It was 6.pm in the evening. Almost every worker was getting set to leave the office after a hectic day. Noise of chatting workers was heard throughout the company’s complex. Everyone was happy that the working day had come and gone. As the evening was gradually giving way for eerie darkness, most workers had left, and reduced was the silence.
At the extreme of the office of Accounts was a very beautiful, slim, elegantly dressed lady with long dark hairs neatly rolled as a bond on the gap of her head. She had just finished with her work and was leaving for home too. She strode to the outside car park where her brand new and latest model of Toyota Camry was parked. As she inserted the key into the door key lock, an attractive and gorgeously dressed young man walked to her.
‘Hi pretty’ the gentleman greeted with a smooth smile.
‘Hi’ Nancy reciprocated reluctantly trying to remember if she has ever met the young man before.
‘I know you are trying to remember if you have ever met me before’, Am I right?’ the gentleman teased.
‘May be you are right, but please who are you and why did you decide to talk to me?’ Nancy enquired gently. Nancy who although looked a bit embarrassed by the stranger, however, could not look down on his charming face and romantic approach. What is this guy up to? She thought.
The more the stranger smiled at her the more she felt like something within her was trying to draw her to him. She tried as much as to ignore his smooth smile, but the stranger kept smiling as if he could read what was in her mind and knew how she felt.
‘I’m Kevin’ he introduced himself. Nancy felt like she should not tell him her name for sake of fear, but she couldn’t just resist any thing about him.
‘Hum… I’m Nancy’ she said shyly.
‘It’s my pleasure meeting you, Nancy’
‘It’s my pleasure too’
‘I understand how you feel. Perhaps I got you at a wrong time’ Kevin apologized.
‘Oh no! I’m okay’ she countered.
‘By the way how did you notice me and came to this place? She interrogated gently.
‘Love and destiny’ he answered smiling.
‘What do you mean? Nancy enquired.
‘I’ve been a secret admirer for over four days’. He admitted.
‘Don’t tell me you are teasing me’ Nancy said.
‘Nancy I’m not teasing you. I’m serious and besides you are beautiful and I love you’ Kevin flattered.
‘Thank you for the compliments, but I think you are taking the discussion too far. We have just met and we have not known each other well and you are talking of a relationship already?’ Nancy spoke diplomatically.
I’d just come out of a relationship having shattered emotions and my life torn into pieces, but I just can’t resist Kevin. He’s handsome, oratical, charming and besides there is something about him that sends fire within my being she thought. Nancy felt like flinging herself into his arms and at the same time thought of not being seen as cheap.
However, she was on fire.
‘Nancy, I don’t truly need that long protocol. I know what I want. There is something special about you that I like. And I strongly believe you are the woman of my life’ Kevin said seriously.
‘I hope you are not flattering me’
‘No, Nancy, I ‘m in love with you. Beautiful and very intelligent girls like you deserve love and care, and not games. Please let me show you love and how caring I’m’ Kevin entreated. Nancy’s heart began to beat faster. She felt like she had just won a jackpot worth millions of dollars.
‘Well in as much as I would want us to have a relationship, nevertheless, I need some time to think over it’
‘No problem. You can give yourself time as much as you want to think’ Kevin replied. ‘Okay! Please I got to go home now. Where do you live so that I could give you a ride’ she pleaded with him.
‘Thanks Nancy, I’ve come with my car. That’s it parked over the other side of the road’ He explained. Kevin gave Nancy his card and received hers too. Nancy got into her car bade him farewell and drove home.
Kevin departed for his own car too. Driving home, Nancy was betwixt fear and joy ‘Am I doing the right thing? I’ve just come out of a relationship and here am I dying already for a man I know nothing about. But I’m beginning to like … to love him. He’s just irresistible. I know Damien cheated on me after we had been in love for two years. Ah! Some men could be heartless. Oh my God, I just don’t know how to turn Kevin down. May be I should give him a chance. Who knows what the future holds for anybody. He might turn being the prince charming I’ve always dreamt of, she told herself. As soon as Nancy got home she called Kevin to let him know that she has consented and wouldn’t mind to develop a relationship with him. Kevin invited her to dine with him at one luxurious restaurant the following evening. Nancy honored his invitation and they enjoyed themselves.
