The Nation Newspaper

Category: Relationships

  • He promised me paradise, but all I got was hell! (2)

    THAT weekend, Kel took me to a fun spot on the Island. It was an open air restaurant in a secluded area by the lagoon front, popular for its spicy, barbecued chicken and other delicacies. After placing our order, we sat taking in the cool breeze from the lagoon and admiring the view.

    “Nice place,” I said as I watched some speed boats racing on the choppy waters of the lagoon.

    “Yes. My friends and I hang out here once in a while. Since you like it, we will be coming here more often,” Kel stated.

    Soon, the food arrived and we concentrated on eating and chatting.

    “The chicken is so delicious! Soft and succulent too,” I enthused as I bit into a chicken wing.

    “I was told its a secret recipe only known to the owner of this place,” disclosed Kel.

    “He had better guard it well or he will lose a lot of business if someone else gets to know the recipe,” I remarked.

    Just then an acquaintance of Kel came over to say hello. Soon after he left, we finished the meal and were preparing to leave when a lady came over with a small gift bag. She handed it to me stating:

    “Someone said I should give this to you.”

    I looked at her and the parcel.

    “What is it? Who gave it to you?” I queried. I did not know anyone there and wondered who could be sending gifts to me.

    “Why don’t you open it and let’s see what’s inside,” Kel said encouragingly.

    Inside the bag was a small wrapped gift which I brought out and opened. A diamond- encrusted sparkling ring nestled inside the small jewel case; besides it was a small note with the words: ‘Baby, will you marry me?”

    I looked up quickly at Kel who was smiling broadly at me.

    “Kel!” I said excitedly, jumping up. He rose, took my hand and repeated the words in the note.

    I nodded my head, saying: “Yes, darling! I’ll marry you!” he hugged and kissed me briefly then, unmindful of the other customers around who were looking at us in an amused manner…

    ***

    “Wow, lovely ring! Jessy, you are so lucky. Congrats o!” said Trina as she admired the ring on my return home that night.

    “Thanks, my sister. I just can’t believe I’m engaged to be married. Kel really surprised me,” I said happily.

    “It’s not a surprise to me. That man really loves you. As I said, you are a lucky lady. I wish I could get someone like Kel,” stated Trina. She had been engaged about a year before but things had not worked out between her and her fiancé.

    “Don’t worry; God will bring your man, specially made for you,” I reassured her.

    “Amen o! Better guy o! Not all these ‘chop and clean mouth’ types that are all over the place now who are just looking for who to use and dump!” she said.

    As I gazed at the ring in admiration, I knew Trina was right: I was lucky to have a man like Kel who cared about me and cherished me so much.

    “I love you, Jessica. I promise to always be there for you, to be your shield and to protect you. As long as we are together, I will make sure you never lack. I’ll take care of you and love you forever,” Kel had stated earlier that evening after his surprising proposal.

    I believed and trusted him and gave all my heart and soul to him. But who can tell what lurks deep in a man’s mind? Or fathom what he will be like tomorrow? Only time can unravel that mystery and time did just that to me.

    ***

    Our engagement was a short one. Within five months of Kel’s proposal, we got married in a very classy ceremony at my family church. My father had remarried three years before; though my step mum and I did not get along that well, she stood in and played the role of my late mother during the marriage proceedings.

    It was a very happy period for Kel and I. In the early days of our marriage, he lived up to his promises and was very caring and loving. About six months after the wedding, I found out I was pregnant. Kel was over the moon when I broke the news to him.

    “So, I’m going to be a father again,” he said with a wide grin when he arrived home from work that evening.

    “Yes, dear. I got the result of the test this afternoon at the hospital. I have an appointment with the doctor next week,” I told him.

    “Ok. I will go with you. You know I will do anything for you, dear,” he said hugging me tightly.

    I nodded, at that instant feeling very happy and contented. My joy however was not to last. The pregnancy was about six months old when I woke up one morning in a pool of blood. Kel, who left home very early for work, had already gone out and I was alone in the house. With the assistance of a neighbour, I was able to get to the hospital where I was admitted.

    I felt terrible losing my baby. I had so looked forward to the birth and becoming a mother. I wept bitterly, wondering why such a thing could happen to me. I had been attending antenatal classes regularly and there had been no sign of a problem. So, why this, I wondered. Or was it something I had done?

    “These things happen. Anything can go wrong with a pregnancy even with the best care,” the doctor had stated when he came to check up on me.

    To be fair to him, Kel, my husband was very supportive at this trying time. He was at the hospital regularly throughout the period of my admission and even when I had returned home. I took some time off from work to recuperate and Trina often came to spend time with me.

    “You look so pale. Are you eating well at all?” she asked one day when she had come visiting.

    “You better talk to her. I’ve been telling her to eat all day but she says she doesn’t have any appetite,” said Kel.

    “You need to eat to recover. What has happened can’t be undone. Life has to go on. You are still young and will have more babies in the future,” Trina stated. She then went to the kitchen and prepared some noodles for me which she forced me to eat.

    With their care and support, I was able to recover and was back at work a few weeks later. My husband and I put the incident behind us and got on with our lives. Then, five months later, I got pregnant again. Though, I was happy at the good news, it also marked a turning point in our lives that brought unexpected occurrences I never envisaged…

    To be continued

     

    Join us next Saturday for more of Jessica’s story. Don’t miss the sizzling details!

    We welcome comments/suggestions from readers. All correspondence should be sent to 08023201831(sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

    Names have been changed to protect the identity of Jessica and other individuals in the story.

  • Are you ready for a relationship?

    May be you are tired of the dating scene, or that you are tired of pouring time, energy and money into relationships that start off so well with all the excitement, but end with heartache. Could be that you are just frustrated because you don’t know when is the right time to start. May be you’ve been in many serious relationships, but for some unknown reasons, you can’t seem to close the deal, perhaps you are single again and you are afraid of making the same mistake that resulted in so much pain and disillusionment in previous relationships. If you can relate with the above, then you will find this edition of great use.

    Are you ready for a relationship? This is an important question for those who want to start a dating? Only you can answer this question? Friends and relatives might be pressurizing you to start dating, mostly when they feel that age is not on your side as they claim, forgetting that you are the one going into the relationship not them. However, sometimes they meant well. But on the long run, the choice is yours. It is also very important to know that making the decision to start a relationship and be committed to a person based emotion, lust, or physical desire can be a costly mistake. Don’t get us wrong. Of course, we know that there must be that initial attraction. The question is: Now, what is your attraction based on. Remember the purpose of dating is to get to know someone, not to have sex or fulfil lustful desires.

