Come back home

Drew's present 

I've been feeling like I'm in a state of limbo since I last saw Kauna two days ago. She hasn't called or texted, and I'm not sure what to make of it. I've never felt so powerless before, and I find myself picking up my phone every few minutes, wanting to call her but hesitating. I feel drained as if my life is being pulled out of me.

I got a call from the apartment security that I had a visitor, a ''Ms Numan'' My heart sank, the mere mention of the name 'Ms Numan' sent me into a state of panic. A rush of emotions swirled within me as questions flooded my mind. Why didn't she call first? Was this a bad sign? Is she here to return the ring?

My heart kept racing as I waited anxiously for her to arrive. When the doorbell rang, I hesitated, unsure if I should open the door or not. But the anticipation was too much to bear, and I finally mustered the courage to open it.

As I gazed at her, my heart raced even faster. But before I could say anything, she walked towards me and embraced me tightly. At that moment, all my pain, confusion, and troubles just faded away. It was as though her presence alone had the power to lift the weight off my shoulders.

With tears welling up in my eyes, she whispered "Take your time...I'll be here when you're ready." Her reassuring words calmed my restless soul, and I knew I could trust her.

To inject some playfulness into the situation, I quipped, "So, we're not broken up?" 

With a light-hearted chuckle, she responded, "No, silly. We just had a fight."

 In a playful manner, I swept her off her feet and exclaimed, "Well, I suppose we'll have to make up then!" and laid her on the couch. 

As we lay there naked on the couch, wrapped up in each other's embrace, I knew that no matter what life threw our way, we would face it together. At that moment, I knew I had to make things right between us. 

My heart felt heavy as I mustered the courage to tell her the truth. I began, my voice trembling with emotion. "My brother...offed himself"

Her eyes widened in shock and concern, and I could feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes as I continued. "He was the backbone of our family business, working tirelessly to make it a success. But while he was slaving away, I was out partying and wasting money. I didn't realize he was struggling or the toll it was taking on him until it was too late, I was too busy with my life to care''.

A lump formed in my throat as I recalled the day we found him, lifeless and cold. "He overdosed on drugs, something I knew he was taking but kept secret at his request. I thought I was doing the right thing, protecting my big brother's secret, but now...I realize that it was a mistake. I was about 13 when I found out that he had started taking drugs but because of the bond we shared, I never told anyone".

Tears streamed down my face as I poured out my heart to her, my grief and guilt almost too much to bear. She took my hands squeezing them gently as she spoke softly.

"You don't have to carry this burden alone," she said, her voice filled with compassion and understanding. "Your brother's death was not your fault. You did what you thought was best at the time, and he knew you loved him and you know what?..... you really did love him, very much to respect his request''

She adds ''is that why you work so much''

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself as I told her how I felt ''maybe, but sometimes...I wonder if I'm doing enough, I feel he would have done more"

She leaned in close, looking deeply into my eyes. "I know it's hard, but you are not alone. I am here for you, and I will help you through this. Together, we will find a way to honour your brother's memory and keep his legacy alive without you burning out"

As she took my hand in hers, offering comfort and understanding, I knew that I wasn't alone and I didn't want to be without her any longer. I spoke

''I don't think I can wait a month, let's get married this weekend''

''Okay...I'll wear a suit'' she replied and laughed

Kauna's present

I've been consumed by an overwhelming sense of anger for the past two days, but now I'm starting to feel the physical effects of missing him so much. My body is aching with an intense longing for his presence. The waiting game is unbearable; my heart races at the thought of not hearing from him.

My frustration is beyond words. It's as though I'm being ripped apart by my emotions. But then I remembered that he's not just some random person. He's been through hardships in life, just like me. The thought of him being in pain broke my heart even further.

I realized that the best thing to do is to be there for him. Trauma isn't something that's easy to discuss; I'm a living testament to that. I want him to know that I'm here for him when he's ready. My patience may be tested, but I know that it's essential to provide him with a safe space to open up. Even though waiting is agonizing, it's the right thing to do.

I couldn't shake off this nagging feeling that something was wrong. I needed to see him, to talk to him, to make sure he was okay. The guilt of pressuring him to open up was eating away at me. I knew I had to make amends and let him know that I was sorry.

 I turned to the Find My Phone app to locate him; he was home, I grabbed my things and left, I couldn't wait any longer, I needed to be sure that he was okay. The thought of something happening to him was too much for me to bear. It was crucial that I saw him and put my mind at ease. I just hope that he's willing to forgive me for pushing him too hard. 

When he opened the door, the sight of him broke my heart. I had never seen him like that before. He looked so vulnerable, like a lost and broken child. I couldn't bear to see him in so much pain.

Without a second thought, I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight. I wanted him to know that he wasn't alone, that I was there for him. The guilt of making him feel that way weighed heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for what I had done.

In that moment, all that mattered was being there for him. I wanted to soothe his pain and make him feel loved. I hope that my embrace brought him some comfort and that he knows how truly sorry I am for causing him so much sadness.

After Drew confided in me about his brother, I was deeply saddened not only by his loss but also by how it was affecting him. It was heartbreaking to see him blaming himself for something that was out of his control.

But as he let his emotions flow freely, I was even more attracted to him. His willingness to be vulnerable and open up was truly beautiful and captivating to witness.

I love this man so much and I look forward to sharing the rest of my life with him.

Even though I didn't think negatively about the idea of getting married so soon, I couldn't help but feel apprehensive about telling my mother. I knew how she could react and how much drama she could create. However, I knew I had to tell her. After all, she was my mother.

When I returned from Drew's place, my mother was in the kitchen cooking. Despite my nervousness about the conversation that was about to take place, I greeted her and took a deep breath. 

''Mummy, I have something to tell you. Before you react, please know that it's good news and no, I'm not pregnant. Drew proposed to me, and I said yes. We're getting married this weekend."

Upon hearing the news, my mother was filled with so much joy that she dropped her spoon and started to dance and sing praises to the God she hadn't acknowledged in over 12 years.

As my mother danced and sang with joy, I stood there watching her in amazement. Suddenly, she stopped and asked, "Did you say this weekend?" When I confirmed that we were indeed getting married in a few days, she expressed concern. "That's too soon," she said, "When will I have time to go to Nigeria and prepare?"

'' I want to make it clear that our wedding is going to be a small gathering of just family members who happen to be around this weekend. I don't want any pressure on anyone to attend or not. This day is about me and Drew, and I kindly request that you refrain from suggesting otherwise.''

''But'' she uttered 

''No buts, please let me have this, please'' I pleaded with her and she replied with a sad ''Okay''.

Went to my room and got ready for bed, Drew called and we were talking and I told him about my conversation with my mother.

''A wedding in Nigeria sounds like a good idea, I've never been there

''yes, it sounds like but the reality is completely different''

''Maybe we should visit, I want to see where you grew up''

''I'm not thrilled about going there, I haven't been back since my sister died and I don't want to go there''

He noticed my discomfort, Drew paused and asked, "How about we go to South Korea for our honeymoon? What do you think?" I couldn't help but smile at the idea and replied, "I'd like that very much."