PINK OCTOBER

Dear Diary,

The 10th month of the year 2014 is gradually coming to an end. A lot went underwater this month and it affected different people in different ways. It was also Breast cancer awareness month all over the world. What do you know about breast cancer? Do you know how to examine yourself? Have you examined yourself lately? Early detection is the key to surviving breast cancer, examine yourself today. Let's look back at all the events that made October pink.

October 1st! Nigeria celebrated her 54th Independence anniversary as a nation this month. Where we are now as a country is a far cry from where we ought to be but not to worry, we'll get there someday. To  commemorate this day, one of Nollywoods finest (i do mean that literally) Kunle Afolayan, released his new movie titled October 1st. This movie has raised the bar of movie production in Nigeria and no matter how much I hype it, it won't do it justice. If you haven't seen it, please do so.

Nigeria was declared Ebola-free this month by the World Health Organization (W.H.O). One of the few stories in the news that has put a smile on the faces of Nigerians in recent times. We really appreciate the efforts of those that helped in the fight against this disease. Ebola viral disease has been recorded in 8 countries so far; Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, United States of America, Mali and Spain. Over 4000 people have died from this disease and 8.997 cases have been recorded so far. This too shall pass. To all the bereaved families, those that have been affected in one way or the other, I pray that you'll be comforted.

The #Almostabride series is still running on this blog. The question on everybody's lip is "When will Ihuoma find this her brother Shola sef?" Wanna find out? Join the series today, every Monday at noon. Don't forget to tell a friend, to tell a friend to subscribe to it.

After months of trial, South African Athlete, Oscar Pistorius, has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for shooting his girlfriend Reeva SteenKamp last year. Even though this sentence did not go down well with a lot of people, let's be happy that the law has served it's course.

Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace prize. According to the Nobel Committee, the 17 year old was awarded for her fight for the right of girls to education and for being an example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations.

Our ever energetic Super Falcons of Nigeria have won the 9th edition of the African Women Championship. The champions defeated Cameroon 2-0 in the final match of the competition to cling their 7th AWC title. They've always made us proud and yours truly feels they aren't appreciated as much as they should be. Unlike some certain birds that go to competitions and don't even fly. Congrats ladies, it's a victory well deserved.

Forbes Africa has released the list of nominees for their 2014 person of the year award. Three Nigerians are on the list- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Aliko Dangote and the Director-general of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Arunma Oteh. Congratulations to all the nominees, the fact that they've been nominated makes them all winners.

Celebrity photographer and singer TY Bello, welcomed her twin boys, Christian and Christopher this month. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton is pregnant with her second child. Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson Okojie has given birth to her second child named Henry. Congratulations to these beautiful women.

Veteran fashion designer, Oscar de la Renta died this month. The legendary designer who made fabulous dresses for women across the world, died from cancer complications at the age of 82 in Kent, Connecticut. Captain of the Bafana Bafana, Senzo Meyiwa is dead. The keeper of the South African national football team who never conceded a goal for the national team, was shot dead at his home near Johannesburg by a 7-man gang of robbers. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.

The bomb blasts returned this month  in the north and our peace as a nation is being threatened once again. Men and women are being kidnapped daily and insecurity is on the rise. The 2015 general elections are almost here and campaigns are in full gear. As a citizen, it is your right to vote and be voted for. Please register on time so you can vote and make a change. Refuse to be cajoled against your will, the temporary gifts you receive now in secret may cause a permanent scar. A lot of mistakes have been made in the past and the time to correct them is now. Our girls are still missing and so is the Malaysian plane (#MH370)

Did you celebrate your birthday this month? Let me use this opportunity to wish you a happy belated birthday. Did you get married to your rib this month? I wish you a happy married life with beautiful babies. This is the beginning of the best years of your life.

Ladies and gentlemen of The Diary, 2014 is almost over. How has the year been for you so far? Did you achieve your set goals? Did you go farther than you expected? Are you feeling underachieved? Not to worry, we have 2 months to the end of the year. Get back on track and run this race to the end, it's not over until YOU say so. 

