XVI

The wedding preparations were all a blur. Mom was making a bespoke wedding gown for her baby girl and didn't she know it! She had been making plans for this since Bimbo started dating Segun. It was bad enough the wedding was still a whole year away!

Friends and family from far and wide who were informed of their good news sent messages and presents of congratulations. Segun's Mom who happened to be a caterer took on the task of coming up with a fabulous menu of mouth-watering cuisine for the ceremony. Deola was flying in with some of her friends from New York (she was by now a much acclaimed fashion photographer) to capture the wedding ceremonies on film and print.

Bola was already signed on to be her Maid of Honour, they had maintained their friendship for all these years and Kemi's little daughter Nike, who was as cute as a button was the designated little bride. Segun's nephew Anjola was assigned ring-bearer.

The bridal party got so ridiculously large that Segun and Bimbo sometimes joked about eloping just to escape having to explain time and again that it wasn't feasible to have everyone in their train.

The shopping trips for her Bridal Boudoir in itself wasn't so bad but for the fact that every one of her mom's friends had an opinion about every single item before they committed to buying. After a while Bimbo just delegated Bola and Kemi to accompany the women on their buying trips.

Where did the whole year go? Segun & Bimbo had concluded the Pre-Marriage counselling, The Marriage Bans were called in both their churches, they had finalized contracts for the reception hall, flowers, music, rentals, drinks and entertainment and now they could look forward to the day.

Bimbo's wedding gown was a vision. On the day of the Big Reveal, Bimbo and parents cried. She couldn't wait to see Segun's reaction at the Church.

Thursday dawned bright and early. It was the day of the Traditional Wedding Ceremony. It was such a huge fanfare with all sorts of antics from the MCs on both sides of the family and displayed the richness of their Yoruba Culture. They partied well into the night that day.

Friday was a day of respite, recovering from the previous day's traditional wedding activities and putting final touches to the wedding on Saturday. Bimbo couldn't wait!

XV - The Proposal

The drive back to Segun's from the restaurant was somehow different. They barely spoke and when they did it was to point out something on the way or politely ask if the other was okay. She was disappointed because for a moment back at the restaurant she had thought he was going to propose.

When they got home, she couldn't get out of the car fast enough and had her keys at the ready so she wouldn't have to wait for him to unlock the door. She opened the door and was headed straight for the guest room to undress and freshen up when something caught her eye. The living room was decorated with pretty balloons, flowers and streamers. The was a cake with the words 'Happy Birthday Bimby' on the coffee table in the living room and an ice bucket with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Vintage Champagne chilling. How had he pulled this together? She was almost certain her mom had something to do with this.

Segun rushed into the room out of breath and said, "Stop oh... Surprise! I wanted to do something special for your birthday and your mom helped me with most of it, the other part of it is that your family, mine and our friends will be having dinner with us tonight. Mom had the whole thing contracted to a caterer. There's still one more thing I need to do before our guests arrive." Dropping down on one knee, he rummaged through his jacket pockets and produced a beautifully crafted sparkler of a ring. He took both her hands in his and looking into her eyes he began...

"I wanted to do this properly, I have spoken to your parents, and your parish priest and discussed with your siblings and my family. I'm happy to say I got their approval . I wanted to have a special time with you which is why we went out to lunch. I lost my nerve at the last minute there because I was afraid you might turn me down... That would have been awkward!"

His voice was trembling now. "Bimbo, ever since that moment I clapped eyes on you all those years ago I knew you were something special. You have opened my world to experience wonderful things. Your love, support and faith in me has been unwavering. You make me want to be the best man I can be. I love your honesty and admire you for your strength. I know you would make me the happiest man alive because you're you. I promise to be faithful to you in all things, I will honour you with my body and promise to be the best provider, protector, husband and father to our family. You've been my best friend and you're never far from me. When I'm with you I'm happiest, when I think of you I smile. I can't imagine living life without you. I Love you Bimbo. Please say Yes and be my wife!"

She was crying now, Yes, yes, yes I'll marry you! She pulled him to his feet. Hugging and kissing him, then he slipped the ring onto her finger. This was the best birthday ever.

