Caroline was exhausted by the time she got to her seat. The wedding party had just finished dancing with the bride and groom. If she had her way, she wouldn't have danced, but she just had to honor Lois on her big day. It was Lois and Kelvin's wedding reception and Caroline couldn't have been happier for Lois. Both of them had grown so close in the past month and Caroline felt more than honored when Lois asked her to be one of her bridesmaids. Caroline looked in Aunt Emni and Uncle George's direction. They were enjoying their discussion with two other couples who sat on the same table with them. Aunt Emni was smiling wide while uncle George laughed at what one of the men was saying.
The bride and groom were still dancing and a lot of guests were spraying them money in different denominations. Lois was dressed in the gown Caroline had designed and even Caroline hadn't expected it to be this perfect on her. The tailors had done a very great job. Lois was one of the most beautiful brides she had seen. She looked so happy and peaceful in Kelvin's arms as they swayed to the music. One look at the way Kelvin looked at her was enough to tell how much he loved her. Caroline didn't think a man would ever look at her that way. All the men who had given Caroline second glances always looked at her as though she was some delicious meal they couldn't wait to devour. She remembered Jack Albert. How foolish she was to think that he'd felt something for her, not knowing that he only planned to use her to satisfy his dirty cravings and then forget about her. Kelvin was so different from Jack. He held Lois as though she were some delicate gem he'd do anything to protect. Lois was one lucky woman and Caroline hoped she knew it.
Soon, Aunt Emni and Uncle George went to join in the spraying of money. Lois' mother was present. She danced so happily, together with Kelvin's parents and her joy was contagious. She was such a jovial woman. From the few times Caroline had gotten to interact with her in the past few days, she had been so sweet and nice. Lois was her carbon copy.
"Are you always this quiet?" Benjamin asked, startling Caroline. She had been so deep in her thoughts that she didn't know when he took the seat next to her. Benjamin was Kelvin's younger brother and the groomsman who had been paired with her for the wedding party's entrance.
Caroline smiled and nodded.
"I bet you're not this quiet when you're with Lois."
"I'm freer around people I'm used to."
"So, you're an introvert. I like introverts." He grinned.
Caroline didn't know how to respond to that. She considered saying thank you. But what if he didn't mean that as a compliment. She smiled instead.
"I hear you work at Jay's wears."
"Yeah. I do."
" You sew or what?"
"I actually design clothes."
"Really? Do you have some of your works on your phone?"
"Uhm. Actually, I designed Lois' dress."
"What?" Benjamin looked at Lois and back at Caroline. "I don't believe you." he smiled.
Laughing, Caroline went through her gallery and brought out the photo she'd taken of the design and showed it to him."
"Ahh. Tuale oo! Boss. I dobale for you." He bowed his head low.
Caroline laughed as Benjamin praised her in Yoruba.
"You truly are a legend. The first time I tried designing was the last time I tried. Do you know why?"
"Why?"
"My friends mistook the trouser for a pair of scissors." He whispered in her ear. "I'm glad they were blunt enough to tell me designing wasn't my thing."
Caroline laughed so loud a lady from the next table turned to look at her. "It's okay please."
"No seriously, you're a great designer."
"Thank you."
"I'm glad you're having fun," Kelvin said as he and Lois arrived at their table. They'd been going from table to table; greeting guests.
"Beautiful Caroline," Kelvin said as he shook hands with Caroline.
"You can say that again." Lois grinned. "You look sweet." She opened her arms wide and Caroline stood to hug her. "The bride is believed to draw all the attention, but it's funny how my brother has had his eyes glued to you since morning." She whispered in Caroline's ear causing Caroline to look in Isaac's direction. He truly was looking in their direction, but he looked away almost immediately.
Lois and Kelvin greeted Benjamin and left and Caroline kept wondering why Isaac had been looking at her. She couldn't find any logical reason. Maybe he was looking at his sister. Of course, she was the bride. Maybe Lois wasn't observing well. Maybe her standing up to hug Lois drew attention to them.
"See that girl in the yellow dress over there?" Benjamin drew her attention to a young girl sitting a few tables away from them.
"She's pretty." Caroline smiled.
"I think I like her."
"Aww."
"I'm going over to woo her. I would have wooed you but your boss has been looking at me in some kind of way since I came to sit here. I don't want my name to enter his blacklist."
"What?" Caroline looked in Isaac's direction again. He wasn't looking at her, he was rather engrossed in whatever he was discussing with the young lady beside him.
