It wasn't her fault.
It was the fault of his stupid heart which wouldn't simply listen to sense of reasoning from his brain. If it had, his present condition would've been avoided. Adedayo never planned to be cold towards her but it began to seem so.
Joy felt like their relationship had retrogressed back to when they first started living together. This time, he was more distant than before. Each time she asked if he was okay, his reply was the same. I'm fine. But she knew that was a lie. Something was eating him up. Something in regards to her. If only he would tell her then she might rectify her mistakes.
"It's a good thing you don't have any further complications." Dayo told her as they walked away from the hospital premises. He held her scan and test results. According to the Doctor's explanation, nothing heath-wise was wrong with her. He advised her to take a lot of rest and not force herself to remember her past memories.
"It has been a while. Let's see if the police have any new information." He told her and she nodded in understanding. Yes, he still speaks to her and even that was different from the past times. Their conversation felt stricter and he wouldn't meet her eyes even for five minutes.
At the police station, they were faced with a different officer. For a moment, Dayo panicked. On his way here, he expected to hear nothing short of, we've located her family. A part of him just wants to be relieved.
"Can we help you?" The present officer asked. He was shorter and chubbier than the first who'd attended to him.
"Yes. About three weeks ago, we registered a complaint here."
The young man began to flip through the past pages of a long notebook. "Your name?"
"Adedayo Michael."
"What was the complaint about?"
Dayo exchanged glances with Joy. "She lost her memories and can't remember her way home. She needs her family to find her."
The officer looked at Dayo, his eyes redder than normal. He took a look at Joy as well.
"Is there any missing person's case?" Dayo asked, ignoring the man's unusual gazes.
The officer was hesitant before he pointed to the three posters on the wall. Their eyes followed his direction. Joy walked up the poster glued to the wall with the washed-out paint. She looked from the first to the second. Along with a little information, the posters had the images of the missing people and none belonged to her.
Dayo turned back to the officer. "Is that all? Are you sure?"
"That's all. We haven't received a report with her face."
Adedayo rubbed his left temple. "Did any of you go out to ask? They might not be close. If you people would extend your search from beyond your office seats then maybe we would've gotten a lead by now."
"Young man, you better be careful with your words. You're talking to an officer of the law."
Adedayo might not have realised it but Joy could see his chest coming up and down. Even the tone of his voice had changed. Clearly, he was upset. He turned away and walked out of the station. He rubbed the back of his neck, finally aware that his emotions had spiked up. It hadn't been his intention. It was infuriating to think if they could've done their job half as good as they should, everything would have returned to normal. Joy would be home with her family and he would return to the seemly kind of peace he had.
Joy came out of the station to where he stood under a large mango tree. "Are you upset with me?"
Again, Dayo wouldn't look her in the eyes. "I'm not."
"You're lying. I know something's wrong and it wouldn't be so if you would just tell me what it is."
He turned to her suddenly. "Don't you miss your family? Don't you want to go home? You know you can't live with me forever."
"I know. If I could. I would... It was you who said it was okay to stay with you. You said you would help me. I thought you were a gentleman. Maybe you were just pretending." She walked away and didn't look back once. Adedayo ran a hand over his face. His feeling of anger gradually diminished and guilt began to take over. Their way home was riddled with silence between the two. Adedayo felt sorry for the way he'd been behaving. His feelings were in no way her fault and it was wrong of him to feel upset because she didn't feel the same way for him. It shouldn't have mattered.
"Joy." He called when she was close to the bedroom and she turned to him. "I'm sorry... I'm aware that I have my issues. I promise it'll never affect you again."
Joy brushed her left fingers over her left eyebrow. "Why?"
Dayo's eyes and his facial expression were obvious; he didn't understand her question. She hesitated with the words that should've come to life through her mouth. Instead, in those moments, she didn't think she had anything to say that would set his mind at ease. Maybe he was troubled because the expenses were becoming a lot for him. Maybe that was why he seemed agitated and slightly irritated easily these days. She thought about his possible need for help but his reluctance to admit it got in the way.
Joy shook her head. "Don't mind me. I accept your apology. We're okay, right?" She stretched a hand to him for a handshake while wearing a cheerful smile. He accepted it alongside a smile of his. Dayo felt better than he'd felt in the past few days. She might not feel the same way for him but as long as she was present with a smile on her face, he believed he was going to be okay. His ridiculous feelings would eventually go away.
Adedayo knocked on the wooden door.
