She was very still. Very quiet. It was like the angel of death had just passed through and taken all the peace and joy in its wake, sparing the victims. He stared at her with tears in his eyes. He had to do it, he could not believe she was staring at him like he was the bad person here. His mum, her mum, his friends, her friends, at least those that know their real story: Nobody wanted them to be together. They even went on a 7 day dry fast, even God seemed deaf to their prayer point. So why was he the bad person in this story?

“Love is stronger than all of this. Love conquers all! Love isn’t supposed to be sad. I cannot let you go. I’ve never seen a couple more perfect than us!”

He completely agreed with her.

“I love you too Jazmine! I really wish we could. But you know I really deeply care about u. I want us as much as you do!”

“Then why do we have to get people’s approval to be together! Why can’t we fight for our love? Why do we have to conform to the rules of this world Raheem? We can write our own story and create our own fate! I cannot live a day without you. It is not fair that every time I find something good I cannot have it! I had to kiss so many frogs, get abused, cheated on by potheads to find someone as perfect as you. And now the whole world says we are wrong for each other. Why do we have to listen to them Raheem? I swear I will take sniper insecticide if I have to live a day without you, because I would not”

Ok, that scared him. She had tried to slit her wrist before, and if she was having such suicidal thoughts now it probably meant she could do it.

They sat in the semi-dark room for a very long time. tears were running down her face freely. He moved to the bed and laid down. “Come here,” he said.

She put her head on his shoulder and let the tears flow. He held her while her shoulders shook violently like San Andrea’s fault just shifted. And when she was fully spent, she raised her head and their lips met in some sort of earth racking collision. She could not hold back. Neither did he.

They tore at each other’s clothes like it was on fire. She ran her hands through the familiar chest and gripped his waist like her life depended on it. No, she wasn’t letting go. This chunk of human belonged to her, and as the thought ran through her head she bit his lip as if to stake her claim. He completely understood, he winced but didn’t stop. Even though they had both promised themselves to stay pure until marriage, marriage is being taken off the table, there is no more waiting. They made love with excruciating passion and everything was right with the world.

As he walked out the door, her heart tore and she buried her head in the pillow, the tears, afresh. She fell asleep.

*************************************************************************************************************

The myth about joining yourself with somebody else and leaving a forever impression was as real as it could get. He thought about nothing but Jazmine for the next 2 days and she cried her way through life for the next 5. They somehow came to the conclusion that if it was this bad, maybe they don’t have to listen to anyone else but just be together, after all, nothing meant more to either of them but their happiness!

Raheem informed his mum he was going ahead with marrying Jazmine. She screamed and threw tantrums and begged him for 2 straight weeks but he was not having any of that. So she resorted to praying and fasting for 21 days but Raheem’s destiny wasn’t going to change either. So they started planning the wedding. Jazmine’s life started looking up. Everything seemed rosy and beautiful. They did not stay away from each other for a minute. His job took him away from Lagos a lot but his heart did not keep him in Kano. He traveled every weekend to come spend time with the love of his life. They both felt stupid for letting go in the first place.

And then she missed her period. She was in her first trimester. The wedding date was moved up. They got married when she was 6 months gone and barely showing. Her small figure went a long way in deceiving people and she was looking smashing in her wedding dress.

As she walked down the aisle in her father’s arm, she had joy written all over her face. He had nothing but pure love in his eyes. Even the guests who barely knew the couples had tears in their eyes. It was a divine moment, the joining of 2 souls who had the purest, cleanest love in their hearts. And stupidity too.

4 months later, she was cradling the dead baby in her arms. He hadn’t even lived a month. How could he? His cells were sick. He had choked on his own blood. Jazmine was inconsolable. Raheem felt like the world was about to come crashing on him. He shuffled his days, in darkness. She refused to eat or drink, she moved into the guest room and refused to get out. She would not have anyone switch on the lights, or bring her food. Her parents came to get her, with her 3 brothers to physically move her. Seven months later, she was still with them and refused to speak to Raheem.

Five years later, Raheem is cradling 2 kids from his second wife, Christy, who is “AA”. Jazmine later got married after 10 years of living with the scars of that one move. That, one move.