The magic of love (3)

Continued from Saturday, August 5, 2023.

Her mum had gone to the market that day. Ronke chose to die by drowning in Ebisa River, very far from her house. Mrs. Adubi was totally confused and distraught when she came back from the market and saw her daughter’s suicide note. She screamed and wailed in utter dismay to the amazement of the whole neighbours, who had gathered at her residence, consoling her that they would all go in search of Ronke.

But Ronke did not disclose her destination, where she had gone for her suicide mission. Ronke’s mum confessed to all and sundry that she was the cause of her daughter’s problem. She was totally in self-pity. People were shocked to hear her confession.

At exactly 6.30p.m, Ronke was atop the bridge over the deep Ebisa River. There was an aura of gloom and doom pervading the entire area where the young, beautiful Ronke stood. She took a morose and sober look at the sky, which was now getting dark. Mother nature was drifting to evening time. And the sorrowful tears had gathered in her eyes. Her face was heavy with choking sadness and terrible melancholy. Her short life flashed before her. Her swollen eyes, where Bello had slapped her ached badly. Her heart was submerged in unfathomable sadness.

“Dear God,” she murmured in heartbreaking soliloquy, “please accept my soul. I know I have sinned and committed a most gruesome, treacherous and immoral act, but I have come to you for total forgiveness. Let the fishes of this deep river eat up my body and flesh but please, accept my soul. This is the last request I want from you, Almighty God,” she looked down into the fearful river and raised her right leg in an attempt to jump into the whirling stream having said her final prayers in a mournful way.

Ronke was on the verge of jumping into the river when Bello suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her hand, while her legs and other part of her body dangled over the railings of the bridge.

“Please, Ronke,” he pleaded, “don’t kill yourself, please dear, I love you. And I’ll forever do. Don’t kill yourself…”

“Oh no Bello, let me die. I don’t deserve to live and don’t merit your sympathy. Leave my hand and let me die. I beg you in God’s name,” she cried. The young man struggled to pull Ronke back on to the bridge and though he used his whole strength that seemed to be failing him. After a while and almost exhausted, he succeeded in bringing his beautiful lover back on safe ground. Ronke went on her knees, in tears and begged Bello that it was all her fault. Bello, in reaction wiped her tears away and told her that he had forgiven her. They were both soft and united in spirit.

“I swear by the Creator,” he said, “I have forgiven you. We are all not perfect…Only God is perfect. If the Almighty God can forgive us our sins, what is there left to say, how much more we humans who are mere dust in His presence. I’ll marry you Ronky babe, no going back. I love you…This is the ring,” he put the glittering ring back on her sweetheart’s left finger. They were clasped in each other’s arms in mutual love, like two statues in one block. They went back home and renewed their friendship. Ronke had learnt her lessons the hard way. She vowed never to do such juju or voodoo to charm her lover in her life again. Even her mum pleaded on her behalf, telling Bello she was the main reason behind her daughter’s mistake and almost fatal decision.

And so the curtain drew. Ronke and Bello got wedded two months later. It was a society wedding with all the pomp and pageantry of affluence. The marriage ceremony was aired on the radio and even beamed on the television stations. It was a great celebration of life for the lovebirds. As the years progressed, they were blessed with three lovely kids, two boys and one girl. And they lived happily ever after.