Just
sitting in my birthday gift to myself, a Mercedes Benz GLE and with a Chris
Aire engagement ring for the love of my life in my right hand. Tonight I’m
taking Tomi out and putting this ring on her finger. It is long overdue. You
don’t want to know, trust me.
“Akin
you better drive with your body, spirit and soul in this traffic because I will
not take it lightly with you if I see any scratch or dent on this car. You
better face the road and stop smiling like a goat that just got his lips shaved
off”.
It’s
my 28th birthday and no one sent gifts, cakes or even greetings
my way. Even Tomi my girlfriend of 14 years and all my friends. Wow, does
everyone just hate me over night. I hope this is not the beginning of my Job
experience “shut up O2, you take things too personal. Just get home man”. Well
I just can’t wait to get this ring on her finger.
Oh
sorry for not introducing myself, this birthday thing is getting to me. Osasere
Osagie is my name, my friends call me O2 because of my initials. An
accomplished young entrepreneur is who I am, don’t make that face jooor, I am
pretty much accomplished. My team and I are responsible for “Group Study” and
“Living waters” besides I made it to “Forbes 30 under 30 individuals changing
the Africa”. I’m not usually this proud but a man’s got to blow his trumpet
sometimes. Wait I didn’t tell you Tomi calls me her tall glass of dark
chocolate milkshake, yea I guess it’s expected when you are six feet and five
inches with a sexy body. I am not vain. I just love me.
For
some reason, with all my accomplishments I still feel empty. There’s a void
that needs to be filled. A lot of times I pretend not to know what it is, that
makes me feel this way. Trying to get rid of this feeling, means going to look
for that missing slate and that is something my pride and anger won’t let me
do. It is just hard. Today will be a significant day in my life. These kind of
days are to be shared with friends and family. I dread days like this. No no no
no wait, you don’t understand. Days like this remind me that I have no family
left in the world. My parents separated when I was 14 years old, my Dad passed
on ages ago and I have no clue if my mum is still alive, all my grandparents
kicked the bucket too. Growing up as a kid in Lagos, Nigeria was so much fun.
Dad taught me how to play soccer. Every Saturday morning, we’d drive to the
beach to play soccer, then have breakfast while enjoying the sea breeze and
watch the waves. My dad was my mentor, my role model. On some Saturdays mum
would come with us, she was my biggest fan. When I joined the soccer team in
school, she would come watch me, she never missed any of my games. My mum was
my biggest cheerleader and the best chef. My mum was Ibibio, if you know women
from that area you’ll know they are a natural when it comes to cooking. There
was no soup she couldn’t make, was it Afang, Atama abak, Ikon, Edikai nkong
name it. Every soup was stuffed with a variety of sea food and well roasted
goat meat. I really miss those days.
Finally
home. This is my Victoria Island home, it is a beautiful five bedroom duplex,
with a three bedroom boys quarters or guest house like Tomi always calls it. It
has a basketball court, a pool area, a gym and a garden. Babe seems to thinks
it’s a big property but I think it’s just ok.
Everywhere
is so quiet, did Tomi leave me already or did something happen, different
thoughts going through my head. Walking into the living room, it is pitch-black
and quiet but I feel the presence of humans in the room. I switch on the lights
and then voices just start singing happy birthday. I almost ran out but looking
across the room I knew everyone in there. Tomi just stood there smiling at me
like the angel that she is. I was close to tears but I did a good
job fighting it. My closest friends were all present. I hugged Tomi so tight.
The party began, I didn’t even want to get out of my work clothes. There was a
lot of food. Dj Sagie my friend, was there to deliver good music. I danced my
ass off. Trust me I got moves from Azonto to Shoki to Nae Nae, I’ve got it all.
After
what seemed like hours the music faded out and my all-time favourite person in
the world had something to say about me and my journey so far. Tomi’s words got
me all emotional and brought tears to my eyes. We’ve been best friends before
we decided to start dating 14 years ago. So she has been there through it all,
in plenty and scarce she stayed put. She believed in me when I didn’t even
believe in myself. When she was done with her speech, it was my turn to go all
John Legend on her. This wasn’t the plan but it was more perfect
that what I had planned, after adorning her with the crown of every beautiful
adjective, I couldn’t bring myself to ask her the life changing question “will
you marry me?” After my unprepared speech, we danced a little more before our
guests began to leave one after the other, till everyone was gone and it was
just us two.
Babe
made me go up for a shower, she said ‘by the time you are done with bathing get
in your pyjamas and come down your birthday gift will be right here waiting for
you.’ Filled with so much anxiety, I hurriedly had my bath got into one of my
old Chelsea jerseys and a pair of pyjama pants. I ran down the stairs like an
excited kid who can’t wait to unwrap his present. Tomi was there in the living
room sitting with a woman. I was confused as to who this was, or what she was
doing here, is she the gift? Could Tomi be considering a threesome just after I
proposed to her, well let’s see. Walking towards the living room, babe gave me
that flashy smile from across the room. This made me more uncomfortable. The
lady will not turn her face towards me, so I walked up to her closely. Then she
raised her head and I almost had a heart attack, WHAT! I fell to the ground...
Uduakobong Etukudo writes from Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
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