LOVE STORY

Pedro paced up and down his living room. Tomorrow was the day, and he was yet to come up with a plan. He had gotten some plans from his friends, but none of them seemed to be what he was looking for. It had to be special, nothing outrageaous like what he reads on those news blogs, but he had to get it right.


The ringing of his phone, got him out of his thoughts. He looked at the screen and his smile brightened. "Hello Fifi" he answered the call. Fifi was his girl friend. He spoke with her for a couple of minutes, then hung up. He sat still with a silly grin plastered on his face. Only one person had that effect on him. Fifi.

They had met over a year ago, at the gym. Funny enough neither of them was a member of the gym. She had come there with a cooler of smoothies to sell, and he had gone there to meet with a friend. He bought a green smoothie from her, and fate happened. His friend was upstairs on the treadmill, and Pedro had sat by the gate with Fifi making her laugh. How he loved her laughter. He was rewarded with her phone number and that was it. Tomorrow was their anniversary. One year of dating even though it seemed like they just met yesterday.


Fifi had waltzed into his life, and made things right. Up until their meeting, Pedro's life had been a complicated mess. Fifi made the complicated mess easy to bear. She viewed life with such simple eyes, and always had a practical solution to his crisis. She was far from perfect though. God knows she snores like a banshee, and always managed to burn a shirt whenever she dared to iron. But she was the most patient person he knew. She never lost her temper, even when he intentionally tried to make her.


Once they had gone out for lunch, a few weeks into their relationship. Fifi and her friend Yvy had been sitting by the counter waiting for their sharwama, and he had gone in to get them drinks. He had come out five minutes later, to see Fifi soaking wet and a couple of people gathered around her. Yvy was breathing fire and brimstone, and he looked round wondering what had happened. His ex Gladys had struck. She had trailed them there, and poured a bucket of air conditioned water on Fifi. She had sat there shivering, not saying a word. Yvy had given him an ear full. Luckily for him, Fifi was as stubborn as she was patient. No ex was ever going to intimidate her into leaving him, so they forged ahead.


She had stuck with him, when he lost his job and became as broken as shattered glass. He knew he was at his worst that period, as he was unbearable to everyone around him but not Fifi. She coaxed, scolded and coerced him into getting on with life. She picked him up and stood by him. Once he even broke up with her, telling her she deserved to be with someone better, who could take care of her. That day, he saw the other side of his Fifi. She flared up and became red as a torch. She was really scary to him. She told him in no uncertain terms that she was going nowhere, and he should get off his silly arse and move on, so they forged ahead.



Pedro had moved on, and in a couple of months he found a better job and was back to being his usual self. He wondered what he had done to deserve a woman like he. He put his hand n his pocket, and got an idea. A perfect plan.


The next day, he hurriedly picked her up from her office and they drove towards his house. She looked so beautiful, although she said her day had been very tiring. She excitedly told him she might be getting a promotion, as her boss was thinking of leaving the company to start his'. He listened to her, as she talked and made gestures. Her phone rang, it was the girl at her smoothie stand by the gym complex. Fifi laughed at something the girl said, and told her she could close early if she wanted. "This is it". His heart said to him. He was excited.


They got to a police check point and they were flagged down. He wound down his window, and greeted the police man.

"Wey your particulars" the man said in response.

Fifi opened the pigeon hole and handed the papers over to Pedro who passed them to the officer. A loud bang, and Pedro turned towards the sound. The passenger's side window was shattered, and Fifi had a dazed expression on her face. A police officer a few feet away looked white as a ghost. Fifi clutched her side, and when she opened her palms Pedro saw blood. Too much blood. He screamed.

She fell towards him, as the police men rushed towards her door. She was struggling to breath and more blood oozed out of her. "No!!" Pedro screamed. He unbuckled her seat belt, and held her in his arms. "Somebody do something" he screamed as people stood around staring at them.

"O boy wetin you do?" one policeman asked his colleague
"Accidental discharge O.... I don die O. As I dey try adjust am for my shoulder. E just shoot" the man replied in tears.

Pedro was lost. He used his hands to try stop the bleeding. "Baby please...Please don't leave me" Pedro wailed with tears rolling down his cheeks. He reached into his pocket and brought out a ring. "Look.... Look at your ring... Please don't do this".


Fifi struggled to open her eyes one last time, he was holding a ring in front of her face. She smiled and closed her eyes. "I love you" Pedro cried.

"I love you" Fifi replied, but she no longer had a voice.







LIFE IS A CHOICE MY FRIENDS
SO CHOOSE WISELY
ENOUGH SAID

Ibiton.  In a few days, it would be two years. Two years of trying not to remember. Two years of wondering and asking. Two years of living knowing you are not somewhere up to something.

I have never been able to understand, how vivacious becomes cold, how bubbling becomes still and how laughter and talking becomes quiet.

 I have never been able to reconcile your absence with your presence. Soon it would be two years. Two years without seeing you and raiding your room.

  Two years without hearing your recurring " I would take you out" promise, "we would go swimming" promise. Two years without you accusing me of not buying you that beret I promised. How can it be?

You have missed a lot. A lot has happened, Your boy is growing strong and mischievous. You have missed a lot.

Sleep on my dearest friend. I miss you still.

Ivy