In the spirit of a beautiful November ahead, let me be the first to wish you a HAPPY NEW MONTH.


*picture credit: Google, Twitter, My phone :)

ALMOST A BRIDE: EPISODE 9

Last time on Almost a bride...

************************************

The loud bang woke her from her sleep, apparently she had been dozing on the wheels when she hit the car in front of her. The black Ford explorer in front of her had parked and the driver, a middle aged broad chested man wearing a pair of sun shades, came down and walked to the back of the car to see the damage that had been done. The rear light of the car had been shattered and there were pieces of it on the floor. Ihuoma was still sitted in her car. People were starting to gather and the drama that was about to unfold was already playing in her head.

"What's the meaning of this? What's all this? Can't you see? You don't know how to drive?", Ihuoma could hear him shout as he walked briskly towards her car. Ihuoma decided to come down and beg. She wasn't in the right frame of mind to speak big english and prove anything. She knew she was in the wrong; the damage had been done and now, she had to rectify it.

"I'm very sorry about this... I wasn't looking. I know you are angry please calm down, I'm terribly sorry about it."

The man stood in front of her and said nothing. Ihuoma had hoped he would shout at her or at least justify her begging with some words but he said nothing. After seconds of starring hard at her, he finally eased the moment.

"It's okay, there's no problem. You should be careful next time. Don't bother about it"

"No please, let me bother. It's my fault. Can i have your card so i can call you tomorrow? I'll call my mechanic so he can fit"

He gave her his card and went back to his car, careful enough not to step on pieces of shattered glass around the car. The crowd looked unsatisfied, they had expected more. With disappointment boldly written on their faces, they dispeersed. The car was still parked. Ihuoma looked at the car and she could see him staring into the rear view mirror of his car, looking directly at her. She made her way to her car ignoring the dent on the hood of it. She sat in the car waiting for the man to drive off as she could not afford to blow her car horn at a man that she had offended. After a few minutes of awkwardness, he drove off. Ihuoma drove behind him like a snail until he was out of sight.

At home, Ihuoma couldn't sleep. She had stayed awake the whole week reading for her exams, ended up sleeping on the wheels and getting involved in an accident, all for nothing. The sleep that was the sole cause of the accident was now nowhere to be found. She picked up her handbag to retrieve the card of the victim from the accident and dialed his number. She cleared her throat as the caller tune sang in her ears.

"Hello Mr Obinna Ugochukwu, good evening."

"Yes, good evening. Who am I speaking with?"

"I'm Ihuoma, the lady that hit your car this afternoon," she felt like a sinner confessing to a priest.

"Oh, the lady that wanted to kill me this afternoon. Good to finally place a name to the face."

"I want to apologise again, i'm terribly sorry. I would like to fix it tomorrow at my mechanics place so i want to know what time you would be available."

"I'll be free around evening time, 4 or 5 ish is fine"

"Ok, i'll send you a text with the address of the place. Thank you"

"Alright then, see you tomorrow."

His response was flaccid. He didn't seem angry at her and she wasn't quite sure of what to make of it. All she knew was that by the end of the morrow, her doubts would be clear.

She was able to leave the hospital the next day by 3:30 p.m after giving the excuse of an emergency at home. She got to the mechanics workshop about 45 minutes later and she found her victim calmly seated and gisting with the mechanic about football. She comported herself; ran her hand through her hair, arranged her pleated skirt and walked up to him confidently. As she opened her mouth to greet him, he stopped her;

"You invited me out and you came late for our date, is it fair?" He asked without a smirk on his face.

Ihuoma didn't know when she burst out laughing. She was not expecting it. She smiled at him and apologized for coming late.

"It's fine." He replied smiling at her. You look tired, how was work?"

"Fine thank you." She replied immediately. She wasn't one for small talks but here she was smiling at a stranger. She felt like she was obliged to answer all his questions, it was the least she could do after bashing his car. The 3 hours they spent at the workshop had them discussing everything worth discussing under the sun. One topic paved way for the other and the mechanics beckon to her signaled the end of the series of discussions.

"Your car is ready Mr Ugochukwu, i apologize again for all the inconvienences."

