Falling For My Contract Husband

Saying 'I do'

One month and seven hundred thousand grand later. I am preparing for the first part of my wedding. I’m marrying a guy I’ve never been on a date with. I tried to make him agree to a date. He told me that whatever I needed to know about him, whatever I needed to know was in one of the documents he gave me.

A document with more sets of rules, stupid rules and some not-so-useful information. What am I going to do with his favorite color? The last trip he went on? This guy is mad. But I need the money. So a girl’s gotta do what a girl gotta do.

I thought Sabelo's mom knew about the contract. But she doesn't. She's happy with the whole marriage thing. It makes me feel a little bad. And then I remind myself that I'm not the only one benefiting from this arrangement. It kind of makes me feel better.

But I didn't understand why Sabelo felt the need to spend so much money, knowing exactly what would happen a year later. When I asked him, he told me he was not spending my money. It's his money. So I shut up.

"I can't believe my baby girl is getting married." My dad keeps repeating that line.

My mom and other elderly people enter my room.

"Simingaye, we know times have changed. But tradition hasn't. I asked your grandma and aunts here to advise you on how to behave after tomorrow. You are no longer a girl now. In a few hours you'll be a woman. A married woman." My mom tells me and she looks at my grandma, her mother-in-law.

"As a wife, you have to make sure that your husband is well fed. Make sure you cook all his meals. But since there will be maids where you are going. I don't know why he would keep those when he has a wife. Beats me. Make sure that all his meals are prepared on time. Make sure he always looks neat. Check if the maids did a thorough job when doing their laundry and ironing. I still don't understand how a wife would let another woman touch her husband's clothes. Never raise your voice at him, no matter how angry you are. Or no matter how wrong you think he is. Always cover your head. Not only are you respecting him, but you are also respecting his family, dead or alive. Do as he says, no question asked. Never ever question him. As a husband, what he says goes. And if he hits you, know that you did something wrong."

When she says the last sentence with so much conviction, I look at my mom who shakes her head. I know she doesn't agree with this one, but she doesn't want to disagree with her mother-in-law, not when she's still in the same room.

None of the women objected to the last sentence. Most women like my grandma think this is how it works. But this is the 21st century, so I have a right to report him for Gender-Based Violence. He has no right to hit me, no matter how wrong he thinks I am. But, like the rest of the women, I didn't say anything.

"If he comes in the morning, do not ask him where he's coming from."

That famous piece of trashy advice. I knew it was coming from the moment she started talking.

I thought that would be the first thing she told me. My aunt makes the 'she's crazy' sign behind my grandma's back. I almost laughed. Instead, I looked at the floor.

My dad has never spent a night away from home. When he leaves the house, he tells my mom or whoever is in the house where he's going. So I should expect the same from Sabelo.

Contract or not? My grandma leaves the room when no one adds something.

As soon as my grandma leaves the room, one of my 2 aunts closes the door behind her.

"Don't even take the last 2 things, she said. If he beats you, report him right away to the police. If he spends a night away from home, ask him where he's coming from. If something happens to him, you'll always be the first person everyone suspects." My mom tells me and my aunt nod in agreement. And they all stand up and leave the room.

I toss and turn almost the whole night. As if I'm not already exhausted if I have to be ready by 11 am for the first part of the wedding.

Traditional wedding. I just wanted a white wedding.

I woke up the next day at 4 am. My cousins who'll be my bridesmaids and I leave for the venue at 5:30 am. We got to the open area where the traditional wedding would take place a little after 6 am. The media is already here. Those vultures. As if there aren't important events and incidents that need their attention and coverage.

Sabelo is already here. We passed him in his car. He's on the phone. My cousins waved at him and he waved back with a smile.

When we got to one of the tents, I asked my cousins to let me sleep for an hour. I'm exhausted and it's going to be a long day. They let me sleep. With the promise that they would make sure everything was there and ready.

They woke me up 2 hours later. They are already in their traditional attires, looking really good. One of my cousins was against the idea of going bare breasted, but for me, she would. And I tried to make Sabelo allow us to wear bras, but he said no. I argued until I got annoyed and let him have his way like he always does.

After taking a bath, they help me with my traditional attire. This is. I hope it won't take long. I still have a white wedding at 6 pm. Another point I tried to argue with Sabelo and didn't win, obviously, since I'll be having another wedding this evening.

At 11 am sharp, we were already in the open area. Sabelo looks super handsome in his traditional attire. He has his sunglasses on. And then the first part of the wedding starts. We all sit down, my bridesmaids and I. And then an old man asks me if I love Sabelo. To answer that question by saying yes, I needed to start a song and dance (Zulu traditional dance) towards that man. I start a song, singing off tune and I dance towards the man.

When we are done, I rub my eyes. Their flashes kept blinding me until Sabelo asked the media and guests to switch off their flashes.

"I'm so exhausted." I tell my cousins as Sabelo, and I sit on the ground waiting for our fathers.

My dad goes first. He says goodbye, advising me to behave well and represent them well. And then Sabelo's dad takes over, welcoming me to the family.

After they're done, we head to my in-laws' mansion. Where I'll be staying for the next 2 weeks. We prepared for the second part of the wedding. I hear some guests gasping and whistling when the mansion comes into view. I know, I also ooh-ed and aah-ed the first time I came here. These people are loaded. Like seriously loaded.