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Friendship

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Lola blushed. Peter was complimenting her looks. It was their 6th month dating anniversary, and things had been progressing quite well. Peter was different. Mature, humble and introverted. Lola had always thought she would end up with someone who matched her personality, ambitious and sometimes feisty. There was something about his character that made her fall in love. Opposites do attract. Lola was grateful that Peter had a relationship with God because it was evident in how he handled things. She never for once regretted turning Brother John down. Lola sighed at the thought of his name. John. He was arrogant and self-centred. He never asked her what God was saying about him. He assumed they were compatible because he claimed to have seen it in a vision. She didn’t have an issue with that; what annoyed her was his way of communicating it, telling everyone in church that she was his wife, chasing potential suitors away. Lola remembered how she left the church one day and never looked back. Yes, it was harsh, but she was uncomfortable in such an environment, which began affecting her relationship with God. Everyone was calling her John’s wife. She could barely say anything without someone teasing her about him. The last straw was when her Pastor reported to her parents, painting her in a bad light. She was thankful she had sensible parents, and after a heated discussion, they agreed she needed to leave the church. She had told her mum about Peter. However, her mum was not entirely convinced because he was from a different tribe. John was from her tribe, funny enough, but she was far too sane to end up with someone like him.

“Happy Birthday Obi’m” Melvin pecked his  fiancée on her forehead. He had driven a long distance to ensure he arrived early before she left for work.

Chioma blushed. Melvin was very thoughtful. She smiled when she remembered how bad things were initially, how she was sad because Melvin wasn’t trying to be romantic. Little communication here and there and many weeks of patience did the trick. Now, he was at her doorstep, holding a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers she had seen. Ah! Thank you, Jesus. Chioma said to herself.

“Thank you, baby; it means a lot to me. Please come in; let me get you something quickly before-“

6 MONTHS LATER


Jola leaned forward; Pastor Lere was making a lot of sense. “There are some of you here today, praying for God to give you a God-fearing spouse, an understanding and loving spouse; my question for you is, are you also God-fearing? Understanding and loving? Do you know how to control your anger? Do you have a good character? Are you bearing fruits consistent with the spirit? He paused, then continued. “There are some other people here who are in toxic relationships. In fact, they had no business dating the person in the first place but, because of the pressure to settle, have compromised their standards-“
Jola’s mind drifted to a conversation she had with Tife the day before. She had stopped by her friend’s house on her way from work. She needed to talk to someone and felt Tife was the best person to share her feelings with but when Tife opened the door that evening, Jola knew her friend had been crying.

A FEW WEEKS LATER

Lola paced in her room, lost in thoughts. She had been raised in a Christian home, and her parents attended the Anglican church. Still, she joined a Pentecostal church in her 2nd year at the University, so when she was told that Brother John had approached the marriage committee about his interest in her, she became anxious because she knew what was coming. Lola already liked another man, though he did not attend her church. They had been talking for a month, and she felt ready to ask him about his intentions. She had planned to meet up with him, only for her to run into Brother John at the car park.

Jola woke up with a banging headache. She fumbled about her bedside drawer in search of her phone. 10am? She hissed and sat up in bed, trying to remember the events of the past 24 hours. Her head was pounding. She remembered she was supposed to meet up with Jimi, who was meant to be her date but was disgustingly late. She had tried his number several times, while sitting at their reserved table, waiting for him, but he didn’t pick up. Feeling disappointed in herself for trusting him again, she ordered a cab immediately. She remembered her heels echoing as she walked out of Crust and Creme restaurant into the car park. 

Click-clack-click-clack. 

Present Day

Tinuke and her siblings bade Bimpe goodbye. It was 11 pm. Bimpe escorted them downstairs. They were true friends. The light at the hospital had gone off, so she turned on the light on her phone as she led them to the car park.

‘Is Bola going to sleep over? I overheard her discussing with her mum.’ Temi, Tinuke’s sister, asked.

‘I think she will. She doesn’t seem willing to leave Titi.’ Bimpe replied with a smile. ‘The entire experience left her quite shocked.’

‘I didn’t say she wants to date; I just meant, in case she decided to, I don’t want to be in her way. Tee, I am so sorry.’

‘I am tired of everyone apologising to me! I don’t need an apology. I need you guys to fix this!’

Titi stormed off to the bathroom. ‘I need to get ready for the party. That’s probably the only good thing in my life right now.’

‘Yes, I am’, Titi said weakly. ‘Look, Bola, I can’t talk to you right now. Please, I will call you back later. Thank you for understanding.’

‘You said you would come over this evening; we still have some things to sort out. Anyway, I don’t even have time for this mood swing. I need you to send a picture of the cake design so I can get the exact colour combination for the game cards.’

‘Okay, I will send it. Thank you. Bola’ Titi ended the call.

‘Titi.’ Her mum held her gently, but Titi flung her hand away. Her daughter was furious, as she could tell. But what does a 20-year-old lady know about marriage and commitment? ‘Listen, it is not as simple as you think. We have tried to make it work. You know we have. Sometimes, some things are just beyond your control.’

‘Mummy, you and Dad getting a divorce is not beyond your control. It’s because you have given up on each other, which is unfair. Please… I can’t deal with shared parenting, another man, or another woman in dad’s life. I can’t…oh my God, are you going to get pregnant for another man? Am I going to have stepsiblings? Oh my God, I can’t do this mummy. Please!’ Titi fell to the floor and wept unconsolably.

72 HOURS EARLIER

Convocation was fast approaching; hence, Mayfield University was quite bubbly this morning. Lecturers strolled in and out of the conference room, some final-year students checking the notice boards for information about the ceremony, while others clustered around, making small talk- mainly about the after-graduation party.

Titi walked past the lecture theatre and heaved a sigh of relief. She and her friends had successfully scaled through and finished with excellent grades.