MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMANI

         

     It was Valentine. Everybody was carried away in the spirit of valentine. Girls had accessories, the colour of red pinned on their hair, shirts, skirts and even some started # red shoes. As for the guys, normal blue jeans gradually gave way for red skinny jeans. The lecturers were not left out. The bars, clubs, restaurants, supermarkets and hotel all had valentine displays in and around their premises. Businesses were offering discounts; some people were winning free tickets to a romantic get away with their lovers. Churches and campus fellowships were all in preparation for the big day. Some girls had even changed their names to Valerie, even some claimed to be born on Valentine. Coincidentally, my birthday fell on February 14. What were my parents thinking?  

My first year roommate already had a date for the d-day. Tola in second year had been on a steady relationship with her boyfriend for the past eleven months. My final year roommate Hope was the churchy type, the typical long gown and loose shirt wearing ‘sister’. A part of the sect that believed that any form of ornament was a sin including wedding rings. I had once asked her why she wears gold wristwatches in spite of her belief. Were they not also regarded as ‘ornaments’? She had called me an inquisitive monkey and avoided answering. There was little or no hope for her even though one of her ‘brothers’ had been trying so hard to befriend her in the ‘worldly’ way.

As for me, I was clueless on what to expect that day from my ‘admirers’. I thought about Larry but he was such a broke guy. The last time he visited me without prior notice; I had to give him transport fare back to his lodge. I didn’t think Kenneth; my best friend would possibly have time for me. He must have made plans to spend the day with his new girlfriend Onyinyechi.

Every girl must have at a time in her life had a secret wish. Mine was a Knight in shining Armani who would sweep me off my feet and treat me as a queen. I thought about ‘him’ once again. He was dressed in a magnificent Shining Armani Suit, a golden crown on his head and a sceptre in his hands. He stood out among all the other men in a large feast where a banquet was about to be held. Tall, handsome, fine well sculptured face the effect of which every other lady in the hall was ogling him. He was advancing close towards me with determination as if I was cherished prize he had to take away and tuck safely out of danger. He was not aware of the flirtatious glances from the ladies. His eyes were set on me. Just as he was about to hold out his arms for me to link them with his, I felt a hard tap on my shoulder bringing me eight thousand miles back to reality. I hissed and turned to the culprit.

“Eeh babe, what now?” I asked Tola frowning while rubbing the area where she had just hit me.

“You are just weird Dunmo, how can you be smiling to only what you can see or has the anointing fallen upon you?”

“Anointing ke? Nothing jare.” I replied. I stood up from my reading table with the novel I had been reading earlier and laid down on my bed. “Will you be going out with Skuki on Val?”

“Yes, of course” She answered. Her face lit up in a smile.

"Great. I can now book sharwama earlier. Better don’t come back without it.”

“Yes madam.” She replied.

I saw ‘him’ the next day in school. He was looking every bit like the young millionaire he was. My heart flipped immediately our eyes met for a nanosecond before I shyly looked away. An imaginary force kept pushing me close to him and under that impulse; I took five steps towards him before I regained consciousness and turned rather to the direction of my lecture hall.

  Valentine afternoon, I had a surprise package waiting for me on my bed. The package was wrapped in pink and white. Inside it was a sleeveless full length gown with a slit reaching above the knees. The dress was a design from Shamaeel Ansari. The price tag made me gasp. Also included in the package was a pair of black six inches stilettos and accessories to go with the gown. There was a note attached to it. It read ‘Wear this for me tonight. I will pick you up by seven-thirty pm. Love xxxx.’

I had private misgivings about accepting such gifts especially one from an unknown potential valentine date. I repackaged the items and dropped it in my wardrobe. Two hours later, I was alone in the room. The items were still lying where I had dumped them earlier. The orange wall clock above Hope’s bed said 7:03 pm. the curiosity to find out who the unknown was took over my being at that moment. I yanked my wardrobe open. In less than fifteen minutes, I was done. I applied light make-up on my face and wore the stilettos. I looked at the full length mirror at the door to the bathroom, I looked completely transformed. The gown fitted me sprucely giving me a ‘diva’ look and the accessories uplifted my appearance.

