I went to the village one holiday to visit my mother. I hadn’t seen her in three years. She called every day asking me to visit her. I wasn’t in a good financial situation. I was waiting for a breakthrough so I can visit the village with something in my hands. I had a job in an international organization that paid really well. When I had my first salary, I decided to visit the village and give it to my mother, for her patience. For her trust in me and for everything she had done for me since the death of my father. I got to the village in the night. I met a certain man in the compound. Very tall and lanky. He asked what I was looking for. I said, “I’m here to visit my mom.” He asked, “Who is your mother?” I said, “She’s the landlord of this house.” 

He went back a little and looked at me very well. He smiled subtly. He said, “You’re the daughter of aunty Connie?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “She had been telling me about her daughter in the city. She showed me photos. You look different from what I saw in the photos.” I smiled. I said, “My mom showed you my photos? What for?” He said, “So that I will know who she was talking about.” He screamed, “Auntie Connie, your daughter has come ooo.” My mom dashed out of her room. She came to hug me. She was all cheers as if I had returned from abroad after a decade of silence. She said, “Ato, have you seen my daughter I’ve been telling you about? Isn’t she beautiful? I won’t show you fake beauty. The product of my womb is a spectacle. Too bad I didn’t have many of them.”

I went in and didn’t come out again until the next morning when the sound of a vehicle engine woke me up. I pulled the curtains aside and saw a taxi right in front of my window. “Mom has a taxi?” I asked myself. I heard a knock on the door. Mom walked in. She greeted. I asked, “Did you buy a taxi?” She said, “Where am I going to get that money to buy a taxi? It belongs to the guy you met last night when you arrived. He’s a teacher in your former school. He was posted here two years ago. One quiet and diligent man. He bought this taxi last year. Many drivers had worked for him but they end up cheating him out of money so he took it from the last driver and decided to drive it himself.” I asked, “So why does he park it here?” She said, “He lives in the room next door.” I asked, “You rented that room out?” She said, “I was lonely. I needed a companion. I waited for so long to get a woman to rent the room but none came except men. I gave it out to this man and I haven’t regretted ever having him here. He’s a great guy.”

My mom had beautiful things to say about Ato so I looked at him. Tall and slender. He has a beautiful smile. Maybe it’s because of the color of his gum. Most people have pink gums. He has black gum. Black has a way of making white things shine. So his teeth sparkle like pearls anytime he smiles. He speaks with a respectful demeanor. He never uttered a word without preceding it with “Please.” 

“Please my name is Ato. I’m your mother’s friend. I live in her house but she’s more than a landlord to me. Please, you’re welcome back from the city. Please I have a taxi. In case you want to go anywhere, just tell me and I will drive you there. Please take my number. Even If I’m not home, just call my phone and I will come running. Please, enjoy your stay. I’ll be around.”

My mother said, “You see, he’s very respectful. He’ll make a very good husband. And he’s hard-working too.” I responded, “His future wife would be very happy.” My mom said, “He’s single too. Won’t you love to be a future wife to a modest man like this?” I said, “Mooom! What are you trying to say?” She said, “I’m only trying to show you a good man. I married your father. I chose him so you can trust me when it comes to identifying men who could be good husbands.” I said, “I never knew you could be such a good ‘betweener’. Was that what you were doing when you were young?” She said, “I’m doing this for only you because you’re my daughter.” I said, “I’m sorry but I have a boyfriend. Do you remember that man I told you about when I was doing my national service? He’s still there and very active in my life.”

Mom sighed. She said, “You’re not married to him yet. How long have you been dating him? Four years? And you guys are still not married? Some men want a woman to stay a girlfriend until they meet the woman they’ll want to marry. Don’t be trapped in such a relationship and break your heart. Give Ato some space too and see what may turn out.” I said, “Mom, that’s cheating.”She said, “Sometimes you need to throw your net wide and see what you may catch. Wide nets catch a lot of things, including weeds but trust me, there could be a large fish in the mix there.”

