Part II, published on May 23, ended with Matt drinking himself into a stupor after a falling out with his lover, Andrew, and seeking solace in Annie’s arms… And her bed! But the cold light of day would bring him face-to-face with reality, which made him realize he had a lot of serious thinking to do and decisions to make. Turns out he was dead right! VIRTUE and vices are the imperative traits of any being, but for 28-year-old Matthew Munroe, they were more than that; they were the basis of his life’s confusion.

“I am HIV-positive, Matt. I can’t be with you anymore. Goodbye.”

The words were ringing in his ears. The words of his partner — ex-partner now — Andrew Collins, shook him to the core. He and Andrew had been together long enough; he had to have it too.

Could it be true? Was his partner of over a year being truthful? And whatever was to become of Annie; what would she say?

Matt and 25-year-old Annie Marvin had become fast friends and had been in each other’s lives for what seemed like forever. Having Annie fall in love with him was not something Matt had bargained for, but then, what one anticipates seldom occurs. Rather, what is least expected does.

“Annie, my sweet, sweet Annie,” Matt sighed as he remembered her round face, shoulder-length black curls, deep black eyes, bright smile and light brown skin. It all fit together in an attractive way on her petite body.

It was because he cared so much for her he made it a point to confess to her that he was homosexual, a fact Annie gracefully accepted.

Andrew and Matt were together on and off for more than a year because of Andrew’s job, which took him all over the country. When Andrew came back to Georgetown and met Matt by chance, old flames were naturally rekindled.

Annie and Andrew were two of the more important people in Matt’s life, and yet they were so different. So much so, it seemed as if he was two different people with them.     

“How do I do this?”

Staring blankly at the corner of his cubicle, Matt was at a loss for words. Confused, distracted and frustrated did not begin to describe what he felt.

“I could be HIV-positive too,” he said, letting the realisation sink in.

With that, he picked up the phone and dialed Annie.

“Hi, how’s work. I’m trying to finish off at the office so I can get away early. What are you up to?”

“Not much. Annie, I was wondering if we could do dinner. I have something to tell you; something important.”

“Okay. Is seven good?”

“Yes. See you then.”

Putting away his mobile, Matt realised telling her was a must.

“If I could be HIV-positive, so could she,” he reasoned grimly.

Though it was not one of his better judgment calls, Matt had slept with Annie on a night he had had too much to drink and was at loggerheads with Andrew. And while he was not regretting their special coupling, Matt was upset at the confusion and pain he had put her through.

“How did I let this happen?”

He rested his head on his desk and silently berated himself for putting Annie in harm’s way. More than anything, he was worried for Annie. She had had more than enough to deal with in her life. Having a life-threatening sickness was not something she needed.

Matt remembered Annie’s talks about her first love, a beast of a man.

Drunk and violent, he tried to force himself on Annie one night. Fighting him off, she got away, and, hard as it was, painful as he knew it was, she started over. She started over with him and though life took them on a different path than they’d expected, it was working for them.

“I love her,” Matt admitted. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

On the other side of town, Annie was rushing to get home. Matt had something to tell her, and she’d be damned if she let him have all the fun. She had a little secret of her own; a secret she had been waiting to open his eyes to.

“I can’t wait to show him,” she said to herself as she breezed through the doors of the United Nations office on Brickdam where she worked as a confidential secretary.

Maybe it was her anticipation, but that night in particular, the phrase ‘time flies’ held new meaning for her, and in no time, Matt was at her door.

“Matt, can you use your key? I can’t move right now.”

“What do you mean, you can’t move? What are you doing?”

Walking directly into her bedroom, Matt laughed at the sight he beheld. Poor Annie was struggling to do up the zipper of a dress that was obviously too tight.

“Holiday weight?” he joked, remembering the Independence Day barbecue they were at just the other day.

“Hey! Stop staring!” Annie said, turning to hide the exposed section of her back and pretty black lace underwear.

Matt smiled.

“Try the black one you have,” he suggested.

“I’ve worn that a million times already.”

“I like that one… and…there are no zippers,” he said with a wicked smirk on his face.

“Very funny,” she said, and sent a jeer in his direction.

Matt laughed again.

Annie just stared at him, thinking he had beautiful laugh.

“Stop it!” she scolded herself silently. “You cannot dream of a future with him! You just can’t!”

Matt noticed the play of emotion on her face and stepped closer to her. Turning her around, he undid the zipper she’d been struggling with and slipped the dress off her shoulders.

“The black one looks nicer,” he whispered. And with that, he left the room.

Annie stood staring after him, more confounded than ever.

How could Matt be gay when with her, he was so much more was something that puzzled her.

