Dayo greeted Wanita so affectionately as she walked through the living room door.

“Hi sweetheart, you did not tell me you were going somewhere early. I was so worried that I probably had scared you away with my horrible behavior of last night. ”

“No. I got a call form Becky who was at Amaka’s place. They asked me over for an early breakfast” she replied, returning his kiss

“And to think I made you breakfast. What is going to happen to all this food?” Dayo gestures at the dinning table laden with food.

“Oh Dayo what a surprise! I am so very full. Not to worry. I will sit and feed you the breakfast, if that will make up for it;” Wanita said, laughing as she moved to the dinning table to prepare Dayo a cup of coffee, while he pulled out a chair to settle his tall frame and draw a plate of fried eggs and sausages toward himself.

“Wanita” he said so very softly that she had to strain her ears to hear him, I am sorry about last night. Please forgive my behavior. It was inexcusable”

“It’s alright, I understand,” she said, gently placing the cup of coffee beside his plate as she took the seat opposite him.

“ Hmm smell delicious, I think I will still have enough space for a sausage,” she said forking one and chewing it delightedly. She was happy Dayo’s foul mood had blown over. He was more like his old self again. His kiss just now was so passionate, enveloping her in a hot wave of passion. Perhaps, she told herself. Her worry could be the fact that he would soon be leaving for Canada and she would be alone in the house and all.

“I was desperate” Dayo was saying, “I was so certain I would get the ticket and money to go immediately. I was not prepared for a delay. I am sorry dear” He scooped egg and sausage into his mouth and gave Wanita a long look that melted her heart.

“ Are you still up to visiting Mope and the others this afternoon?” Dayo asked swallowing his food and taking a sip of his hot coffee.

“ Yes I am ready. Remember we have to drop by at the shop on our way to pick up a present for Yomi’s wife.” Wanita reminded Dayo. She picks up his cup and takes a sip of the hot coffee.

“That’s true”

Yomi was the only friend of Dayo’s that Wanita knew. They met on a wet July morning. It had been a shower filled day raining from the early hour of the morning till night. It poured like it was never going to stop. Dayo was at the shop going through everything. He looked undecided as to what to buy. Wanita had seen him come in with his friend; laughing and shaking off water form their shirts. They had moved towards the shelves, going through one item after the other. Dayo was a tall handsome man Wanita noted. He had fine skin and well groomed hair and nails, which caught her attention as he flipped through the sports magazines. Wanita approached them.

“May I help you? Looks like you are undecided as to what to choose” Wanita offered directing her attention on Dayo who close-up was even taller than she had thought. Dayo turned to look at her, a slight lift of his brows, Wanita quickly added. “I own this shop. I could not help but notice you when you came into the shop. My name Wanita Abbey” she extended her hand to shake them both. “I could help with some suggestion if you like. You’ve been going through several items since you came in. Looks like you are undecided on what to buy” Wanita said smiling

“ Dayo Akinyemi” He shook her hands

“You are right I must say. What I like to buy is too much for my miserable pocket” Dayo replied. Wanita pulled a face.

“The shop is full of things for every size of pocket but like you said your taste is way above what you want to spend. What exactly do you want?”

“Presents for my sister and my mom. My sister is a serious church person and my mom is in the village”

“If you will come with me, I have some things you may like. They are a recent order and the prices are quite reasonable. Wanita led them to the other end of the shop, equipped with home appliances, the joy of any woman.

Wanita then invited both Dayo and his friend who introduced himself as Abayomi into her office. They talked for hours while the rain did its own thing, pelting down heavily on the ground outside. Yomi was full of fun, making them laugh until their ribs cracked .He rightly guessed that Wanita was from Badagary when he wanted to know which part of Lagos she came from, and was asked to guess.

Before they finally left the shop, Dayo had asked Wanita to have dinner with him the following day. It turned out to be the start of a whirlwind romance in which Wanita fell head over heels in love with Dayo.

From then on they did everything together, were seen together. Before long Dayo had moved in with Wanita. Nine months to the relationship Dayo was talking about Canada. He wanted to go to Canada. That was the latest country everyone was going to and Dayo wanted to go so that he could make money and marry Wanita. Dayo, it turned out, had spent years in the states, Ohio precisely. Though he had nothing to show for the long stay, Wanita believed his story that he was duped by some people he went into business with. They turned out to be crooks who took all the money he had. The business had promised huge returns. He would not want to go back to the US he said. He did not really say why. He insisted he just needed to change base that was all. Wanita believed him.

Dayo was a law graduate through had not worked or practiced as one since graduation. This was twelve years back. He told Wanita that he needed to set up a law firm in the future and would need her assistance to do so successfully.

Wanita agreed. After all they were going to be married and a good marriage is all about building a solid foundation, financially, morally and otherwise. Dayo was thirty eight. He had spent close to nine year in Ohio. He had left for the united state two years after he graduated from Law School. His parents lived together in Akure. Recently, his mother had moved to Idanre her village to live alone. His father had two other wives whose children were doing well and took care of their mothers. His father had retired from active work. He was living his remaining years in peace and quite. Dayo and his sister Funlola who was married to a lecturer and was herself a teacher and an elder in the church, were the only children of his mother. Wanita had been introduced to the two women and she knew instantly that his mother loved her. Funlola on the other hand was not one to show her feelings therefore Wanita was not sure whether she liked her or not. Dayo dotted on Temi, Wanita’s daughter. He took her everywhere, anytime she came visiting during the holidays.

For Wanita, she was in love and happy. Everything was going on as she dreamed it should be.

As they drove away from her shop after picking up the present for Yomi’s wife, Wanita moved closer to Dayo. Giving him a friendly bite on his earlobe she said to him “I’ve been doing some serious calculations. If you give me one month, I may be able to raise all the money you will need. ”

“That’s my lady. Thank you very much but are you sure it is all right? I could wait longer really. ”

“I know. It is alright” she snuggled closer to him as they drove on .She loved him and was willing to make the sacrifice sure that everything will be okay with time. They will overcome she was sure. There was no need to delay. It was reality time and reality was that she and Dayo had agreed for him to go overseas, spend two years working to raise money for them to get married and possibly open his law firm. She had chosen to spend the rest of her life to be by his side forever.