BULLETPROOF

I sat there bathed with the cool evening breeze, roasting the new yam from our farm that was meant to be eaten with a palm oil sauced stew garnished with fresh fish, while the rest of my siblings helped Mom in arranging the house. A big jar that sweated all over contained chilled palm wine with Dad offering a cup that overflowed as he sat me down to tell me one of the greatest love stories of all time. He said, one of the ineffable feelings that ever existed is Love, It is also a journey that must be embarked on with the right motive, purpose and person. In as much as it is a sweet sensational Ingredient that can spice up your life, it can also set your life ablaze.

The journey of two lovers who were legally fusion kicked off at the most unexpected place, the ATM point. Fortune, a 6 feet 5 inch tall dark complexioned, calmly handsome dude with four eyes was the lead Engineering manager at a top oil Firm in the country. There she was, an assistant editor and mass communicator who left the office in her car at exactly 5:00 pm stressed out from the project she had been working on for the past two months, stopped to withdraw some money at the ATM point along the Admiralty way in Lekki . Still, in the state of tiredness, she forgot her password till the machine swallowed her debit card then she realized her mistake all along the three trials. Approaching the ATM point was Fortune, seeing this angel in human form blessed with all the feminine features sitting at a corner in frustration.

“Hi good evening and how are you doing?” Expecting a reply but got a hiss. As a sharp gentle guy, he sat beside her and asked what the issue was. After her long story, he offered her some cash to get somethings she wanted to get earlier and promised to check up on her concerning her debit card by exchanging phone numbers.

“Hi, babe how are you doing and how is work going? Just checking up on you and don’t forget to eat lunch, from your love,Fortune”. It had been five months and approximately three weeks since the ATM incident, Fortune and Morenike had been dating since then. Their love affair had been fun so far that it got Fortune thinking and praying she was the right one, unknown to him she also prayed, asking if he was her God-sent missing rib.

On this faithful Saturday evening, at an expensive restaurant, the two lovers were on a special date, dinning and enjoying each other’s company in the serene environment filled with people. Unawares, there was a gathering of drug dealers making deals on a round table with a detective in disguise in their midst. A shootout session began as soon as the backup Policemen came, in an attempt to run away, Morenike’s gown was stuck to the sharp edge of a table that was overthrown. With stray bullets in the air, Fortune quickly jumped to cover her and in that process caught a bullet in his chest.

There was steady rainfall from her eyes as she thundered in pain holding his hands watching him lie lifeless on the floor. The moment she rested her ear on his neck, she heard a whisper, “will you marry me?” Still in tears, as she was left speechless stammering with no other option than yes! With the surrounding audience cheering them. He explained that he dreamt about the incident the previous night and claimed the spirit of God asked him to get a bulletproof since he had planned to propose to her that day. The two strangers at the ATM point lived happily ever after, remembering always to Stay Safe, Simple and Live Smart. Still watched the roasted yam on fire as I clapped in amazement only for mom to interrupt by sending me to buy sachet water…