THE PROPOSAL

  In the middle of the night, Bimpe rose from her bed, pacing the floor, deep in thought. She had been troubled since she listened to a message preached by the late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya titled ‘How to tell I am in love.’ Listening to that message was actually a coincidence. She had intended to listen to John Legend’s ‘All of me’ but she coincidentally clicked on the message and decided to listen to it. In her sermon, Pastor Bimbo talked about the difference between love and a crush; and how important it was for a man and a lady in a relationship to define their relationship. She went on to advise any lady involved in a relationship that had not been defined to take a bold step and ask her partner what the relationship meant to him.  Her message touched Bimpe’s heart, opened her eyes and brought up so many questions about her relationship with Deji, it needed to be defined.

She had been in a deep stable romantic relationship with Deji for about three years but she was yet to fully comprehend where their love boat was heading. She wanted commitment and a lifetime relationship with him, but she feared he might not share the same intentions with her because he never discussed about marriage or their future. She loved him so much that she couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.

Their first meeting was far from being romantic; neither of them could have thought they would now love each other so much. They were both in their final year at the University of Ibadan when they met. Bimpe was in a class jam-packed with students listening to a dreary lecture when all of a sudden someone jumped into a vacant seat that she had reserved for her friend, Moyo. With a rouse voice and livid eyes, she told Deji to get up from the seat. Deji turned a deaf ear, acting as though no one was talking as she talked incessantly, claiming that the seat belonged to her friend. Unconsciously, Bimpe raised her voice at Deji who infuriated her with his tranquil disposition. The consequence of this however, was the fact that she had unfortunately attracted the attention of everyone in the class and before she knew it the stressed looking lecturer stopped the lecture and ordered her out of the class. She was so annoyed, she imagined having magical powers and dealing with Deji instantly, perhaps turning him into a frog. It was just a vain imagination, the worst she could do was to ensure that before she left the class she looked at him in such an awful manner that meant, ‘you will pay for it one day.’

Bimpe told her family, roommates, friends and everyone that cared to listen about the crazy guy, Deji, who caused a situation that made a terrible lecturer walk her out of a class. She hissed at every thought of him and it took a week before she could stop talking about the incidence. Three weeks later, she ran into him in front of a bank. The mere sight of him stirred up anger as she walked away when he even dared to offer her a ride. They met again in front of a lecture room, he was standing at the entrance looking towards her direction, she wanted to walk past him, but he crossed her path and asked for a moment. She scowled as he talked, he asked her to lend him her lecture notes. “Really!” She said, feeling like it was payback time. She couldn’t hold back her laughter, she laughed at him before she continued, “you want my lecture notes and you think I will give you right away after embarrassing me?” Deji laughed in response. “You have to apologize first.” Bimpe added.

“Your friend didn’t show up till the end of the lecture,” he said in a gentle voice. “I am sorry about that.”  The gentleness in Deji’s voice and eyes captured Bimpe’s heart and melted away the bitterness she had against him. She started liking him right from that moment. “You have a good handwriting and I find it unanticipated because most of the good looking ladies that I know have terrible handwritings. I find it impeccable that you are good looking and you have a very good handwriting.”  She blushed at his words and that was the beginning of their friendship. Their friendship went on to grow stronger day by day till they became inseparable.

Deji responded to all Bimpe’s needs even when she did not ask for it. He helped to influence her posting to Lagos for National Youth Service Corps. While at the NYSC camp, they were very obvious. A soldier who noticed their closeness called them Romeo and Juliet. After NYSC, he helped her get a job in one of the lucrative banks in Nigeria, got her a well furnished apartment and a car as a birthday gift. He gave her all that she desired except an engagement ring. Even when she deliberately brought up issues about how her friends got engaged during Valentine’s Day, he never for once showed interest in her talk.
Bimpe decided to return to her bed after she concluded that she would ask him first thing tomorrow morning to define their relationship. She needed to have an idea of where it was heading. She knew it was going to be difficult for her if he eventually showed no interest in marriage, but it would be better for her to leave such a relationship. She wasn’t in the relationship because of what he could offer her, his benevolence and godliness won her heart and she felt a sense of security and trust anytime she was around him.

Deji’s call woke her up in the morning, informing her that he was at her door post.  Bimpe opened the door to receive him and he rushed to have her in his arms giving her a passionate hug. The way he looked at her that morning meant to her that she alone was in his world. She immediately lost the courage to question him about their relationship. Not long after he arrived, he suggested that they have their breakfast at a sophisticated restaurant.

As he drove her to the restaurant, he took one of her hands into his further killing the courage to ask him the questions that had troubled her mind.  Deji put the car to a halt in front of the restaurant and somehow, Bimpe summoned up the courage to ask. “Deji, we need to talk” she said, “let us get in first” he responded, looking into her eyes. He opened the door for her, kissed her and closed it after she got out of the car. He was a perfect gentleman. As Bimpe thought about how good he had been to her, she decided they eat first before she would ask her question.

“Deji,” Bimpe called. He dropped his cutlery and focused on her face. They stared at each other briefly before she said, “it’s been three years now that we have been together and I wan-” She paused, cleared her throat and continued, “I want us to define our relationship. Are we dating? Or are we just best friends?”

Deji’s intent look and silence made fear run down her spine. He smiled back at her but she didn’t even still feel relieved. “Is that all?” he asked and Bimpe nodded. Deji stood up, dipped his hand into one of the pockets attached to his jacket, brought out a small black box and went on one of his knees before he said, “I wanted to ask you to marry me once I stepped into your apartment this morning, but I decided to wait till 11am because that was the very hour we met in Professor Ige’s class.” He paused to laugh but Bimpe could not laugh, she was yet to get over the shock.  “I am so sorry that I made you ask for the status of our relationship; we have been dating and will soon be married once you say yes to me. Adebimpe, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” Bimpe said in tears as he put the diamond ring into her finger.

             

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