THE PROPOSAL

I knew he'd come, I was so sure, and now as I fixed
my gaze upon him from the corner where I sat; taking
my eyes off seem to be a task. He seems so happy
and full of Life. I never knew it would turn out this
way; my heart still beats for him!
SEVEN YEARS BACK
"How urgent is the matter that you couldn't wait for me
to get back and say your goodbye before leaving?"
Femi said, panting heavily as he held my hand. He had
drove all the way down to the airport once he heard of
my departure. Margaret, my closest friend, is never to
be trusted with secrets when it comes to Femi. I
remember warning her sternly not to tell him. Now only
God knows how much of the story he knows.
"I'm so...rr...y" I said stuttering, not too sure of how to
respond since it was a deliberate act.
"Baby, I thought we've talked this out and decided
we'll stick together till the end?" he said to me staring
at me with pleading eyes.
Hmmm those eyes, bright eyes that could send the
dark back to its abode.
" I have to do this for the good of both of us. You may
not understand now but you sure would sometime
later."
I paused and stared at him before kissing him, one last
deep kiss, as if pouring my heart on his lips.
"Good bye Femi" I said after breaking off the kiss. I
turned around and hurried off.
BACK TO PRESENT
How much pain he must have felt when I left then.

Does it still hurt as much now? We had met at the mall
the other day after my return and when he saw me, he
stood affixed to a spot like he had seen a ghost and all
he did was walk past me when he finally got a hold of
himself. Of course I wasn't expecting a welcome hug,
but still it hurts.

I did it for the both of us!
My parents and his were business rivals and
somewhere around signing of deals whenever we
represented our parents, we got involved and we fell in
love.

Our parents found out and devised means to break us
apart, we stood strong still like siamese twin joined at
a Terminal nerve.
Finally, they decided (yes they decided, although
they're sworn out enemies but they found a way to
make bargain. Its no surprise, after all, they're business
people.) to send both of us abroad, different continents
though. We strongly objected and the trying times
came.

Benefits were withdrawn, house arrests became
regular. Then I decided I would go and make myself
better so I'll be independent enough not to be
influenced by parents. I didn't tell Femi this so he
definitely thinks I broke trust in our love.
Femi hadn't travelled out of the country like I did.

Instead, he stayed back, took over his parent's
company, worked relentlessly hard and made the list of
young richest entrepreneurs in the country.
I on the other hand, when I returned, decided to build
my own company. Not because I am angry at my
parents (They've somehow become reasonable after
these years.) but because I'm going after my dreams.

Today, I launch my company. Among the many
investors presents, my eyes sights only Femi. The
reason being that after all this years, the sight of him
still makes my heart go on a break. Now I'm back. "Will
my hello be welcomed?", "Will he ever get to stare at
me with those bright eyes again?" All these questions
and more popped up in my heart as I sat lost in
thoughts.
"Congratulations Hilda" a very familiar baritone,
masculine voice called out from behind jostling me up
from my thought.
"Femi!" I gasped as I turned back to see the Skinny guy
I fell in love with, now a well built handsome young
man.
"How are you Hilda?" he asked, giving me a friendly
peck on the cheek.

I was stunned, I can't believe my ears Femi is actually
speaking with me
"I'm fine Femi" I managed to say.
"I see you are"he said running his eyes through my
body-- smiling as he did-- and making me feel uneasy.
"Let's talk outside, there's a lot of catching up to do.
Of course only if you don't mind" he said smiling, that
same old contagious smile.
"I don't " I replied trying not to sound excited
He pulled me up gently as we made our way through
the crowd outside.

For about two minutes we stood staring at each other
until Femi broke the silence.
"I missed you" Femi said sounding like someone whose
runaway love showed up somewhere out of the blues.
I would have screamed I missed you too but I
cautioned myself and said instead, "Femi, aren't you
mad at me? Your serenity is really getting me nervous.
Aren't you mad I left?"
"Definitely I was. That day as you hurried off, I couldn't
but ask myself why. I buried myself in hard work using
it as a means of forgetting you, but the more
I tried the
more you stuck to my memory I then decided to let go
and forgive you and hope someday you'll come back
home to me. Hilda, I need you in my life, I'm an
incomplete man without you."
"Or is there someone else now?" he asked uncertain at
what my answer would be.
"There never was, there never would be" I replied
"But Femi, the other day at the mall, why did you walk
past me" I asked curious to know
"I hadn't expected seeing you there and then, and when
I did I was shocked. I had to hurry off so there wouldn't
be an outburst of emotion from me. I'm sorry if that did
hurt." He apologised
"Hmmm" I sighed from relief
"You don't have to apologise Femi, I should be the one
saying I'm so..." I hadn't concluded my apology when
Femi covered my mouth in his. I was dazed, I wasn't
expecting that.
"If you keep saying sorry with those eyes of yours like
that I guess I'll have to kiss you all night long" Femi
had said after he broke off from the kiss
I smiled shyly not sure of what to say
"And please don't be sorry" he started "you leaving was
for the good of both of us"
He paused before continuing "I know this is the not the
official way to do things, but I've waited seven years
long and I don't think I can wait one minute longer" he
said as he got down on one knee and asked" Hilda
Olamide Owolabi will you marry me?" he proposed
I was too dazed to believe this is happening
"Fe...mi" I stuttered "I will marry you" I said at the
verge of tears. He inserted the ring on my fourth finger,
kissed my hand and we hugged like we were never
going to hug each other again.
"But Femi, We've been years apart, things might Have
changed about me don't you think you want to confirm,
and moreover don't you think we're taking things too
fast"
" I don't think so. Hilda, I love you and that's all that
counts"
"I love you too Femi" I said hugging him tightly
I broke from the hug and Femi kissed me on my
forehead
"Hilda"he said almost in a whisper, there are guests in
the hall waiting to be attended to, I think we should get
going.
"Oh!" I exclaimed, I had forgotten totally about them.
Femi stretched out his palm to me and before putting
mine in his I inspected the ring on my finger, It was all
gold with a ruby stone at the center. "So he still
remembered the type of ring I love" I said to myself as
I put my palm in his. He rubbed my hand gently with
his thumb as we both strolled into the hall. "Tonight is
going to be a long one" I said to myself spying on my
prince charming.
@kayboy36 (inspired360), thanks for reading.