One evening S’lindile came home with a broad smile on her face. She had a large pink paper in her hand and she was excited about showing it to Ndlovu. She found him sitting in the living room marking some books.
“Honey, look,” she cried. “I have something for you.” She handed him the paper and he looked at it.

“Mrs Ndlovu and Family

You are kindly invited to our year-end function that we will be having as a company.

Venue: Wemfair Company building
Date: Friday, 14th November
Time: 19:30 for 20:00
Dress code: Formal cocktail wear

Your presence with your family will be appreciated.”

Ndlovu was excited, his heart was dancing. He was happy but he didn’t show it. He didn’t like it when his wife saw that he was excited. He loved these high, upmarket functions; they gave him more to boast about.

“I’m sorry honey; I won’t be apart of that function.” He said as he handed her back the invitation.

“But honey, I thought you would like it,” pleaded S’lindile, not understanding why Ndlovu was acting like this.

“I’ll have so much work to do on that day so I can’t go.” Ndlovu lied.

He knew he wasn’t going to be busy. He wanted to prove that he wasn’t the kind of a man that always dances to his wife’s melodies. He was always ridiculing his friends for allowing women to always pull them by their noses and make decisions for them. So he wanted to practise what he preached. He was willing to sacrifice one function; he knew there’ll be others

“It will just be a simple function love and it will be in evening. I think you would already have finished your work at that time. Please Honey.” She pouted as she left a glittering mark of lip gloss on his cheek.

“I won’t be able S’lindile. I just have a lot of work to do as I’ve said. And I don’t see any reason for me to waste my precious time at those simple, awkward functions. You go alone.” He said turning away from her.

“What will I tell my managers then? I told them I’ll be coming with you.” S’lindile asked in a shaky voice. He could hear that she was ready to sob but he had made up his mind and he wasn’t changing it.

“Tell them your husband is a HOD, busy and therefore has no time for functions.” He said as he stood up from the chair. S’lindile was slightly annoyed; it was not as if it was the first time her husband was behaving like that.

“Fine! I’ll go alone!” she harshly yelled and she stormed to their bedroom.