Single and 30 - Episode 2

Author's pov (a contination of the last episode)

Chika rises and touches her shoulder and talked, "You have us. You are not alone".

"I know, but it's not the same thing. AmanI, you have your husband and two beautiful kids. Stella you have a husband who loves you to distraction. Chika, fine you are unmarried, but you have a family who love you and a guy who loves you. I have no family. No one".

She sobs. The ladies surround her to Cheer her up.

"Come on, don't cry you are iron lady remember", Chika told her.

"Right? Iron lady"_ Doyin says amidst tears. She sniffs. "I'm Sorry I went all baby on you guys. It's just that sometimes I wake up scared and then......" She cries again.

She finally cleans her tears with her hands. "Thank you", she appreciates them.

She looked at her friends who looked concerned. What would she do without them? They have been friends from their university days.

Amani sighs and talks, "it's okay. I understand you. I can't imagine life without Ali and the kids". She pauses. "Doyin you want to get married before your birthday, right?"

Doyin nods affirmative.

"So we need a plan. We already have a deadline

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/single-and-30

. First of all D, you have to let go of all these hideous things you call clothes", Amani orders.

Doyin opens her mouth at A man I words, but nod again.

"Two, you have to learn how to cook. Yes even if you have to burn down the house. Hire a chef or something. We don't want a reoccurrence of what happened with Tega's mum".

"And you must not let anyone know you are desperate", she finished.

"Yes mummy", Doyin replied. It as if they knew what she is thinking.

Stella added to it, " You don't resist my matchmaking attempts. By the way, I have a chef for you".

"And lastly, you have to pray very well. If you rush into marriage you rush out", Chika puts in.

Stella grins. "Doyin you have to take mummy G.O words of wisdom seriously".

"Ah!" Chika laments. "Catholics don't have G.Os".

"Bet". Stella stretches forth her hand. Chika playfully pushes her.

Doyin throws a pillow case at them. "Stop shouting!"

"Really?" Stella picks up a pillow. "You know what?" She inquired.

"What?" Doyin asks not noticing the other girl holding a pillows too.

"Pillow fight!"

Doyin's POV

The fourth thing you don't know about me; I love church. Prayer meetings and the likes. I am an usher, in fact. I know all that is not what is going to take me to heaven. I just need grace

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

I stared longingly at the baby nursing. Her mother, Mrs. Okey or should I say sister Lilian smiled at me. She is an usher in my church who just delivered.

"She is beautiful", I tell her mother.

Thank you, she replies with the joy of motherhood clearly written on her face.

"Carry her", she says handing over the baby to me.

"Really! " I said excitedly. I cooed at the little girl in my arms. I stare at her tiny feet and fingers which she tightened into a fist. Everything about her is small.

"She looks like her father", I say.

"Don't let him hear you, else he would start boasting about his abilities up and down" 

I laugh, staring at the baby who is now sleeping peacefully. One day, I would cradle my own child. As if reading my mind, sister Lilian chirped in, "it will be your turn soon".

"Amen, but after marriage sha!"

She smiled. "Of course. Which reminds me, how is your fiancee?"

I feel a sense of sadness but smiled. "We broke up".

"I am sorry. I didn't know."

"He's even married now".

"What?!!"She exclaimed and the baby gave a cry of protest at the noise. I rock her to sleep.

I smile at Lilian's expression. "The news was all over the social media. He married a celeb. Well...... That's all in the past now".

She rubs my shoulder comfortingly. "The lord is strength".

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In my car, I recalled the night we broke up. I was going on and on about how the wedding will be, when I noticed his sour mood.

FLASHBACK.

"Tega, what's wrong?" I asked him.

He sighs and started talking. "I would have loved to say nothing, but something is......" He paused.

"Talk to me", I urged.

Then he continued, "you must have noticed that I don't let a lot of people know about us. I introduced you to mum but you messed up big time."

I looked down. I never noticed, but come to think of it. Is he ashamed of my riot col our dressing. He always told me that the inner is what matters.

At my continued silence. He dropped the bomb, "I recently realized that you don't possess the qualities I need in a woman. You can't cook. You have no family connections. No fashion sense. I just want us to break up".

I looked up and started stammering, "Tega, I wo.....would change. I would b......be the so.....sort of woman you want. Just don't do this to me" 

He raised his hands to stop me from talking. "Look here Doyin.

Read " A Bride For The Dumji Prince " by the same author ( Queen )

. Try to understand that I have fallen out of love. I don't love you anymore".

My worst dream a reality, I thought.

"10 years, Tega. It has been 10 years and you are just realizing this". I breath in and out deeply. "Are you kidding me?" I asked raising my voice.

"I am sorry".

I stood up and looked at him with anger. "Keep your pathetic apology and I don't love yous. I would keep my dignity and my heart".

I left him there at the love garden.

FLASHBACK OVER

How could I have missed the red signs? How could I be so blind? I wasted ten years with him. Ten years. And he didn't even wait a month before getting married. Good for me. I missed marrying the wrong man.

He has moved on and I must so the same