Lekki Sisi - S01 E83

Story 2 years ago

Lekki Sisi - S01 E83

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 83

I looked at her, surprised. ‘So fast. You didn’t tell me about him when I was still at Fidson.’

‘It wasn’t so serious then. I was still observing him. So when is yours?’

I shrugged. ‘I don’t know yet. Hopefully, next year.’

‘That’s too far. This is May. You can still fix your wedding before the end of the year.’

The gifts came afterwards. Dad got me a black Toyota Venza. Shade gave me a Mac laptop. Yetunde presented As the shofar blew by Francine Rivers and a collection of Karen Kingsbury’s Redemption series. Gbenga got me a wristwatch. Even Shade’s fiancé had a journal for me. The best gift I received that day was from Patrick.

He opened a small box and brought out an engagement ring which he slid into my finger.

Dad looked at his two future sons-in-law. ‘I don’t joke with my daughters. You must take good care of them.’

Patrick’s gaze rested on my face. ‘By God’s grace, I will.’ When I looked up, Shade’s head was on her fiancé’s shoulder. They were giggling like teenagers.

The birthday celebration ended quickly because in Lagos, time is money. Patrick drove me in my new car to work. A meeting had been scheduled in the conference room for 11a.m. I sat with Dad as he introduced me to the members of staff as the new branch head of Fidson Corporate Solutions. He made it very clear that I was his daughter and when the other employees looked at him in disbelief, he emphasized, ‘biological.’

My eyes scanned the room. I had worked with most of these people and now I was going to lead them. I missed Francis and wished he was back. Not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined returning to Fidson.

Oh God! Is this how you work? Is this how you take a person’s mess and make something out of it? But why are you showing me so much love?

I didn’t get any response. His silence spoke a thousand words.

Later that evening, we saw dad off to the airport. He had to return to Abuja to prepare for a meeting with a Belgium company. Yetunde sat behind me in the car, working on her school application.

‘Did mum agree to Gbenga moving in with dad?’ I asked Yetunde as we approached the airport.

‘Yes she did. I was so surprised. I wonder what Dad wrote in that letter to mum.’

Patrick glanced at my sister from the rear mirror, ‘Tell mum we’ll be visiting next weekend.’

Yetunde smiled. ‘I called her this afternoon. She can’t wait to meet you.’

We pulled behind Shade’s car and climbed down. We waited outside until Patrick and Shade found a place to park and then we walked into the airport together. I couldn’t help but smile at my brother in a fine t-shirt and jeans with matching sneakers. He looked so different from the Akure boy I knew.

We waved at the men, my father and my brother, as they left for the departure lounge. Shade had decided to stay back for a while to properly hand over to me. Yetunde was returning to Akure to help mum until her travelling papers were finalized. As I locked hands with my husband-to-be, all I could think of was the faithfulness of God.

I slept over at Tola’s place that night. Mercy had travelled to Akwa-Ibom to see her parents and so we were alone in the house

‘Finally! You said Yes to Patrick.’

I frowned. ‘How did you know? This was supposed to be me breaking this news to you.’

Tola laughed. ‘I should have just pretended I didn’t know. Patrick told Wale and he told me.’

We sat in the living room and talked about love and men and marriage. I noticed that nothing had changed since the last time I came to Tola’s place.

‘I was asked to convince you about something.’

I stared at my friend, curious. ‘What is it?’

She moved closer to me. ‘Can we get married on the same day. I want us to have it in record that we got married the same day. You know, both of us starting this marriage journey together will be fun. Patrick is fine with this.’

‘Your wedding is just two months away. I can’t get married in two months Tola.’

‘We can move it to November, if you want.’