    The first way to know if you are ready for a relationship is to be sincere with yourself. Here are some tips you might find useful:

    Ability to define your reason: In a common language, you need to ask yourself: Why? What is your reason. People go into relationship for different reasons, so you need to be clear on it. Trust me, it is very vital to know your ‘why’ because when you are faced with the ups and downs, only your ‘why’ will keep you going.

    Your exes: Forget about your exes, and everything that they did whether you liked it or not. Your new partner or date is not going to be exactly like them, and that will be both good and bad. Accept this as quickly as possible and be ready for something fun and completely new.

    Be absolutely prepared to be patient and wait for the right person to come along to spend the rest of your life with. This won’t happen right away, but most people find the persons when they least expect.

    Nobody at all wants to be with an intensely negative person, and for this fact, you need to be as positive and upbeat as possible. Being ready for a relationship means that you are ready for everything else that comes with it.

    If you are embarrassed or self-conscious of your looks, then do everything you can to change them first. A person with low self-esteem based on looks isn’t ready for a relationship, and you don’t want to go changing right away, if that person likes the way you look.

    Another area to check is your job. What about my job? You may ask. After all, I need a good job to keep a woman, that is, if you are a man with a very demanding job.  If this is you, you need to think it through because no sooner or later, you will have to create time for your partner. If not, he/she will start complaining and that might affect your relationship, but if you are simply trying to get a foot in the door of a possible career, then you are not ready for a relationship because only a few can understand your situation without making a big deal out of it.

    Do an intense self-evaluation before giving complete approval to the idea of being ready for a relationship. Take a good hard look at yourself and pay attention to your habits because your significant other will tell you about them soon enough, and that will only make you angry.

    Remember what it is from previous relationships that doomed your chances of a long-term situation, from both sides. What are the habits that you have that turned him/her off and what are his/her that you could not stand. Now the question that comes to mind is: are you ready to change because the chances are that it might come up again, so are you ready to deal with it now or later?

    Please remember that regardless of if you agree or not, there is another person at play in your decision of if you are ready for a relationship. That other person should be respected and treated as good as you want to be. Don’t doom this relationship and others by disrespecting your other half.

    Furthermore, financial independence must be put into consideration; everyone should have some financial freedom before going into a relationship because if you don’t have something doing, you won’t be happy, even if you date, fall in love and get married. Why you may ask, the truth of the matter is that you will have nothing to offer to the relationship, and you will drain your spouse/ partner completely dry. Inevitably, you will be putting extraordinary expectations on the other person to fulfil you, complete you and also make you happy. A regular source of income must be put into consideration. This is not being materialistic. It is reality. Money has caused a lot of problem in relationships, therefore, it is wise for you to at least have a source of income.

    Finally, as you reflect on the above tips, note that when you rush into dating, you might miss the opportunity to develop solid friendship and really get to know the person because being friends first allows you to start identifying core characteristics of the person you want to go out with. You never know he/she might just be the one you will have to spend the rest of your life with.

    Harriet Ogbobine is a counselor and a motivational speaker. Send in your questions and suggestions to her on bineharriet@gmail.com.   You can also follow her on twitter@bineharrietj or txt message only to 08023058805. Blog; liwh.com.ng

    A problem shared is a problem half solved. Take care of yourself and each other.

  • He promised me paradise, but all I got was hell! (1)

    EVERYONE is inside having fun and you are here, just staring at  the garden. What’s so fascinating about those plants?” I had been so engrossed in my thoughts, I had not noticed the man who had come up quietly to stand besides me on the verandah. He was of average height, not much taller than me with a quiet confidence about him.

    “Just taking in some fresh air. It was getting too hot in there,” I told him. It was a birthday party of a friend of my flatmate Trina and as the night progressed, the party was getting more raucous by the minute.

    “Yeah, I get you. All that loud music, cigarrette smoke and chatter of the guests can give one a migraine. I’m Kel by the way. And you are?”

    “Jessica,” I introduced myself.

    We got talking after that. He was a friend of the boyfriend of the celebrant, he told me and had been practically dragged to the bash.

    “I have a very important presentation to make at the office on Monday and I need a lot of time to work on it. But Jerry said all work and no play will make me develop premature grey hair. So here I am!” he said with a grin.

    “Same here. Today is the fifth anniversary of my mother’s death. I wanted to have a quiet time

    for remembrance but Trina, my friend, would not hear of it, stating that my Mum would not be happy wherever she is to see me so sad,” I said.

    “I think your friend is right. Life is for the living; the best way to honour her memory is to live well. And talking about living, I think it’s time we hit the dance floor. So, lady, can I have this dance?” he said. And taking my hand, he led me inside the house where the Kokomaster D’Banj’s hit tune was blasting from the speakers…

    That was how I met Kel. After that evening of the party, we became friends and began seeing each other regularly. Kel was the first man in three years I had become close to and it surprised my friend, Trina. In the past, she had set me up on dates with guys she knew but I had simply not been interested. That was until Kel came on the scene.

     

    A dark past

    At the beginning, she seemed to like him too, stating that I must have been waiting for someone ‘like him’ that’s why I turned down the other men who were interested in me. Then, about four months when Kel and I began dating, she told me things she said she had heard about his past that nearly ended our growing romance.

    “I know you will say it’s none of my business, Jessy but you are my friend and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Kel is a nice guy and he’s loving too but there’s something you need to know about him,” she said one night at home. I had just returned from work and I was having a late dinner.

    “What are you talking about?” I asked her as I took a sip of fruit juice.

    She gazed at me for a while before speaking.

    “I heard he was married in the U.S when he lived there and even has a child.”

    “I know. He has told me about it. The boy is about seven years old and he lives with the mother- they are divorced. So, what about it?” I queried.

    “Did he tell you why they got divorced?” she said.

    I shook my head.

    “He only told me they were having problems and he left and returned to Nigeria when he could not cope with the situation anymore,” I told her.

    “That’s not the whole story,” she noted. She then went on to give me the full gist of what happened to Kel while he was abroad, how he used to regularly abuse his wife physically to the extent that the police became involved.

    “I learnt he served a short time in prison for wife battery, domestic violence and other offences,” she added.

    I was shocked at her words. While Kel had told me a lot about his time in the States, first as a student, then as a staff in an IT firm, he never mentioned his going to prison for domestic violence. My Kel, a wife beater? I found it difficult to believe that the gentle looking man I had been seeing these past months was capable of beating a woman, much less his wife.

