"We Were All Humans Until Race Disconnected Us, Religion Separated Us, Politics Divided Us, And Wealth Classified Us"
-Pravinee Hurbungs.
Sometimes love stories are never well explained, or maybe you won't understand. I never understood how it feels to lose someone you love cause of Genotype, finding out you're siblings or sacrificing for someone and they eventually leave you for someone else.
"Ndidi, I've said it and it's final, over my dead body will Tobechukwu marry that girl", my mother roared on the phone while talking to Ndidi.
It was on loudspeaker, so I was listening to everything they said, Ndidi told my mother about my relationship with Annabel which she vehemently refused.
In her words, her only son won't be getting married to a Muslim or a woman from another country.
"Ndidi give him the phone"; She said and he handed it to me.
"Bia Tobechukwu, I've seen the Money I told you to go and make has turned to having affairs, seems you've lost your sense of reasoning and forgot who you are? I want you to start planning how to come back from there because you're no more serious in pursuing your life goals but now after a woman. Use the Money you've made and come back, I don't care if you're having affairs with President's daughter. All I want is that you must be back this month end", she hung up.
I knew that was final and for me to decide between my love for Annabel and that for my mother.
Ndidi was silent and blamed himself, he felt my mother will be happy. Who won't be happy if their child was having an affair with a rich kid.
The week started sad for me, I called my siblings and my dad but my mom's decision was final. But why can't I marry a Muslim or a lady from another country? Women are the ones who tend to lose a lot in Marriage, they change their names, leave their home, they sacrifice their dreams and go trough nine months of pain to have kids.
What is love without sacrifice? I wish mother would understand me.
I admit, all these I never discussed with the love of my life. I tried to avoid her but I couldn't. I don't think I would find the peace I crave for without this woman.
I wanted to make the bold decision and marry her but my mother is dramatic and might cause harm to herself. Life doesn't go as planned, nothing in life works the way it's planned.
"Tobe, I'll advise you talk it over with Annabel. You both can plan something", Ndidi said to me one night after coming back from work.
"Ke Kwanu ife'm ga gwa ya?⁸ Ndidi think about the time and memories, think about how she will feel helping me and I'm using this as a reward. I made that girl turn down many suitors, I wasted her time. Put yourself in her shoes, at least you're here and will understand better", I said to him with tears formed in my eyes.
"Falling in love with you was hard, I never wanted to but love is not easy to overpower. I'm a child of water and I accepted you thinking we would end up together, there are mysteries about me you don't know but if I live I can't endure this pain and stop thinking about you. If this happens, it's going to result in death for you which I don't want to because I love you so much TB", Annabel said crying profusely.
"Ann, I still believe we can do something about it, nothing would happen to me and you", I assured her.
"No, You don't understand! TB it's happened before in the past, I don't know why but nobody breaks up with me and live. Unless I'm not breathing anymore. Tobe I'm sorry I never told you earlier but I never planned for this, if only happily forever existed that was what I planned with you."
Her tears pierced my heart, I never wanted to make her cry. A woman's tears, God counts it!
"I have a plan, come with me. We would go and live somewhere else, I can't live with you", I told her wiping the tears in her eyes.
She gave me the most beautiful smile, held my hand, asked me to come the next day and pick her up so we would leave together.
Love Poem
"When I see you,
Your eyes sparkle while you say hi with the sweetest voice in the world.
When I see you,
My heart skips a beat, and I don't know what to say.
When I see you,
Love and happiness fulfills my thoughts, and all of my troubles go away.
When I see you,
I daydream about the day we could say "I Do."
When I see you,
All I want to say is, "I love you."
Finally, bags packed and ready to go the same way I came, Ndidi gave me directions and told me how easy it is going back. I've stayed years here and Ghana gave me memories and love.
The cab stopped and I walked into the compound to meet everyone in chaos. I got to Annabel room and her father approached me.
"Annabel asked that this letter be given to you, she's in the hospital", he handed me a folded paper and left.
I was transfixed for a moment before I summoned courage to read the piece.
Sometimes, Love is not enough.