TOLANI
EPISODE 36
Preparations were all made, and we intended to have our traditional marriage at my home state, Ogun state while the wedding holds at Abuja.
The hall was hired, and our wedding was to hold at one of the biggest hotel and ceremony halls in Abuja.
As the day drew nigh, my heart leaped and my chest grew broader.
“Is this me? Is this actually a dream? Is it my wedding?” I resonated within, marvelled at how things had turned out.
Just few months back, I battled with my relationship and had numerous distractions.
Our passport visa were all ready. My traditional outfit and wedding gown were all ready.
The joy was overwhelming that I found myself giggling at every minute.
“Do you have a wedding gift for me?” I asked Chimaobi.
“Sure, I have bought them already, and I am sure you will love it.”
“I have got yours too.”
“What’s that?” Chimaobi asked excited.
“Meet me in our honeymoon location.” I teased as he laughed.
After Chimaobi left for Abuja to come later to pay my bride price, we could stay on phone call, chatting and laughing.
Only then did I truly understand the saying “distance makes the heart grow fonder.”
The feeling of answering Mrs. Chimaobi was a little surreal, changing to my new last name came with mixed feelings. I had some anxiety over waiting for the traditional marriage and the white wedding.
I and Chimaobi kept looking forward to seeing the wedding pictures, which our photographer will deliver to us via the flash drive Chimaobi gave him. We were to travel the next day after our wedding for our honeymoon and Chimaobi said we would consummate our union over there.
“I can’t wait to feel you again, bae.” Chimaobi said over the phone.
“Calm down before you get me pregnant. Remember you said we are taking a year before childbirth.” I told him as he chuckled.
“I will break your waist that day. Because I have been licensed.” He said laughing.
All these got me excited and nervous at the same time even the prospect of getting intimate with Chimaobi and getting pregnant.
I felt a new sense of responsibility in helping to make his life easier. I began channelling my mind towards a wife responsibility as I put diverse calls to him at intervals to ask him how he was doing and how preparations were going.
I also felt relieved that my in-laws were not hostile. They loved me and saw me as their child. Chimaobi’s siblings loved me also. It was fulfilling to see.
His mother would call my mom to talk at length concerning us.
Chimaobi would call Yahya Segun to gist him as they turned out to be best of friends.
Afterwards, Chimaobi and his people came to Ogun state for the traditional marriage. My house was filled up with dignitaries and elite of the society.
“The white wedding would be fire.’ my dad bragged.
After the traditional marriage, Chimaobi and I barely had time to ourselves as people were much, and they were in a haste to return to Abuja.
Ruth had arrived Ogun state from Jos to be with me until I travel for the honeymoon.
A day before our wedding, my family, Ruth and I traveled to Abuja for the wedding, and we lodged in the hotel.
Chimaobi had booked 4 hotel room before our arrival. A room for Ruth and I, a room for my parents, a room for my siblings and a room for my stylist, makeup artist, and hairstylist.
Segun and Chimaobi lodged in a different hotel. He didn’t want to dress from home.
Everything was going well but time for me, went slow.
Chimaobi and Yayha Segun drove two cars to pick us from the airport.
“Sugar plum,” Chimaobi said and hugged me tightly when he saw me at the airport.
“Woah! Omo Igbo, hug her easily, I know you have paid the bride price but easy.” My dad said as everyone laughed.
Mom had never been a talking type. She only gave me lecture talk for 20 minutes at Ogun state before we came into Abuja unlike my Dad who had fixed several conversations to teach me how to behave in my husband’s house.
On the morning of my wedding day, I couldn’t sleep. I rolled from one end of the bed to the other, thinking of how the wedding will be. “What if something bad happens?” I would think, cast and bind the thoughts, I was so restive.
“Can the morning come already.” I would wake up to check the time, disappointed at my findings and falling back on the bed.
Ruth was oblivious of my restiveness. She had been working all day for days, running errands for my day, she could barely lift her hands. I would have engaged her in a discussion.
I woke up, and it was still 1:23am. I decided to call Chimaobi.
“Hhmm! Would he pick? He should be asleep. This is 1:23am.” I thought within but chose to try my luck as I put a call to Chimaobi, and he picked immediately.
“Hahhahhahhhabbabababbbaha” I laughed gently, stroking my laps in awe as he laughed too.
“So you have been awake?” I asked him.
“My dear, I have been thinking, I couldn’t even sleep. I was just looking at your pictures and our pictures together, then I saw your call.” He laughed.
“I thought I was the only one restive.”
“I can’t sleep. The time is too slow, I wish I could fasten the hands of time,” He said as we chatted until 4: 45am when Ruth woke up and saw me on a call.
“Tolani!” She called me as she stood up from the bed and snatched the phone from me.
“Chimaobi! Leave Tolani to sleep. You both need rest and have eternity to gist. Bye.” She hung the call and instructed me to sleep.