    Trina assured me she had got the story from an authoritative source, ‘someone who knew him from his days in the U.S,’ as she stated.

    That he had spent time in prison was bad enough but keeping it from me was worse. How could he do that, I fumed.

    “He should have told me about it,” I murmured to myself feeling upset.

    “I think it’s best you ask him. I can see you like him a lot and he is obviously smitten with you. I see the way he looks at you; it’s the look of a man in love. But before you guys go further in the relationship, you need to be more open with one another. Keeping secrets can ruin a good relationship,” Trina advised.

    The following day, a Saturday, Kel came in the evening to pick me up for an outing we had. I sat him down in the living room and confronted him with Trina’s story. Initially, I thought he would deny it and call it the handiwork of ‘idle gossips’ but to my surprise, he readily admitted to serving time in prison.

    “I know I should have told you about it, but it’s in the past, and it’s a time of my life I want to forget. Some bad things went down while I was abroad; I used to drink and smoke a lot and I did some things I’m not proud of today. But I have put it all behind me. And I want you to do the same, Jessy. I’m a changed person and have put behind me my rough past. I’m sorry for keeping it from you but I felt it might affect the way you feel about me. And I don’t want to lose you now that I have found you,” he stated.

    “No matter what my reaction might be, you should have still told me about it. I don’t feel good hearing about it from someone else,” I grumbled.

    “I know, dear. It was bad of me. Please forgive me,” he pleaded earnestly. He sounded really contrite and my resolve to take a break from the relationship, to cool things a bit, died at that moment.

    At that point, I realized I was in love with him and the thought of leaving him at that stage was unthinkable. He had become an important part of my life and I just could not leave him then. Besides, as he had pointed out, it was all in the past and he was a changed person. So, who was I to judge him based on things in his life that happened years before I met him, I reasoned.

    ***

    Instead of breaking us up, the issue of his past brought Kel and I closer. Though very busy because of his job, Kel nonetheless created time to be with me. Most times, we would go on some outings like parties or visiting friends or just stay at home chilling. At a point, I was spending more time at his apartment than in my own place and Trina began to complain about my long absence from home.

    “I never knew when you started seeing Kel that he was going to snatch my best friend away from me,” she said one Saturday morning at our flat.

    “What did you say? Who is snatching who?” I asked, looking at her wonderingly.

    “Is that not what he has done? I hardly see you these days! I’m practically living alone in this house because you are never around,” she stated.

    “Ha, ha ha! You are funny Trina! Nobody snatched me from you. You will remain my friend till eternity,” I assured her.

    “It’s easy for you to say. I don’t even see much of you now. What will happen when you two get married?” she queried.

    “Who’s talking about marriage? Anyway, wait till that time comes. Stop stressing yourself now over that,” I told her.

    “I have to. You are my best friend. Until your Kel came and has taken over your life. Now we hardly see,” she said in a grumbling tone.

    “I know your problem. You are just jealous!”

    “Jealous ke? I’m just saying the truth. And the truth is that he’s nothing but a best friend snatcher!” she declared.

    I laughed and went to my room to get my dirty clothes for washing. I wanted to finish all my chores that morning as Kel was coming round in the afternoon to take me out to some where ‘special’ as he had put it…

     

    To be continued

    We welcome comments/suggestions from readers. All correspondence should be sent to 08023201831(sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

     

    Names have been changed to protect the identity of Jessica and other individuals in the story

     

     

  • Five types of women men avoid

    When pursuing your lady, use this as a guide five types of women you should avoid. A lot of you must have encountered many types of women in your existence, so who better to make a list than someone who’s been through the entire book?

     

    The smart-ass

    Every man likes an articulate woman, a girl who can voice her opinion, sound intelligent and impress your friends with a philosophical debate on the downward spiral of modern politics. Let’s be realistic, while it’s always nice to date someone who is charismatic and well-versed, it’s something quite different to date a woman who beats the opinionated war drum.

    Unfortunately, these types exist. The Smart-Ass drips sarcasm. She enjoys answering and asking questions with a tone and an attitude that pushes away the nicest of suitors. Her words drip with venom and her personality is based on making others feel beneath her.

    Gold digger

    It doesn’t take a genius to know that wooing a woman requires a trifocal effort of body, soul and spending power. As standard romantic procedures, you’re going to have to take her for dinner, buy her gifts, whisk her away to the mountains for the weekend, and show her that the world is your oyster and she’s the pearl. But if I can give a word of caution to the free-spending comrades out there (many of you are guilty of this), make sure she’s actually enjoying your company and not just your wallet. A Gold Digger will instantly speak of high-priced evenings and pricey desserts. She will mention her bills and her need for your financial help. She will also take this time to arouse you to the point of blind obedience.

    Ms. Right

    Even as a woman, we know this type when we see them. She could have a bevy of outstanding qualities, but her inability to accept a different opinion ultimately may lead to a breakup. Every time you get together, she would declare her astuteness and would never take your advice because it is always wrong from her own point of view. Ms. Right is stubbornly set in her ways – she’s correct about everything, and if you even so much as make an unfavorable whisper, she’ll lash out at you with the voraciousness of a python. The sad part is, Ms. Right types are hard to change, as their personal pride tends to get in the way of understanding others and the world around her, so all you can really do is avoid these women.

    The psycho

    What is it about women who feel the need to call their man 10 times a day? The Psycho includes the girl who calls, texts or posts to your Facebook wall 10 times a day. It includes the girl who wants to know your every move and asks how you’ve been when she just spoke to you an hour ago. If there is any woman to avoid at all costs, the Psycho is the one. She will insert herself into your life and shake all aspects of your existence. It is easy to fall for the Psycho as she brings intensity and a passion that is borderline supernatural. Remember, though, that sex with a psycho may be amazing, but at some point you’ll end up in front of the police. If you fail to look at her from all aspects, you’ll end up with a bothersome, insecure and potentially vicious woman who will show no signs of going away.

    The rebound

    She is the most sinister on the list because she is the most difficult to detect. We have all heard the warning of the “rebound guy,” but what about the female counterpart? Like the Psycho, this girl tends to come on strong, hot and heavy. Her seductive ways could weaken some of the strongest Players. Falling into her traps, you’ll bypass your better judgment and fall hard. You believe that this is the one; you believe that this is a great relationship in the making. But the truth is that you were just a lay, just a sexual encounter to help her past the man who recently broke her heart. You’re either too early or too late. You’re either not ready on time or not giving her time to get ready. See the signs as she shifts from being the comely hotness to the reluctant mute across the dinner table. Finesse, bid farewell and remove yourself from the situation.

