Chapter Four: A Casual but Exciting Proposal
One sunny afternoon, as Night headed out to interview
someone for her blog, she received a video call from Richie. The streets of
Ukanafun were bustling with energy. People were going about their daily
routines, the aroma of street food mingling in the air with the sounds of
lively chatter and laughter. Richie was taking a leisurely stroll, greeting
friends and neighbours with enthusiastic waves. From a nearby barbershop, his
hit song Kapital No was blasting
through loudspeakers. The infectious rhythm had children dancing joyfully,
their faces alight with smiles as they sang along. The scene was vibrant and
full of life, with the local market in full swing, vendors calling out their
wares, and the sunlight casting a bright, cheerful glow over everything.
As Richie strolled, he glanced at his phone, his face
lighting up with a broad, affectionate smile when he saw Night’s name appear on
the screen. He turned his attention back to the camera, his eyes filled with
love.
‘Hello, Best,’ Richie greeted her, his smile as warm as
the afternoon sun. ‘I’ve been thinking a lot about us lately,’ he said, sliding
one hand gracefully into his trouser pocket. Dressed in black, his favourite
colour, his outfit hugged his slim figure perfectly, making him look both
casual and stylish.
Night smiled back, her heart swelling with happiness. ‘Me
too, My Lord. I can’t stop thinking about our future together.’
Richie took a deep breath, his expression growing serious
yet tender. ‘I want to make this official, Night. I want us to be together, to
build a life full of love and happiness. Will you be mine, now and always?’
Tears of joy welled up in Night’s eyes. She had been
waiting for this moment, and now that it was here, it felt almost surreal. ‘Yes,
Bahbah Richie. I will be yours, now and always.’
Richie’s smile broadened, and his eyes sparkling with
delight. ‘I can’t wait to start this journey with you, Nightengale. You are
everything I’ve ever wanted.’
As the call ended, Night felt a sense of completeness.
She knew that with Richie by her side, their love story would continue to
unfold beautifully, filled with countless cherished moments and an unbreakable
bond.
And so, with hearts full of love and a future bright with
promise, Richie and Night began their journey together as an engaged couple,
ready to face whatever life had in store for them, united by their love and the
beautiful letters that had brought them closer.
After the interview that day, Night returned home with a
smile on her face. She pulled off her dress and changed into a casual pink home
dress. Then, she prepared a bowl of garri,
a popular Nigerian treat. She mixed the dry garri
with a bit of water, along with a generous amount of milk, sugar, and roasted groundnuts
she had bought on her way home. This quick mix gave the garri a slightly softened texture while maintaining some of its
original crunch. The roasted groundnuts added a delightful crunch, perfectly
complementing the creamy and sweet mixture. The combination created a
harmonious blend of textures and flavours, making the garri incredibly delicious and irresistible. After stirring the
mixture to perfection, Night took the bowl to her study desk, savouring a few
spoonfuls of the delicious treat before reaching for her diary. With the smile
still pinned on her beautiful face, she wrote:
To
the man of my dreams, to the man that makes my heart beat so much, to the man
that I willingly give my heart to without reservations, to the man I wish my
childhood had begun with, I want to say that I love you so much. They say love
comes when you’re not expecting it, I guess that’s true. You’re the true
definition of love, and I know that many different people in the world found
their own love in their own different ways. I am just so happy that it was you
that I fell in love with because you give me the love I never imagined I would
have. And today I drink from your love, and I feel satisfied and blessed.
I
have always wanted to sit under cherry or peach blossoms, watching the petals
fall gracefully on me while drinking tea and writing. I want to experience that
beautiful moment with you. I want to walk in the snow with you, kiss you on the
first day the snow falls, and play love rain with you. Of course, my love, I
adore the rain and the romance of walking in it, and I want us to walk
together, laughing and chatting while the rain soaks us. I dream of visiting Verona, the enchanting city
of love where Romeo and Juliet’s love story was created. There, in Juliet’s
courtyard, amidst the whispers of history and love, I envision us writing our
own love letter. We would pin it to the centuries-old tree, and sign our names
in gold for people to read. Imagine the centuries-old tree adorned with
countless love letters, each one a symbol of love stories from around the
world. We will add our own, letting our words intertwine with the echoes of
past lovers. With you, I want to experience all the extreme emotions. Do you
know why? Because you are the only one qualified to see all of that with me.
As
the sun rises, I imagine us greeting the new day together, our faces
illuminated by the soft glow of dawn. I want to gaze into your eyes and see the
warmth and love they hold, sharing intimate moments and silent conversations
that
convey our deepest feelings. Picture us
embracing as the sun paints the sky with its first light, our hearts in perfect
harmony with the beauty of the morning. And we’ll dance together under the
stars, a sweet, soothing song playing softly in the background, as we hold each
other close and let the world fade away around us.
You
said Dubai is your favourite country; of course, we will go there and enjoy its
beauty. We will also visit other countries with romantic views, and with our
kids on the way, we will make memories together as a happy family.
The
world is so vast, filled with countless people, and in this immense world, I am
so happy that I found you among them. It’s like searching for someone in a sea
of faces with a compass, and once the compass pointed to you, it indicated that
you’re the one. Of course, you’re the one I have been searching for all my
life, and I am glad that I finally found you. I ask, where have you been all my
life? If you had come sooner, when we were kids, I would have loved it even
more, as I would have cherished experiencing all the silly things kids do with
their favourite person. But
then in love, we don’t ask questions like that. We don’t ask love why it came
when it came; we are just happy that it came when it came because that moment
it came was the right moment. So, you came at the right moment for me, and I
will cherish every moment with you because you’re my cherished jewel.
Once she finished writing, she closed her diary with a
tender smile, not planning to send Richie this particular letter just yet. She
imagined herself on their wedding day, writing the letter out on exquisitely
textured paper, using her most elegant, flourishing handwriting, dipped in a
golden fountain pen that seemed to capture the light. The envelope, she
envisioned, would be a masterpiece of romance itself, adorned with an elaborate
design and tied with a soft, satin ribbon that whispered of love’s grace. On
the back, in elegant gold calligraphy, Letter
To My Love, Richie would be inscribed, the letter a symbol of her
affection. She pictured slipping the letter into this envelope, feeling the
weight of her love in her hands as she prepared it as part of a collection of
precious gifts for him on that day. The thought of this heartfelt gesture made
her heart flutter with the anticipation of sharing it with him.
Richie, seated outside under the shade of a tree, penned
a heartfelt line on a blank page of his notebook: Your love, Night, gave me all…I will always be your guard, cover you in
and out of seasons. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting
dappled shadows on his face as he closed the book, a satisfied smile playing on
his lips. With the book cradled in one hand and the other hand casually slipped
into his trouser pocket, he embarked on a leisurely stroll.
Unbeknownst to him, Night was also taking a walk, as if
guided by an invisible thread that drew them together. Both wore smiles, their
steps in perfect rhythm with the soft breeze that caressed them. The air was
filled with a sweet, floral fragrance, adding a touch of enchantment to their
walk. It was a moment of serene perfection for this engaged couple, and as if
the universe was conspiring in their favour, Ed Sheeran’s Perfect began playing in the background, weaving a romantic ambiance
into their surroundings.
Love makes everything beautiful; we just have to find the
right person for us. When they appear, they transform our world, making every
moment magical and every experience a cherished memory shared between two
hearts destined to be together.