Rita stared at her plane ticket, wondering if the happiness she desired would come by making this journey she was planning on embarking with her new boss, Troy. She had no reason to worry but she had formed a habit of having too much negative thoughts about men.
She took a look at the list of fun things outlined by Troy to spice up the trip, but none of them seemed interesting enough to entice her at this time. Not even the swimming which he promised to teach her, nor the games he mentioned. Her antisocial behaviour was getting the better of her.
Had it not been for Lilian's persuasion, she would not be embarking on this journey, just like she had declined several dates before now. She knew very well that apart from the business end, the main reason Troy asked her to come with him was so that he could get more time with her.
Rita's aversion to men and relationships in general is the only reason she was unmarried in her early thirties. Rita's beauty is such that nobody who sees her does not take a second look. Her well toned skin, her oval face, pointed nose and perfectly crafted contours were such that men could never resist the urge to make their move.
So it was not a lack of men but she could not just point her distrust to any concrete reason. Rita claimed she did not want to get her heart broken but she didn't even believe this was a strong reason, she didn't know what heartbreak felt like and she knew a lot of her friends who were happy in their marriages and relationships.
She simply could not get herself to accept any man, none appealed to her spirit as the "right man".
Lilian, her bestie who before she got married six years ago, was always in a relationship even before the previous one gets old kept advising her to "live", as if she were dead. "Tomorrow is not promised", Lilian would always say when reminding Rita that life is short and she needed to love and be loved, telling her that nothing is more fulfilling than that.
Lilian had tried to match Rita with different kinds of men, always adjusting the men based on Rita's complaints about the last. With time, Lilian realised that the men were not the problem, Rita was. So she decided to let it be but always encouraged her to open her mind.
Rita may not have accepted to travel with Troy had it not been for the rumbles she felt in her womb when she attended Lilian's birthday and say how her children ran around the house and kept calling her "mummy". She was not jealous but somehow she felt sad at her reality, her biological clock was ticking and she had no man to call her own not to talk of children keeping her company.
Troy had been shooting shots at her for about two months now, subtly and casually, he was friendly to her but she never really gave it a second thought. After Lilian's birthday party, Rita decided to take Troy a bit more serious.
Picture is mine
Their conversation became more intense even though she tried to put inhibitions. She initially tried to wave off Troy's invitation to travel, saying it was too early but Lilian strictly warned her not to miss out on Troy "give the young man a chance" she had said "you won't marry yourself".
She was right and Rita knew it, so she accepted.
Looking at the ticket and her packed bags, her doubts began to accumulate. She picked up her phone and called Lilian "What if he is not the right man, do you really think I should make this journey, what if...?"
"You never know" Lilian interrupted, she was getting tired of the incessant questions "Just go with the flow, you only live once" she said "from all you have said about him, I am certain he is a good man".
This eased Rita a bit and gave her the urge to order a bolt driver, and so began her love adventure. She was beginning to live at thirty-two but it's better late than never, she thought.
While on the ride, Troy called to inform her that he was already at the airport "hi love, the captain said he won't be taking off without you, where are you please?" She gave a hearty laugh, it sounded sweet and effortless and she wondered what it would be like with actual effort. "Is this what I have been missing?" She wondered. "I am on my way, see you in five" she whispered "Alright love, see ya" he said and hung up.
She could not stop smiling, she had decided to give love a chance and it was already beginning to feel like the best decision she has ever taken. As the driver turned onto the airport drive, She said a silent prayer for herself and for Troy.
She hoped loving and being loved would be what Lilian described.
A plane flew over, but she was unbothered, the captain would not leave without her, she liked the sound of that. She opened Troy's list of fun activities again and this time, she was determined to actually have fun, she added horse riding to the list, she had wanted to do that for a long time now.
When she alighted, she saw him, standing in the carpark, he walked up to her and hugged her. He helped her to carry her bags as they made for the way written "departures"
"So how is the trip going?" Lilian enquired
"Thanks so much darling for pushing me, I am having the time of my life. I don't want the trip to end, Troy is really the right man for me" Rita replied. "That means you owe me big time o, so gist me, I am all ears"
"Where do I start from now? The gifts? The lovely notes he drops randomly? The romantic gestures? Do you know Troy cooks better than me? You need to have tasted the coconut rice he cooked..." Rita went on an on and Lilian could only but laugh. She was happy for her stubborn friend who finally found love.
"I am glad you took my advice and finally you are living" Lilian said. "I won't be surprised if he proposes before you guys get back". "If he doesn't propose, I will propose, he is worth it" Rita said and Lilian smiled, her antisocial friend was talking of proposing to a man. People really change.
It was no surprise to Lilian when she received a wedding invitation a month later, Rita was getting married to Troy.
"My daughter would be your little bride on that day, I will also take care of your makeup" Lilian promised.
She felt happier than she felt on her own wedding, she was willing to do anything to ensure the success of the wedding.
