{Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/people-old-man-woman-couple-love-2583943/}
Pa. Ayo and Ma. Aina sat in their blue walled spacious and bright living room. There was a blue carpet on the salmon floor, three sofas, a coffee table and an industrial standing fan.
A dinning table was by the left and a bookshelf with many books in it as well. On the bookshelf, was a vase with a small plant and an old clock. At the corner of the living room was a big flower plant in a vase.
The living room had four Windows, with two of them covered with a lovely Violet curtains made by Ma. Aina herself.
It was their 48th marriage anniversary and they both were excited about it. They had met each other when they were teenagers and became friends. It'd been a long journey together and they were grateful to God for how far they had come.
Pa. Ayo was 14 years old at the time he met his wife Ma. Aina. He was three years older than she was and slim. She was tall, fair, and loved to smile. Her smile had been what had attracted him to her and she was such a beautiful girl.
His house was very close to hers, she had lived with her aunt and wasn't allowed to come outside to play like the other kids . He'd always wondered why she was indoors and didn't talk with the other kids, but later got to know why.
Whenever she was going out with her aunt, she kept her head high and looked straight; this had been amusing to him as she walked.
He thought of ways to talk to her but was scared her aunt might beat him and report him to his parents; so he stayed far away.
Months later, school resumed and he found out she was a new pupil in his school. This had made him thrilled as he now had the chance to talk to her.
He waited till break time before he walked up to her and had a talk with her.
Ma. Aina had always wanted to come out and play with the other kids while she was living with her aunt. It'd saddened her heart that she was locked up in the house and restricted from going out.
Living with her aunt was like living in a prison to her, as she was always interested to join the other kids. She would stand by the window, gazing at them with admiration, with a broad smile on her face.
She had practiced every games they had played in her room and copied how they had danced. One of the kids she had loved most was Pa. Ayo because he was talented in dancing and intelligent at the games.
He was slim, medium-average, and brown skinned. He had small grey eyes and also wore glasses sometimes.
Everytime the game was on, she would fixed her eyes on him and clapped whenever he had won. A few times she had glanced at him while going out with her aunt and wished she could to talk him and hold his hand.
She'd been scared because her aunt would frown at it and beat the hell out of her. Then, school resumed and she was enrolled in a new school which was Pa. Ayo's school.
Pa. Ayo and Ma. Aina laughed as they reminisced on the past. They held hands and stared at each other, their love for each other sparked like a burning flame every single day.
"Do you remember the first time we talked?" Pa. Ayo asked, as he squeezed her hand gently.
" Oh! Yes. I do. It was the best day in my entire life."
"Really?"
"Yes, it was. I had always wanted to talk to you, but there was no way I could," she told him.
"Me too. I never had that courage to. I was scared if I did, your aunt will be mad at me." He had a lingering sadness in his eyes.
She cupped his cheeks in her hand and smiled. "I recall I was walking to my class after buying snacks and you just showed up in front of me."
Pa. Ayo burst into laughter and said, " I can't forget the expression on your face. It shredded me into pieces."
"I was stunned at your appearance."
" Yeah, I acted like a moron. I shouldn't have done that, but it was also a good thing I did."
" For sure, it was. That was the beginning of our friendship."
"And then our relationship."
"Which led to our marriage."
Pa. Ayo moved his face closer and kissed her. " You will always be my baby girl."
"Yeah, I know. I am always your baby girl," she said and chuckled.
"I am glad we kept to our vows. It wasn't easy at a point."
" It wasn't. Marriage had it's good and bad times."
"Not all couples can sail through the bad times."
"I remember your affair with Sarah which actually broke my heart. I had wanted to file a divorce, but my love for you stopped me."
He let out a soft breath. " I will forever be sorry for my actions, I didn't know what came over me. I am also grateful for you not leaving me and the kids."
"I am glad I didn't. She kissed his nose and said, " I made a vow to stay with you forever and nothing will make me break my vow."
"I love you, Aina."
" I love you, too."
They clasped hands and joined their heads together as they sang an old love song.