  • A father’s dilemma

    I never planned getting a mistress or having children outside but my situation at home contributed significantly to it. You see, my wife has not been able to give birth to a child since our marriage about twelve years ago. We have tried everything including tests, drugs, massages and other methods. But no issue, pregnancy not even a miscarriage.

    For years, I was worried about my childless state. Most of my mates who were married like me all had kids. I felt incomplete as a man, that there was something wrong with me. That was until something happened about four years ago that changed my situation. My wife’s young cousin, Diane came to stay with us while searching for a job after her youth service programme.

    She had been with us for six months when I got a job for her in the company where I worked.

    With hindsight, maybe, I should not have done that because working in the same environment invariably brought us close. Much closer than we should have been as in-laws. The truth is I had admired Diane for sometime, even before she came to live with us. She had the kind of looks I liked- tall, slim with a fantastic figure and she carried herself so well.

    But I controlled my attraction because of my wife whom I loved dearly. Unknown to me, Diane also liked me. I found out one day after we had closed from work and were heading home together. The traffic that day was especially heavy on the third main land bridge so we decided to hang out at an eatery on the Island till the traffic had reduced.

    Perhaps, emboldened by the alcohol she had taken, Diane opened up, confessing how she had liked me for long.

    “I’ve been into you for so long, Mike. Before you even married Bara,” she confessed. She took my hand across the table filled with drinks and held it for a while.

    After that day, we began a relationship that has lasted nearly four years now. A year after we started dating, she gave birth to a set of twin boys for me. You can imagine my joy when the twins were born- this was a man who had been looking for a child for years being blessed with twins! It was a happy time for me. The only snag was my wife, Bara. Initially, I did not tell her about the boys until they were about a year old. As expected, she was very angry with me over my relationship with her sister.

    “Any other person would have been tolerable because of the children. But how could you betray me with Diane, my own sister?” she stated furiously. In all our years of marriage, I had never seen my wife so angry. She called me all kinds of names including ‘a womaniser who can’t control his libido, sleeping around like a dog in heat!’ That day, she threatened to leave me if I did not cut off all contacts with Diane. That was an impossible thing to ask as she was the mother of my babies. How could I leave her? What would happen to my children that God had blessed me with after so many years of waiting for the fruit of the womb? Who would look after them

    Defying Bara

    I paid no heed to my wife’s words and continued to see Diane and my children. I rented an apartment for her at another side of town and I shuttled between my two homes. I knew my wife was not happy that I was still seeing Diane despite her threats, but there was nothing I could do about that. All my family members especially my mother were happy with the birth of my boys. In fact, for the first six months after their birth, she relocated to the city from our village in Delta State just to be with her grandsons. She stayed with Diane and the babies and was very helpful with caring for them. Diane’s mother was dead so she had no one to rely on except my mother. They both got along very well and I was happy to see two of the important women in my life so close.

    Back home with my wife, things were not going too well for us. Bara was cold to me most of the time, especially when she suspected I had just returned from visiting Diane and the children. I tried to be the loving husband I had always been to her. I ensured I provided for her and never deprived her of my love so she would not feel that I was neglecting her because of my other woman.

    Things continued that way for a while. My boys were growing fast and it gave me so much joy to see them turn from little, helpless babies into active toddlers running around the house and causing so much noise and havoc. My best times were spent with them, and most days I was always reluctant to leave them and return home to my wife. At a point, I nursed the idea of bringing Diane and the children home so we could all live together as one family. Afterall, my father had married two wives and he had managed his home well till his death, I had reasoned. But when I thought of my wife’s reaction to such a move, I jettisoned the idea.

    Then five months ago, Diane announced she was pregnant again. I was happy at the news and looked forward to this new addition to the family. The only problem is this: Diane is insisting that I marry her and move in with her as a live in husband before her delivery.

    “I’m tired of seeing you a few days a week. I miss you all the time. The children also miss you. I need you now especially in my condition,” she stated, patting her swollen tummy.

    I promised to visit her more and spend more time with her and the children but she was not buying that.

    “I want a full time husband not a visiting husband!” she insisted.

    I did not mind the idea of being with Diane and my kids full time as I loved them so much. But what about my wife? Moving in with Diane would mean abandoning Bara. I still loved my wife and I couldn’t imagine my life without her. She is important to me having been with me through thick and thin. On the other hand, Diane, my sons and the unborn child were equally important. Diane is already threatening to cut me off from the children if I did not do as she wants. Knowing the kind of woman she is, I know it’s no empty threat. What if she runs away with my children and I never get to see them again?

    That is my dilemma. I want to be with my children and their mother but doing so would be at the expense of my marriage. I don’t want to divorce my wife. At the same time, I don’t want to lose my children who mean the whole world to me and make me feel so proud.

    So, what shall I do now? I’m really confused. I need your advice, please.

    Should Mike divorce his wife so he can be with his children and baby mama or let the children go and stick with his wife? Readers’ feedback welcome!

    •Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.

    •Send comments/suggestions to 08023201831(sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

  • Deadly Mistake (2)

    Donald thought he could accomplish everything as he had planned but the unexpected happened which caught him unawares. His friend Paul could not stand what Donald was doing to Amanda.

    “This is wickedness. What if Amanda was my sister or somebody I know, would I fold my arms and watch someone destroy her life this way?” he asked himself.

    “I have to look for a way to tell Amanda before it’s too late for her. She has not done anything wrong to deserve this treatment from Donald,” he said. He was forced by guilt to reveal the whole truth to Amanda; this he did through another person who directed Amanda to the house where Donald kept his other wife and children.

    As Amanda sat in her rented car with the man who was able to convince her to come with him to the place where Donald was keeping his wife, she was very certain that it wasn’t her own husband the man was referring to. She trusted Donald so much, seeing him as a saint. However, she followed the man because he asked her to pay him after service, after he had completed his mission.

    “Look, Mister, we have spent almost the whole day here and the man you claimed to be my husband is yet to surface. Are you sure you are not mistaking him for another person?” Amanda asked the man.

    “Madam, don’t worry, he will surely come out. I have been coming here for the past five days…” Before the man could finish speaking, Amanda was shocked by the picture before her. Her Donald, the love of her life, the man that gave her his last name, her world was with another woman and children. The shock and fear made her pass out.

