Hi.” Nimi greeted shyly with a wave when Dapo stood before her staring speechless. Her sister on the other hand had a smug smile on her face as if to say,
I told you the make-up would do the job.
“You look…” He swallowed when she smiled, giving her sister a warning look when she coughed.
“You look great, I’m sorry if I forgot myself there for a second.” He laughed and turned to look at Tolani.
“And you must be Tolani right?.”
She beamed waving excitedly that he remembered her name. “Hi.”
He went forward extending his hands “Pleased to meet you again.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Nimi raised an eyebrow at her sister as if to say, “And when did you start speaking Jane Austen madam?”
Tolani decided to chip in “Make sure my sister has a good time. She won’t stop talking about–”
“I think it’s time we leave.” She turned to her sister raising her hands to her neck to signify how she would kill her if she did not stop running her mouth. “Take care of the house, and let mummy know I’ve gone when she returns.”
“Bring something back for me o.”
She turned to look at Dapo as they left the house and headed for his car. “Don’t mind my sister. She acts like a lunatic sometimes.” She saw him smiling to himself and wondered what must have been on his mind.
Oh God, let him not think I can’t wait to fall into his arms or that I’m really into him.
“Why are you smiling?”
He shrugged. “Am I?”
Her brows dipped. “Yes you are, and the smile looks like you know something I don’t know.”
“I’m just happy.” He slid into the driver’s seat and she joined him.
“And you don’t want to share?” She persisted
“Why should I when the reason is sitting right next to me.” He leaned close to turn on the air conditioner and that was when she took a whiff of his cologne and how good he smelled.
“Thank you.”
“Something tells me we’re going to have a great time together.” He glanced at her and she bobbed her head. “I can’t wait.”
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
“So tell me, how long have you been in a relationship with Jesus?” Dapo asked placing his cup of warm coffee on the table and reaching for a slice of cake with his fork.
Nimi shrugged. “I grew up in a Christian home but I think it all began to make sense when my Dad passed I guess?
Maybe outside I told myself I knew what there was to know but deep down there was something pulling at me that isn’t there so much more out there for me. So many questions, so many things I didn’t understand. And so maybe the real relationship started the day my Dad passed.
I just put myself out there and felt tired of pretending that everything was alright because I knew with my Dad gone, nothing was going to be alright. We were so close, he was the one who modeled what the love of Christ felt like you know. He was always there, even when the typical African father figure was portrayed like Hitler sometimes, my Dad was just so different. He read me bible stories when I was young, never stopped telling me how much Jesus loved me, wanted me to ask questions when he saw me struggle with somethings. He treated my mum right and was content with what he had. He taught me what I had to expect from any man I was going to end up getting married to. And then he passed and I felt maybe Dad had been telling me lies about this God. I guess I had an ‘idea’ of God but never got to know about this ‘God’
Sometimes it scares me if God was trying to get my attention to him by taking away my Dad. Still trying to figure it out.”
He reached for her hands over the table. “I’m sorry about your Dad.”
She smiled. “It’s okay. It’s been three years and I’m learning to see it as past. Imagine me on judgement day getting the newsflash that Jesus never knew me and in my head I might have been thinking he did.”
Dapo nodded his understanding and smiled at her. He didn’t release her hands and she looked up at him.
“I want to be able to hold your hands this way as often as I could and would love to.”
She looked down shyly.
“Nimi look at me.”
She did and she saw his intentions lay bare in his eyes.
“I’m not the kind of guy who plays games and neither do I like wasting people’s time or string them along when I have nothing in mind towards them. You’ve stirred my heart and I believe it’s for a reason. I’ve prayed to God about it and I know it’s more than attraction that draws me close to you. There’s something in you my heart recognises and it won’t rest till it gets an answer. But I won’t rush you either because I really want you to be sure God is leading you as well. If you need to take days or weeks or months to think about it…”
“Or years…” Nimi smiled and burst into laughter when she saw the slight horror in his eyes.
“I was only joking.” She saw him relax and squeezed his hands tightly in response. “That night you took me home, God saw my heart even before I prayed about it and he gave me a response. I know you have the charm to take my breath away but I wanted to be sure you could do more than that.”
His mouth tipped in amusement. “Or am I too old for you?”
She shook her head.
“So, what’s the verdict, princess of hearts?”
She grinned, nodding and unable to say much and he loved how she often communicated non-verbally. Her body language gave him more response than he could have gotten from a simple yes from her.
“I’ll never do you wrong, with God in me, with me and for me.”
