She helped him button up his shirt after he had put on a new one.
"You have to comb your here too." She added. Both were still in James's room getting dressed up for the outing. She was already in her gown, James was still dressing up.
"You can do that for me, love." James said as he handed his comb over to Elizabeth.
"Okay." She started combing his hair for him till it got to her satisfaction. Then she brought out his shoe and quickly polished them for him.
"Why do you have to do all this? Am I going out to woo a lady?"
"My would-be husband must look gorgeous at all time." She pecked him on his check. "Well, we will have to go to my hostel first, so that I can apply some make up."
"Do you really need That? You look more beautiful without a make up. You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen on earth."
"Thanks a lot, sweetheart." She said and hugged him. "But, I love to apply it, just like every other lady."
"No problem then, let's go."
John, in his hostel was unsure of the cloth he should put on. He wished someone was there to chose for him. He was a type that loves to ask people if a particular cloth is good on him before putting it on. Well, he remembered that cloth bought for him by James. James has bought the the same cloth for the both of them on the they had gone out together.
"It the cloth wasn't beautiful, James wouldn't have bought it." He said to himself. Just then, a call entered. He looked at the phone's screen to see whom the caller was, it was James. "Buddy, I was just trying to call you."
"Hmm. Have you decided on the kind of cloth to wear?" He heard John say from the other side.
"No, not yet." He replied.
"Then, till when. Come on, do quick, we are out of time."
"Okay, where are you now?"
"Forget about where I am and focus on where you are. That cloth that I bought for the both of us the other day is what I'm putting on today. You can also put it on so that she will know how great and deep our friendship is."
"Okay, bro."
In a twinkle of an eye, he already had the cloth on. That was when he realised that none of his shoe had been polished. Out of all, he selected that particular pair he bought recently. He quickly polished them and put them on. Then, he combed his hair so well that any lady might fall for it. He picked up his phone and dialed James's number. "Hello, I'm done brother."
"Come to Elizabeth's place with your car, come and pick us up." He heard James say.
He quickly went outside as if pursued, he started his car and on, he drove. He got to Elizabeth's hostel and saw both James and Elizabeth, already waiting outside, they entered the back seat as he stopped before them.
"Now, let's go to that restaurant." James said from the backseat. He placed his head on Elizabeth's lap as the car continued moving. Elizabeth started playing with his hair and soon he was closing his eyes. Elizabeth's hand, moving on his head made him felt sleepy. Then, he remembered something and quickly sat up. He brought out his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, Madeleine." He said to the phone.
"Where are you? I'm here already, waiting for you."
"But, Madeleine, we planned to meet by 9am, it's only 8:47 na."
"Must it be 9am before I get here?"
"Okay, I'm so sorry. We're already on our way. We will soon join you." He dropped the call. "You have to drive fast bro, she is already there."
"You don't need to." Elizabeth said. "She will wait for us, you don't have to be in haste because a girl is waiting for you."
"Only the ones that doesn't know the value of a girl will not be in haste because a girl is waiting for them." John said and increased the started driving as fast as he could. Elizabeth shook her head, then rests it on James shoulder.
Soon, they got to the restaurant, there they saw Madeleine sitting on a table with two extra chairs before her, they approached her.
"Hello, Madeleine." John said as they approached her.
"Oh! You didn't tell me that three people are coming here. I secured two chairs because I thought it's only two people that were coming.
"You have nothing to worry about, sister." James said and looked for another chair, then they all sat down."
"Meet my friends, James." John said as he pointed to James. "And his fiancee, Elizabeth."
"Is it true that this black guy is your fiancee?" Madeleine threw the question at Elizabeth.
"Aunty, you are talking as if I'm dark in complexion, I'm not black na, at least I have a fair complexion." James said
"But your hair indicates that you're from Africa."
"Yes, I'm a Nigerian."
"Well, he is the love of my life." Elizabeth said, "My everything."
"Is this an act or a pretence?" Madeleine was confused. "I can't believe this."
"Well, Madeleine. Like every other white lady, I didn't plan or have it in mind to marry a black. Youu know, they are just..... I don't know how to badly describe them. But, all I do pray for is a man that will always be there for me anytime I needs him, but I didn't expect this quality from a black man. Sadly, I couldn't find a white guy of this quality but James is worth more than that particular quality."
Madeleine looked at James who just found the right time to kiss Elizabeth on the neck, she felt jealous as Elizabeth playfully pushed him away.
"But don't you think about what people will start saying when they see you people together?" Madeleine asked.
"I don't give a damn about what people say. I love him, he loves me, that's more than enough for me. Sister, try a black man for once and you will feel the difference."
Madeleine kept quiet for a while. He remembered how his father always say that divorce is not common among the black as it's among the white. Which means, the blacks know the value of a woman.
"Is there anything wrong with the blacks that makes you think we are not worth it?" James asked.
What Madeleine hated in the black is their complexion, she remembered those African films she had watched, where the female actors are always as dark as coal. The complexion is so irritating, she hated it. But, it's not all the African countries that contains this black citizens. There are some black countries that are more beautiful than some white countries, their citizens are even more beautiful. The guy, John sitting before her now, looks much like a white, if not for his hair and his voice.
"Well, I will think about it." Madeleine said.
"Do you have to?" Elizabeth asked
"Every girl needs to have rethink about the choice they are left with." James said "Let's give her the time to think about it. As in, think about the advantages and the disadvantages of dating a black, we're ready to wait even if it will take ten years."
"Yes, I'm ready to wait even if it will take ten years." John said and this made Madeleine smiled. "Let me other something for everyone before we part."