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It was the umpteenth time she would be reporting him to his bestie, Chris, and as usual, Chris was full of apologies on his friend’s behalf and assured her she would never cause to complain again.

But she had heard this before. She could still remember the words of her would-be mother-in-law the last time she had walked him on them arguing.

“Ada, you need to be patient. I am not taking sides with Bayo oh, only that I know a woman who wants to enjoy her marriage will need a lot of patience,” She had said, waving her palms.

“But mummy, are you saying I should put up with his cheating ways?”

“And who told you he is cheating?”

“I saw him with my two eyes, ma. And it wasn’t the first time,”  Ada replied

Bayo’s mum had gone on to tell Ada the recycled story of how she had managed to remain married after 35 years in spite of her husband’s indiscretions and advised her to do the same if she wanted to keep her man.

The wedding was drawing closer and they didn’t need any distractions at this time.

Just then, Bayo walked in. It was his mum’s cue to leave the lovers alone.

“Babe, how many times do I have to apologise for us to move on from this?” Bayo pleaded; one palm on top of the other. His eyes begging her to drop the subject.

But had as she tried, it was difficult. That bitch had even flaunted their affair in her face. Her eyebrows creased into a furrow as she tried to shake off the memory of the other girls she had caught him with…Ronke, Thelma, Zara…

Her man was a chronic cheater, and she knew it.

“You know you’re the only one who’s ever meant anything to me. For Pete’s sake, babe, you’re wearing my ring and we are due to be married in a couple of weeks!”

Whenever Bayo spoke like that, her anger melted and before long she found herself in his arms.

She loved this man. With everything in her. And maybe that was the problem, she loved him too much.

As their nuptials drew closer, her parents reiterated the advice they had always given her. She was to focus on being a good wife to her husband rather than worry about what he got up to behind my back.

Soon enough, the bridal shower and bachelor’s eve party held. She was really going to do this! She was going to get married to Bayo, the love of her life. He had his shortcomings, but who didn’t? 

Ada could hardly sleep.

The night before the wedding day, Bayo had sent her a note through Chris where he allayed all her fears and promised to be a better man and husband for her.

“I love you, munchkin,” he signed off.

She held the note to her bosom as she slept that night; her last night as a single woman.

“Bayo, what’s happening? Your wife is running late. Have you called her?” Yet another relative asked.

He had been waiting for almost twenty minutes and the service had begun.

The priest insisted that they would join them as soon as the bride arrived but the meantime, the service had to go on.

All calls to Ada’s line were not going through; by now, half an hour had gone by.

When the note arrived, he knew it was all over…

He tore at the flap of the envelope with eyes that had welled up in tears. He could barely see the words that had been carefully scribbled in that artistic drawl of hers.

His fears were founded. The note was short, but all he could see was the sign off.

It read: “I love you too.”