"Come in." A male's voice replied from inside the office. Dayo gently pushed the door open and stepped into the cozy office. The cold air, as a result of the air condition, was the first to welcome him. He closed the door behind him.
"Good evening, sir." He greeted the pastor who lifted his eyes to him from the bible he was reading.
The older man took his reading glasses off before a smile curled up on his face. "A-de-da-yo." He purposely pronounced his name syllable by syllable in a baritone that was without perfection. Dayo smiled, understanding this was his way of teasing or easing whatever tensed atmosphere that might've made it in with him.
"Go on, sit down." The pastor encouraged him and Dayo carefully pulled out a seat in front of the desk and sat down. The first minute, he stared at Dayo in silence while his smile never left his face. Dayo smiled back.
"Sir, you said you needed to speak with me after we were done with rehearsals." Adedayo felt the need to remind him, seeing as he was yet to address his reason for calling him in.
The pastor leaned forward and his arms rested on his desk. "Adedayo, whatever I say, I hope you understand it's from a good place and it's important advice."
Adedayo wasn't sure of what to say so he smiled courteously.
"I understand that you might have a deeper relationship with the young woman that recently joined our congregation."
The frown between Dayo's brows was quick to disappear as it had appeared. His head hung low for a moment. It was this discussion again. The crazy rumours must have somehow gotten to the ears of this esteemed man of God.
"It's true, right?"
Adedayo was hesitant. Yes, or no? No would mean explaining more than he would like and yes would mean something special does exist between him and Joy. In some ways, his relationship with Joy had deepened and they were more than just acquaintances. Drawing in a deep breath, Adedayo nodded to the pastor's query.
"That's good...Uh, the problem at hand is your living situation."
Living situation? Dayo repeated in his mind.
"As a representative of the church and as a worker. It is important we live by example. I'm sure you are aware that an unmarried man and woman living together alone is not smiled upon."
"It's... it's nothing like that." Adedayo tried to explain.
"No, listen. I'm not saying this to get you two to break up. For your piece of mind as well as ours. Don't you think it's better for you to do the right thing?"
"The right thing, sir?"
"Yes. Marry her."
Adedayo's eyes widened at the mention of marriage.
"Once she becomes your wife, nobody will have anything else to say." He relaxed into his seat. "Okay? Also, if you need any help, whether financially or more than that, don't hesitate to come to me."
Tell him the truth. His subconscious urged. Instead, Adedayo stood to his feet, thanked the older man and walked his way out of the office. Did he ever expect that his co-habitation situation with Joy might be a problem? Yes, and that was one of the reasons he let them think they were involved with each other. He did that with the intention that Joy was going to be gone soon. Day after day, he'd let them weave their own interpretation of the story. Now, the pastor had optioned them to tie the knot.
Adedayo didn't want to lose his place in the church. Growing up, he was never fervently directed towards the things of God. But after an evangelism and one day making his way to the church, he found a different kind of peace. It was the type that gave him the strength to surpass his everyday struggles. Mentally and physically. He was sure marrying him was the last thing on Joy's mind right now.
That night, again, Adedayo looked at Joy. Again, she caught him in the act and he looked away. He pretended to gaze at the ceiling. The fact that he was considering the man of God's suggestion was crazy. Truthfully, it did make sense.
What is it that you want, Adedayo? The question pondered in his mind.
Since he got into bed, Joy noticed his little movements and could tell with the way he kept stealing glances at her that he had something bothering him. "What is it?" In the end, she asked.
"Nothing." He replied after a bit of hesitation before he laid on his side and had his back faced to her.
Joy sat up and after a moment of staring at him, she daringly reached out her hand and touched his arm. For the first time, he didn't jerk away. Instead, he calmly turned to her. For a few moments, she stared at him, surprised that he didn't react as he normally did. What could that mean? That he was no longer scared of her or he has finally accepted her into his life.
She withdrew her hand and sat up well. "Do you have something to tell me?"
Adedayo's silence lasted longer than normal and that made her sure he definitely had something to tell her. She watched him sit up and leaned his back against the wall. For another few seconds, she watched him fiddle with his fingers. He seemed quite nervous and it made her wonder what on earth could reduce him to this state.
Finally, he looked at her. His gaze unshaken. "Will you marry me?"
Joy felt her heart dive right into her chest.
Thank you for reading this chapter and sticking this far. Pls, let's not forget to vote or comment if you believe this story is worthy.