She chuckled. “I like that. Me too, with God on our side we’ll make it work.”
He smiled gently dropping her hands and settling back into his seat. “I won’t say I’m the best guy you’re ever going to be with and hopefully someday soon, get married to. I know your expectations might be quite high seeing you come from a very decent home and you’ve been a good girl all your life…”
“And who says I’m a good girl?”
He looked surprised and felt a pang of jealousy at whoever might have gotten the privilege to be so close to her or probably taken some of her heart with him.
“You’ve had boyfriends in the past?”
“Well, not really. But I had some stupid crushes on the most ungodly guys ever and I’m really glad it never got reciprocated or I’d have been fooled big time.” She laughed shaking her head. “You would think me growing in a godly environment should have made me know better, but right now, I believe in saving my kiss for my wedding day and the rest follows. I know it may be hard but if God could grant me the grace to keep myself till date, then I think the kisses are worth saving too.”
“Oh.” He nodded as if trying to assess the fact that her own understanding of crushes didn’t exceed a fantasy and that was when the reality of the kind of girl she was dawned on him.
If she had kept herself then she might expect someone and something better.
What if his past repulsed her?
Someone like her might want someone who was ‘clean’ like her and had no sexual past that often tortured him with guilt sometimes. What if she heard what he did and suddenly didn’t feel she could go on with him.
Yes she’d gotten her answer from God but she still had a choice to say if she wanted to take that path.
He’d been involved with many women in his past and though he wouldn’t have loved to bring it up at this moment, the topic had managed to come up unexpectedly.
Maybe it was better to deal with it now than later when they were really deep into their relationship.
“Nimi, I need you to understand something.” He began rubbing his neck feeling a little nervous about what he was about to reveal to her. Maybe he would just tell her a general view about it. “My past isn’t the perfect kind. Before Jesus, I had this crazy life.”
She swallowed. “What do you mean?”
He inhaled deeply. “I had relationships with women that I wouldn’t term ‘godly’ and I partied a lot. I’m not your perfect prince charming or some knight who also saved himself for his perfect bride. There were nights I looked back at my past and wished I did but God tells me he has made me a new creature and all my past sexual sins and lifestyle is over. But I need to know if you can take me as I am. I won’t judge you. Heck right now I don’t think I deserve you.”
Nimi was quiet for a while and stared into her cup of coffee that had grown cold. He could see her battling with her thoughts and trying to take it all in. If she couldn’t go the long ride with him, it was better she knew now than find out later.
She looked at him. “If any man be in Christ, I believe he’s a new creature. Old things are gone. I mean if God says go ahead, it means he believes I can handle it.”
He looked relieved but uncertain. “I want to be sure…”
She was the one who reached for his hands this time. “I’m only interested in the new Dapo, not the old one. I wouldn’t have been attracted to the old one in the first place.” She tried to make light of the situation. “Whatever and whoever you were involved back then doesn’t matter to me and has no place in your life anymore. Capisce?”
His heart bubbled with laughter. “Capisce milady.”
“Or do you need a hug?” She giggled.
“Definitely.” He stood up and reached for her and they were locked in an embrace for a while.
“Thank you.” He mumbled in her ears. “For taking me as I am.”
“It’s us against the world.” She assured him when they broke free, smiling into his eyes.
But what about that darkest one that really tears you up inside? The voice interrupted his peace once again.
Later, he told himself. Right now he just wanted to enjoy the moment.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Dapo decided to stop at shoprite Lekki on their way back home when Nimi explained she had to get some groceries for the house and he explained he had to do the same since he was expecting one of his oldest friends in the evening and he was looking at making a fast dinner for the both of them tonight since he didn’t have any left overs that he would have warmed up except for soup he’d cooked some days ago.
“Oh so you cook?”
“I try.” He smiled.
“Is that a smug smile I see?”
“Over the years you guys have tortured us with how well you can cook. Well, I’d like to give you a good whooping in the kitchen when it comes to making dishes.”
Nimi laughed. “Oh yeah?”
“To be honest, when I lived alone in the States, sometimes I was forced to cook by myself so yea I had to learn it. Wasn’t pretty but I think it was worth it. All those years of burning scrambled eggs and setting off the fire-alarm.”
Nimi kept laughing and his heart skipped anytime she laughed. Did she know what she was doing to him anytime she had that beautiful smile on her face for him?
“I’ll make you a nice bowl of soup and you’ll fall in love with it so much you’ll think I jazed it.” She boasted.