She thought of her little secret then, and pushed dreams of Matt aside.

At least, I will have my little secret.

She smiled and set about finishing her dressing, her eyes on that little black dress he loved so much.

Outside in the living-room, Matt’s blood was racing. Touching her had sent his senses awry.

Virtue and vices are the imperative traits of any being and are also my undoing, Matt thought.

In his thoughts, his vices were being so wrong for Annie, hurting her and the unfairness of pulling her into his terribly confused world; his only virtue was that he truly loved her and wanted what was best for her.

“How did I come to feeling this way about her?”

In that instant, he remembered the reason for dinner; the blow he was going to deliver her and felt sick to the core.

“I love her, but I’m killing her,” he said.

“Did you say something, Matt?”

He turned just then and took in the sight of her, his sweet, sweet Annie.

“No. Let’s go.”

Once at the Gourmet Pavilion, a popular hangout spot in the centre of Georgetown, they were both anxious. Both toyed with the simple dinner of Spanish rice and vegetable salad with pot roast chicken.

Finally, Annie said: “So, I have something to show you, but I want to know what it is you have to tell me first, Okay?”

Matt’s countenance sobered. He knew he had to do this. He could not wait. He had to.

“Annie… Umm! Annie, what I have to say is not very pretty. Please don’t be sacred because I will be here for you, okay.”

“Matt! You are scaring me! Just say it!”

“Annie,” Matt paused. “Annie, Andrew and I are over.”

“Really!
I am so sorry, Matt…”

“Annie,” he said, cutting in. “I am not finished… Andrew is HIV-positive.”

Annie’s world slowed for a few seconds; she shook in her chair.

“Matt…” She whispered his name.

“Annie, are you okay? Annie, I am right here. It is going to be okay. I am just as shaken up as you are, but we’ll get through this together.”

Slowly, her hands went to her purse, and she placed in his hand a small white slip of paper.

“Matt, I am not worried for me…”

Looking down, Matt felt his world turn-turtle.

“Annie…you’re pregnant!”

The white piece of paper said as much, but he still had to ask; to make sure somehow.

Annie started crying, and all Matt could do was stare at her. Regaining his composure, he got up and held her. Taking care of the bill, he somehow managed to reach the car and get Annie home.

Matt could not bear to leave her in the state she was in, pregnant and all, so he stayed the night. Making sure she got to bed okay, he set up a makeshift bed on the couch. Sleep would not come, though.

Decidedly, he got up and pulled out his phone. He had a good friend who was a nurse. He could not just be there and not know what next to do. Matt placed the call… at 11:15 in the night.

For almost an hour he talked with his friend, and found out that there was a lot he did not know.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV weakens the body’s immune system by attacking and destroying its immune cells, making it less able to fight against diseases and infections.

HIV passes from one person to another through contact with bodily fluids, oral, vaginal or anal sex during which a condom is not used.

AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is another stage, a progression of the HIV virus which destroys the immune system. The person starts losing weight, feeling weak, has coughs, fever and other infections for long periods. As the virus continues to tear down the immune system, the illness may lead to death.

There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, but medicines today help people live longer than they previously did.

Living with the virus is no bed of roses, since one has to constantly watch one’s health and diet far more closely than the average person.

Another important thing Matt learnt was that discrimination and stigmatization are major barriers in the universal access to prevention, care and treatment.

Another quintessential thing to pursue once one suspects that they might be infected is to get tested. Getting tested early helps, since persons are counseled before and after and if positive are exposed to treatments that can help.

Also, in many cases, it was found that with some couples, one partner could be HIV- positive, but their partner was not.

One stakeholder in the HIV field also attested to the fact that a couple may have unprotected sex for a prolonged period, yet if one partner was positive there was a possibility that the other can be HIV negative.

“Being HIV-positive is not the end of the world; it is just a different life,” Matt’s friend, Nurse Thomas told him.

“There is still some hope,” Matt muttered to himself as he ended the conversation. With that, he made up his mind that both he and Annie were going to be tested in the morning.

Once there, Annie confessed that she was scared, but holding her hand, they both stepped into the health centre and went to be tested.

An hour later, both their faces were grim. Annie was HIV-negative, which meant her baby would be fine, but she still needed to be tested again in three months. Matt left the counsellor’s office with a positive outlook on life, same as Annie. Matt was HIV-positive though, but he was assured that with the right medication, he could still live a productive life.

“Annie I love you,” he said, as they left the health centre together.

One encounter with this pretty stranger twisted his life out of sorts, but their meeting was not one he would be regretting anytime soon.

Looking at her, he smiled: “We’re lucky, you know.”

“I know.”

A deep passionate kiss was the only way this chapter of their story could end.