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| LOST |
“Beautiful, please would you stay by my side for eternity?”
Wow! He just proposed to me. This time, he was on his knees. I was overjoyed, I could never say NO. I loved him. After service we would get married, we had planned. I knew his parents and he knew my mother.
“Jenny please!” He repeated. A word I couldn’t utter, I just stretched my hands and had him place the silver ring on my middle finger. It was a perfect size. No wonder he had always loved to hold my fingers.
Everyone in the bar seemed happy, they congratulated us. I was in tears but he was quick to offer me his handkerchief. We danced almost all through the night and it was time to retire to bed.
I was extremely tired and he suggested a good bathe and a massage. What happened? Couldn’t I get a warm massage?
The hotel was special and I just loved the shower.
Thoughts ran through my naïve mind while in the bathroom. I imagined how romantic and rosy our marriage would be. Do I have to say this? I held my urine just to feel how much force it could take. Hmm that was normal.
At last I was out of the bathroom, water from my body like that of dew drops, the towel hanging a little above my nipples. It was a white towel. I would have opted for a another colour, but I wouldn’t want to stress the hotel attendant.
Usually, I would have been shy. But I felt relaxed. All I needed was an angelic touch to help end my happy day. Even some muscles around these curves wouldn’t hurt.
Well, it was a massage I needed. No point changing to another outfit.
“Beautiful shall we begin?” he gestured innocently. Yes my Tobi was a gentle man. How gentle could a man be?
His hands reminded me of how hard my mother pressed the pepper on the stone. My chest was racing. I could see clearly late papa’s face, I felt how hard his heart beat. We were attacked by robbers and his life became our ransom.
We were in tears but he smiled to the grave. That smile that could devoid one from all innocency.
“Babe, are you okay?” Tobi asked. I told him I just remembered my father. He felt sorry and persuaded me to relax. Relaxed I felt, then suddenly his hands began to wander, like a hunter making his way in the forest.
I didn’t want him to stop, our relationship had been romantic, what would I have expected.
Our eyes met and so our lips. Then my phone rang. God! I had forgotten to tell Mama I had rounded off with school. So I picked the call and she was all about prayer. She was so thankful but wished my father was alive to witness the joy.
That got me and after the call, I decided not to continue. I needed to sleep. Then I saw that part of him I had never seen for a year, two (2) months and three (3) days we had been dating. Yes o, I’m sure I was correct about this. I kept account of each day.
We had met at a Museum last year. I had to carry out a research on a particular course.
It was funny how I bumped into him, throwing the files he held. I was in a hurry, Samuel called me; we had to submit another assignment I had not completed.
“I’m really sorry beautiful” Yes, he apologized first. I was embarrassed; I told him why I was in a haste. Yes o I was learning how not to be shy. So he offered to drive me back to school and I allowed him. But when he asked for my phone number, I refused to give him.
Dear, I had a lot on my mind. Life as a student was not easy. I had to work different jobs to fend for myself. Mind you, I was a full time student. But what could I do?
I had lost my father during my first year. My mother who was a fulltime housewife worked tirelessly but her effort alone was not enough to keep me in school. I had my C.G.P.A to think of.
How could I add relationship to these issues?
I didn’t think I could. But overtime, I saw him often. I could not say he was stalking. But whenever I got to supply groundnut to customers around campus, I saw him.
I wouldn’t forget an occasion where he knelt in Mama Osas (my customer) shop asking for my contact. I was intrigued but I wondered what he saw in me. People said I got good shape, but it didn’t make me get involved with any guy.
But omo!, Tobi was persistent, he sent me friend request on facebook and became a good friend to my roommate, Faith.
After three months of chasing, I finally agreed. I could remember our first date.
I gave him much rules that he couldn’t come four inches close to me. But you see, overtime his smile melted my feeble heart.
Every morning, I got roses on my doorstep that my roommate nicknamed us "love birds". Indeed we were. The best gift I had received from him was two turtle doves joined to each other.
He claimed we were going to be inseparable for our life time even till death. That was so touching but all I did was smile. We had dates almost every weekend. Site seeing became my routine and I fell in love with every bit of him.
His smile was the charm; his fragrant, the medicine; his words…Oh my! And whenever he stroked my hair, I felt my liver moved (Don’t expect much from an art student, I never liked science). I loved the way he winked at me, it took away all shyness.
Our walks, they were wonderful I could say he was an expert in the field of touch. In fact, the language a guy need to know about a lady, he knew them and practiced them. But I tell you, my ears did suffer from his touch and so my fingers. Those were the sweetest part.
That was Tobi. He was such a brilliant young man. He helped me improve in my readings. And boom! I became a first class student (initially 3.38 C.G.P.A in 300level). Yes o, he was so balanced and did I tell you he was a novelist and a poet? Yes he was a seasonal writer too.
Little wonder I got so many love messages (you know na). I was a semi-Nigerian girl. I loved the display of affection more than the sound from a wood pecker.
Tobi had never frowned or shouted at me. But this night, when I asked him to maintain our agreement to remain celibate, his eyes changed.
I knew he was totally aroused and so was I. But I wouldn’t do it. I just remembered my Dad, he could have shown some considerations, but no he was pissed.
He said it didn’t matter. But I felt I was being taken advantage of. I was not ready.
We had a bit of an argument and I asked him to leave if he could not sleep quietly.
Tobi was pissed. He left two thousand naira on the bed for my fare back home. He said we would talk the next day when we would both be fixed.
Hmm. I loved a gentleman.
“Hello. Its barely day break. No! It can’t be?” It was Tobi’s phone but the caller was different.
I could remember so clearly. It was 5:45am. Tobi had gotten into an accident and he was at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH.
My legs were shaking, I was sinking in the rivers of my eyes. I had sent him to the pool of his blood. What insolence?
I could not recognize him. His face was covered with blood, his legs, I felt they had no friction.
The doctor told me he may not survive and if he could, he would need physical therapy to be able to use both legs.
The amount was huge and he said my Tobi needed to be transferred to a hospital in Lagos after he passes the dangerous state.
I could never afford such amount even if I withdrew everything I had saved up so I called his mother who was in Lagos.
Dear, I saw hell. I told her everything that happened and she cursed me for her son’s fate. She had him transferred with a stern warning to me. I was never to meet him again.
Last I heard was he’s been sent overseas for better treatment. But his close friend, Malik told me he never survived after he left for overseas.
I was crushed and devastated. My mother told me to forget all about him unless she dies. I couldn’t imagine losing three loved ones, so I claimed I forgot all about him but I never was happy. Within me I prayed he recovered and loose his memory, so our chapter can be closed, I had done him more harm. He never deserved this.
I left Benin and did not take up the employment offer from my department. Instead I decided to settle here in Ogun State after my national youth service. It was a nice company.
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“Why would you drive yourself to death?” Hmmm It was my Boss again, Mr. Tobi.
Well, I was not thinking straight I got into an accident.
“Beautiful, it’s almost three years. Why?
“Somebody pinch me, I was dreaming” I said within.
Read Series 4