“How can I think you’ve charmed it when you as a person are capable of doing that just standing close to me?”
“Hmmn…, I’ll take that as a compliment.” She allowed him reach for her hands as they found their way through the mall. “But seriously my mum, Tolani and Akin have started complaining of one invisible whitlow ever since the day I started cooking soup in that house. I’ve told Tolani that the day I’ll leave her is around the corner.”
He laughed. “Hopefully soon.”
She was not allowed to dwell much on that statement as they bumped into a familiar face.
“Dapo…, Hi” And the young woman reached to give him a side hug though it was obvious her beau wasn’t expecting the warm outreach.
“Hey…, Maxine right?”
“Yeah, we met at the house the other day.” She smiled playing with her hair and completely ignoring Nimi like she wasn’t there in the first place.
“Nice to meet you again.”
“And you too. You look good by the way.”
“Thanks, and you too. Uh this is my girlfriend Nimi. Nimi, Maxine, one of Lara’s friends.”
“Yea, we’ve met before, at Lara’s office. You’re the new girl she hired as her PA right?
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Nimi waved suddenly embarrassed and scared to be caught holding hands with her Boss’ brother when the girl’s eyes clearly passed a message across.
You slimy little thing from nowhere going behind your Boss to take her brother. We’ll see what she thinks of this.
She suddenly didn’t feel confident anymore and she quickly excused herself to pick more groceries while leaving Dapo alone to speak with the girl.
It was a few minutes time when Dapo came to join her.
“What was that about?”
“What?” She pretended not to understand what he was talking about.
He turned her to face him. “You leaving like that, almost like you were afraid to be seen with me or something.”
“Of course not.”
“Then why did it look like you were running away? One moment we’re laughing and holding hands, the next you’re trying to slide past me.”
She suddenly felt bad. The last thing she wanted to do was lie to him when their relationship had just begun.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I didn’t expect you to call me your girlfriend too soon.”
His brows dipped. “What should I have called you? A friend?”
“She’s Lara’s friend. I don’t want her telling her that we’re together just yet. It’s going to look like I came after you or something.”
He sighed. “Look, I know my sister can act and look scary sometimes but her bark is worse than her bite. She only wishes me the best and if you feel you would like me to bring it up with her, I would. The last thing I want any woman to make you feel is afraid when you’re around me.”
She smiled softly wishing she could kiss him at the same time but quickly shook it away from her thoughts.
“And even if you did come after me…” He leaned close to put strands of hair behind her ear. “Who cares, I’m loving every minute of it.”
“Don’t mind me, I just wanted it to be official that’s all.”
“Oh and by the way I’m coming to Lara’s office on Monday.”
“Really? An excuse to see me?”
He laughed. “Shhh, don’t tell, Yea that’s one reason but I have a surprise for her. Remember I told you about my friend who’s staying over at my place this weekend? They’ve known each other up until Junior secondary school before he left and they I remember how they used to bite each other’s head off at the time. At least he’s one friend of Lara I approve of till date. I’m sure she’ll be excited to see a fresh face.”
“Oh wow, nice.” She didn’t have much to say about it.
“But how’s work at her place. Do you enjoy working there? When do you plan on wrapping up?”
“I’m just trying to work till I can earn enough to get a new laptop at the moment. I had to give mine to my younger sister because she needed it more due to her assignments and stuff. My partime program will be ending in about 3 months time so maybe around that time, I may leave.”
“Any job prospects in mind?”
“Still praying about it. As God leads.”
He nodded in agreement. “Whatever you need, just let me know ahead of time. I have a few friends I could send your CV to except if you would like to work as my PA.”
She laughed. “Like you have space for a PA.”
“I could create one.” He winked
“The last thing I need in my life is seeing a temptation like you everyday.”
He grinned. “So you think I’m a temptation. I didn’t even know I stood a chance.”
She smiled to herself and kept picking things she felt would be suitable for him to make dinner while picking things for herself as well.
They ended up buying enough things before leaving the mall and as Dapo drove home, Nimi suddenly wished things would remain this way and she would be forever grateful to God for how he was making her life beautiful. But something told her this was just the beginning.
And she had better brace herself for it.
Much love. xo!
Original story by ITUNU TAIWO owner of http://myglowingscenes.com
For more ARTICLES & STORIES visit us on
bb pin: 58D26493
bbm channel: C0031D10F
whatsapp: 07033971287
twitter: @skilo9ja or @emalexx
IG: @official_emalexx
