Camila was an exceptionally beautiful girl from Koch goma town that she was famed throughout the region. She was flawless, confident, captivative and extremely extraordinary. Knowing how much the young men of her town liked her, she didn’t hesitate rejecting suitors until the day when she met Victor who had attended a workshop in one of her hotels. They liked each other and spontaneously connected.
Victor was a very handsome young man that every girl could dream of marrying. Victor wasn’t as rich as Camila but she still fell for his charm and charisma,a part of Victor he had used to get any girl he liked. He treated her like the queen she was to him, being his most lovind ,dedicated and respectful self around her.With the both of them experiencing the love they always yearned for nothing stopped them from making their relationship official.They both decided to get married and their traditional wedding was in two days.
The wedding day arrived and all the elders both from Victor and Camila’s side were gathered waiting for her to come and take palm wine to her soon to be husband Victor. In our culture, the presentation of palm wine by the bride to the groom marks the highest point of the ceremony. It is suggestive of the bride’s acceptance of the marriage proposal by the groom.
Camila was in her room dressing up and doing her makeup as her best friend Frida helped her out. Suddenly, she held Frida’s hands and asked her to stop doing her hair.
“I don’t like how my hair is looking.” Camila, whose face looked like she’s going for a burial, uttered out loud.
“But your hair looks perfect my dear friend.”Frida replied with so much excitement. She looked at Frida with so much uncertainty as if she didn’t like what was going to happen and asked Frida to call her mother for her.
From outside, the elders felt that she had taken long to come out so they sent her mother inside the house to go and fetch her. The mother getting inside bumped into Frida in the living room. “Where’s Camila? Isn’t she ready yet? We are all waiting for her.”
“Well, thank God you are here. She had asked me to call you and she’s acting a bit strange.”Answered Frida.
“Strange? How so Frida? She should be over the moom, today is her big day. Let me go and find out what’s bothering her.” Camila’s mother replied as Frida followed her.
She went into Camila’s room and found her removing the wedding attire.
“Camila, what’s happening here. Why are you not in your wedding attire till now?” Camila’s mother, who was so confused, asked.
“Am not getting married anymore mother.” Said Camila who was looking so determined.
“Did you just say you are not going to get married?” Camila’s mother asked.
“Yes and that’s final. It’s my life and I am not getting married.” Camila yelled.
“Could you please explain why you are no longer going to get married yet you’re the one who introduced him as your future husband and now that he wants to marry you. You are telling me you are not going to get married. My enemies have succeeded today. I can’t believe this. What do you want me to go and tell the elders outside?” Camila’s mother started wailing.
“Go and tell them the truth, mother. I am not getting married. I changed my mind.”
“What! Did you just say you changed your mind?” Camila’s mother who had the biggest shock of her life fell down on the floor as she rolled,screaming.
Frida, who was so disappointed, lifted Camila’s mother up and escorted her outside to break the sad news to the rest of the people who were seated outside.
Camila remained inside not unbothered by anyone’s feelings, she didn’t even feel any pity for the mother and just sat quietly.
Camila’s mother went out and broke the news to everyone with her head bowed down in shame.The groom’s family was so disappointed and confused so much that they left without asking why.
That’s when Camila’s uncle, her father’s brother Joshua, thought of an idea to bring his younger sister Kimberly to marry the groom since it was bad luck in the Acholi culture for the groom to be left by his wife to be on their wedding day.It WAS believed that this curse would follow him for the rest of his life and he may never get married again. Kimberly, who was brought in to save the situation, agreed to marry him. She also wanted to save the reputation of their family. This made it hard for her to refuse to get married to Victor.
Camila had no problem with the two getting married. She also had her fair portion of secrets to hide from her family.Kimberly getting married to Victor was a way of her getting rid of Victor without anyone realizing that she was pregnant because there would be no need for her to reveal the truth to everyone.
Kimberly and Victor got married and left for the city. Victor couldn’t believe that the person who had fallen so much in love with him would drastically change her mind and leave him on their wedding day. He was so disappointed that he wanted to leave but he had no choice since he didn’t want the curse of his bride leaving him on his wedding day to follow him for the rest of his life. So he agreed to marry Kimberly.Nobody in the family knew why Camila refused to get married to victor on that day but atleast Kimberly was there to save the situation.
24 July, 2023