"Stop apologizing, I understand. Thank you" he replied as he brought out his wallet and counted wads of naira notes to pay the mechanic.

"How much is everything Mr Idris?"

"No no no...i'm not gonna let you do that. I am paying for it. The accident was my fault, let me pay for it please." Ihuoma said, making effort to restrain his hand.

"No, i insist. It's my car let me pay for it" he replied. They kept going back and forth until he finally changed the tone of the argument.

"I'll allow you to pay for the repair if you agree to do lunch with me next week." He said with a vague expression. Ihuoma reluctantly agreed to have lunch with him. She was adamant about paying for the damage because she didn't want anybody chasing her with car keys in her dreams. For her, it would be an opportunity to end all ties with him and move on with her life.

She arrived at Cold Stone creamery, a few minutes before 2 p.m for her lunch date with Obinna. She made sure she arrived before time so she wouldn't have to apologize for being late; she was starting to sound like a broken record for apologizing so much. Obinna arrived right on time and they placed their orders. They talked at length about the accident, work and life in general. He was the Chief Financial officer of Milton's oil and gas with no wife and child. He was engaged to be married a few years back but his fiancee died a month to their wedding and it left him devastated. He didn't have the heart to go in search of love again. He didn't mention how she died and Ihuoma was not about to reopen a wound that had healed with time.

"It's okay, love will find you someday" Ihuoma reassured him. She had been in that boat for a longwhile so she could understand his fear.

After lunch that day, Obinna's number became one of the most dialled numbers on her phone. He made it a duty to call her everyday and she reciprocated the kind gesture. All she wanted was a platonic friendship with him but as the calls became frequent, even at odd hours, she allowed nature to take it's course. Seven weeks after she bashed his car, Obinna asked her to be his friend and she agreed, afterall, that's all they were. He called her every hour of the day from when she rose for the day till when she bade him goodnight on the phone. He was always angry whenever she missed his call so she made sure she answered when he called. He always wanted to know where she was and what she was doing. She saw nothing wrong in it, afterall most girls would give an arm to have a caring and dotting man around them. People had different ways of expressing love, this she had learnt from her past relationships. As months went by, she got used to his jealousy and always found a way to tease him about it. She got used to massaging his ego whenever he was angry and she believed it would ease off with time.

One wednesday afternoon after a busy morning at the hospital, she managed to look at her phone and she saw 7 missed calls from Obinna. She tried calling him back but his number was unavailable so she decided to call him later in the day. As she rounded off the cases for the day, the doctor on night duty, Dr Paul, called her to say he was held up somewhere, that she should cover for him till he could make it to the hospital. Ihuoma had no choice than to cover for him, it was something he had done for her a number of times. Dr Paul resumed duty at the hospital 5 hours later and Ihuoma tired as she was, decided to stop by at Obinna's house before heading home. She hadn't spoken to him all day and she really needed to see him. She got to his house and he opened the door for her fuming. He welcomed her with series of questions;

"Where have you been since? I've been calling you and you didn't pick. What were you doing Ihuoma?! Why didn't you return my calls?" The questions kept running into each other and she didn't have the opportunity to anwer him.

"Obi, i'm sorry." She chipped in, "i was working at the hospital."

"Lies! You were at the hospital and you are coming here by 10:45 pm, almost midnight! Who were you with? You were with another man right? What does he have that i don't eh? What?"

"Calm down Obi, i wasn't with anybody. Dr Paul is the one on night call so i had to wait for him to get to the hospital. He was running late. He came in at 10:00 O'clock." She waved him off as she walked towards the couch.

He followed her and continued shouting, "So that's his name. Is it because he's a doctor?" He was near her now, he was only a breadth away. "You are now sleeping around with your colleagues eh? Is that what you do now? Answer me!"

When his hand landed on her face, she felt a tingling sensation in her ears right before she fell on the floor. She was so dazed that she didn't see the second slap coming. She knew his hand was approching her face but she blacked out before he hit her again. Obinna saw that she wasn't moving but he kept shaking her body, hoping she would wake up. Scared that he had killed her like he killed his fiancee, he carried her to the hospital and waited for the doctor to confirm that she was awake before he went in to see her. As soon as Ihuoma saw him at the door, she screamed and shouted at the doctor to send him away. The doctor did her bidding and she asked him to call Anini to tell her that she was at the hospital.

