Mary was accompanied to his home in songs and ululations, some were using the grassbrooms sweeping on the ground shouting “Tauya nemuroora nemagumbeze.”

He stayed a week with his wife.

The first day there was no communication between the new couple. The next day Tawanda couldn’t control his feelings and asked her for sex. They began to talk about themselves. He told her he stayed in South Africa and wanted her closer. She agreed to follow him after fixing her passport. He returned to Diaspora. Getting married didn’t make him faithful but his infidelity became worse. He invited a woman every night.

Mary came to visit him in Joburg but he didn’t sleep at home that night. She didn’t question him, that’s what the elders had taught her. It made her suspicious but she kept it to herself. She didn’t want her husband to leave her. Tawanda didn’t sleep with her anymore.

Mary fell pregnant. She stayed with her husband for five months and left. She wanted to give birth at home.

Tawanda brought her baby things and clothes and accompanied her to the bus station. Upon arriving at home, she never discussed her marriage. She attended check-ups at the hospital and found out she was HIV positive.

“Tawanda, tell me, were you positive when you married me?” she cried.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, shocked.

“I got tested today, it’s positive.” she cried louder.

He hung up on her, not wanting to feel guilty. He asked for leave at work and they gave him a week. He was scared for his life, wanting to know the truth. He travelled back home and found that he was positive. He was very angry and blamed Mary. His mother called the elders to discuss the matter.

“Mary is not a virgin as you said.” he shouted.

“When we brought her here she was a virgin. You can’t discard her.” Mary’s uncle said furiously.

“Tawanda, she is your wife. She came as a virgin.” his mother said.

“I don’t want her anymore.” he shouted angrily.

“Please forgive us, I will talk to him.” his mother said sincerely.

She tried to talk but he refuses to listen. She left it like that, warned Mary to keep quiet and ignore him. In two days, Tawanda was smiling and talking politely to Mary. His mother was happy. He left a week later after getting his ARVs.

Upon arriving back in Joburg he didn’t take his ARVs when he invited prostitutes over again. He got sicker and sicker until Brian saw it and accompanied him back home. He would have died in Joburg, which would have made things worse; transporting a dead body was expensive.

His wife became a widow when her son was only two years old. His mother couldn’t handle losing two children. Mary had a baby boy and stayed with her husband’s family until Tino was five years old, and then she moved back to her parent’s home.

***

Tell us: Who do you think are more ignorant about safe sex, men or women? Why?