THE PROPOSAL

"Throw me the bouquet

And I'll let it go

Down through the hollow of my heart

To the depth and I'll ride

I'll ride on the rose to the orchard

Where I shall eat the giving fruit

The fruit shall flush the bloomings in my heart

And my heart shall merry."

The lines of words have turned  an every day rhythm in her mouth since the inception of the relationship. Being her friend and roommate since the days of Oniyo Grammar School, Edun-Oke, Temiloluwa would not hide anything from me about her relationship. 

Temiloluwa was the first girl Jamal would approach gaining admission into the university and it was a lucky shoot for him. My friend's coat was always soaked with the rain of love. They were the picture of Romeo and Juliet, how do I mean? My friend would not stay half a second after any lecture in the department before you find her in Jamal's.  Their love story and lifestyle was as secretive as the sunshine by the day. You would not know them or hear about them only if you were not a regular student of the school. Only God knows how they passed exams.

I wouldn't have been jealous if this guy had allowed me to enjoy my friendship with Temi  when it was most needed for me. Anyways, I loved their love.

Won't you ask about my own relationship story!  Well, any time Juliet julieted her Romeo, all I lay on my bed doing was counting the ceilings and the motifs of the carpet. As much as I desired to have a relationship, no cutie came my way through out my four years in the University and that made me more jealous of the two love birds that were flapping their wings around the roof of my head  but, not to their detriment.

Every chitchat with my friend would always end with a juicy lyric of Jamal's love, you don't want to know how many proposals we filmed in our talks. We couldn't wait to see the day come. Since it was a norm for a guys to propose to their lovers on the last party, my friend and I waited for this day.

The four years came knocking and it became a task for me and Temi to shop for nice dinner gowns to rock the last party,  of course it would be the proposal day.  How many minds panted  to see that day come! The lastest pandemic news was "Jamal would propose to Temi on the last party".  

Meeting a love card at the door in the morning was a regular thing but that of the 'last party' day signaled something special as it was accompanied with a red dinner gown, silver accessories, a pair of silver shoes and purse. Definitely, that was the dress for the night. 

The long awaited day had come, the  D-day had finally come, my friend wore the glamourama red dress which she received  in the morning, the best make-up artist on the campus made both of us up for the party. You don't want to know how radiant, elegant and stunning my friend looked in this gown, I too wasn't bad in my rose pink gown, which I got from Starleg Mall in Ado. Jamal drove us in his car to LLT 2, the biggest hall in the school which only could occupy about one thousand of us the finalists plus friends,  he drove off after we alighted to pick his friends and when we had settled down, Jamal and his friends came in to the hall. 

Every creature in gown would desire the tall, fair, handsome and gentle looking guy in a fitted black three tailored piece Italian suit touched with a red brooch, treading with a royal footsteps  on the green walkway towards our table. He was a star for every eyes at the party. Jamal was cute!  The sound... he slapped her cheeks with his pink lips...oh! He's here.

Jamal's friends, Wilfred and Osai shared the table with us at the party since it was five on a table. 

To say the truth, everything served, both liquid and solid hid their taste from my taste board, the performances were great and aesthetic but I couldn't wait to see the final, I couldn't be over anxious to see the end of the day... my friend would hit it today. All that mattered to me in the order of  the program was the second to the last item.

           

When the party had gone halfway through,  Kekere Opolo, the renowned MC of our time  made a loud shout that aroused the attention of the audience, the sound that followed the shout said it all. Deejay Kemzy was the baddest during our time, It was Flavour's 'Ololufe'. 

The audience hijacked the song from the speakers;

 'Ololufe angel of my life

For the love I have it's so real it's so real

How can I be your Mr Right

Baby what I feel it's so strong

Ife ife ife

You are the apple of eyes

Ife ife ife

I'm gonna love you till I die

Ololufe mi Jowo

I'm thinking about that day it will be just you and I

Will you be my wifey...'

 The master of the ceremony then made an official call to men the lovers who would like to mark their babes 'taken' with a ring. 

It was never a surprise to anyone to see his majestic walk to the podium.  Jamal reached out for the microphone. Just as the mic was on its way to Jamal's mouth, the whole house gave a standing  ovation and a big shout. As he opened his mouth, words dropped;

I reached my bus-stop the day I met you,

I knew it right immediately that you are the one,

Life is meaningful only with you,

I'm afraid I can't continue living life without you beside me,

You have plague me with love... 

He walked toward her sit and knelt down on one  knee then brought out a small ring box from his shirt pocket, the audience was exhilarated and there were cameras  directed straightly at them, he said, Temi, please,

 will you be mine forever?

Will you marry me?

I was jumping and shouting along with the entire audience "say yes, say yes, say yes". Until the hall became suddenly quiet...I didn't believe I heard a No until I saw his sapped soul weeping on the floor. His eyes were the colour red.

I couldn't believe my ears when Temiloluwa started confessing that she was never in love with Jamal that all she was after was his money and that was  because he came from a wealthy family, his father was the  Minister for Finance in the country and his mother was the Chairperson  of the famous oil company in the country.  She said she was only using him because of his money. How pathetic! I tell you truly,  it was Jamal that paid all her fees from the 100level second semester till the final year.

I melted! I left the scene as fast as I could because I didn't want to cry in public, neither was I ready for any unnecessary interview from the press.

I plugged my back on my bed as tears started rolling out my eyes. What a life! What a girl have I made my friend! How I be it 'The one who has head does not have a cap'. How I wished it was me! My thought was so deep! I was afraid! I began to question myself, 'Will Jamal not kill himself?' 'Will he ever believe in love again?' Oh! No! No!

I picked few things and went to my pastor's place, I was afraid to spend another night with the most desperate lady I had ever met. I fell on mummy's laps as I rushed into the parlour where she was seated on a side of a three-seater couch. I was shaking and wailing... Mama! My heart is heavy! Temi broke my heart! She did what I never expect and most painful part of it is that she kept everything away from me... Oh! No! 

A voice responded behind and said,  Victoria, we've heard every bit of thing that happened on the campus today. It was my pastor, he made his seat beside Mama as he continued, Daughter, don't be discouraged by what happened, get up, sit down.  I got up in a slow motion and made my seat on a one-seater adjacent their seat.

Mama made her first speech and said, Vic! This is a great  event from which you should learn a great lesson. This is the exact picture of how man rejects the proposal of the perfect lover, Jesus Christ. Many people use Jesus to get their needs provided, just as Temi, they are regular and noticeable in church, they're known to be Christians but when it is time to release their totality- to give their heart and submit to the lordship of Him who loves best, they reject His proposal. If man can reject the proposal of the one who died for the provision of his eternal salvation, how much more a lady her lover's?

My daughter, you have to pull yourself together... We suddenly heard a knock at the gate, Dad went out of the parlour and guess who he came back with, it was Temiloluwa. No! You will not believe how on remorseful this lady appeared!

That was never a problem to my pastor, all he said was, ladies! You have to go and sleep now, you've both had a long day.