This is not to say that the relationship was not rewarding while it lasted. In fact, I had just left a semi-relationship before I walked into "the love of my life".
I will tell you about that semi-relationship later. That one was so toxic you could perceive the bad odour from where ever you are in the world.
I remember the period I was on Christmas break, an urgent project landed on my mail all the way from school. Unfortunately, my laptop was in my brother's house, while I was at my parents home gallivanting. And so while I was with "the love of my life", my group leader called me to say the deadline for submitting the project was closer than expected. I started panicking and he saw my panic.
He swung into action like a superhero. He called his friend who lives in the vicinity and within an hour, I had a computer and internet connection for my project. He hung around while I did my project. I finished at 11.45pm and he waited till then. His visitor at home called him many times to report hunger, but he put him on hold and waited to drive me home.
I marvelled at that kind of support. That was beyond kindness. If I have a man, who will stand by me to conquer a little square in my profession, what else do I need in this life.
Christmas break ended and it turned out his Company's annual general meeting would coincidentally hold in the same town as my school. When he learnt that, he shelved his flight plans and we hit the road together for an 8-hour journey. We bought whatever food we had not eaten before as we passed through strange towns. It was fun like I have not had before.
His meeting lasted a week. The weekend he was to leave and return to base was all fun.
He reserved all of the imperishable food he was given at the meeting for me. When he visited me in school that weekend, it was with a big bag full of food and drinks.
That weekend we went to the beach in the company of his colleagues for his Company's end of the year party.
While his colleagues told tales and got high on alcohol, we quietly left them to walk in the sand. We talked, made promises, picked shells, rode on horses, chased each other, played in the water. And when night fell we made love at a hidden corner in the beach. It was sweet!
When we eventually joined the party, he danced like god while I stayed in the background too shy to move a muscle. Thankfully, he did not invite me to dance. He simply danced alone.
When he eventually left that weekend, it was with a piece of my heart.
We counted the days and spoke over the phone three times daily like it was doctor's prescription.
Sometimes, when I return from lectures by 8pm exhausted and hungry, I see a credit alert and a message from him asking me to find a cool restaurant outside the school and give myself a treat.
That gesture came at least twice a week and it would get my heart swollen with love for him.
The weekend he left me and went back to base, I bought a vintage shirt for him as my surprise and sent it ahead through a courier company.
He called me to say he was grateful for the gift and asked me to save my money for school expenses.
Our love flowed like milk and honey for a long time.
To be continued.
Image credit: www.facebook.com/art gallery