“Ohm! I don’t want to sleep. I can’t even sleep.”
“Force yourself.” She dragged me to bed and forced me to shut my eyes.
I woke up at 7:23am with red eyes when my mom stepped into my room.
“Tolani, Omo mi, wake up and take your bath. Wedding starts by 10am.” She pulled me up as I rolled my red eyes in want of more sleep.
“Yeye girl?” Ruth slapped my head, dragging me to the bathroom.
“Open your eyes already” she asked me to poop, but I couldn’t.
“Omo! Ruth, this shit no want come o” I called Ruth.
“You are just anxious and too excited.” She came into the bathroom, looking at me.
“Come take some oranges.” Mom said.
I stepped out, took some oranges and had the urge to poop as I went into the bathroom to ease off.
Afterwards, I took my bath and stepped out to dress up. My stylists were already waiting for me.
Dad and Chimaobi called at intervals to speak to me but mom refused.
Ruth took her bath while I was styled.
The D-Day I had waited for years was there. I was all gamed, sweet and glamorous in my beautiful white overflowing dress with a beautiful makeup that beautified my face more than it had always been, with an attractive flower bouquet.
“Omo mi,” my mom shed tears of joy as we hugged and cried.
“Check check check!” Came the sounds of the photographer’s camera, taking shots of this African beauty.
“Mama Tolani, are you people not through?” My dad called worried as everyone is waiting in the church.
“Tick tick, tok tok!” My heels made classic sounds as I stepped out of the hotel room in my glory as everyone looked at me and complimented my dazzling look.
“Awww! Awww!” Strangers and hotel staff wished me a happy married life as I stepped into the car.
“Chimaobi really mean business.” My mom said when she saw the car Chimaobi sent to pick his long-term lover, Tolani.
Getting into the church, I could hear dance and shouts of joy as I stepped into the big auditorium, and my father holding my arms gave me out to the Omo Igbo he once detested.
My eyes got ready as the hype Man read our love story to the congregation.
“You look so beautiful than ever.” Chimaobi stepped forward and whispered.
“Relax, young man. It’s not time yet. Her father is still the custodian.” The pastor joked as everyone laughed.
Getting to say the vows, our parents stepped to the podium to bless our union.
“Chimaobi repeat after me and make a vow to your woman.” The pastor instructed as he nodded.
“I, Chimaobi Okezie, take you, Tolani Folorunso to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.” The pastor said as Chimaobi repeated after him looking into my eyes in glitz and love.
“Tolani, repeat after me. I, Tolani Folorunso, take you, Chimaobi Okezie, to be my lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” He said as I repeated.
“Is anyone standing against this union? Speak now or remain silent forever.” The pastor said as people mumbled and my heart bit so fast.
“Lord, please, let us scale this. Oh! Pastor, go on, stop emphasizing.” I thought within as a defeating silence embraced the whole place.
“Chimaobi!” The pastor said, do you have anything to say to her on this special day, say it as Chimaobi came near, held my hands and began.
“Tolani, the first day I met you, I had butterflies in my belly like a woman. It was love at first sight and I never knew I could ever fall deeply in love. Bae, I promise that each kiss I give to you henceforth, will be filled with more love than the last.” he said and everyone shouted, laughing.
“So you have been kissing.” Our parents giggled and laughed.
I began to laugh so hard with tears running down my cheeks.
“Let him express himself…” The pastor calmed the congregation as Chimaobi continued.
“Tolani, my bae of life, although it is until death do us part, I’m aware that we will never truly part because our souls are made for each other. I promise that our days together will grow in love and devotion. From today onward, you and I will be one in heart, body, and mind. I vow to cherish you, devote my life to you and always be true.” He said and took a deep breath.
“Bae, please, let us build a home, a life, and a family from our bonds of true love and our vows to stick together through all life’s challenges.” he said as I nodded in affirmation as he fixed the wedding ring into my finger. It was a gold ring.
“Tolani, say what you have for him.”
“Obi m, you are my person, my inspiration, my love, and my everything. I cannot wait to spend a lifetime loving you, making you feel like a baby. I vow to express my love for you as often as I breathe each breath. You are my KING, I want to spend forever with you. I’m giving you my heart, my body, and my soul, take care of them.” I said as I fixed the wedding ring and everyone cheered us and the pastor bid Chimaobi to kiss the bride.
Like a hungry classic vampire, Chimaobi, pulled away my veil, rubbed his palm together as people laughed and cheered him.
“Na man you be!” He was hailed by the congregation as he got closer to me, placed his hands on my waist, as I placed my hands on his shoulders, he gave me a passionate face grabbed me with the other hand, looked into my eyes that I felt some warmth between my legs, as we both slowly approach each other, making the moment more intimate and better photographed, as we locked and kept our tongue in each other’s mouth as Chimaobi ate my lips with ardor and desire.
We had kissed a million times but mehn! That kiss was heavenly and dripping hot.
To be continued!