XIV

Segun had proposed to her on her 23rd birthday. She'd just concluded the mandatory 1 year Youth Service and had gone to spend the weekend at Segun's place. They hadn't seen alot of each other because she had been posted to serve in Minna, Niger State.

He'd been very good. He'd come over to visit a few times while she was over there and it was always an ordeal to see him go. He had prepared her favourite dish, Fried Plantain and his signature Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, Chilli and Spinach.

She had missed everything about him. His smile, his laugh, his scent. God! if she could just get in under his skin. They'd had a leisurely stroll and afterwards he had told her about the activities he'd planned for the next day.

First there was church and her birthday thanksgiving and don't forget he was taking her to a special treat and afterwards dinner with her folks. She was mystified. 'Special treat' was just like Segun, he was always doing some spur of the moment thing. Over the years she had learnt not to question him. He would never reveal whatever it was.

Sunday came. Segun was singing loudly in the shower and she knocked on the door. "Hey, Mr. Melody will you please stop that racket, anyone would think that you were auditioning for a talent show."

Segun was quite the singer and had often serenaded her. One such time was when he had sung I Swear by All-4-One at the School Concert and had dragged her up to the stage while the whole student body whooped and hailed him. She had never been so mortified.

After Mass that day, Segun had gone to speak with her Parish Priest, Fr. Anthony and wondered why that was but he explained that he had met him at her parents on one occasion and was only saying hello. She thought nothing of it.

He was quiet on the drive back to his place and asked if she was okay or wanted to stop at an eatery on the way. She told him she was fine and that she wanted to cook him something special when they got back to his. They continued the drive back in silence then suddenly he was all animated and said, "forget cooking, let's just head into town and grab a bite!"

Segun... Heat of the moment! Why didn't that surprise her? They headed into the Island. He drove to the exclusive SAIPAN restaurant's parking lot and she had to ask if this was the 'special treat' he had planned all along.

Lunch was delightful... They'd had been shown into the private dining rooms of the restaurant, the decor was tasteful. The lighting created just the right level of intimacy, there was music playing softly in the background. She had ordered the chef's seafood special and had not been disappointed. Segun had the sweet & sour prawns.

They had joked and flirted all through the meal and then suddenly the song she had only recalled this morning started playing... Segun asked her for a dance. "Are we allowed to dance?" she said. "Sure we're paying customers and if we want to dance, we dance! Come on." He pulled her off her seat and they laughed and danced to that memorable song. After the music ended, he led her back to her seat and then stood beside her. "Segun what's up?" she said her face upturned to his.

"I was just thinking to myself how beautiful you are and how happy you make me. I wouldn't exchange this feeling for anything in the world."

"Don't go all sentimental on me now, please go sit so we can have some dessert." Before she knew it he was on his knee and looking deep into her eyes. "Oh my God, oh my God! He's about to propose. He held her face tenderly and moved in for a kiss. It took the breath out of her. It was the most lingering kiss and she felt all the love in that kiss to her very core. Just as quickly he was back on his feet and in his chair. Let's order some dessert he said gruffly. Bimbo was perplexed. So he wasn't proposing... Disappointed!

XIII

So he'd dropped her off home that day and had visited over the weekend. Bimbo was relieved at first that he hadn't made a move on her and then she started wondering why that was. They were both very tactile and she was attractive so why the hell hadn't he?

She finally breached the subject on Sunday evening, they were watching 'Save the Last Dance' in the den. "Segun, is something wrong?". He was taken aback and asked her what she she meant. "Well I thought since we've been dancing around each other for years and I finally turned 18 this month that on our first weekend we would take our relationship to the next level. Is it that you find me unattractive or there's something else going on here? I thought I would have to fight you off this weekend but so far you haven't made a move."

Segun looked at her and replied, "Are you serious or having me on? I thought I was doing the noble thing by keeping my distance and there's you anticipating.. You naughty girl!" He laughed. "To be serious there's nothing I would like better than to make sweet, passionate love to you, jeez it's taken all my self-control not to. I love you, everything about you and for that same reason I don't want to jeopardise our relationship for something I'd like to cherish for the rest of our lives. I may have been a bit of a rogue in the past with other girls but since I've been with you I realise that I should respect my body. I want to give you every part of me and I would like to think the same goes for you but only when we are married."