There was a knock on the door. It opened to reveal two men. Before I could say ‘Jack Robinson’, I was blindfolded and taken to a car. I was scared but the feeling of posh leather seats beneath my hand conveyed to me that my abductors were not after my life. No word was uttered till the car came to a halt twenty minutes later. The door to my side opened. I was gently helped out of the car and guided into a building. When the blindfold was finally removed, I found myself standing in front of a large golden door. I opened the door to hear  a beautiful rendition of ‘Happy Birthday to you’ by a popular musician that made me weak at the knees, the clapping by the guests at the end of it. The hall was filled with different classes of people; a gigantic cake was placed at the middle of the hall. To my surprise, Tola and Ifunanya were there with their dates. They waved at me while giggling loudly. I made a mental note to kill them once this was over. Osaruyi met me halfway into the hall, linking my arms with his and together we walked gracefully to where my seat was.

“You look elegant.”

“Thank you.” I replied rather curtly. After a brief introduction, the cake was cut. I had a couple, of dance with Osas after that. We later switched. I danced with my roommates, friends and a couple of Osas’ friends. After the dinner, Osas was nowhere to be seen. I handed my glass of wine to the waiter and went in search of him. I went towards the door leading outside when I felt strong but gentle hands pull me to a hard chiselled chest.

“Osas,” I whispered in batted breath to the gentleman who had the ability of taking my breath away whenever he is in close proximity.

“Dunmo, I know you definitely want to wriggle my intestines out of my body but let’s talk first, hmm.”

He led me out of the building to a beautiful garden just behind the banquet hall. We sat down on a bench carved out of acacia wood.

“I hope my men didn’t manhandle you.”

“No.”

His face became serious. “I have to be honest here.”

A pregnant silence passed before he continued.

“I have always had a thing for you. I knew what I felt right at that first time I saw you at admin block was not just the normal everyday love or infatuation.

“Don’t even remind me about that.” I laughed remembering my gawky little self walking with my books placed in m arms on my way to finish up my physical clearance. He was walking and talking with his friend when he had hit me with his elbow sending me flying sideways and my books scattering all over the place. I hissed and made a nasty comment when he had tried helping me up. I left him there stunned without uttering a word.

“Your attitude struck me that day Dunmo. I mean nobody had ever treated me like that before. I got to my room that day and replayed the scene over and over again in my head. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I embarked on a missionary journey to get your attention. I know you feel as if I had browbeaten you into coming here but I knew of no other way to express my feelings. I love you Dunmo, very much” He said tucking a stranded hair back into its proper place as he held my eyes with his.

“Please say something”

“Okay, since it’s all about being honest here, let’s bring it on.”

He looked at me with a raised brow.”

“You have been my secret crush.”

Osas laughed heartily. “Like seriously?”

“Like duuh.” I replied.

“That means we have been like opposite poles of a magnet waiting for the right time to attract.”

“You could say that again.” I said. We talked late into the night learning more about each other. That night marked the beginning of a friendship that blossomed into something more than friendship itself. We became inseparable more like two peas in a bud. He was more than just a friend to me and vice versa. Osas graduated that year and I followed suit the next year. We got married four years later in a beautiful ceremony at the beautiful Island of Tahiti in the presence of our family and friends.

 Osas died nine months later in a plane crash. He died but not without planting his seed in me. Nine months later, I held my bundle of joy in my arms and named him Osaruyi after his father.

It was Valentine today and I had gone to his grave side to remind him that he gave me the best valentine ever. Osas Jnr who was now six years old placed our simple wreath at his tomb head. It read,

 “Knowing that you are in heaven watching over us makes us stronger every day. Love, Dunmo and Osas.”

I linked my hands with Osaruyi’s and walked back to the car.