Anini, Lala and Dona arrived at the hospital less than an hour later and they all rushed to her bedside.

"What happened to you? Who did this?" Lala asked.

Ihuoma narrated the whole scenario to them and even laughed as she told the story. She couldn't explain how she had reduced herself to such a level.

"The way that slap came eh, i never hexperred it" she laughed as she tried to hide the tears forming in her eyes.

"Seriously, I don't think marriage is for everybody. Why should only me, Ihuoma Nwabuogaranya have to go through all this just to find love? Why is it that only players, insecure people and woman batterers find me attractive? Why?! Is it fair? Why me?"

Lala was quick to wipe the tears off Ihuoma's face before they reached the corner of her lips. They gathered around her and hugged her tightly. Ihuoma felt blessed. She didn't have the best of times in dealing with men, but she was glad she had her girls with her always.

ALMOST A BRIDE: EPISODE 8

Last time on Almost a bride...

*********************************************

Ihuoma looked away from the big medical textbooks that lay on her table. That region of her room has become her favorite place to be since the preparation for her primaries-the residency examination, began in earnest. She had registered earlier in the year and the exam was slated for September. She choose the Lagos venue, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria examination center, Ijanikin. She had always known that she would be a pediatrician since her junior posting in medical school when she discovered her undying love for children. She didn’t like seeing them weak and helpless and so, she was ready to do everything possible to become one including staying late at night and waking up very early for work the next day. She had made sure she got her leave during the exam period to help her prepare well. She no longer saw the girls often and they understood. She converted all her setbacks into strength to prepare for her exam, “If I can’t get a man, at least I should pass an exam” that became her motto whenever she was tired of reading.

As the day drew nigh, she stopped cooking and started eating junk food. It reminded her of professional examination period in medical school; once they had one more incourse assessment left for each course, preparation was in full gear. Students had personal spaces in the reading room, library or class because no matter the time you got there, you would always meet people there either sleeping or awake. She would never forget her part 2 written exam, which ran for a week; she only managed to get one hour of sleep throught that week. It was one of the scariest exams in school and students did all it took to stay awake and read. To her, medical school was an experience that could never fully be explained; you do not leave the same person that you were when you gained admission. 

“This too shall pass” she said one morning as she looked into the mirror staring at her eye bags, flat cheeks and the loose gown hanging on her frame. She was certain Dare Art Alade sang his hit song for  her; “You’re not the girl I used to know, you’re a shadow of yourself” she sang as she searched for her car keys amongst the books on her table. The drive to Shoprite, Surulere, was smooth and she finally got a space to park after driving round for twenty minutes. She got into the busy mall and brought out her shopping list from her black bucket bag. She matched her blue dansiki gown with black sandals and she had tied her hair in her brown silk scarf. Ihuoma and scarfs had become two peas in a pod since she had not had time to go to the saloon to make her hair. She bought toiletries, biscuits, fruits and provisions and was on her way home. She got home and made coco pops. As she settled in to devour her cereal and resume her reading, her phone rang. It was Dona.

“Hello Oma” she said in her soprano voice.

“Dona, how are you”

“I’m fine, how’s preparation for your exam?"

“Very well, making progress.”

She asked if Ihuoma had eaten and was unsatisfied when she told her she had cocopops. She asked what Oma would like to eat.

“I just feel like eating pizza all of a sudden”, she answered.

Her doorbell rang about one hour later, it was the delivery man. She collected the pizza and had it for dinner. Later, she sent Dona a thank you text.

On the morning of the examination, Ihuoma woke up by 4:30 am to prepare for her journey. She wore her black gown and cover shoe which was her default dressing for any exam. By 5:15 am, she was driving to Ijanikin. Praying and playing Christian songs, she practically held a service in her car. Her ringtone interrupted her service.