    She was admitted at the hospital for days before she was discharged. On getting home from the hospital, Donald was still not back from the other woman’s house. However, he came back two days later and Amanda welcomed him but he noticed that her behavior towards him had changed.

    “Women with their monthly stress, she will get over it,” he told himself.

    “How was your trip?” she queried. “I really missed you,” she lied.

    “Me too. I was dying to be with you and my days and nights at the village were so lonely,” he lied too. “What are we having for dinner? I’m hungry and can’t wait to eat your food and have you all through the night,” he stated.

    “Oh! My Donald is hungry! “Well, I have rice for you. What do you want to eat first, me or the food? she asked.

    “Of course I want you first, I have been longing to be with you but I have to eat because once I start I won’t want to stop,” he stated.

    That night and other days that followed, Amanda tried to be as calm as possible. She tried to play along with Donald in order to investigate the situation properly before acting. After one month, Amanda discovered that her husband was not only married to the woman she saw the other time with three children but was building a house somewhere.

    “I have been a fool all these years by thinking that someone like Donald could get married to someone like me without having other plans in mind. I can’t let him take away everything I have worked for,” she swore to herself. Amanda succeeded in getting the documents of the house which Donald was building without him knowing about it and changed the owner’s name to hers. She also discovered that Donald had five million naira in his bank account.

    “I will get everything that belongs to me back. Where did he get all this money from if not from me because Donald has never lifted a finger since I got married to him,” she noted.

    Amanda revealed herself to the other woman and showed her the photographs of her traditional marriage with Donald because the woman didn’t believe her when she told her what Donald had been up to.

    The confrontation

    When she got home that evening from the visit to the other woman, Donald was at home waiting for her. As he was about to hug her and kiss her as he usually did, he didn’t see it coming when Amanda slapped him so hard that he almost fell down. Placing his hand where the slap landed, Donald asked her what the problem was.

    “Ingrate!” she shouted, “That is what you are! I thought you were a human being, but I have come to realize that I fell in love with a monster.”

    “Amanda darling, what is it, why are acting this way? Why are you calling me that? What is the problem?” he asked, not knowing that the bubble had bust.

    “Ingrate that is what you are! You thought I would never find out? So, you were using my money, my hard earned money to build a house for those wretched children of yours and that nonentity you call a wife!”

    As Amanda spoke, Donald wished he was dreaming: “I will repent from my wicked ways if l ever wake up from this nightmare,” he thought, ‘How did she find out and who told her?’

    Donald tried to calm her down as he always did but Amanda was so vexed and she paid no attention to him.

    “Please Amanda, it is the handiwork of the devil,” he pleaded.

    “You think you can eat my money and get away with it just by pleading? Idiot!” she yelled. “Amanda, please, I can correct my mistakes. I accept I was wrong for deceiving you…” he stated.

    “So you knew you were deceiving me…how come you could get the other woman pregnant and couldn’t get me pregnant for eight years of our marriage? Three children with her and I didn’t get pregnant for once!” she raved.

    Donald continued to plead, crying like a child while Amanda kept shouting at him. After a while, she broke down in tears and cried along with her errant husband. Later, they made up and he made love to her.

    “How could you do this to me?” she asked him sometime later that night. “You have never loved me but kept on lying to me. I gave you everything and you took my love for granted. What will people say when they find out? What will my parents say because they warned me not to marry you; they told me that you were too young and a good-for-nothing who wants my money but I did not listen to them because I was desperate to get married and now look at my life!”

    They continued living together as before as if nothing had happened. That was until one day some weeks later when Amanda confided in Eve, a friend of hers from her secondary school days who came to pay her a visit at her office.

    “Eve, I am doomed! Donald has ruined my life!” she lamented. She narrated to her friend what Donald had done. “Donald has another wife with three boys and they are staying in Warri. “My God! Are you serious,” Eve shouted adding: “Who told you and how did you get to know about it?”

    “My sister, this is what I’m going through now and I don’t know what to do about the whole situation,” she confessed.

    “Where is he now?” Eve asked.

    “Still living in my house,” she said.

    “You mean you allow him stay in your house after what he has done to you?” she asked in shock.

    “What will I do; I still love him and if I send him away which man will want a divorcee in his life?” Amanda said wearily.

    “You’re mad,” she shouted at her, annoyed, “Are you sure he has not cast a spell on you and you are there saying you still love him? Wait until he sends you to your early grave before you take action, nonsense,” she said, hissing.

    “What can I do? I don’t know what to do, please advice,” she begged, and her friend said: “Okay, I will get back to you with my plans so that the gold-digger will learn the lesson of his life,” she stated.

    Donald, who loved clubbing was at a niteclub one night when Amanda and Eve carried out their plan. The place was raided by some policemen who were employed by both ladies to blackmail Donald and lock him up in prison. The officers, richly settled with about eight hundred thousand naira carried out their operation diligently and Donald was arrested with some people. While these were later released, Donald was not. He was accused of selling hard drugs in the club and was sentenced to twenty years in prison without going to the court nor the privilege of having any contact with his family members or a lawyer.

    Amanda never went there to visit throughout his prison term. She forged his signature and emptied his bank account. His other wife got married to another man when she didn’t hear from him for two years. He became a born again Christian in prison and started life afresh when he came out of prison at the age of forty eight some years back.

    •Concluded

    •Was Amanda’s revenge on Donald too harsh or did he deserve it? Readers’ feedback welcome!

    •Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.

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  • Deadly Mistake (1) – It happened to me

    Donald met Amanda, a woman in her early forties at his friend’s brother’s wedding. They hooked up and started dating. Within three months of their relationship, Donald took advantage of Amanda’s situation and asked her to marry him as she seemed desperate to get married due to her age.

    Donald was in his late twenties which made Amanda think he was joking when he asked her to marry him.

    “Amanda, will you marry me?” he asked her one evening at her house over dinner.

    “Marry you? What do you think people will say because of my age?” she queried.

    “Forget about what people will…we love each other and that’s what matters most!” he stated.

    “I don’t know what to say,” she said, pretending to be in a confused state of mind, but within her she was happy and flattered because she didn’t believe that someone this young could ask for her hand in marriage.

    “Let me think about it,” she said.

    “There is nothing to think about if you love me,” “Donald told her.

    “Okay, I will marry you,” she accepted his proposal.

    Dating older women has for years, been Donald’s way of life. It was the life he chose to live, disdainful and shameful as it is.