Married... She was secretly delighted that he thought of them as life partners. "But Segun that's a long way off and since we've never had 'the talk' I didn't want you to think that I took our relationship for granted. You're a man and I know you have needs. I'm just getting used to my body now and there's nothing I would love more than to share my most intimate moments with you. I appreciate that you love me enough to wait for the right time but please if you ever change your mind... "Yes, yes you'll be the first to know. Come here you silly girl, trying to lead me to commit!

XII

Segun had not changed one bit in the past three years. He'd understood that she didn't want any emotional distractions during the last few months and had remained supportive, giving her the extra push she needed and being her shoulder to lean on when she felt down.

Now she was free to love Segun, she was positive now that she did. He'd gained alot of maturity in the last two years. Bimbo admired him alot for of his quiet gentleness.

She was aware that his characteristic good looks made him an obvious target for the droves of girls that populated his department at Uni but was confident that he would be able to handle himself in any situation.

Bimbo had to wait an extra year because her JAMB results were not released. She resat the exams and gained admission to study her desired course, Architecture in the same university as Segun was. This meant that they were always seen together, by now he was in his final year.

They had their fair share of fights and arguments sometimes over the silliest things in retrospect if she had to admit it. They had been bugged*(featured by the campus reporters in the campus magazine) a couple of times, but that hadn't deterred their relationship.

Bimbo was now a shapely woman. She'd lost all her 'baby fat'. Her cocoa brown skin tone and her dazzling smile endeared her to many. She was just the right height at 5 ft 8 inches and her slender form was the envy and hope of many girls. She got appreciative looks wherever she went, this she handled graciously. 'Bims' as she was fondly called was envied for both her physique and the fact that she was dating one of the sexiest guys on campus. Theirs was the ideal match.

She was 18 years old now, which put Segun at 20 years. She was a bit apprehensive because it seemed that was the unspoken age when they would finally do 'it'. Now that the time had come she wasn't sure she wanted to. She loved Segun dearly, she wanted to wait for marriage but what if this wasn't his expectation? Surely she'd lose him?

Thinking these thoughts, she was startled by a kiss in her ear. Snapping out of her thoughts she looked up and saw him. He looked so handsome. She could get lost in his gaze, those eyes held so many truths and that perfect mouth, the sweetness of his kisses. She shifted on the bench so he could slip in beside her.

"Bimby darling." Segun refused to call her anything else. "How's your day going? Are you through with your last paper?" It was the end of her first year, "I hope you knocked them dead. I have just been to see my project advisor and he's approved the final chapter of my project. I can't believe it's time already. So I'm free to celebrate this weekend. Have you any plans for how you want to spend the weekend? I was thinking maybe we could chill at my place."

'Uh oh.. here it is, I'm going to have to either come up with the goods or have the talk this weekend', Bimbo thought. "I'm sorry I can't. I promised I'll be home. Dad and mom planned a weekend away and I said I'd look after the twins. George and Gia miss their big sister."

"Cool, I could spend the weekend at yours then. We could play 'daddy & mommy' it'll be fun!" Segun joked.

"You know that's not happening, right. You know no boys over when the parents are away. Still full of mischief. I thought I'd beaten that out of you. Well you could visit if you liked. No sleepovers unfortunately. You know the twins and their mouths, 'Daddy.. do you know Segun and Bimbo...' I don't want wahala."

"So are you ready to go? I could drop you off home."

XI

Bimbo dropped her exam answer script on the invigilator's desk and walked out of the hall. That was her last paper for the SSCE and she sure was glad to be free at last!.

The last two years had been pretty eventful, she was made acting prefect just returning from holidays the previous year and at the same time she had been representing the school at different events from the Lagos State 'Eko Day' essay writing competition held at Igbobi College, to the Inter-School Conference held at the National Theatre, Iganmu. She'd also had to organise the Open Week for her school which was still being talked about a year later.

Her private life had been just as eventful, her dad had a health scare and for a while there, they all feared the worst. Chris had graduated from Uni, and had proceeded to the United Kingdom to do his Masters. Deola was studying in the London College of Fashion. She was studying Fashion Photography and had big dreams of working freelance with the 'Big-Time' fashion magazines like Elle, Voque, Vanity Fair, Bazaar and on International catwalks.

