I Will Wait: Play Summary

Rudo has just finished school when she meets and falls in love with a young lawyer named Leo-James Chizema. The two are so in love that Leo-James has promised to wait for Rudo to mature for a couple of years before he marries her. However, Togara, Rudo’s late sister’s husband, is pledged to marry Rudo. Rudo’s late sister, Tambudzai, had on her deathbed instructed her husband to marry her little sister. Still in primary school, Rudo had been too young to marry then. Now she has grown, Rudo dreams of her late sister and the pledge incessantly. On the other hand, Togara has bided his time, waiting for Rutendo to grow so that he can marry her.

At the centre of this triangle is Rudo’s father’s sister, Atete Rutendo. Atete Rutendo’s role in Rudo’s relationship is to go as a go-between between Rudo’s potential husband and Rudo’s father. Seventeen-year-old Rudo then visits Atete Rutendo with her boyfriend, Leo-James. Leo-James tells Atete Rutendo that he wants to get engaged to Rudo as soon as possible and before he leaves the country for further studies, and intends to marry Rudo when he gets back. Atete Rutendo tells him that she will tell Rudo’s father of these intentions.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Togara also visits Atete Rutendo and reminds her of Tambudzai’s pledge, and of his financial aid in taking care of Rudo. He tells Atete he intends to marry Rudo as soon as possible. Rudo does not take this lightly because even though she does not mind taking care of her late sister’s children, she does not want to marry Togara.

Meanwhile, Rose and Togara are in a relationship. However, things are thorny between them and Togara wants her to leave his house. Rose is adamant that she is not leaving, especially as they have been together for a long time. Atete Revayi, Togara’s sister is on Rose’s side and tells her brother that Rose is the woman for him.

When Atete Rutendo eventually visits the Mhondiwa household to see Rudo’s father, Rudo tells her that she is still dreaming of Tambudzai. Rudo insists to Atete Rutendo that she is willing to take care of her nephew and niece but does now want to marry her brother-in-law. When Atete Rutendo breaches these developments to Rudo’s father, she begins with Togara’s story. Ndareva , Rudo’s father, accepts the marriage proposal, highlighting that indeed Togara has helped with Rudo’s education, and therefore Rudo has to prepare to go to his home. When Atete Rutendo however relays Leo-James’ story, Ndareva does not want to hear about it.

When Rudo visits her boyfriend Leo-James sometime later, he asks her what her family has said regarding their engagement. Rudo has no response and just brushes the matter aside, reassuring Leo-James that she still loves him. Leo-James goes off to his family where they are hosting a farewell party for him before he leaves the country. Left alone, sleeping in Leo-James’ house, Rudo falls asleep and dreams of Tambudzai again. Atete arrives looking for her just as she awakes and tells Rudo she is marrying Togara. She also tells her it is good that Leo is going overseas. When Leo-James gets back later, he asks Atete Rutendo why he got no response from Rudo’s family, and Atete Rutendo brushes it off. Eventually, Leo-James presents Rudo with a watch as a private engagement token.

Togara marries Rudo after Leo-James has gone overseas. She does not feel any affection for Togara and does not get along with her sister-in-law Atete Revayi. Meanwhile, she still receives correspondence from Leo. She hides the letters, gifts, and cards she gets from him in a basket. She still wears the watch on her wrist. In her spare time, she reads through the letters and the cards reminiscing over her lost love. One day, she accidentally drops a card from Leo-James. Nyasha, Rudo’s nephew, picks up the card and shows it to Atete Revayi. Atete Revayi immediately sees this as a sign of infidelity and shows the card to her brother. Togara is however adamant that Rudo is not cheating, but Atete Revayi convinces him to seek legal advice.

In the meantime, Atete Rutendo brings more gifts and correspondence from Leo-James to Rudo. Leo-James is coming back into the country the very same day. When Leo-James arrives, his first port of call is Atete Rutendo’s house where he questions Rudo’s absence. Atete Rutendo continues to knit a web of lies and tells him that Rudo is attending to a sick relative out of the city. Despite Leo-James’ insistence on seeing Rudo, Atete manages to keep him at arm’s length and promises to bring Rudo to him.

Togara and Atete Revayi then visit the lawyer for legal advice regarding Togara’s marriage. Unbeknownst to them, they visit Leo-James who has been sending gifts, letters, and cards to Togara’s wife. The evidence of Rudo’s infidelity is presented to an unsuspecting Leo-James. As he goes through the gifts and letters, it dawns on him that the woman he loves is now married to some other man. He is too conflicted to give any legal advice and asks to see Togara’s wife.

Unsuspecting too, Rudo enters the lawyer’s office and finds her lover there. She knows it’s too late for them as he seems to already know everything and all she does is cry when Leo-James asks her what is going on. In the end, Leo-James releases her and tells her that it is the end of their relationship as she now belongs to another man.

Back at Togara’s house, Togara’s inability to banish Rudo frustrates Atete Revayi. She blames Rudo for giving her brother a love potion which has made it difficult for him to love Rose. Rose and Atete Revayi then plot to have Togara vomit the potion he has been given and kill Rudo. Rose has brought several powders that range from causing death to inducing vomiting and causing infertility. However, they are interrupted from their plotting when Togara and Rudo come back from shopping.

Rose hastily prepares the poisons and hands them to Rudo and Togara in their drinks. Within a short period, Rudo rushes out vomiting. Togara attempts to help her and insists on going to the doctor’s to have her checked out. Before he can do anything, however, he starts feeling hot and weak. As he gets weaker and Rudo continues to vomit, Rose and Atete Revayi realise that the poisons have been reversed. Atete Revayi attempts to save her brother but is too late. Togara dies.

The court finds Rose and Atete Revayi guilty of Togara’s murder and sentences them. Rudo, still in mourning, returns home in her black dress and attempts to explain to her niece and nephew what happened but realises that they are too young to understand. When the children have gone to bathe, Atete Rutendo arrives and brings a visitor with her. It is Leo-James who has come to pass his condolences. Atete Rutendo lets him know that Rudo has to go through mourning for at least a year before she can remarry. Leo-James accepts this and promises Rudo that he is willing to wait for her.