I do and I do

19| It's because of a special emotion

"Will you marry me?" Dayo dared to ask the dreaded question. For a minute there, he felt brave while his heart drummed away. Now that he has heard his own voice, Dayo realised perhaps, he was being a bit too foolish. Joy's profound silence made him understand that maybe he'd crossed the line.

"Um... uh, the pastor from the church sug—suggested we get married because it seemed less liable to be the topic of discussion than us just living together without any bidding relationship."

Joy was yet to say anything. How could she? He had asked her a question. One that normally shouldn't have a dramatic effect on her. Instead, her heart raced on and she remained frozen. Not because she was scared or because she ran. But because... Adedayo Michael asked her to marry him. She'd always thought the strange tension between them whenever they were close was simply a natural phenomenon whenever a man and woman came closer. She didn't see it otherwise or gave attention to making out a new meaning.

"Joy." Adedayo lowered his head for a minute. "It's okay if your answer is no... we don't have to get married."

"Yes."

His brows arched up. "Y-yes?"

"I'll... I'll marry you."

Both stared at each other. Dayo knew he would've loved to hear those words from her but he also didn't quite expect it.

"You'll... you'll marry me?" He had to repeat, perhaps, he'd heard wrong the first time.

She nodded her head and said, "yes."

Again, there was silence in their midst. It was too good to be true. Adedayo scratched the back of his neck and lowered his eyes from her. He wanted to ask why. Why is she saying yes to his marriage proposal? Was it to be kind and repay him for his goodness or could there be a deeper meaning? Yet, he couldn't bring himself to ask. He feared the reply he might receive.

"Maybe you should think about it some more and tell me your final answer by morning." He mentioned before sliding down from his sitting position. "Goodnight." Dayo turned his back to her.

Joy laid down, closed her hands together and positioned them under her head. She stared at him. He was right. By morning if her decision still stands then maybe there definitely was something special going on.

Adedayo would love to be realistic but his head was becoming filled with the thought that she might be his someday. He shut his eyes tightly as if that would ward off those thoughts. He wanted her to be happy and whatever makes her happy should be her decision. Dayo also feared that her happiness might not be with him. Secretly, he wished that by morning, nothing about her decision would change.

It took a while before either eventually fell asleep and by morning, Adedayo was the first to wake up. As he had his bath, his mind kept wandering back to the thought that she would give her final decision today and it might be a no. It wasn't his first time getting disappointed but for some reason this time, he didn't have a clue how he was going to handle everything. He told himself that he was taking this way too personal. It shouldn't be. This was an idea borne out of the intention to protect them from the public speculations.

Adedayo carried his briefcase from the couch and looked one last time at the door of the bedroom. The last time he saw her, she was still asleep and maybe he would have to go to work without getting a reply from her.

He turned away to leave.

The moment Joy opened the door, she called to him. "Dayo."

He turned to her and he watched her walk up to him. All this while, his heart began to race. It took everything in him to remain stable. She stopped in front of him. His hands by his sides started to tremble. Dayo folded them into a fist in order to try and stabilize them. He watched her take the next few steps closer, causing the jittery he was feeling to multiply.