"You see, Jay. I'm...Truth is, I don't belong here. I..."
I know, babe," Jay cut in quickly. "That's the more reason why I need to do this. So, you can have a sense of belonging. So, my family can accept you."
Taking her hand, he said: "Baby, will you marry me?"
Conflicting emotions - joy, excitement, sorrow, despair- flashed through her expressive eyes for a moment as she gazed silently at him.
Thinking she was disappointed due to the absence of a ring, Jay said:
"Sorry there's no ring. I planned getting one so I could do things properly but there's been no time and..."
"It's not that Jay! I'm afraid, marriage between us won't work. Your mother and family members all hate me. How can we marry under such circumstances? "
"Shush, babe! Don't worry about my mother. She'll come round. I'm her darling and favourite child, you know.She won't stay angry with me for long. So?" he asked, his right brow raised.
"You really want to do this? With all my baggage? With what people say about me? Being an 'ogbanje' and all?"
He smiled at her, pinching her smooth cheek.
"I don't care what people say! What matters is how we feel about each other. I love you, babe. You've brought so much joy and order into my life. You know what I was like when we first met.
I was a wild club freak- hanging out most weekends at the club, getting drunk and ending up in bed with a different girl each night. With you Reena, it's different. You made me think of the future for the first time. And that future can't be complete without you."
"Oh, Jay," she said, flinging herself into his arms.
He grinned at her. "Is that a yes then?"
She nodded.
"Yes, Jay. I want to be your wife!"
He held her face close to his, looking into her sparkling eyes, then kissed her on the nose.
"This calls for a celebration!," said Jay excitedly. "Where do you want to go, babe? Club? Restaurant? Anywhere you want even if it's the moon, I'm game!"
"For real? You really can take me to the moon?" she asked.
He got up, bowed and spreading his arms wide, said:
"This is Jay, the 'Superman' at your service, my queen!"
She laughed and jumped up from the couch.
"Stop with the silly games, Jay! Truth is, I don't want to go out. I just want to be with you, being close like this, loving you..."
"That sounds like a great idea! Let's have our own little private party! Let me get some wine from the fridge. You get the glasses!"
***
Sometime later, Jay who was a bit tipsy and feeling no pain, pulled Reena from the seat into his arms and began to sway to Davido's hit 'Aiye'.
"Know something, babe," he said. "I never used to believe in all this crap about love at first sight and all that bullshit those romance writers go on about. But that night I first saw you at the club, I lost my heart forever. To you, babe. Now you are mine, nobody can take you away from me, not even a million 'spirit' husbands!"
She smiled at him. "Don't worry about that, Jay baby. I'll always be here for you, " she said softly against his mouth.
He nibbled lightly on her soft, delicious lips, before he went deeper into her mouth, exploring the sweetness within.
His hand slipped inside her skimpy top, moving from her waist to her chest, caressing her, his hot fingers seeking and stroking her full, luscious breasts, the feel and sight of which never failed to turn him on.
She began to make soft, purring sounds, a sign she was in the mood.
He made to pull off her blouse but she held his hand.
"Let's go to the bedroom, Jay."
"No, babe. Can't wait. I want you. Here and now!" he said, pulling off the blouse.
He pushed her gently till she lay flat on the couch, a cushion beneath her head.
His mouth sank on her chest, feasting on her enticing globes that seemed to grow fuller under the tripple onslaught of his mouth, tongue and fingers.
She held his head tight to her, whimpering, calling out his name as he took her there on the living room couch...
Afterwards, she cuddled up to him, her face sunk in his neck.
"Just promise me one thing, Jay. That you'll never stop loving me. No matter what happens," she whispered.
"I promise, my love."
***
"Your uncle seems nice. Thought he was going to be difficult, you know make all kinds of crazy demands like some in-laws do," said Jay, as they drove up the Mile 2 bridge to link up with the Oshodi -Apapa Expressway.
They were returning from Festac Town where they had gone to see Reena's uncle concerning the marriage arrangements.
Reena shrugged.
"He had no choice but cooperate. Afterall, I'm not a little girl still living under his roof. I'm 25, a grown woman; old enough to make my own decisions."
Jay took her hand and kissed it.
"Thanks, babe for choosing me. I promise you won't regret this!"
"Jay, remember to stop at the market so I can get some of the items I want to take to your Mum's place tomorrow," said Reena.
"Look, babe, must you go?" he said, scowling.
"Jay, I thought this was settled. Your mother said that's the only condition for accepting me as your wife."
It was a week earlier when he had gone visiting his mother that she had given the condition.
"Bring her here so she can stay with me for sometime. I want to study her firsthand, to ensure she's good enough for you," his mother had said.
"But ma, she works on the Island. It will be difficult for her, commuting to and from work from here. I think..."
"Then forget about this marriage!" she had almost screamed at him. "You think I'll allow a girl I barely know become your wife? Love has blinded you so you're not thinking straight. But my eyes are as clear as the sky. And prepare to take me to see her uncle. I want to assess the family, to make sure they don't have cases of madness, epilepsy or any strange disease in their family that can be passed on to my grandchildren. You know, Jacob that since your father's dead, it's my duty to take care of these things."
