It was a cool Sunday in August. Particularly cool and wet because it had rained earlier while I worshipped in the church.

I remembered I had a call to make, there was this guy I had being chatting with on a social network, his birthday was today and I had promised I would ring him...and I did. It was a very brief call and straight to the point. All I wanted to say was 'happy birthday' and I said it...

He really appreciated the call, was even surprised I called him... He said:
'oh, thanks very much...I'll give you a call'
I smiled and thought to myself...'like you always do...'
initially, I had been sceptical about giving him my phone number, so I just got his'.
But now he had my number...

He called, two nights after. Yet, another brief call...

Another sunday, exactly a week after, another cool sunday...
With my bags and folder, I was hurrying out of my class. All I had on my mind was home and sleep and work the day after.
But it wasn't so...
My phone rang as I got into the bus and I answered, it was the stranger who wasn't a stranger anymore. Dave.
'Hiiiiii' I said brightly.
'I was thinking of seeing you today...' he said simply
'oh'

It was fixed.
My plans changed.
It started drizzling.
And we met.
And it was a joke.
And it was not a joke...

My birthday was 3days later, 10days after his'.
We made plans to have a little celebration.
He tagged it 'Birthday for two' and I didn't even know his surname...
That sunday night, Dave and I planned to meet and celebrate.

It was a supernatural force.
Ordinarily, I wouldn't shun work on a wednesday, but I did.
And it was a birthday for two.
The little cute cake was the magic and my fall...and my rise and my blessing...and a secret not gothic yet scary...

The birthday for two ended.
A promise fulfilled.
A promise broken.
The commencement of a beautiful friendship... Before I knew it, I had fallen magically in love with Dave and I didn't know it. I strongly believed it was an affair that would end before we knew it had started...for me, loving a Man again was totally out of the question after my last relationship.
But Dave was sweet and funny and more...

One afternoon, I was with Dave in his apartment when he called me.
"Eve" He called in that voice I had come to love and adore. I didn't need to answer, I only looked up into his face.
"Do You love me?" Gosh! This wasn't the plan, love wasn't supposed to come in, why should I love him? I did though. He saw the dilemma on my face and held my head fiercely, forcing me to gaze into his eyes.
"talk to me, do you love me, would you like it if we made this relationship permanent? Can you date a guy like me?" The legion of questions kept coming but i held on to just one. "did I love Dave?"

"Yes." I replied in a little voice answering one question and all...tears came to my eyes as Dave held me and promised me the world!
I cried that day and he wiped my tears. Having another man love me was the end of an era and the beginning of another. I desperately clung to the belief that Dave would be the solace I needed.
We were in love (at least i thought we were) and it was the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me. Dave was as playful as I was, as hilarious and as mischievous. We never got tired of each other's company. We loved strolling hand in hand at night, stealing quick kisses when people weren't watching! It was a taboo to end a night without hearing each other's voice, it was a taboo not to profess love in 24hrs! (hell would roar!)
It was a magical affair, that I hoped and prayed would never end. My family and friends loved him and thought of him as an angel! My cup overflowed...

Then came the storm. The feelings of insecurity. That feeling that tells you something is amiss. I couldn't point at it but it was there. I stopped going through Dave's wall on facebook but not until a name and face had been plastered in my memory. Phebean Enoh. Who was she? Why was she always writing things on Dave's wall? How well did they know each other?

Dave changed. We could hardly talk on phone for five minutes, he became easily irritated, he lost his sense of humour, and the big one, Dave did not say he loved me for more than a week! Something was wrong.
Our relationship was just nine months. I tried to talk to him, he became angry. I became docile, agreeing with everything. Still loving him fiercely and hoping that I was wrong and everything would be alright.

One fateful saturday evening around 7.17pm, I was in church when Dave called me that he was coming to see me at home. I told him I was still in church since he had to pass through my church.
'alright, wait for me in church.'he said and hung up. I was happy that I would see him, happy that i would tell him my fears. I packed my things and stepped out of the church. I had waited for exactly three minutes when Dave called me again. Oh! I would be seeing Dave the next minute. At first, I didnt answer the call, only looked around to know where he was. When I didn't see him, I pressed the answer button.
"where are you?" I asked, the voice I heard was Dave's yet not Dave's...
"Eve, walk d-own your church' street, i- a-m- th-ere. I j-ust ha-d a te-rri-ble accident." I became numb. Dave? Accident? I looked left and right, which way was up and which was down? Left, I thought. I was running like a mad woman, yet my speed was like a snail's. I stopped a bike, got on it and started crying. Then I saw the accident. It was an 'okada' accident. I will never remember if I paid the bike man but I will never forget Dave in that sea of blood...his face contorted and twisted in pain, and his left leg? painful to behold! Oh Dave, my dear darling poor Dave... I was confused, I just called his name in a cry that sounded inhuman.

To be continued.

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