Women’s Chronicles

“The first time it happen, I can’t say I was shocked because even before we marry, I was afraid of him.

“The biggest emotion I felt on the annulment of my marriage was relief.

“The worst thing about this job is not the little bit of money we work for or even the long hours, it is how people treat us.

“I was almost ready to get baby and we had not marry for a very long time when I found out he was cheating, and this thing got me so sick that I end up in hospital.

“One day I just get so tired and so frustrated I just throw all me things away, because like I didn’t able no more with this life.

“Good morning, Sir. How can I help you this morning?” asked the chirpy young woman behind the counter.

“How you could go to a Pandit? We are not Hindus, we are Christians,” she said with a hint of anger.

“I never wanted to be a grandmother at this age. I still see my child as a baby and now for her to go and have a baby?

“The first time I thought of it I was scared. I could not believe that something like that would enter my mind.

“Excuse me, I am crossing over because by the time I walk around I may lose the seat and I really need the seat,” she said as she lightly held onto my shoulders before quickly grabbing the seat next to me.

“I don’t know if I am being too hard on her but even though I know she may not be around much longer like I just wish she would just say I am sorry.

“It is very hard because it is my daughter and I just want her with me.

“We lef home since 5.30 this morning and we reach just after 6 and you know what time we get through?

“If you hear how these dentists talk to the mother and the child, it was just lef for me to cry and I could imagine how that woman feel.

“Let me tell you something, it is 14 years now I living with HIV and right now I don’t allow it to bother me because I have to live my life.

“At one time, he didn’t want to go back to school and it was hard to get him to go.

“It changed my life forever, because of what he did to me.

“When I get back the results and I tell me mother, right away she give me a bowl, a cup and a spoon and tell me to keep it and I must use that all de time and nobody else must use it.

“People look at you and they believe that life is just perfect that you don’t have no worries.

“I just need answers, I need closure. My son is dead, and we don’t know what happened,” 72-year-old Martha Persaud said.