by Blezzed Abraham
I proposed to her on her birthday. We did the traditional marriage, fixed a wedding date, and printed cards. In less than 48 hours to officially become a wife, the whole idea of finally being a missis and for better for worse hit her, and scared her. And she ran.
The next day, I picked the phone to many missed calls. I called back, and few seconds later I was shaking. Adaobi, my wife-to-be in a few hours was nowhere to be found, they had said.
I couldn’t breathe. I was visibly shaking.
At the room she stayed, there were signs of struggle. Broken wine glass, spilled wine. Her necklace on the floor, the headlamp shattered on the floor. Her charger still plugged to the socket at the head of the bed, but no phone or laptop around. No one seemed to have a clue where she was, or could be. That moment, I got a call.
“Don’t say a word,” A husky voice said. “Come to Immaculate Royal Hotel. Room 127. Alone. Keyword, Discretion.”
I went to the hotel alone, but after calling my family who were with the police.
At the hotel was my fiancée, my wife-to-be in less than four hours. Hooded, a hijab under her hood. Too much spy movies, she kept looking everywhere but my face.
“What’s this? We should be getting married in a few hours and you’re here playing hide and seek.” My voice shook with tears. Underneath her covering and strong demeanor, I saw her. She was scared. “Don’t you love me?”
“I love you.” Her head stayed down.
“Is there someone else?” She shook her head.
“Then wetin I do you, nne?” She avoided my gaze, looking at the floor, the bed, the TV –everywhere but my face. “I have agreed and let you win on all fronts. Iga ga za afa nna gi. Anything you want.”
Then I paused and studied her face. It all made sense now. I laughed, a wild, hysterical laugh.
“Hard woman, hard woman, but marriage dey fear you so much you’re faking your own kidnap.” I said, still laughing. She pouted shyly. I went on my knees, held her hands as I brought her face to meet mine.
“Bia mummy, this marriage thing scares me too, even more than it does you. We will fight, we will quarrel, we will curse today and we will still figure things out. It is what couples do. Don’t try to run. I’m not promising it will be easy, but we will figure it out.”
We have been married six years now, six wonderful years of marriage. Two children in between. And we always remember that day, that place: Immaculate Royal International Hotel and we laugh. Every year, we go there to celebrate our anniversary, and laugh some more.
About Immaculate Royal International Hotel: Click Here
