Joshua gently placed headphones on her head, smiling as she got lost in the uplifting gospel song by Jaci Velasquez.
She felt the excitement of the lyrics, and when he looked into her eyes, she seemed almost angelic.
After the song ended, he took off the headphones and led her to their garden, where they used to spend evenings with her mother.
Holding her hand, Joshua smiled at her. "You're not scared of me anymore? I can hold your hand now?"
She smiled shyly and nodded. "Yes, you can hold my hand now, Joshua."
"I want to be your husband, Rosa. I've secretly loved you for ten years, and telling you this feels like the best decision I've ever made."
She sighed with fear. "There's something I haven't told you, Joshua."
"What is it, Rosaline?"
"I have a fear of sex. That's why I've avoided talking about marriage until now."
"A fear of sex? Were you raped?"
"No, I wasn't raped. I've never had sex, but I hate the idea of it."
"You don't need to worry, Rosa. When we get married, I'll give you time to want it yourself."
Tears filled her eyes. "You're so kind to me, Joshua, and it feels strange. You have so many girls around you—why do you still put up with me?"
"You're a virtuous woman, Rosaline. Do you remember how you trended on social media for being the first designer to build a huge organization on your own in just five years? You are so valuable, Rosa. You're beautiful, always well-dressed, you always smell nice, and you manage your family home. You cook for them and oversee the maid's duties. You're a great home manager. What more could a man want?"
"What exactly attracts men?"
"A woman who is an asset. A woman who can think beyond the ordinary. When we see a woman with shallow thinking, it irritates us. We love problem solvers, and you are all of that."
She laughed, "You're making my head swell; can you stop it?"
They both burst into laughter.
For the first time, she started to cherish Joshua's presence, instead of seeing him as a bother.
Could this be a sign that she could still love a man?
***
On Saturdays, she usually drove to the supermarket after checking what was needed at home.
This time, they needed soap, toilet cleaner, kitchen towels, a dustbin liner, and biscuits.
At the supermarket, after filling her basket, she pushed her trolley to the counter but suddenly realized that she had forgotten her phone and ATM card.
Panicking, she wondered if they were in the car but then remembered she had left them at home.
Feeling embarrassed, she thought about telling the attendant and rushing home or finishing her shopping first.
Choosing honesty, she parked her trolley by the counter, hurried to her car, and confirmed that she had left her things at home.
She returned to the attendant and admitted, "I'm sorry, I forgot my phone and card at home. I'll be back shortly."
The attendant smiled. "Someone has already paid for you."
She gasped and looked around."Who paid for me?"
The attendant pointed to a young man filling his trolley on the other side.
Rosa hurried over and gasped when she saw his face—it was Raymond Smith.
Despite the nose mask and cap, she recognized him.
Was he following her?
"Raymond?"
He turned and removed his nose mask. "You recognized me quickly."
"Are you stalking me?"
"You're welcome," he said, hinting that a thank-you was appropriate.
She sighed, acknowledging his corrections. "Um, thank you for paying for my things. I'm sorry if I seemed curious; first the gym, and now this..."
"What about the times you almost ran me over and our encounters at the church? Were those planned too?" he teased.
Frustrated, she replied, "I'm really sorry. It just feels like a strange coincidence that we keep running into each other."
He rolled his eyes, "It's just a coincidence. We don't live far from each other, so it's bound to happen."
"I'm still surprised you live so close, and I never knew," she said.
He shrugged, "Maybe you weren't a fan, so you missed that info. A lot of people around here know I live nearby. Plus, many celebrities shop at Vera Supermarket."
She noticed the contents of his trolley and said, "You like milk too? Your trolley is full of it."
He rolled his eyes, "You're so nosy."
She rolled her eyes back, "Sorry for being nosy, Mr. 'I'm minding my business'," making a face at him before hurrying back to pack her trolley.
Excitedly leaving the store with her bags, she placed them in the back seat of her car.
Stretching as she sat in her car, she felt the strain from her frantic search for her phone and card."Raymond Smith, God used you to help me today. But I don't even have his number," she muttered as she started the car and drove away.