[At Diana’s friend’s place. Diana is chilling with her friend outside, under a tree drinking juice]

Diana: Don’t you have something stronger, friend?

Busi: If you mean alcohol, cha sisi. I don’t have it.

Diana: Never mind, it’s been a long time. Are you okay? How is life?

Busi: Ah… I hate complaining because the Lord says we should be thankful for the small things we have.

Diana: Still a church person I see, you never change.

Busi: You want me to change like you? If I change I will change for the better. Tell me what happened to the sweet, humble, courageous and beautiful Diana? What happened to you?

Diana: [she sighs] My life is a mess, everything is a mess. I drink. I smoke. I do all those crazy things. I don’t even respect my husband.

Busi: The minute you walked out of the church and never looked back, that’s when your life took a wrong turn. Don’t you know that you must obey your husband? He is the head and you are the neck. You must love him and respect him even if he doesn’t respect you. The fact remains he is the man.

Diana: I hear you. I have been impressing friends. I wanted them to think I’m cool and I’m a boss.

Busi: Friends? Did you want to impress me? No! You know why because you me better than that. You have new friends, and those are the same friends who are putting your life astray. Are they married, do they have kids?

Diana: [she shakes her head] No.

Busi: See..? Why do you associate yourself with people who are not in the same standard with you? You are supposed to be friends with the ones who are married. That’s your biggest mistake. Erase those friends from your life.

Diana: How do I do that?

Busi: I don’t know how but you will have to do it. Soon those so called friends will be owning your house and you will be out there in the streets… while your friends are there taking care of your husband.

Diana: [shouting] That will never happen, over my dead body!

Busi: [laughing] Clearly you know nothing about life and friends. You will have to wait and see.

Diana: Thank you so much for opening my eyes. As from tomorrow I will be a good wife to my husband.

Busi: Hey, as from today… don’t wait any longer; the sooner the better. You are thirty-eight years old. Act like it.

*****

[Three weeks later Diana is cooking and Angel is wrapped to her back.]

Diana: Mashiya Amhlophe, are you going give me the silent treatment? Please talk to me. I’m trying here. I will treat you right, I promise. I have changed. For the past three weeks I have been nothing but a good wife to you. I take good care of Angel, you see?

Peter: Leave me alone. I told you it’s over. How many times should I tell you?

Diana: Please… you don’t need Dudu in your life.

Peter: I don’t need you. You had a chance but you blew it. You treated me like trash just because I didn’t have a job. I know your type; you are a gold digger and giving you a second chance would be a waste of time.

Diana: [sighs] I have tried.

Peter: Tried? Save it. Your friend Dudu is a sweetheart. She knows the needs of a man and she knows her place as a woman. That woman can cook, unlike you.

Diana: I’m cooking your favourite meal here.

Peter: Mxm you cook my favourite meal when it suits you. That food will go straight to the dustbin.

[Peter walks away to the bedroom and Diana follows him]

Diana: Baba ka Angel, don’t do this to us… Angel needs me. She needs both parents. We need to raise our precious daughter together.

Peter: Now you see her worth? You didn’t care about Angel. All you cared about was your stupid cigarettes and beer.

Diana: I’m so sorry, I made a mistake [she goes down on her knees and cries] Please forgive me… Please.

[Peter gets into bed to sleep and leaves Diana crying on the floor]

***

Tell us: Do you think Peter is making a mistake? Does Diana deserve a second chance?