    Later that day, at a drinking spot where he usually hung out with his friends Mike and Paul, he revealed his intentions towards Amanda to them:

    “I will be getting married to that woman very soon,” he announced.

    “I don’t understand,” said Mike who did not know that Donald was referring to Amanda.

    “Who in particular are you talking about?” Mike asked because he knew marriage was the last thing on his friend’s mind.

    “So you don’t know who?” Paul asked Mike sarcastically. “Would I have asked if I knew who he was referring to?” Mike retorted with a frown.

    “It’s that ATM Card of mine,” Donald hinted, before stating:

    “It’s Amanda.”

    “What? O boy na wa for you oh! …you wan marry that babe? You no see her age, abe you wan die before your time!” Paul asked Donald in awe.

    “Paul, you mean his mother?” Mike asked. “Because that woman cannot be called babe but mother. In fact, Donald, you can call her aunty if you can’t call her mother.” he stated jokingly, and they both laughed at the joke. Donald didn’t laugh with them because he didn’t find the joke funny.

    “Who cares about her age? The woman has twenty million naira in her account and you are there talking about age. I don’t care about her age. As far as I am concerned I want to be in charge of that account, directly or indirectly,” he boasted, adding: “And the only way I can be in charge of the account is by getting married to her in order to have full control of her and that account of hers,” he explained.

    Paul and Mike, best friends since their childhood warned him of the consequences of getting married to an older woman, but Donald insisted that he would marry Amanda because her money was way too much for him to resist.

    About two months later Donald and Amanda got married. The wedding was the talk of the town; people from all walks of life attended it because Amanda was highly connected in all ramification. Three million naira from Amanda’s bank account was lavished on the wedding.

    Before their wedding day, Donald started taking local medicine which would make him unable to get Amanda pregnant. He had other plans in store. Amanda didn’t bother after six months without getting pregnant as she felt it would not be easy due to her age. After the wedding, Donald kept seeing other women. He knew he had no feelings for Amanda; his quest in her life was to drain her bank account and this he did judiciously. He dated both old and young women, spent his time in beer parlours, nightclubs and many a time he brought more than one woman to their home when Amanda was on business trips and spent the night with them on their matrimonial bed.

    Thirteen months after the wedding, Donald got a lady in her early twenties pregnant and married her secretly in the court of law. He kept the new wife, Joyce, in another state and supplied her all her needs with Amanda’s money. He lied to Joyce that his work took him to many places which would make it hard for him to stay home with her most of the time. In other words, he lied to her so that his life with Joyce would not interfere with the life he was having with Amanda. In the cause of the secret marriage three boys were born for him.

    “Women are so gullible and most of them have nothing in their heads. In fact, my brothers I can’t spend my life labouring for them simply because I am a man. The way I am leading my life is the best thing that could ever happen to any man; I get money from the ‘old hag’, use it to train my children while I enjoy myself without working,” he told his friends who disapproved of the sort of life their friend was living.

    “Donald, you’re keeping one woman outside and you’re living in the same house with another; what do you think will happen if Amanda finds out that you are fooling around with her?” Paul asked him at their new drinking place.

    “She will never find out unless you tell her or are you planning to do so?” Donald asked him.

    “How do you mean? I will not be the one to expose you. But you have to consider that woman because she has invested so much on you, physically, emotionally and financially and you’re treating her this way,” Paul said, “You know age is no longer on her side and it will be better if you told her the truth before she finds out on her own.”

    “Don’t mind him Donald,” Mike said, adding: “He’s talking like a woman. So, you want our friend to keep waiting for that woman who has aborted all the children in her body?” Mike asked.

    “What are you saying, was it not his choice? He chose to marry her because of her money and the woman can’t give birth to children for him and he’s now running away. I am not part of this wicked act because we warned him not to marry her but he insisted that he will marry Amanda,” Paul pointed.

    “You people are just taking paracetamol for my headache,” said Donald who saw nothing wrong with the way he was treating Amanda. “I have solved my problem and everybody is happy…why the noise about women and children?” My darling Joyce has given me three handsome and healthy boys which I will forever be thankful to her for the honour,” he proclaimed.

    “That is not what we are saying…nothing is hidden under the sun. I am just being concerned about you because women like Amanda can go extra mile to destroy you if you ever mess with them,” Paul asserted.

    “Relax Paul…why are you always pessimistic? I have told you that the woman loves me with her life and she will never find out…she can’t do anything even if she finds out,” Donald insisted.

    “How long do you think this black life of yours will last without either of the women finding out about your double life?” Paul asked.

    “Don’t worry yourself, my house in Lekki Phase ll, is almost completed and if she finds out that I’m married to another woman, I will simply leave her. Anyway, by then I would have completed the house and I will move in. I have already opened a shop for my wife and very soon I will start working on my travel documents. Trust me she won’t find out,” he said.

    “If you say so,” they both replied.

    Donald started laughing in a mischievous way which baffled his friends.

    “What is it?” Paul asked.

    “Well, I’m laughing because nine hundred thousand naira is what is left in that woman’s bank account,” he told them.

    “Bad boy! You mean you have drained her bank account like this?” Mike asked him.

    “She doesn’t know anything; she didn’t know that she entered ‘one chance’. She wanted a husband and I wanted money, after all they say nothing goes for nothing. We both have what we want from each other, so, we have nothing to lose,” he asserted.

    Donald thought he could accomplish his plans just as he had planned but the unexpected happened, catching him unawares…

    •To be continued

    •Contributed by Udemma Chukwuma

    •Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.

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  • Trace of destiny (4)

    The incident happened two months before our wedding. The arrangements were going smoothly with the reception venue booked, invitation cards sent to the printers and our outfits including Rachel’s wedding gown almost ready for the big day. Running around making all the plans was stressful but I did not mind as they were plans for our future together as man and wife.

    I was full of excitement at the great future before us and I could not wait for our wedding day to come. Rachel too was happy or so I thought. How was I to know that she was seeing someone else besides me even as we were making plans to marry? I only got to know of her deception one day when I got a call from her mother one Saturday morning. She wanted me to see her at home on an urgent matter. Thinking it had to do with the meeting I was to have with Rachel’s older brothers on the traditional marriage ceremony at her father’s house the following month, I went over.

    The woman was not her usual cheerful self when I arrived at her place. She looked pale and weak and I thought she was ill. But she assured me she was fine when I remarked on the way she looked. She was alone in the house as Rachel, who had got a job in a media house, was on duty at work.

