EL.OH.VEE.IH

It’s been four years since we pledged our love in front of families, friends, and foes. K still loved me like it was the first time and there were no signs whatsoever that he was going to change in the future.

…It was my 33rd birthday. I had stepped out to a nearby store to get Karen’s school supplies and snacks too.

Karen? She is my three-year-old adopted daughter. She became mine two days after the orphanage called to say they found a baby girl for me, that happened after a year of me consistently calling to remind them of how much I wanted to care for a child from tender to maturity. Now, I want to forget that she was adopted, she has become my world.

At the store, while I was trying to pick out the perfect pencil color set for Karen, a man blindly walked into me and made my phone drop. A loud “Are you blind?” followed immediately. I looked up at him from my phone on the floor. I had seen him a few seconds ago walking towards my direction completely immersed in whatever he was doing on his phone, I just didn’t know this man was drunk. I mean, what other reason could he have to have walked into the standing-by-the-corner me? As I bent to pick up my phone, he still kept throwing curses and questions in the form of insults at me. My phone's screen was in a very bad state, I got so upset. Karen was asleep at home alone, I can’t afford to stay here for too long. It was my birthday, it would be bad energy battling words with this abnormal stranger. I stumbled out of the store and headed straight back home, not sparing the stranger a third look. That was my first encounter with K.

Exactly three months and three days later, maybe some hours, minutes, and seconds too, I met K again by chance. That was when he apologized, I didn’t even mind that because this man from the last time was too rude to be a normal human but somehow, we got talking and somehow, we talked every day. 

I’m sorry 😂 but I saw this on X “Talking to someone everyday is a dangerous game”. So, be cautious not to get swallowed up🙂

Looking back at it, there was no way I could have avoided conversations with him. He always had something to say to keep my attention. Random life questions, business discussions, social news, fashion trends, politics (K is solely responsible for my now broadened knowledge of politics, I don’t know how he managed to break down my “I hate politics talks” wall), good food, Karen, etc.

K's interactions with me were the best I’ve ever had with a human. When we talk about random topics, we do so wholeheartedly, like kids without a single care in the world. He would tease me about how I slept off on the couch while watching a movie this minute, then go on and on about how I always know what to set as dinner enough to make the stress of the day fade away. He would become excited about my look in an outfit and proceed to take a thousand and one photos of me. 

Sometimes, I'm just not up for jokes and go about my business in silence. Strangely, he gets it every time this happens, gives me the space I need, and comes right back into routine as soon as I need him to. We talk about the slightest issue that comes up and address it in the best possible way. There were situations that would have us at each other’s throats but we always found a way to blend in our different opinions on the matter and make it work. I was the realest with him.

He gave the compliments as generously as he gave the gifts. K got me a puppy on my next birthday, I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe I  had forgotten how much I wanted one. How did he even find out I dreamt of having one?

K was roughly two years older than I was. He wasn't a normal “handsome”. He was a unique one. The first time I got my eyes the closest they could be to his face without touching it, every part of me Oh-My-God-ed. He wasn’t fair-skinned. He was a bit taller than me, just the perfect height. Had straight legs, a perfect body build, not muscular or too much, just the way I like it, had a face that looked nice on camera from any angle, a naughty smile, and an incredibly perfect posture. Again, K puts so much effort into what he wears. I mean, I don’t know if “so much effort” is what he does, it just comes out cool and nice every time, he does this thing even with his sleep clothes. That was another of his charm.

K was a good cook, I wouldn’t have even minded if it were the other way round but, it felt nice waking up to Saturday breakfasts in bed >who would have thought< and eating freshly baked cookies on Sundays. K was a neat freak, it was good to know. K was everything that complimented me in every way.

K was the male version of everything I wanted to be with other people. He acted in accordance with the situation. He was kind when he needed to, strict when he needed to, funny when he needed to, playful, and serious when he needed to. I have never heard about K being taken advantage of by or taking advantage of anybody. He had a personality of a kind.

K was subtle yet loud in showing his love for me. It was all perfect.

K was a successful farm produce marketer and I was doing well too, well enough before he even came along. In the past, I had stayed up a whole night, motionless out of worry for how the next days of my youth would turn out, sought after love again and again and was unsuccessful with every one,  then decided to live one step at a time and happily ever after with just Karen. I had lived an awfully quiet life life in a corner working my butts off and caring about Karen. I had given up my ears to the winds against criticisms from family, friends, foes, and society. I had never imagined K would happen in this lifetime.

At 36, I got married to K against all odds. We still had Karen and …

"you'll have to tell me what got you all out like this", K said. I didn’t realize I had been completely with my thoughts on the same spot for so long.

>Wait! Did you see what I did there?🤭 I'm such a poet or maybe not<

"You",I replied.

"I don’t deserve you, I know", he said again with wider smiles playing through his face.