‘Nancy, how did you see this place? Do you like it?’ Kevin asked.
‘Yeah, it’s great here!’ She replied.
‘Nancy, I’m glad you came and most importantly you are giving me a chance to show you my love.’ He appreciated.
‘Please don’t tell me that you don’t have any girl in your life,’
She enquired.
‘I had one a year ago. I loved her and I was very committed to her in a relationship that lasted over a year. We had plans to marry and we were already working on it when she suddenly left me for a guy she said was her first love in college years ago. That’s how our relationship was broken’ Kevin narrated.
‘How did you carry on with your life? Didn’t you have another girl in your life since then? Nancy enquired curiously.
‘No, I felt cheated and I promised myself never to get involved into any serious relationship until I met you yesterday’ Kevin explained.
‘Since you’ve met me now what makes you think you will not treat me casually.’ She queried.
‘I have just learnt that love has two facets. We have the good side and the crazy side. Nancy, please believe me, I’m in for a genuine love. I want to marry you’ Kevin implored.
Even though Nancy was secretly pleased with the idea of marriage, however, she had some reservations because she thought Kevin was too fast about everything and that she needed more time to study him and know if they were compatible.
‘Kevin, don’t you think you are too fast about this? However, I have just come out of a relationship and I’m afraid to develop one, not even soon’ Nancy explained in a tone that indicated she was worried.
‘Please Nancy tell me your story’ Kevin begged.
‘Oh Kevin, it is such a bad experience I never like to remember. Please could we discuss something else’ she implored.
Kevin grabbed her two hands to comfort and reassure her of his love.
‘Nancy, I truly sympathize with you. However, you must carry on. Life must continue. Please look into my eyes. We both have had similar experiences. We were truly out for love and in love, unfortunately with the wrong persons. Now those fates have brought us together I think we could make it up with each other for good. Nancy, believe me we can make it together. Please let’s give ourselves the chance’ Kevin persuaded.
Kevin’s discourse reassured Nancy and lit up her emotions. She felt like someone who had just resurrected from death.
‘Kevin, I think you are right. Life must continue. Our past experiences have just taught us great lessons. I wouldn’t mind to give you my heart, my love, my life. You are the great miracle that had just happened to me. You’ve brought me out of my confusion and nightmare – you have resurrected my dead emotions and romantic prowess. I had vowed never to fall again in love with any man. But you came and spoke to my wounded heart and bruised life. Yes, I believe you Kevin; yes I believe we can make it together’ Nancy declared sobbing.
Kevin noticed that Nancy was sobbing and that her eyes were gradually filled with tears. He stood and held her tight to himself.
‘Nancy, I love you and I promise you’ll never regret about this day.’ Kevin comforted and promised.
‘I love you Kevin’ Nancy uttered. Kevin and Nancy left the restaurant for home. One the way Kevin informed Nancy about his company’s board meeting trip to UK scheduled for the following day.
‘Honey, I’ll travel tomorrow to U.K for a board meeting and will be back in five days. Please I’m sorry that I did not inform you all this while’ he informed and apologized.
‘Okay, no problem, I’ll wait for you. It’s just that I’m going to miss you so much’ she said calmly.
‘Yeah, I know. I’m going to miss you too. But we’ll make it up as soon as I’m back’ Kevin comforted her.
Kevin traveled to UK for the board meeting. Upon arrival at his hotel he gave Nancy a call and she felt no much loneliness. Two days after Kevin had traveled, Nancy began to experience fever and weakness in her body. She went to a hospital for medical check up and was told by the doctor that she was pregnant of a month and two days.
‘My young lady the test conducted shows that you are pregnant of a month and two days. Congratulations’ the doctor said gladly.
‘Please doctor did you say I’m pregnant?’ she asked anxiously.
