The Perfection in Love - Part One

Chapter 2 - Marital Bliss...

Henry smiled at the sleeping form of his wife. It seemed he had been - they had been - doing a lot of smiling since they had exchanged vows.

He knew he was blessed to be married to Oyin. Sure, they had their arguments, but he knew he would not trade a moment with her for anything money could buy.

"Thank You Lord." he whispered, as he gently caressed her arm that had somehow found a way to curl around his waist overnight.

Her eyes opened slightly, in response to the touch, but soon closed back.

Henry's chuckled softly. It was a Saturday - the only day he and Oyin got to sleep in.

But they could not do that today, he realized suddenly. His in-laws would be arriving in just four hours.

Just another thing that their presence threatened. The thought flashed through his mind.

He shook his head, as if to physically rid himself of the thought.

He could not, should not, be bitter.

Oyin had warned him that Nigerian customs were different from American traditions. He just didn't realize how different.

On their first date, she had plied him with story after story of her childhood. They were in stitches throughout the evening, and when the evening came to an end, Henry had left for his apartment without his heart.

Oyin's groundedness was one of the major reasons he had fallen in love with her, and he knew that he had her parents to thank for that.

He also knew that her parents had a justifiable reason to be overprotective. She was their only biological child, after all. It was understandable that they wanted to have a big part in her life. He just wished that their part did not threaten his.

He knew that Oyin would never do anything to hurt him or even make him uncomfortable.

But knowing - gosh knowing - was so different from feeling.

The first time Oyin had brought him to meet her parents, she had made sure that they kept their Yoruba speaking to the barest minimum. But Henry had seen the look on Mrs. Johnson's face that day. She looked like she had been cheated.

He had downloaded a Learn Yoruba app that very same night.

It was not an easy language to understand—even more difficult to speak. But he wanted Oyin to be proud to call him her husband. He wanted his in-laws to be proud of him, too. The first time he had told Oyin he loved her in Yoruba, she had smiled so brightly, it had made him feel like he had given her diamonds.

The object of his thoughts stirred, as she began to wake up. He quickly shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep.

If she knew he was awake, she would ask what was wrong. And he didn't want to lie. She had made him promise never to lie to her. If he really did not want her to know something, he could utter the safeword: sea otters. But Henry thought that calling it a safe word was ironic, considering the fact that it was anything but. Their argument on Sunday was a prime example.

Just then, Oyin snuggled closer to him and sleepily began trailing lines on his chest with her finger.

"You awake?" she mumbled.

He gave a noncommittal grunt.

"Let's pray?"

"Okay."

"Thank You Lord for another day. Thank You giving us each other and thank You for giving us You. As we go on today, may our lives reflect You. Amen"