“Hello mum”

“Nne, good morning o. Today is your exam okwa ya?”

“Yes mum.”

“Make us proud o, I didn’t raise a dumb child. God will see you through, inugo?”

“Yes ma, thank you mum.” She said as the line dropped.

This was the first time since she left school four years ago; her mum had called her without asking her about when she was bringing her man home.

When Ihuoma got to the venue, she was sure there were more than a thousand heads present, both old and young in groups discussing past questions. They announced the commencement of entry into the hall and were asked to seat according to their exam number. ​

The examiners distributed the exam questions and shouted,“Write your name behind the scantron sheet, enter your registration number and shade appropriately”, they wouldn’tstop screaming. Thirty minutes into the exam, Ihuoma raised her head for the first time. The young man seated next to her was chewing his pen vigorously, Ihuoma literally saw the cover of the pen turn white from it's original blue colour. A lady in front was staring at the ceiling like there were answers secretly inscribed on it, Ihuoma had to look twice to be sure she wasn’t missing out on something. An old man had his white shirt soaked in sweat, frequently using his already soaked handkerchief to wipe his dripping face inspite of the air-conditioning in the hall.  The two-hour exam finally ended and she felt relief flow through her body, it was time to sleep! She greeted a few of her colleagues who had attended the same school with her and was on her way out of the venue disregarding the usual post exam discussion on which answers were right or wrong. Ihuoma heard a lady’s voice. “No, that’s not the correct answer, I’m very sure. Infact, a senior colleague told me so before we entered the hall or was it in my textbook? I can't remember”, she turned to look. It was the same lady that was searching for answers on the ceiling.

Ihuoma could barely keep awake during the drive home. As she approached Fadeyi bus-stop, she heard a loud bang…

 

ALMOST A BRIDE: EPISODE 7

Last time on Almost a bride... 

*********************************************

At the close of work two weeks later, Ihuoma drove to Eastside restaurant along Beulah road, Lagos. It was her first time on that axis. Thanks to her Google map, she was able to navigate her way through. The interior of the restaurant was magnificent, for a few minutes she felt she wasn’t in Nigeria. She took her seat and the waiter walked up to her with the menu and a smile,dressed in a white shirt, black trouser and a black tie. He gave her the menu and she looked through.

“I’ll let you know when I’m done, thanks.”

Ihuoma took her time, she looked through the menu and admired the restaurant too. There were different types of people, young couples chatting away, business men discussing, ladies in groups rattling, she could hear their giggles and whispers. From the table for two at a corner in the restaurant, there was a young man who sat alone with a glass of chapman. Forty five minutes of waiting and Anini hadn’t called or gotten there. She had sent her messages on BBM and they didn’t deliver nor were her calls going through. She decided to send her a voicenote,

“Hi Ani, where are you, I’ve been waiting since forever. Is this the treat you promised me? Please get here as soon as you can!”

After sending the voice note, she saw the young man that was sitting alone walk up to her. She started playing Candy crush saga on her phone.

“Hi, I’m David.”

“How may I help you?”

He explained how she looked like the person Anini had sent to give him the corporate account opening form from his bank. It was until he mentioned Anini’s name that she raised her head. David had asked Nonso, Anini’s husband, to help him get the corporate bank account opening form the last time he visited the newly married couple. Nonso told him he would give the form to Anini as she was going to be easier to collect it since she was coming to Beulah road.

“I am here because Anini said she was giving me a treat. I have no idea what you’re taking about.”

“I’ve been trying to reach her and Nonso, all to no avail. I just can't believe she actually did something like this. Well I am hungry; I have not had the time to eat a proper meal all day. Can we order?"

"Yes please", Ihuoma replied, smiling to herself.

During the meal, they talked and suddenly David gave a loud laugh, Ihuoma was confused. He asked them to give reasons why the new couples had done this to them, and top of the list was the fact that Love hadn't been fair to them both and the fact that they both loved poetry. They both had a story to tell and that must have been Anini's que to hook them up.

"You work at the same hospital at Anini?"

"No, I work at Ripple hospital. I should be joining her soon though, after my primaries. I mean my residency exam."

