, a man driving a black BMW parked across the street. He stepped out of his car and walked towards the bride. Standing from a distance, Mary could see the man wearing a black suit walking towards her, holding a brown envelope.

“Good day everyone, I am looking for Mrs. Mary Sibanyoni,” the man said.

“Yes, that’s me! How can I help you?” Mary said, getting closer to the man. The man gave Mary the brown envelope in a very formal manner.

“I am an attorney, representing my client Tshepo Sibanyoni,” the man said. “My client told me to give these papers to you, he wants a divorce.” As soon as he finished talking, a silence filled the wedding venue.

Tell us: What do you think of the drama that ensued on the wedding day?