Fola's mother knocked on her daughter's door the next day after making sure that her husband had left for work.
She wanted to have a heart-to-heart discussion with her daughter.
She noticed Fola came back from her outing the previous day looking miserable. She locked herself up and refused to allow anyone into her room.
'She even refused dinner', her mother mused as she knocked again.
"Fola, please open the door dear", she called, impatiently.
"The door is open mum", Fola muttered, from inside.
Her mother turned the doorknob and was surprised to see it open. She tried opening the door the previous night all to no avail.
She entered the room and met her daughter sprawled on her bed like a sick child. She rushed to her. "Folakemi."
"Mummy", she called back, as she embraced her mother crying.
"It's okay, my darling. Stop crying and talk to me", Mrs. Obed comforted.
"Mummy, I am fed up", she said, miserably.
"Don't say that. Tell me what the problem is. You've been acting all strange since you came back from your fiance's place yesterday. What happened? Did he do something to you?", her mother asked in one breath and was scared of what Fola's reply would be.
"Mummy", Fola whispered, looking up from the embrace at her mother. "He tried to have sex with me", she finally said and burst into tears.
"What?!", her mother exclaimed. "Fola, I warned you not to accept him yet but you wouldn't listen", she scolded.
"Mum", she uttered, in between sobs. "You told me you would pray to God so I can make a good decision. Haven't you been praying?", she questioned.
"I have, Fola. I have been doing that earnestly and I am not ready to stop anytime soon", her mother answered, with tears too.
"You see", Fola said, opening her arms wide dramatically. "That is what I am saying. You have been praying and I ended up accepting him, then it means that is what God wants."
"Don't say that", Mrs. Obed said, wiping her daughter's tears. "There is a reason for everything."
"Mum, I am doing it for your happiness."
"Your happiness is my happiness", her mother retorted back.
"This is what God wants", Fola blurted.
"Why are you talking like an unbeliever?", Mrs. Obed scolded her frowning.
"You are being childish. When I told you to decide on your own, I thought you were mature enough to know right from wrong but you have just proved me wrong. You were living a life I never wanted for you. You were carried away by the show of respect and affluence they possess", her mother stated.
"Let me tell you a short story", she continued, cleaning her tears before clearing her throat.
"Abike used to be a friend of mine. She was a spinster till the age of 35. When she clocked 30, she prayed to God and fasted just so she could get a man. Then, she came across Olatunji on a social media platform and he asked her out. Abike, thinking her prayers were about to be answered, quickly accepted him and they dated for a year. Olatunji all of a sudden told Abike he was fed up with the relationship. He left her broken and she gave up on life. She became adamant about getting married despite the protest and struggles of her mother. Abike refused to give any man a chance not until one day. She met with a long-time friend who was more like a brother to her. They've known each other for close to 10 years. Adeshina, who saw how emaciated she was, asked her what the problem was. Then she explained everything to him. As fate would have it, Adeshina just got a Federal Government job then which was not too far from Abike's family house. Out of sympathy and with a sense of loyalty, Adeshina made it a routine to always check up on Abike after the close from work just so she could get rid of the hurt. Every night, they meet and gist till 10 p.m when he would leave for home. After a month, Adeshina confessed his feelings for Abike which he had been nursing even before they graduated from the university. Abike was confused, disappointed, and mad at him and then refused to give him a chance not knowing they were meant for each other. Abike's mother was a great mother who took it upon herself to see to it that her daughter accepted Adeshina. After much fasting and prayers, Abike realized he was meant for her. She confessed to her mother that she used to have a crush on him when they were in school and because she saw him more like a brother, the crush faded. That was how Abike and Adeshina got married and they lived happily ever after", she finished.
"My question to you now Fola is this; even though Abike prayed before meeting her first love, why then did God make her path cross with Olatunji", she asked but Fola was silent.
"You do not know the answer right?", her mother asked again while Fola nodded.
"That is because God is indeed great, He is Merciful and He does things for a reason. When Abike and Olatunji met, Adeshina too was in a relationship that later failed. So if Abike had met with Adeshina then, things wouldn't have worked out between them. God was preserving Abike for Adeshina and he was distracting Adeshina for Abike."
"Another question I will ask you is this; What then is the role Olatunji played in the life of Abike", she asked but Fola shook her head signifying no as an answer.
Mrs. Obed commented, "The role Olatunji played in the life of Abike was great. He sponsored her Master's degree program amongst other things. In life, everyone has a mission to accomplish and that was what he was meant to do for her. He was meant to go into her life at that moment to help her during her trying moments. Abike wouldn't have gone for her Master's degree if their paths hadn't crossed. Can you now see how God works in wonderful ways?" She asked, and Fola nodded tearing up again.
"Maybe Olamide is here to distract you or preserve you for the man you are meant for", her mother said.
"Oh mum!", she lamented with a scream. "I was foolish. What do you advise me to do, mum?", she inquired, softly.
Her mother gazed at her and said, "Wipe your tears. Come here", she opened her arms and Fola felt safe in the embrace.
"You made a big mistake by shutting Ire out and giving Olamide all of your attention. You know he was changing you into what you never was yet you allowed him to control you. The plan is this, do not stay away from the both of them."
Fola raised her brows with confusion. "How?"
"Continue to maintain your friendship with Ire and continue your so-called courtship with Olamide."
"Mum?", she called.
"Daughter", her mother called back with a smug smile. "His father is obsessed with you and I think there is more to this than the eyes met. Let's not use our emotions to solve the problem at hand. Right now, I am mad at everyone including you and your father. But we need to find a way to come out of this charade and letting our emotions control us will lead to nothing fruitful. Olamide and his father will come begging soon and you need to accept him back. But I want you to promise me never to let your emotions get the better of you."
"You mean we should deceive them?", she asked, and her mother nodded.
"Olamide, his father and my dad?" she asked, again.
"Let's play along with them for now."
"What if they bring up the issue of marriage again?"
"Leave that to me", Mrs. Obed answered, confidently.
"Mum, I still don't get the essence of all this."
"Don't you dare behave like your dad to me again or else I am out of the game", her mother threatened.
"Mum! Don't worry, I will do as you said but before then, I want you to explain better. I am in the dark", she furrowed her brows.
"Walls have ears! Bring your ears", her mother told her and Fola obeyed.
Mrs. Obed whispered for a few minutes into her ears and Fola gasped wide-eyed and her jaw dropped open in shock.