That night, Ihuoma got to know that he was a retired banker. He studied banking and finance in school and it was only normal for him to get a job in the industry. When he wasn't getting the fulfillment that he desired, he decided to monetize his passion. He had always been fascinated about fishes, their habitat and their variations. When the opportunity presented itself for him to start a Fishpond, he did not hesitate.

"It's not exactly as buoyant as I hoped it would be but I believe it would get better in time." He concluded.

Ihuoma admired his spirit. It was a big risk leaving the banking sector with all the glory and huge salaries but he took it. Such qualities were rare to come by in men these days. Some men would prefer to stay in their comfort zones and earn salaries for the rest of their lives instead of becoming vibrant employers of labor when the opportunity arises. At the end of dinner that night, Ihuoma was no longer angry with Anini. She had gotten more than she bargained for; enjoyed a good meal and began a beautiful friendship with a gentle, vibrant and ambitious young man. They said their goodbyes only after exchanging phone numbers.

The crackling sound of Anini's laughter in the background when Ihuoma called her the next morning made Ihuoma to start laughing too. She wanted to give Anini a piece of her mind for deceiving her but she changed her mind when Anini apologised.

"I'm sorry Ihuoma, I planned it with the girls. How was dinner? Do you like him? Gist me na" Anini asked her amidst her laughter.

"It's too early to be asking these questions Ani. You know where i'm coming from. I don't want anything serious for now"

"No pressure dear, no pressure at all. Take all the time that you need. David is a good guy, you'll like him eventually."

"I've heard o, thank you ma. Talk to you later."

David also called Anini the next day to thank her for a beautiful evening the previous day. Unlike Ihuoma, he was grateful to Anini for setting them up. He liked Ihuoma instantly, it was a connection he couldn't explain. He started calling her and visiting her at the hospital. David always found an excuse to be "around the premises" and always dropped by to say hi toIhuoma. She always received him warmly whenever he came visiting. He took her out for lunch on some days and on other days, it was either they went to see a movie together or they would just sit together in a restaurant making fun of couples that couldn't get enough of themselves. Ihuoma grew to love him and so they started dating.

Ihuoma had always talked about her love for ther arts and David wanted to take her to one of such places where art was expressed in all it's glory. He found such an oportunity when his friend gave him free tickets to an open mic event. They had been dating for about 3 months and it was something he had always wanted to do. He called her up the next day and after beating around the bush for a while, he invited her for the program. He wasn't sure she would accept it because of her job but he was suprised by her reply,

"Of course, i'll love to attend. Arts are my only route of escape from this mentally draining profession. I'll see you there."

"Ok when should i come pick you up?"

"No need, i'll meet you there. I'll drive myself."

David didn't see anything wrong in that. She was a strong woman that didn't depend on any man and that was a plus for him.

David got there before Ihuoma. He was able to reserve a seat for her next to him. She had come straight from work but she was still beautiful. Performances were taken from different people and Ihuoma was excited. When the Mc asked for any other person that wanted to perform, Ihuoma raised her hand happily. She mounted the stage and delievered the words straight from her head;

There was a time when my mind was my prison;

memories of words spoken, my shackles.

There was always power in spoken words:

"Walk erect, sit straight

Be quiet!!! Don't ask so many questions.

A woman's place is in the kitchen"

They said

"Education is for the man,

Go, learn to sew, cook, and cradle the baby".

Yet all this I did and still am labeled a slut,

A slut for daring to question the status quo

For daring to follow my dreams.

Tired of being told who to be and who not to be.

Tired of trying to please

Tired of this hurt

Tired of trying to be perfect.

Why must i be the one in the kitchen?

Why can't I drink beer with the men and discuss politics?

My place is where I want it to be,

Doing what I want to do.

No longer do I have to grind peppers with my hands, on my knees to show

how worthy a woman I am.

No longer do I have to talk with my eyes cast down to show respect to a

fellow human.

No longer do I have to think that because the thing between my legs are round

and his long, that I am less.

I am no longer the little girl too afraid to speak up!

I am no longer the young woman trying to belong.