Bimbo was lonely, Deola was the only one she could confide in, calling was expensive enough and Deola always seemed to be in the middle of something whenever they spoke.

This year also she had been hitting the books hard, she had written JAMB earlier that year and was hoping she would score high enough to be admitted to study Architecture. Her relationship with Segun was going steady, no drama there.

Just outside, she spotted a group of her friends chatting under the shade of the Almond tree. This tree had been the centrepiece of most of their meetings in the last year or so, many study sessions, lunch breaks and gossip/story exchanges. It was referred to as the '3A tree.' They'd even carved their initials into the bark for posterity.

Bimbo walked up to them, "Am I glad to be through with exams," Kemi chimed. "My dear girl, not as happy as I am," Lanre seconded. "This is just the beginning for me oh! Serious jacking if I get in for archi, I don't know why I'm doing this to myself," Bimbo laughed. "Well it's in the bag for all of us!" "Amen!" they all chorused.

After the last bell was rung, it was like a funfare. Signing uniforms, taking pictures, making promises of calls, exchanging numbers and addresses. Teachers imparting their wisdom, speeches and finally a notice that the date for the all important valedictory service had been chosen and could all outgoing students report to school in 5 weeks to pick up their graduation gowns and pay up for the dinner afterwards.

She saw the car, it was his Toyota Celica. "I'll see you later guys, I've got to run." Amid hoots, cheers, kisses and promises of visits, she flew into his open arms.

"How's my favourite girl doing?" He was grinning from ear to ear. "Before you say a word, here's something for you! It was a custom 15" by 25" card with the words 'Conquer the World' right across it. "I got this made for you by one of my friends in the Graphic Arts Department. In anticipation of your good grades when your results are released." "Thanks, that's very thoughtful of you, I appreciate it." Bimbo replied.

X

She could still recall that first kiss, it tasted like lemons. It had been at the end of exams, the final day of school. Segun had written his SSCE (Senior School Certificate Examinations) a few weeks earlier but they were still obliged to turn up in the last week of term for some preparatory course for University, also it marked the beginning of holidays for Bimbo. They had sat for a meal in the 'Food Court' during lunch break and when no one was looking he grabbed her and planted a sloppy kiss on her lips.

Apparently flustered, she hit out at him. "Stop it you devil, what the hell was that?" Glaring at him and rubbing vigorously at her lips. Apologetic he said, "I'm sorry I was caught up in the excitement of it all."

"Well there's nothing exciting about that kiss or the fact that we're in the full view of everyone, what if a teacher chose to pass by at that paricular moment or even my elder sister? Are you trying to get me in trouble?" "Okay, point taken, I'm sorry. Jeez, someone who think I had leprosy that way you jumped away." Segun said, a hurt note in his voice. Bimbo sighed, "Look, I just didn't imagine my first kiss to be that way, maybe after school you could walk me home and maybe try again?." She smiled and he smiled back.

She wasn't disappointed, it was the most beautiful kiss ever. It must have gone on forever, she couldn't remember being that out of breath before, even after running the 400m at the last athletics meet her school had been invited to two months ago.

The 'sticking in the tongue' was quite a shock to her but after a few false starts she was confident enough to allow him and when she did, he tasted like lemons. She thought to herself, so this is what kissing about, wow! Segun's such a fantastic kisser...snap out of it and stop thinking, enjoy the moment. Hmmmn...

Needless to say that whenever they were alone after that first encounter, it became her favourite pastime.

They had such great times together and that holiday was the best by Bimbo's standards. They were inseperable, he was ever so thoughtful and caring towards her. They'd never had sex and he didn't pressure her either.

Bimbo was happy, when Segun's JAMB(Joint Admissions and Matriculation Exams) results were released he got enough points to be admitted into his 1st choice University to study Banking & Finance. On the plus side it was the same State University that Chris and Toto attended so she wouldn't need any excuse to visit whenever she wanted to.

To celebrate his success, Bimbo bought him a monogrammed palm pilot in his favorite colour. On the inside cover a note scribbled in her distinct writing 'I'm so proud of your achievements, go and do what you were born to do! Succeed. I love you always, my forever friend. Bimbo'.