A starry night

After Tunji’s mother gave us her permission, the rest of the intimate ceremony was full of excitement…the right kind of excitement.

She insisted we wait for Tunji’s father to arrive before we were formally joined. Then my mother insisted we wait for my brothers to also arrive.

Seeing as it was becoming a full house, Tunji insisted we wait for his brother as well so he could also double as his best man.

Two hours later, all the most important people to us were gathered and we were formally joined as man and wife. I couldn’t believe I was married.

Just like that! I was on my way to the airport, to go back to England and find a new path for myself, but somehow I had ended up as this amazing man’s wife instead.

Tunji had also planned a rooftop dinner reception at the hotel where we had been joined. It was amazing and full of love and laughter and unsolicited marriage and baby making advice that left us thoroughly embarrassed. This was the wedding I had always wanted.

Not the circus our parents had tried to impose on us. I was so full of joy that I was totally unaware of the single tear that made its way down my left cheek. Tunji noticed and reached out to squeeze my hand.

“I am hoping that was a tear of joy”? He asked.

“What else could it be Tunji? Thank you so much, this is how I always imagined us starting our life together”. I said. He leaned over and gave me a kiss on my lips.

“We haven’t gotten to that part yet young man”! My father yelled from the other end of the table. “I get to dance with my princess before you start all that business”.

I blushed as I joined my father on the makeshift dancefloor the hotel had generously created for us and as we danced to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight”, my father’s favourite; I couldn’t help but wish that I would always be this happy, and Tunji would always look at me the way he was looking at me right now. Like all the stars in the sky had made my eyes their bed for the night.

I wished on all the stars that witnessed our joy that night….but life had other plans for us.
…..to be continued.