I am ME. Unapologetically me

I am a woman, a proud woman.

David was stunned by her performance. He saw another side of her that he hadn't seen before. He knew she was outspoken; but that feminist part of her, he had never seen. He was quick to return to reality to applaud her just as she returned to her seat.

"How was it? I was very shy on the stage"

"You did great dear, it was marvelous"

"Did you like it?

"Of course. I loved it"

He had lied and he knew it. What was he to do? Tell her that he didn't like it? That he didn't like her feministic tone? That he didn't like feminists? His idea of a typical wife was; submissive,obedient and depending. He practically believed that women were meant to be seen and not heard. He never envisaged a future with a woman that would always have an opinion whenever there was a topic on ground. While growing up, his parents were always at logger heads before they eventually seperated. During their arguments, his mum always wanted to have the final say even though she was wrong 80 percent of the time. Their divorce left a sour taste in his mouth and he vowed never to marry a feminist or a strong willed woman. The pains he went through as a result of their divorce left an indelible scar in his mind and he prayed to never allow his children go through such.

On her 29th birthday, she woke up like a princess. She was one step closer to 30 and in this part of the world, her marital clock was ticking. 29 years on earth and she still learnt lessons everyday. Despite the troubles and the pains she had gone through, she had a lot to be thankful for. The calls came in, the dp's on bbm changed and the pm's all carried the same updates, "Happy Birthday Ihuoma, GGMUB, WULLNP, TDFW" those acronyms she would never understand. She went to the hospital that day and her colleagues sang and wished her all the best. David organised dinner for her at Golden Gate restaurant where they hosted a few of their friends. She recieved a lot of gifts and she thanked them for coming. David dropped her of at her house and asked to come in for a while.

Ihuoma didn't mind. She had thanked him for the greater part of the journey to their house. David had done a lot for her and she was really grateful.

"Ihuoma, sit down. I have something to tell you." He was sitting right in front of her, their eyes locked together. He clenched his teeth and continued, "You are a very beautiful woman. You are strong, vivacious and outspoken. You know what you want in life. It's like your life is perfect and i wouldn't want anybody to spoil it."

He took a brief pause. Ihuoma couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was happening on her birthday. Ihuoma refused to believe it was about to happen. She had seen it in movies, people being proposed to on their birthdays but she never thought it would happen to her. Her mother would be so proud of her. She didn't have to hit the big 30 before she found her hubby. She was ready, she had been waiting for that moment all her life.

"I think we need to end this relationship. It's not going anywhere. I'm not up to your standard. I would never truly complement you. I have a warped mindset of what my future wife should be like and i think i need to re-orientate my thinking before getting involved with you. " He waited for Ihuoma to say something or better still do something but she didn't move. He swallowed the saliva froming in his mouth and continued,

"You are perfect in your own way. I'm the one with the problem. I would not make you happy in the long run. I think we need to end this now."

"You think we need to end this relationship?"

Those were the words she could mutter. That was not the proposal she was expecting or maybe it was a birthday prank. But she wasnt seeing any smirk or smile on his face. I think i would never truly complement you? Why was he thinking for her?

"What problem are you talking about? Did i ever complain to you about anything? Did my friends tell you anything? David, why do you want to embarrass me like this?  why this? Why now?

"No, i never meant to hurt you Ihuoma. It's something i've been thinking about for a while now. I don't want you to start another year of your life thinking that something good will come out of this relationship."

Ihuoma got up and walked to the door. She opened it down and asked David to leave. "Get out! Get out of my house. I never want to see you again." Her temper was rising. She used to have a terrible temper in the past but the last episode landed her a slap from her mum and it gave her a new perspective. She had done a lot to control it but at that point in time, she could feel it rising. She was very angry. David was still trying to apologize but it only made it worse. She practically pushed him out the door and shut it behind her.

She took one look at the apartment and screamed. She tore up the cards and kicked the gifts away, injuring herself in the process. She didn't want to call anybody or talk to anybody. She sat on the floor under the Chinua Achebe painting in the sitting room, buried her face in her laps and cried herself to sleep.