I felt really stupid when he told me that Matilda and her boyfriend had come to his place for two days
during the week and that he personally referred Matilda to Lola’s shop to make her hair since he had
followed me there times without number. He narrated that they came to Lagos to see her boyfriend’s
family and that Matilda only spent one night at his place. He said he gave her his second phone to use
for a while because her phone battery died and she was expecting important calls from her to be in-
laws.
He had the perfect excuse yet again, maybe I didn’t have anything to worry about with Matilda but I still
had to find out about the boys and Lade.
Weeks passed and I still had no clue of what was happening in our relationship. I started drawing back,
started getting paranoid, I just wanted him to tell me himself about his wife and kids but he didn’t tell
me nothing.
My birthday was in a few days and even with everything going on I really wanted to celebrate it. A
hardworking woman deserves to be happy (husband or no husband). Who even says a woman has to be
married before she is considered complete?
‘SOCIETY!!!’ my sub-conscious screamed at me.
My birthday was on Sunday, so on Friday evening I went to the mall with Lola to get new hair extensions
and other things and somehow we bumped into Elo. He had a full cart of things he had bought and I was
a little upset he didn’t tell me he was coming to the mall. I called him an hour before I left home and he
didn’t mention going to the mall after work. He hugged me and after he bought us ice-cream at Cold
stone he left saying he had other things to do.
Lola tried to calm me down; my mind was just throwing different thoughts at me. I wanted to know
what his every move and though it’s not good to do that in a relationship I felt he owed me that. After
all he was the one hiding something.
On Saturday afternoon, I was at Lola’s salon getting my hair and nails done when a package was
delivered to me.it was from Elo. I started to open it and I saw an invitation to my own birthday party at
his house on Sunday evening from 4pm. Lola started laughing because apparently she had already
gotten hers earlier on. Other items in the bag were a wrist-watch and a perfume bottle and a small card
from Elo it read; ‘Just because you mean the world to me…’
I was blushing amidst the ‘awwws’ from Lola and the other ladies in the salon. I called Elo and he asked
me if I loved the gifts I got and I replied in the affirmative. He promised to pick me to church the next
day.
Sunday service was absolutely wonderful; everyone in my church department had gifts for me. From
ear-rings to dress shirts to make-up sets. I felt so loved , Elo watched me from afar as the members of
my department sang me a birthday song. He was smiling like a Cheshire cat like he was the one being
celebrated then my mind started to wander as to what he had planned for my birthday party later
tonight….
