The Woman with a Heart of Gold

Short Story

The woman with a heart of gold

By Lawrence Kadzitche

They all knew in Kawale Township that Nabetha was an abused woman. Thudza had married her ten years ago. When they had just married, he had been as poor as a church mouse. But Nabetha was a hard working woman. Together, they developed her vegetable selling business into a chain of retail shops. As head of the family, Thudza quickly took over the running of the business.

And that’s where problems started. Thudza was that type of man you wouldn’t call handsome. His large misshapen head with ears that looked like open car doors was stuck on a thin short body. His knock-knees didn’t help matters.

So he was astonished when beautiful girls started chasing after him like dogs on heat. It never occurred to him that all they were after was his money. So he started cheating on his wife with every available girl.

The women of Kawale had no kind words for Nabetha. “That woman is a disgrace to women folk,” they would say. “How can she tolerate a man of such stinking behaviour?”

“Maybe she has nowhere else to go,” one would try to offer an explanation.

“Didn’t you know?” a response would come quickly. “When she was getting married to Thudza she already had a small business. That’s where that stupid husband of hers got his capital.”

“Don’t tell me!” a shocked exclamation would come. “If it was me, I would’ve sent Thudza packing a long time ago.”

They all agreed that she was setting a very bad example. “She needs to do something about this.”

But the men of the township admired Nabetha. She was the epitome of an ideal wife. Whenever their wives confronted them over a family problem, they would use Nabetha as an example.

“You say coming home from beer drinking at 2 am is late,” they would ask incredulously. “Thudza comes home after two days and his wife says nothing.”

“You just found me with a letter from a girl and you say you’re leaving? I wish I were Thudza. His wife knows he has girl friends all over town but does not leave him.”

In some cases, it would be, “You’re leaving me because you caught me in bed with the housemaid? How many housemaids has Thudza impregnated? Yet Nabetha is still with him. That woman has a heart of gold.”

A woman with a heart of gold! Men envied Thudza. They said if they had married a woman like her, marriage would be a wonderful union between man and woman.

Nabetha never complained about Thudza’s behaviour. If she did, then maybe in private. But never in public. What else could a man look for in a woman? She was a woman of character, one who knew how to respect the husband.

One might be tempted to think that maybe Nabetha was not good looking. Far from that. She was the type of woman that you look at twice unconsciously. Of medium height, she was light in complexion with large black eyes set in an oval face. She had a curvaceous body that was a temptation to any man.

Men who thought they could capitalize on Thudza’s infidelity to lure her into secret love affairs were grossly disappointed. Nabetha was not the type that went into love affairs just to spite her husband.

Then it all happened one Saturday afternoon. Thudza came home in his Mercedes Benz in the company of an over painted girl scantily dressed in a tight fitting blouse and jeans. They found Nabetha sitting on the verandah knitting a sweater.

Holding hands, Thudza and the girl climbed the steps to the verandah. The girl stood beside Thudza, her hands and head resting on his elbow.

“Well, I’ve come to tell you that I’ve found the woman of my dreams,” Thudza said without any preliminaries. “I’m marrying her.”

Nabetha smiled-an insane smile without reason. “I don’t really understand what you are trying to say, Thudza. What difference will it make if you marry her? How many concubines have you got stashed around in town?”

“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear,” Thudza said carelessly. “I’m divorcing you and I’m going to marry Natasha. She’ll live in this house.”

Nabetha nodded detachedly. “I understand what you’re saying. I could’ve left you years ago, Thudza, but I always hoped you would change…”

“I’m sorry your hopes were misplaced,” Thudza cut her.

“No, they were not misplaced. Deep down my heart I knew, you’d never change. But we made a vow when we married that only death would do us apart. I was keeping that vow.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Thudza said grinning widely. “It’s not death that will do us apart but it’s,” he paused and kissed Natasha on the lips, “Tasha.”

Nabetha laughed, a cackling laugh that made Thudza’s skin crawl. “You’ve always been wrong, Thudza. Now let’s see who was right.”

Thudza’s eyes locked with those of Nabetha. There was something wrong with her. He had thought her eyes were always dull. But they appeared strange, glittering dangerously. Thudza involuntarily shivered.

She disappeared into the house. Something warned Thudza that he had gone too far. But it was too late to do anything. When Nabetha returned she had an axe in her hands. The blade, razor sharp, glittered in the afternoon sunshine.

“Nabetha, what’s this?” Thudza asked, his heart racing.

She did not answer. Slowly, she advanced towards him. Thudza and his girlfriend shrank towards a corner of the verandah until they could not retreat any more.

“You’re blind Thudza. I could have left you years ago. I didn’t. Do you really think I can leave you now?” she asked, her voice deadly. “Well, Thudza today is your pay day.”

He couldn’t move. Fear had turned him into a stone. He could only stare in horror as she advanced towards him, her face contorted with fury. That’s when he realized how wrong he had been. Nabetha was not stupid, had never been stupid. She had put up with his bad behaviour because she loved him very much.

She lifted the axe. The axe grew bigger and bigger as it sped towards his head. Thudza screamed like an animal in torment. The last thought he had before he died was how was it possible for him to have thought he could do as he pleased with his wife?

END