The era of matchmaking

"I thought we've passed the era of matchmaking. Gone are those days when parent arrange their kids for marriage. At least not in our country." Neto said to her

"Well you can't blame them, when your kid isn't thinking about marriage, you have to take matters into your hands. Wait, don't tell me you are here to meet someone your family set up for you..no way!"

"Hahaha, why are you so surprised Sky, I'm human too and my mom doesn't like my idea of marriage at all, she actually threatened me, if I don't come out for the blind date, she'll move in with me and go everywhere with me."

Sky smiled. "Well I like her, maybe she can get you to marry. Marriage isn't as bad as you think."

"Why is your mom interfering in your love affair if you are interested in marriage?" He asked her.

"Well she's trying to help me fasten the process, I haven't introduced anyone to her in a long time and she hasn't met Dwayne." Sky sent her mom a text asking her if she was in the right address.

Sky watched Neto type something on his phone and a thought crossed her mind, no it can't be him, she thought to herself, shaking her head. His mom won't do something like this, maybe they are doing this for business purpose. And he's mom works in a ministry not a chatty business woman who runs a shop in one of the busiest plaza in town. Phew...she let out a sigh.

"We could have avoided all this you know? If you had listened to me in the first place." She said smiling to him.

"Well it's not too late, let's get married so my mom will let me be. At least we can tolerate eachother. It doesn't have to be a real marriage, just something small to get our parents off our back."

"Well, well, look who's talking about marriage. Sorry Mr Greyson, I'm not interested, plus it's too late and I can't marry for convenience. Marriage is more than that." She scanned the room for a guy sitting alone, she saw one at the far end. but before she could pick her bag, his date arrived.

"How is it too late? We are here together Sky?"

She rolled her eyes. "Cause i'm with someone dummy, and I won't marry you so you can get your mom off your back."

Sky checked the message her mom sent to her on WhatsApp.

"He's been there since 4:00pm. You are in the right place, I'll send you his pix now"

Sky sighed as she waited for her mom to send the picture.

"What's wrong Mrs Sky, you got stood up? Just move over to my sit or should I come over? it seems like our date won't show up."

"Shut up Neto, he's here somewhere. Or maybe he got angry and left, now i'm regretting why I didn't collect his number."

Their phone made a beeping sound at the same time. Neto was holding his phone, so he opened it and looked at the picture his mom sent him, surprised he looked at Mena, and back at the pix again. "Wow" he said, I wasn't expecting this. He stood up from his sit and sat opposite Sky.

Sky searched for her phone in her bag, she watched as Neto's face fell, how he became serious all of a sudden. "What?" she asked him. She realized they couldn't talk well because they were on different tables. Realizing that their conversation might have been disturbing others, she looked down shyly. She was glad Neto moved.

"Check your phone, I'm sure it's from your mom." He signalled the waiter and ordered wine, he asked Sky if she wants anything but she asked him to hold as she was still searching for her phone.

"Mena, your phone is on the table, what are you looking for?'

"Oh I thought I kept it in my bag...I'm really getting old," she said smiling. She opened the message and her mouth dropped. It was a picture if Neto looking at her, with his name underneath. Mr Greyson Netochukwu Travis.

"No way, she said out loud. You mean our parents are friends? I mean you mom is Mrs Angela Chizzy Okafa? I thought you said she works at the Ministry of Finance!"

"She's retired now, she owns a cosmetic and hair store at Newland Plaza. I had no idea your mom was Mrs Victoria Onome. I've even met her. She's a dark pretty lady...you don't look like her much but I think you have her lips...but she's taller than you." He said to Sky as he looked at her.

"Wow...it really is a small world." She froze as she remembered something. "So you stood me up, you cow." She threw her purse at him but he caught it.

"Hey I didn't know it was you, my mom kept disturbing me. I'm sorry." His order came and he poured himself a glass, he was about to pour for Sky when she stopped him.

"I don't want alcohol. I think I should leave." she stood up to leave but Neto grabbed her hand, stopping her from leaving.

"Mena Please sit, you are already here and we still have time. Please don't go, at least eat before you leave, what do you want?"

"There's no point for us to have this date, it's obvious that it will lead to nowhere. We can just tell our parents that it won't work out. Didn't your mom tell you anything about me?"

"Nothing I don't know of, she said she wanted us to meet, then I can tell her what I think about you. That you are a good girl, from a good home but that there's something, but that you'll have to tell me yourself. Is there anything I should know Mena?"

"No, nothing. You know everything about me, if there's anything else, you will find out eventually."

Neto raised his brow and looked at her. "Mena, he took her hands into his. Maybe we should try things out. This is fate, the earth is pushing us together."

Sky rolled her eyes, and removed her hands from his. "The earth is pushing us together to do what? have sex! Puhleease I don't think you are listening to me, I'm seeing someone now."

"Mena please, just hear me out. It's not just sex anymore, I've been thinking about you alot lately. And please take it easy on me, you know where I'm coming from, I grew up with a selfish man who made me think marriage is wrong. That we all should live in freedom. I'm just seeing marriage in a different light now please i just need some time."

"Do you know why you've been thinking of me? It's cause we haven't had sex for more than five months now. Yes we have this connection but it's sexually. We've been friends for how long now? two years plus and you need time? I'm done waiting. I'll be twenty eight in a few months time. There are other girls out there who would die to be your sex partner but I'm passed that stage of my life. Now please excuse me."

Neto watched Sky leave. This time he didn't stop her. Just how fucked up can this be. Sky is the one his mom wants him to settle down with, wow. He emptied his cup and poured himself another drink. "Neto you can't just let her go like that, but I don't like the way she makes me feel, he said to himself. I don't like when I don't have control of my feelings." Mena Nathaniel is dangerous and he's not sure he's ready to go down that path of marriage and have kids. He used his handkerchief to clean the sweat on his forehead. What do I do about Sky? if I don't hurry up with my feeling, I'm going to end up loosing her and I don't think I want to loose her.