Ex-boyfriend Episode Six
Days ran into weeks and weeks ran into a month but Chima was not invited for an interview by the companies where he had applied for jobs. It was now just two weeks to Linda’s wedding and she was yet to call it off. In fact, Linda was becoming restless, not knowing what to do. She and Kele are now counting days to their wedding but the truth is that she did not want to marry him. However, she wanted to hold on to him to the last moment, to be sure that Chima will not come to ask for her hand in marriage.
“I will be so sad if I end up getting married to Kele. It took me a trip to Chima’s house for me to realise how much I do not want to marry Kele. I have always felt some doubts in my heart but I covered it up. I have always known that my love for Kele was not complete but I suppressed that feeling, hoping things would work out.” Linda said to herself one evening.
“I think visiting Chima to give him an invitation card was a mistake. I shouldn’t have gone there, knowing how much we loved each other when we were dating. When I entered his house and saw him, it was like an old fire wood came alive again after a single scratch of the match. Since that day, I have lost interest in Kele. He is no longer appealing to me and all that is ringing in my head is to call off the wedding and to be with the man I truly love.” Linda continued talking to herself. She was weeping and her pillow was drenched with tears.
“If I end up getting married to Kele, I will live a miserable life. I will never be happy again. I thought I was happy with him, but I have just recently realized that I was infatuated. The only person I have ever truly loved is Chima and he is the person I would like to spend the rest of my life with. But the problem is that he is not ready to take any risk. He is afraid because I’m richer than him. He thinks I would start treating him badly if I become the breadwinner of the house. Chima doesn’t really know me. I’m not that kind of person. I can’t treat him like that because I love him.” Linda said tearfully. She used her fingers to count the number of days left before she would marry Kele. There were just a few days left.
“We only have 14 days left and there is no sign that Chima is going to get a job. But I think he is right in trying to get a job. I understand him and why he is trying to secure a source of income before setting up a family. He wants to be the man of the house. Of a truth, I cannot be proud of a man who cannot provide for me. I support his quest to have money before proceeding with marriage. The only issue I have with this is that there is no time. I no longer have time at all. His delay would make me to marry a man I don’t want. Let me visit Chima and still try to convince him.” Linda said as she stood up from her bed and picked up her car keys. She drove to the UNILAG hostel to visit Chima.
“Have they called you? I mean, the companies you applied to, did they call you? Time is running out Chima. Please, if you love me, kindly do something. My whole life will be miserable if I don’t marry you. Please, I’m not joking. I so much love you and I don’t even want to wake up and see another man beside me. You are the one God created for me and you are the one I would like to spend my forever with, not Kele.” Linda said. She was weeping.
“I have not received any phone call from them. None of the companies have called me or sent me emails.” Chima said.
“But are you still waiting for them? Let us get married. I will sponsor the whole thing, even pay my own bride prize. I have millions in my savings account, and I’m ready to empty it if need be. Just borrow the money from me, you will pay me later.” Linda said.
“No! Never! That is not acceptable in my culture. The money I will use to pay your bride price must be my money, earned through my own sweat. I can’t use your money to pay your bride price. If I do that, it means I’m no longer a man. That means you are the one getting married to me and I’m the woman. Don’t worry, I have promised you I will find a job. Just be a little more patient. However, I’m not going to stop you from getting married to Kele. I don’t want to do something that will make us to start having problems in our marriage. If you use your money to sponsor our wedding and to pay your bride price, you will not respect me as the man of the house. He who pays the bills is called the Oga. You will become my Oga if you pay my bills. It is just the natural order of things.” Chima said firmly and sincerly. He has stood his ground since he and Linda reunited.
“What about engagement ring? Can I buy an engagement ring and give to you so that you will engage me? I want to remove Kele’s ring and wear your own.” Linda pleaded, but Chima refused.
A few days later, Linda fell sick. She went to the hospital and discovered she was pregnant.
“Now, I have something to use and catch Chima. He has gotten me pregnant. I’m so happy.” Linda said happily as she started rushing to the hostel to break the news to Chima.
Watch out for episode 7