Caroline turned to Benjamin but his seat was empty. He had already gone over to where the lady was seated. Caroline smiled as she watched him trying to compose himself in front of the lady. Soon, she got bored of sitting in the same position. She stood up to take some fresh air outside. She first went to use the restroom, then she went out through the side door. Several people were outside doing one thing or the other. Caroline admired the beautiful environment as she looked for a secluded place where she could be alone. She was taking a left turn when she slammed someone, causing her to lose her balance.
~~~
One thing Isaac hated the most was when people asked him when he was going to get married. He couldn't count the number of people who had jokingly asked him that question because his younger sister was getting married before him. Did they forget that ladies usually got married earlier? Why couldn't people just live their lives without interfering in other people's decisions? Although they tried to make a joke out of it, Isaac knew they were serious. What was it with Nigerian parents? It wasn't that he wasn't thinking of marriage, but he'd rather remain celibate that get married to the wrong person. And at this period in Isaac's life, with all the women that flocked around him looking for his attention, Isaac knew that he needed to be very careful and sensitive to God's leading in finding a wife. But he'd rather stay single than get married to one of those women who flocked around him just for his money. The sad fact was that the majority of the women he knew fell into this category. It was very difficult to find a woman who was different, one who didn't throw herself around him or wear something enticing as though she had no dignity.
As Isaac pondered these things, one name kept coming to his mind. He looked in her direction. She was more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. She was seated three tables away from him seemingly enjoying her conversation with Kelvin's younger brother. Benjamin whispered something in her ear and she laughed. She looked very happy and comfortable. Isaac felt a pang of jealousy at the sight. Why couldn't she be this comfortable with him? Why couldn't they just have one conversation that would flow naturally without things getting awkward? He'd always tried to be friendly with her but she restrained herself, it was obvious she wasn't free around him. She was shy of him and that hurt. What could he do to get her to feel free with him?
Lois and kelvin got to her table and they shook hands. Isaac admired their happiness as they conversed. Everyone was having fun except him. But it wasn't supposed to be so. It was his sister's wedding for heaven's sake. He was supposed to be happy,. wasn't he? But why wasn't he? He watched Caroline stand up to hug Lois. The love those two girls had for each other was admirable. His heartbeat faster when, they both looked in his direction. They'd caught him staring. What should he do? He could just smile and wave but he decided against that. He looked away instead. He looked around at all the people having fun. He was left alone on his table as his mother and some relatives who were seated with him had gone to greet friends. He'd tried greeting people but stopped when he noticed everyone he greeted kept asking him when he was going to get married. He'd just brought out his diary to go over his next week's schedule when he heard his name.
The familiar female voice caused him to look up. It was Stephanie Clinton. His friend from university and a top model at Culture Fashion Hub.
"Stephanie!" Isaac was excited to see her. He stood to hug her. "It's good to see you."
"You too." Her grin was wide. "I'm so happy to see you, Isaac. I wanted to see you earlier but you were busy with your speech and attending to relatives and I didn't want to bother you. But I have a flight to catch in two hours and I needed to see you before I left."
"That's nice of you." Isaac smiled. "Please, let's seat." He gestured to the seat beside him and they sat.
"Isaac a lot has happened in my life. And it's all because of you. I don't even know how to start thanking you. That day you led me to Christ marked the beginning of good things in my life. I don't even know where to start. I keep wondering how my life would have been if I hadn't met Jesus that day." She looked ready to cry.
"Hey." Isaac held her right hands in his. "Talk to me."
"Okay, these past two months, I stopped modeling at CFH because the body exposure it demanded was just too much. I started going to Leadcity Christian Church at Garki and I've been having the best time of my life. I'm growing, Isaac." She smiled. "I'm getting to know Jesus personally and the experience is so amazing. I'll never trade it for anything." "This is good news." Isaac grinned.. "That's what Jesus is good at doing. He turns people's lives around." Isaac was very happy about the things he was hearing.
"That's not all." She grinned. "I joined the choir in church."
"You've always been one good singer. I'm glad you're using your gift to serve God."
"Yes." She laughed. "So, we had a conference at our headquarters in Accra and I met this guy. He's a very sweet guy. He's a youth pastor and a Ghanaian, with this strong zeal for the gospel. We've been talking since then and he's been a blessing."
Isaac noticed the sparkle in her eyesglow in her face as she spoke about this man.
"and guess what." She continued.
"What. "
"We're engaged." She grinned as she showed Isaac her left hand with the ring.
Isaac was dumbfounded. This was too good to be true. Anybody who had known Stephanie a few years back would be amazed at what had become of her.