    “Why don’t we go to the hospital? You don’t look too well, Mummy,” I stated as I sat in a chair.

    She shook her head.

    “I’m fine. It’s just that…” she started to speak then stopped. Then to my surprise, she exclaimed:

    “How could she do such a thing? I used to think she was the most sensible of all my children!”

    I looked askance at her, not comprehending what she was saying.

    “What’s the matter, ma? Who did what?” I queried.

    For answer, she picked up a paper from the centre table and handed it to me. It was a letter addressed to me. I read the contents quickly not believing what was before my eyes.

    How could this be true; my own Rachel with another man? How? Was someone playing a cruel joke on me, I wondered as I flung the letter angrily on the ground, too dazed and confused to say anything for a while. Her mother looked at me warily, a look of concern and anxiety on her fleshy face.

    “I tried to stop her but she would not listen! Such a stubborn girl,” the woman fumed.

    In the letter, Rachel had written that she had called off the wedding, that she could no longer marry me when she was still in love with Tony, her ex-boyfriend. He was back in the country and she had left to be with him and I should not look for her. She was sorry for taking that decision but she could no longer continue to deceive herself…

     

    Picking up the pieces

    To say I was devastated over the unexpected turn of events was stating the obvious. It took me over a year to recover from the shock brought on by Rachel’s betrayal. I just could not get over the fact that she had dumped me just weeks before our wedding for an old flame. How could she? Was it something I had done? She had assured me she was over the guy so how could she hook up with him again? So many questions that needed answers to but there was no one to answer them.

    With time though, with the help of my family and friends, including Rachel’s mother who was not in support of her daughter’s actions, I picked up the pieces of my life. I tried to put everything behind me and start all over but try as I could, I could not forget Rachel.

    I did not see her for nearly two years after our break-up. She had left the country with Tony after she left me and I heard they were planning to marry. For sometime, I did not hear much about her. I had moved out of our old neighbourhood and I did not see her mother that often.

    Then one day, I had gone home to see my parents when my younger brother, Mark who still lived at home told me that Rachel was back in Nigeria.

    “I saw her three days ago at Madu’s chemist shop down the road. She came to buy some drugs for her mother. She asked after you,” he stated.

    Rachel back? I wondered if she was in the country on vacation with her husband as it was the Christmas period when some of our people abroad came home to see their family and friends.

    I wanted to ask my brother about that but resisted the urge. She was married to someone else now and no longer part of my life.

    About three weeks later, on my way from another visit to my parents, I was driving towards the gate on the street when someone called my name. I looked through the window and saw Rachel. My first instinct was to ignore her and just drive away. But seeing her again, hearing her sweet voice killed all the anger and frustration I felt at the way she had treated me.

    I got down from the car and we exchanged greetings.

    She said she had wanted to see me since her return to the country and wanted us to go somewhere quiet where we could talk.

    I was initially reluctant but had to give in after much pleading. That day, she apologised profusely for what she had done, stating that it was stupidity on her part and Tony’s smooth words that made her do it.

    “I’m really sorry Julian! I don’t know if you can ever forgive me for what I did to you. It was a terrible thing for someone to do to his fiancé. Please, find it in your heart to forgive me!” she pleaded earnestly.

    I smiled wryly at her words then stated:

    “I forgave you long ago, Rachel. All I wish for you now is happiness with your husband.”

    “What are you talking about? What husband?” she said quickly.

    I looked at her confused. It was then she told me the story of her time with Tony abroad. She explained that she and Tony had never married though there were plans for that. She said the guy turned out to be a criminal who was deeply involved in the drugs business and other fraudulent activities.

    “I only found out when I got to Canada. Right now, he is in prison for a drug related offence-he was given a fifteen year jail term,” she said. It was all news to me and you might say, it serves her right for what she did to me, dumping me for a sleaze bag like Tony. But instead of feeling happy at her predicament, it was pity I felt for her.

    That day, I realized I still loved Rachel, that infact, I had never stopped loving or wanting her.

    Anyway, to shorten the story, Rachel and I got back together. People who knew us and our story particularly my family and friends thought I was crazy to take her back after her treatment of me.

    “You still want that woman back after what she did to you? Are you sure you are alright, Julian? There’s nothing wrong with you ‘upstairs?” my good friend Dapo asked, with his forefinger pointed at his head. He had come to my house earlier that day and found Rachel there. As soon as she had left to buy some drinks at a nearby store, he had started bombarding me with questions.

    I smiled at his words.

    “Of course I’m ok! You won’t understand the way I feel because you have never been in love,” I retorted.

    “Well, if this is what love does to people, turning their heads ‘upside down’, then I never want to be in love!” he fired back.

    I simply laughed at his words, feeling happy and contented for the first time in years. My Rachel was back and that was all that mattered to me.

    I don’t care what people have been saying, that she has charmed me or used voodoo or ‘jazz’ or cast whatever spell on me. They simply don’t understand.

    What do they know about my feelings for Rachel, that when she’s not by my side, I feel empty, incomplete as if one of my body parts is missing? Now she’s back in my life, I feel complete, a total being again…

    •Concluded

    •Did Julian do the right thing by accepting Rachel back or was it a foolish decision on his part?Readers feedback are welcome!

    •Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.

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  • Trace of destiny (3)

    Trace of destiny (3)

    We were talking on the phone one day when Rachel said:

    “Are female visitors like girlfriends allowed in your hostel?”

    “Of course it’s allowed- we are not kindergarten, you know! But there are visiting hours,” I replied.

    Then it struck me.

    “Have you accepted my proposal?” I quickly asked.

    “Yes, Julian. I will be your girlfriend,” she stated. That day, I was so happy I went round for the rest of the day with a big smile on my face.

    “At last! Why did it take her so long to accept you?” my friend and roommate, Philip said when I told him the news.

    “Better late than never!” I rejoined smiling adding: “I don’t care how long it took as long as she has agreed to be mine!”

    “So, when is she coming to visit? I can’t wait to see this babe that has made you so happy. I’ve never seen you this excited over a lady before!”

    I simply smiled and picking up my soap case went to the communal bathroom to take a shower.

    Because of her mother, Rachel’s visit to my school which was in another town was postponed for a few weeks. Later, when her cousin Betty came to stay for sometime, Rachel was free to come. She arrived some days later and I was so glad to see her. She put up with her uncle and his family who lived in the town and after lectures, I would pick her up in a friend’s borrowed car and we would go out. We visited many fun places in town and had a very nice time.

