Ms Wilson's Replacement

28: Once in a lifetime

"I told him that I would love him with everything I had in me until the very end of everything, and I meant it."
~Sarah Ockler

After we finished dinner, the kids take their leave and Tunde asked if he could borrow Eli into the study for a few minutes. I had no objection to it so I nodded and the men take their leave.

Hawa took me with her into the parlour which is a big room with massive interior design and pictures hanging around. She showed me a few pictures of her and Tunde. In some, they were older and in others, they looked younger.

"I first met Tunde at the bar." she tells me as she drops the picture down on the stand that it was before. "he was at his lowest and didn't figure out who he was or who he wanted to be out yet even though he was a few years from thirty."

I didn't know much about the governor but I just thought he was born rich, Hawa just corrected that impression.

"I knew he loved me after three weeks of getting to know him, but I told him I was never going to settle for a man who wasn't ready to get his life together no matter how much he loved me. That was all it took. He loved me too much to lose me and that motivated him to change his life. I was too in love to leave him regardless but he didn't know that. A year later he opened his grain company from the money he saved the previous year. It was a small company then, but it no longer is today.

"Why are you telling me this? "

"I'm telling you that because I know that love can change a lot of things. I see the way he looks at you. He loves you and he is confident that with you by his side he can do anything, but you are feeling afraid guilty and uncertain about him." She responds.

I didn't know I was being closely watched by her and I wonder what else she may have found out. I am not sure she knew Anna so she wouldn't be able to tell if there is a difference between Anna and me. And Eli who should be able to see that is too blinded by love to see the difference clearly in his face.

Hawa continues to speak, pulling me out of my thoughts, "There are a lot of things that he would never be because of his condition, but there are a lot of things he is because of love. You want to let go but you're not sure and that's the problem with most of us, and this isn't where I'm going to ask you to trust your brain because your brain can only judge on what it sees and perceive, but I'd say, trust your heart and listen to what it tells you about him. You are young and beautiful and in your prime, but a man as devoted and loving as Eli comes once in a lifetime. Make the right decision before you walk down the aisle."

I won't be the one walking down the aisle but I'm grateful for her advice, I'll take and put it to use in my next relationship.

I nod and give her a warm smile, "Thank you, Hawa."

Just then Tunde and Eli walk out of the study into the parlour and Eli is wearing a goofy smile on his face and I wonder what Tunde told him that got him all happy.

He walks over towards me and quickly kisses my cheeks mumbling, "Shall we go?"

Shivers run down my spine at the feel of his breath on my neck and I want to lean against him more than ever. "Yeah, we should," I reply and he turns to Tunde who is whispering someone into the ears of his wife and having her giggle happily.

"We will be taking out leave, Mr and Mrs Carter," Eli speaks up.

"I have less than an hour before my glasses shut down and I need to take us home before then."

"We don't want it shutting down before it should," Hawa says lightly but still honest.

"Me too, so thank you so much for having us, I will take your suggestions into consideration Tunde and I will get back to you as soon as I reach a decision," Eli says as he shakes hand with Tunde and Hawa.