Isaac hugged her tight. "You don't know how happy I am to hear this. This is the Lord's doing."
"And," She searched her purse for something. "I want to officially invite you to our wedding in Ghana." She grinned as she gave him the purple envelope. "It's in three months."
"It's beautiful." He smiled. "This news gives me so much joy."
"Isaac, you don't know how much you did for me by introducing me to Jesus. I think that's the best thing one can ever do for a person. Jesus brought meaning to my life. He gave me peace and joy. He helped me know my worth, my true identity." Her voice broke. "I better get going." She smiled. "I have a flight to catch."
"Let me see you off."
As Isaac walked her to her car, they passed two of his aunts and greeted them.
"Is this our wife to be?" One of them asked.
Isaac was boiling inside, but he forced a smile. Why couldn't these people just let him be?
"No, I'm not." Stephanie laughed. Enjoying Isaac's predicament.
They got to her car and said their farewells. Isaac walked back to the banquet hall. He was just turning left when he felt a sharp pain on his left leg and a strong pain on his chest. He was still trying to make sense of what just happened when he noticed the small woman in front of him struggling for balance as she fell backward. He caught her before she could hit the ground.
"Caroline!"
"I'm so sorry sir." Her face was red from embarrassment. "I didn't know you were there." She' had accidentally stepped on him with her stilettos as her head collided with his chest. Which explained the pain he felt on his leg and his chest.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, sir." She looked tensed. "I'm so sorry, sir."
"Look, Caroline, you need to get things straight. I'm just twenty-seven."
Her eyes widened.
"Yes. We are in the same age group, so you don't need to call me sir. I'm still a young man. I don't have any grey hair so just call me Isaac, okay?"
She smiled a little and nodded.
"Where are you headed?"
"No, specific place. I just needed a little break and some fresh air."
"Mind if I join you in your little break? Perhaps you could tell me how things are going at work since you've decided in your heart to keep avoiding me."
"No." She laughed. "I don't avoid you."
They walked towards some relaxation chairs under a tree on the lawn at the side of the building.
"Well then, it's funny how we work in the same company but never get to see each other."
"It's because we don't work in the same office."
"Or it's because you always run left when you see me going right."
"No." She laughed.
"I'm kidding." He laughed. "So, tell me, how're things at work?"
"Work is more stressful than I expected. Having to cut hundreds of materials isn't easy. But I like it here. I won't go back on my decision if I was given an opportunity to."
Isaac smiled at her bluntness. He noticed she was becoming free with him and this gladdened him.
"I was once in your shoes, you know?"
"Really?" She seemed interested.
"Yeah, a few years back. I was working in a similar company. I didn't like it there. The noise from the machines, workers making a lot of noise and some of them getting on your nerves."
"Exactly." She sighed. "Some people get on my nerves."
"It's normal." Isaac smiled. "Working there thought me a lot of things that I find useful now. I won't trade my experience there for anything. The knowledge you get from there will build you into a great fashion designer. It'll expose you to different kinds of people with different skills and it'll teach you patience. It'll be very useful, trust me."
"This is encouraging." She smiled.
"You're welcome." He said. "Which reminds me. I saw you coming out of a cab, the other day."
She nodded.
"Is that how you come to work every day?"
"Yes."
"And how do you leave in the evenings?"
"Still with a taxi."
"That must cost you much."
"No. It's fine." She smiled.
Isaac wasn't comfortable with Caroline boarding taxis in the evenings.
"Taking taxis nowadays in the evenings isn't so safe. You don't know who is who. A lot of people have been kidnapped because they entered the wrong vehicles."
"I didn't know that." Caroline looked disturbed.
"Lois tells me you stay a few blocks away from my house."
" Yes. She told me the same thing."
"Okay. How about I drop you home in the evenings?"
Caroline gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. "You'd do that?"
"Of course. Why not."
"But I don't want to be a burden to you."
"Trust me, you won't be."
"Thank you so much." She smiled. "This means a lot to me."
"Caroline?" Someone called from behind them.
They both turned to where the voice came from. It was Catherine, Lois' friend and one of the bridesmaids.
"Good evening, Isaac." She smiled. "I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but all the bridesmaids are needed in the hall right now."
"Sorry, I have to go." Caroline smiled politely.
"It's okay." Isaac smiled at both women. "Go have fun."
Caroline and Catherine left and Isaac couldn't help but grin. He wasn't just happy that he'd been able to have a meaningful conversation with Caroline. He was happy that he'd been able to help her and henceforth, he'd be seeing her every evening. This was progress.