It was a beautiful afternoon in my office when our Receptionist buzzed me that I had a visitor. I went to the lobby and saw one of my friends from my old neighborhood in Surulere, Lagos standing there. I was surprised to see him but he just needed my help. He wanted to travel to the United States and needed a document to be signed by his State Government office. The person in charge was also a friend of his working in the next building to me but was out of the office. He did not want to just leave the document, so he left a note for this person and handed the document to me to help him deliver it. I took it and waited for this person to show up to collect this important document.
A few hours later, a nice, good-looking but unassuming gentleman came to my office and shared with me he was the person I had the message for. We were working in the same big office complex but never met. I introduced myself, welcomed him to my office and gave him the document. We talked briefly and he left for his building. Next day, I got a call from him thanking me for helping his friend out the day before and asked me for a lunch date. I agreed because I do not pass up on free lunch, even up till now. We went to lunch in a nice restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos and went back to work.
He will call me periodically afterwards and we would just talk and talk for hours and always found things to talk about. In the evenings, after work, we would take a stroll on the beach facing our office building. All this time, I just took him as a friend(see, I was a tom boy - I had a lot of male friends growing up and have three brothers). This friendship blossomed and I took him as my confidant but I had no love interest(why? I did not know).
Then came Valentine's Day the following year and he gave me a card. I actually did not read that card(I was and still not a card person). I got to my apartment inside the complex where I worked(we were given free accommodation) and dropped the card on my table which eventually found it's way into my desk drawer.
One weekend, I decided to clean up my room and throw away junk. I saw several envelopes in my drawer and opened them to see whether I should keep them or throw them out. After several tries, I opened one with a card inside it and realized I never read it or I did not read it completely. So, I sat down and read it and at the bottom were the words - 'I love You' signed Adewale. I was stunned because that was 10 months after I received it and was still behaving to this guy who loves me as a close friend.
I approached him next day to explain himself why he did not ask me all these months my response to his expression of love......He probably thought I was a jerk. His answer was he was going to be patient with me till I come around. Wow! What an awkward situation that was!
Anyway, one can imagine how I felt and a little bit embarrassed but we continued our friendship, or I should say I continued my friendship with him and he was a patient man.
Months after, I realized my feelings were changing towards him and I could not accept it at first. Talk about being in denial.
One day, we were on the beach as usual and started walking and talking. I remember we got to a tree trunk and his hand was in mine and I did not pull away, but something happened in my being-----I liked the touch. It was different and I loved it. The next thing he hugged and we kissed(you remember the movie - Never Being Kissed ?) .
This friendship of almost two years morphed into love and eventually MARRIAGE! Today, and almost 37 years after and four children, I am still Mrs. Adewale Aromire.
Yes, we have tremendous challenges all these years, if I could look back and figure out how we have withstood all those challenges, I will say it's God's doing and the fact that we spent all those years to understand each other. I have since been calling him My Valentine in arrears.
So, every Valentine Day, I always go back to that card, laugh at myself at how silly I was and almost threw away the future. I would laugh and be GIDDY. No matter how good or bad my days preceding Valentine day were, February 14 has always been a happy day for me. For the past few years, my youngest son sees that I receive flowers and teddy bear on this special day. He never missed it.
Happy Valentine Day my friends, may your Valentine be the true love of your lives.
Modupe Aromire
modupesbeautyboutique.blogspot.com
www.youravon.com/maromire
www.facebook.com/modupesbeautybotique
This blog is dedicated to my husband, my Valentine, Adewale Ibikunle Aromire