"Alright, ma," Jay said, conceding defeat. Knowing his mother, it would be easier for pigs to fly than make her change her mind once it was made up on something.
"Ok," Jay now said to Reena. "But I must warn you, she 'll make things as difficult for you as possible to make you run away. Mama is one very crafty woman."
"Don't worry, baby. I'll endure whatever she throws at me for your sake."
"That's my girl! Go show Mama the stuff you've got!" he said smiling fondly at her.
***
"Jacob, you may now kiss your bride! " the officiating minister said. Grinning roguishly, Jay drew close to his mint - fresh wife, his mouth seeking hers for their first kiss as husband and wife. Just as their lips met, he woke up.
He sat up in bed, looking around the bedroom for Reena. He was alone.
"What a dream! A pity I woke up too soon," he mumbled to himself as he touched his lips thoughtfully. He got out of bed and made for the bathroom.
Reena had been gone for nearly a week now to his mother's place and he missed her terribly. The house was not the same without her.
As he splashed cold water on his face at the sink, he made up his mind to convince his mother to let Reena come home to him.
'One week is more than long enough for any assessment. Mama's just being difficult, " he grumbled.
Back in the bedroom, as he reached for the phone to call his mother, it rang.
"Mama, it's a good thing you called. I was about calling. Can you let my wife come home? She has stayed with you long enough. We have a wedding to plan you know," he said.
"Is that why you came to kidnap her from my house?" said his mother sharply.
"Kidnap who? What are you talking about?"
"Reena's not here, that's what I'm talking about, boy!"
"She's not with me either. So, where's she?"
"I don't know. You better get down here fast!"
***
"What happened Mama? Where's my wife?" Jay demanded as soon as he stepped into his mother's house.
"No one knows. We all woke up this morning to find her gone. I thought she had gone down the street to get something from the store. We waited and tried her phone. But she left it here. I thought she had run back to your house."
"She's not at her uncle's either. And she can't be at work because she's on leave," Jay, who had been making some frantic phone calls, said.
"What about her friends? Let's check with them," Michael, his younger brother suggested.
"She doesn't have many friends. Except Toyin, a colleague of hers at the hospital that she's close to, I've not seen her with any other friend," said Jay.
"Give me Reena's phone. She should have Toyin's number."
"I hope Ma, that you've not done something terrible to her that made her run away. If anything happens to her, there'll be trouble!" said Jay threateningly as he called Toyin.
"I'm sure she will come back soon. Afterall, her clothes and other stuff are still here," his mother said reassuringly. "How could this have happened? Just when I was growing fond of her. Such a hard working and respectful girl! No matter how much I abuse her, she never gets angry or answer back," the woman said quietly to herself so Jay would not hear.
Just then, Rukevwe, Jay's younger sister burst into the living room.
"Mama, I found this in her room. It was under her pillow," she said.
"What's it?" Jay and his mother demanded.
It was a letter and a ring. It was one half of the eternity rings they had bought at the shopping mall at Ikeja shortly after their engagement.
Jay ignored the ring and snatched the letter from his sister, his heart beating in trepidation.
As he read, his expression changed from disbelief, to fear and finally horror.
'My darling Jay,
If you're reading this, that means I'm no longer of this world. I've returned home, back to where I came from. The sea. Yes, that's where my home is. I'm a mermaid, Jay. A 'mammy water' as you humans call us. That's who I am. I tried telling you the truth about myself several times but you didn't let me.
After a while, I just couldn't confess anymore because of my greed. I wanted desperately to stay with you, be your wife.
But it was against the rules. You see, when we mermaids come on land, we are forbidden from falling in love. Why? Because of the time limit we have. We have just five years to stay on land. After that, we have to return to the sea.
My time expired a few months ago when I turned 25. But I could not bring myself to leave you until the very end as I love you so much and I know you love me too. It breaks my heart that I've to leave you, Jay. But it's impossible for us to be together. We belong to separate worlds. You know, I would have given anything to become human so we can be together always.
But it's impossible so I've to go. My staying back on land at the end of my time will only bring death. I'll die and your life too will be in danger.
So, try to forget about me, Jay. I'll never forget you or stop loving you even when I get married to Zura, my fiancé in my world. He's the one that used to fight me in my sleep. He even threatened to use his powers to harm you but I've been pleading with him to leave you alone.
Thanks for all the love and care you showered on me.You were all I had while on land and you made my stay sweet and memorable. I didn't have any relative. I paid the man who posed as my uncle to do so, so I could have roots like everyone else on land. You humans are so obsessed with family backgrounds. The same with money and properties, worldly possessions and all other stuff you humans spend all your lifetime chasing...
My time's up, Jay and I need to go. One more day here will be a disaster. Take care of yourself. I'll never forget you, Mama and your siblings.
Goodbye, my love.
Reena
The letter dropped from Jay's hand and he took a few staggering steps towards his mother. "Mama, Reena! Reena has killed me!!! I'm finished!!! he said in a choking voice then he fell on the floor in a dead faint...
The End
Happy New Year everyone! This was meant to have been posted last night but I was at a party ringing in the new year and I woke up this morning with a terrible hangover. (I bet am not the only one in that state this morning in different parts of the world!) So sorry for the delay.
Do enjoy your day!
Patience
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