Entering the shopping mall, I heard someone, calling my name with a foreign accent, I turned to see the man, It became a man I knew faintly. I kept on looking at his face, and he guessed I had lost memory of him. He took his time to talk, then he cleared his throat as if a little bit embarrassed. He said, "I can see you have forgotten Rob's cousin, Vincent shortened for Vin.". Oh! I can remember you now. We met at Ibadan when I went to visit a friend. Sure, the memory is clearer now. I know I have seen the face before but could not be sure where. How are you doing Vin?". "I'm fine Commy, you look great dear.". He said admiringly. " Thank you, but what are you up to in this place?". I asked him wondering what he was doing here. "Good question dear, I came for a wedding of my friend. He lives in Houston, Texas too but he came to marry his heartthrob. I followed him as one of his friends." He said.
Vincent inquired of Rob, saying it's been long they separated and had not beeVincent and I became close pals, my gossip mate, confidante. I found in him a brother indeed. You can not imagine the relief in my heart when he never talked about an intimate relationship. Vin came to the hostel to visit me, he was feeling a little dejected, " What's your difficulty, Vin?" I asked. He shook his head in despair and said, "Can you imagine my girlfriend called from Washington, D.C., asking me about Comfort, that is you. Someone in Nigeria called her that I am gallivanting all over with one Comfort. She was really mad at me and vowed to revenge. As I am talking to you she is with my best friend. She showed me their photograph hugging". Pain tugged at his heart. He was visibly disturbed. I grew angry with him, " You are a chicken?". I said. Surprisingly, he looked at me and got my message."Thanks, love, I cherish our relationship more than this distraction. To hell with her.Thanks for jolting me back to reality. I'm no chicken. Though painful, I'I put it behind me. &nbs
Making up my mind to help Vincent settle down with a good lady was not the easiest of jobs.Making sure he believed in ladies was getting difficult, but I kept on talking to him. He needed to change and be more disciplined in life. One of the days I asked him what he needed in a lady or his ideal woman. "I'm getting more confused day in day out. I can not see a good lady and I don't believe that I would recognize one again. I'm just too disappointed in my former girlfriend. I trusted her much and she listened to gossip that destroyed everything I've ever believed. Please don't preach to me. You are the one that can bring someone, somewhere for me to marry."Vincent retorted in total surrender. He was pacing up and down like a worried man or should I say like someone who needed to recover his lost goods. It came to a time, I screamed at him" Will you sit your ass down and let me breathe in peace.". I yanked. He sat down looking into my face in a sober mood. I came to his si
"This is not working at all.". Vincent shouted. " What is not working?". I answered Vin. "Why are you pretending not to understand what I am saying?. You are proving difficult for me.". " Vincent, I'm helping you here, so be careful. Kathy is the one for you, and you better not let her down.". Murmuring to himself, Vincent, wondering how the two of them are dragging one issue.Vincent related many cases where Kathy's former boyfriend, gave him a tough time. There was a day he went to see Kathy as usual. Dropping from the vehicle, he heard a noise as if someone was crying out for help. His heart skipped. The more he was coming close to the house, the louder the noise and he was able to recognize the voice as Kathy, he ran as fast as his leg could carry him. He had to keep on banging the door before the guy could leave her alone. He opened and left. On getting inside, he saw the house in disarray, she broke down weeping. He got to know that the guy wanted to force his way i
Comfort and Vincent were becoming too Close for Comfort. Vincent tells her almost everything. He feels relaxed in her presence. They go out to dinner several times. There was this time, around while coming to meet him in the restaurant, the strap of her brassiere was out. Before reaching his side, he had stood up to meet her and helped to adjust it neatly. He checks the way she dresses and corrects when necessary, this makes Comfort uncomfortable. "What would people say? "became her slogan and he would always reply, "Are you living for people"? She had felt embarrassed by his loving and caring attitude. He touches her cheeks, notices if she frowns, fusses over her. You can say, he dotes on her a lot. He hates to see her discomfited. There was a day, he opened the door of the car for her, she screamed because she hit her hand on the door unknowingly. He rushed to her side and was asking endless questions, " Are you alright? What happened? What hit you?". He held her so close to his b
Kathy was reveling in her little revenge on Comfort, aided by sycophants of friends. One of her friends praised her courage for landing Comfort two hot slaps. "You have guts, imprudence to handle betrayals like her. Almost the same thing happened to me years back, a trusted friend of mine, a childhood friend stabbed me at the back. She got to know another boyfriend of mine and because of her Petty jealousy, she went to the first boyfriend who was stinkingly rich, informed him of the second one. Richmond is his name. Richmond called me immediately, telling me about having an affair with another man. That was the end of my relationship with Richmond. The other one too heard of it and cut off from me. I lost on both sides. That was small. I was nursing the wound of losing two precious sweethearts when I saw Richmond holding my friend, Charlotte in an open space. I discreetly followed, then my Richmond was speaking sweet nothing to her ears lovingly, then I knew they were in a relations
Vincent left finally for Texas because Comfort felt bad about their relationship. She saw it as a betrayal to Kathy. Kathy paid for spoiling the beautiful thing that started between them. Comfort was undergoing pain for also refusing Vincent. She missed his love, friendship greatly. She took solace in her Lord. According to her, she had derailed with a series of fruitless relationships. Her final year examination approaches, she had completed her final project with grade A.She settled down to read, go to campus fellowship. She became a subgroup Bible study leader. Every Tuesday, students are divided into groups to study the Word of God. She leads one of such groups. She was able to give herself without reservation to God. She determined not to allow any relationship with a man. She had suffered enough. Unknown to her, she has become bitter. The examination started in full force. She goes to read in the mornings and evenings. When she goes in the evening, she stays
This is the summary of me, Princess, you melted my stony heart. Opening up to you has uncovered my wound that has been covered up for some years. Today, I breathe in the fresh air and I've started to heal. What transformation! You wouldn't know the value of what you have done. But be rest assured, we are together in this and I can never be the same again. Oh! I will sing, I will shout, even in the darkest hour of my night, I will sing, I will shout.". Comfort bursts into singing, feeling rapturous. Princess joined in singing along. Dolly Parton that sang" Coat of many colours" couldn't have sung better.Princess, carried away by her story and has been emotionally following her all the way, held Comfort in her warm embrace stroking her hair like a baby that has just been weaned. She was unable to talk, she felt, she needed the comfort. "Just like your name, it is only God that will comfort you. He will make you comfortable and settle you beyond your wildest dreams and imag
With the success recorded in the Christian Corpers Fellowship, Comfort was amply encouraged to do more. Encomiums kept coming to strengthen her arms, testimonies of healings of hurt ones were reigning. A kind of revival was going on. Comfort started to form a team for her new project. They met in one of the schools to discuss it. They were to choose between the two:Talk to me or Speak out. Princess argued that victims of molestation should be encouraged to speak out and not be intimidated. The name is suggestive and brings out the campaign properly. The need to be bold and not be shy is a must so that perpetrators can be judged and prosecuted. It will discourage such acts. One of the members felt it should be Talk to me because the people should learn to confide in people and talk, not quiet. Eventually, they agreed to use the two because both are good.Comfort and Princess went to a girls school to talk to the Principal about their project for the school. The princ