‘Yes, you heard me right. Are you not happy that you are pregnant and that you will soon become a happy mother?’ the doctor interrogated gently.
‘I’m doctor, but but … Nancy stammered.
Nancy stood up and left for home.
On the way she worried and thought greatly. ‘Oh my God, I’m pregnant for Damien. I must do something fast or else Kevin will know about it. The only solution to this is to abort the child. But I’m afraid; it might complicate my health or endanger my life. But I can’t afford to lose Kevin too for anything. Oh my God, please help me I’m confused’ Nancy worried greatly. Nancy could not abort the child. She worried all day and it made her look like someone sick. It was evident to all. Kevin returned from trip and noticed Nancy’s sudden change of appearance.
‘Honey, you’ve grown too tiny. I hope it is not because of my trip’ Kevin teased.
Nancy didn’t reciprocate. She was too quiet and it raised a greater concern to Kevin. ‘Honey you have been too calm since I came back. Is anything the matter? Please tell me?’ Kevin interrogated gently.
‘No honey, I’m all right? She replied calmly.
‘But you don’t look happy and besides you’ve lost some weight’ Kevin enquired.
“Honey, I’m afraid to lose you. I don’t want to lose you’ Nancy cried resting on his chest. She burst in tears. Her statements raised more concern.
‘Honey, why do you say you don’t want to lose me? You can’t lose me, you. I love you’ He reassured her.
‘Kevin, I don’t want to lose you. Please I don’t want to lose you’ she repeated and cried.
‘Please tell me what the issue is and I promise you will not lose me. I’ll help you’ He promised.
‘Honey, I’m, I’m, I’m pregnant’ Nancy opened up in tears.
‘How do you mean? I haven’t made love to you yet. How come you are pregnant? This is certainly not from me’. He declared sternly.
Nancy was on her kneels and in great tears. ‘Please get up and explain to me this pregnancy.’ He queried.
‘Kevin, two days after you traveled I felt a bit feverish. I went to the hospital and the doctor told me I was pregnant of a month and two days. It dawned on me that I was pregnant for Damien. Since that day till you came back from the trip I have worried myself to death not knowing what to do next. The thought of abortion came to my mind, but I didn’t want to do it. I was afraid’ she narrated.
‘Abortion! Please don’t do it. This child has come to stay. Have you let Damien know about it?’ he interrogated sympathetically.
‘No Kevin. I was confused and dying. I thought of what you and he might say. I was afraid the outcome would be disastrous. Though I may not have done the right thing, however out of confusion, I felt keeping it to myself was the best idea until you came and woke me up out of my insomnia’ Nancy lamented.
‘Alright, to me, getting rid of the child isn’t the best idea. I think we should give him a chance to life’. I wouldn’t mind to father him. I think we should plan our wedding now. That’s the only way you and the child won’t lose me’ Kevin exhorted.
‘No, Kevin, No, this is not right. Please you can’t assume this fatherly responsibility just like that. I think it’s time we parted ways. I can’t stand living with you and bearing in me a child that is not yours. I can’t stand this reproach, this shame’ Nancy regretted.
‘Nancy, I love you whether with the child or not. This is certainly a great mistake; however, there is room for correction and a second chance. By the way, let’s assume there was an accident that caused a disability to your physique would I have stopped to love you? Would we have parted ways? Listen to me; I may not be doing what will seem good to other people’s eyes, however, I love you. Nothing can quench love, not even many waters’. He exhorted.
‘Kevin, thank you for accepting me just as I’m. I’m grateful and I shall never forget this day’ Nancy appreciated.
‘Nancy, I have just learnt something new again. The scope and depth of love is yet fully assessed. Love is very deep and no man can fully decipher its mysteries. Nevertheless, I’ve made up my mind and I’ll marry you. We must go and see your parents for the wedding arrangements’ Kevin declared.
Kevin and Nancy got wedded within a month. The lived happily. Nancy gave birth to the child and had three other children for him.
The End!
Akwudike Joshua is teacher and conference speaker.