    Time flew and soon the one week Rachel was to stay was over. The morning of her departure, I took her to the motor-park and as I stood waving as the vehicle drove away, I knew within me that I never wanted to be parted from her again. I had found my Eve…

     

    Five years later…

    Time went by, the seasons came and went. I graduated, started work and began to make plans for my future. Rachel, who had gained admission to former school, was a strong part of that future.

    Our relationship had been going well and in her final year, I proposed to her. I had made up my mind that she was the one I wanted to spend my life with, that there was no one else for me.

    As I slipped the ring on her finger that day, I said:

    “Please be my wife, my future, my everything. I love you Rachel.”

    “I love you, too, Julian,” she said as she slipped her arms round my neck. I hugged her tightly to me and kissed her sweet lips.

    My parents were happy with us when I broke the news to them.

    My mother especially liked Rachel and stated that I had picked the right ‘one’. “At least it’s not the older sister who is all over the place with different men,” she said (sarcastically) as she and my Dad sat talking about the engagement and Rachel’s family.

    “So, when are you two getting married?” Rachel’s mother asked about four months after our engagement. The woman wanted us to set a date for our wedding as soon as possible, stating there was no need to delay it.

    “Ah, Mum! It’s too soon! Besides, I’m still in school,” Rachel said.

    “What do you mean? You are both of age. I was 22 when I married your dad. And you are much older than that. The earlier you marry, the better, don’t delay too long,” she stated.

    I assured her that we were already making plans, that as soon as Rachel completed her studies, we would tie the knot.

     

    Truncated plans

    I kept to my words. As soon as she left school, we began making wedding plans. We chose a date about six months ahead so that we could have enough time to make our plans.

    It was during this period that something happened that put in jeopardy my carefully laid out plans.

    Unknown to me, Tony, my fiancé Rachel’s ex- boyfriend had returned from his base abroad. He had also contacted her and they had started seeing again. I was blissfully unaware of all these until much later when we had gone far in our plans, when I was already dreaming about our great future together.

    How could this happen, you might wonder? Why would Rachel do that to me, someone that I loved so much and I had planned my whole future around? Well, that’s life; you make plans and something you never expect comes along to truncate them. In my own case, Tony was the enemy, the villain who put a fly in the ointment of my happiness…

    •To be continued

     

    •Next week, the return of Rachel’s old flame creates an air of uncertainty round their future. Don’t miss the sizzling details!

    •Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.

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  • Trace of destiny (2)

    Trace of destiny (2)

    It came to a point whenever I was home on holidays, I spent more time in Rachel’s place than in my own home.
    “We hardly see you these days, Jul. You are always with Rachel. Have you fallen in love with her? Is she your new girlfriend? What about Vera?” Mark, my younger brother queried. During vacations, both of us were usually together, hanging out and doing stuff together.
    “Are you jealous?” I countered teasingly. It was a Saturday and we were downstairs washing our parents’ cars in the courtyard.
    “You bet I am! I have lost my only brother to a ‘strange’ woman! Brother snatcher!” he said in mock anger. I laughed, playfully splashing him with some water from the bucket on the ground.
    “Stop oh! Or I will throw this soapy rag at you!” he said, waving the cloth at me threateningly. I laughed again and ran into the house.
    Later, in my room I thought about what my brother had said earlier about Rachel. He could be right. For whenever I was with her, I felt a kind of happiness and inner peace that I had never felt with any other girl including my current girlfriend, Vera. We had been dating for nearly two years and though I cared about her a lot, things had changed since I met Rachel. Most times, she was the one on my  mind, the one I was always thinking about. I was not sure she was aware of the way I felt about her; I had not told her about my feelings for her but I knew it was only a matter of time.
    ****
    A few days before I was to return to school, I invited Rachel out on a date. I borrowed my Mum’s car and we went to watch a movie. That evening before I dropped her at home, I opened up about the way I felt about her.
    “I know this might come as a surprise to you. But I can’t pretend any more. I’m in love with you, Rachel,” I stated.
    She did not look surprised or anything; she just looked up at me quickly before stating simply:
    “You can’t be. You have a girlfriend.”
    “I know. But I don’t love her. It’s you I love and want to be with,” I stated. I added that when I returned to school, I was going to break up with Vera.
    “It’s not fair to her, remaining with her when I’m in love with someone else,” I pointed out. That day, she did not give me any firm answer; she said she needed time to think about my proposal. So, I remained hopeful as we parted that night.
    On my last day, I went to Rachel’s house to inform her Mum about my leaving for school the next day.
    “She has gone to the salon to fix her hair,” the woman said on my arrival. She was watching a movie showing on the cable TV in the living room so I sat to keep her company. But she seemed to have lost interest in the film for she was more interested in chatting especially about her youngest daughter.
    “So, you like Rachel. I knew it! I could tell from the way you look at her!” she declared succinctly.
    “What?” I said, taken by surprise at her words.
    She laughed before saying:
    “Rachel told me everything. She tells me about her love life, you know. Unlike her sister!” She paused before adding:
    “I think she likes you too from the way she talks about you. You know, you are the first guy she has shown interest in since Tony.”
    Rachel had never mentioned him before and I became curious about him.
    “He was her ex-boyfriend,” she explained when she saw the quizzical expression on my face. “I think he was her first love; she used to be so crazy about him. When they were together, she would talk about him all day long till I got sick of hearing his name. But two years ago, they broke up and he left the country. He’s based in Canada now. Though she denies it, I think my daughter still loves him.”
    Rachel came in shortly after.
    “Hope Mum has not been boring you with tales of the past when she was the most beautiful girl in the country!” she said teasingly.
    I laughed at her words.
    “No. We were talking about you instead,” I stated. She glared at her Mum, grumbling about how she would not mind her business but always sticking her nose in her affairs. Then picking up her bag, she went to her room.
    Her Mum laughed, stating: “What other business do I have but you? Afterall, I’m a jobless woman!”
    “Your hair looks fine,” I complimented her sometime later as she saw me off. She smiled up at me and to my surprise, took my hand in hers.
    We walked in silence till we got to the gate of my house.
    “I will miss you,” I said, taking both of her hands in mine.
    “Call me when you get to school,” she said.
    “You bet I will!” I assured her. I kept to my promise, calling her regularly and enquiring about her Mum. It was while we were chatting one day on phone that she told me something that made me feel so happy, like a man who had won a fortune at the lottery…

    •Join us next Saturday for more of Julian and Rachel’s story!

    •Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.

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