I was in my mother’s store in front of the house when Ato walked in one afternoon. He said, “Please I’m buying one sardine and gari. I said, “Is that what you’re going to eat for lunch?” He smiled. He said, “Please, yes.” I gave it to him. I said, “I will cook something this evening. I will leave you some so don’t eat out this evening.” He said, “Please tell me you’re joking?” I said, “I’m not joking. Mom speaks highly of you. I want to say thank you for being there for her.”

One week later, I park my things, ready to leave the village. I called Ato. I told him, “I’m leaving today, can you take me to the bus station?” He said, “Please, I can. Please, let me know when you’re ready.” When I sat in front of his car and was ready to go, I saw my mom winking at him. I didn’t know what that meant but I guessed she was telling him to shoot his shot. When we got to the station, he asked, “Please, can I call you when you’re gone? Just to know how you’re doing.” I said, “Yeah you can call me. When mom gets a boyfriend, don’t be afraid to report her to me.”

Back in the city, I resumed life with Andy—my boyfriend. I spent a whole week in the village but Andy never called. I expected it. He had treated me like that for a very long time and the sad thing is I grew used to it. Andy got money early in life. He had a good job that gave him a company car and also gave him a lot of allowances for his travels. He traveled often without telling me. I will only know about it when I call him and ask where he is. Regardless of these shortcomings, I loved him to the moon and back. When he didn’t call I called him. When he left me in his house and spent the night elsewhere without giving me any reasons, I didn’t complain. He didn’t like to be asked, “Where are you?” “Or where did you go?”

He said, “You’re a woman. Love your man. That’s all is required of you. what is it about you asking me questions any time you call me? If you think you can’t stay in a relationship with me, you’re free to leave.” On the other side of life, Ato called me every day and said “Please” before telling me anything. He spoke to me pleadingly. It was as if he would hurt my feelings if he talked to me without saying please. He called me in the morning to ask how my night was. He called in the afternoon to check on how my day was going. In the evening, he called to tell me about his day and shared a joke or two with me. One day he said, “Your mom thinks you would be a good wife. I like you and want you to be my future wife. Please say yes and make me happy. Please.” I said, “You’re a good person. A lot of women will die to have a man like you but the bad thing is, I’m in s relationship with someone. I loved him. It’s going so well I believe we’ll marry very soon. I’m sorry.”

The next day my mother called me. She said, “What did you tell Ato last night.” I told her everything. She said, “That boy hadn’t stepped out since morning. I thought he was sick so I checked up on him. He told me he’s down because of what you told him. Anowa, don’t let a good man go. I know what I’m talking about.” I said, “Mom, he’s a good guy doesn’t mean he’ll be a good husband. That notwithstanding, I’m in a relationship with a wonderful guy. How do I leave him because of Ato? Plus, Ato is not the kind of man for me. I’m only being truthful here.” 

While Ato called me every day trying all he could to make me his own, Andy cared less. He called only when he needed his things washed. He called when he needed food in the fridge. He could call around 12am and ask me to come around because he was itching. He needed a fingernail as long as mine to scratch his itch. You’re an adult. I know you understand this itch I’m talking about. What would a girl in love do? Even when the sky is falling down and he calls, I’ll brave it and go and see him because he was the one I loved. 

For a whole year, Ato called. I only called him when my heart was breaking and needed someone to talk to. He was my distraction and nothing else. One day he called and said, “I’ve found a girl in my school. She’s also a teacher. I proposed and she said yes. If everything goes according to plan, I may marry her next year.” I screamed on the phone, “Wow, I’m happy for you. Who’s that lucky girl? Tell her if she does anything to hurt you, I will personally come after her.” He said, “Have a nice day.” I said, “Have a good day too.” 

I thought he was going to stop calling after finding a girl. He never stopped just as Andy never stopped treating me like trash. One dawn, Ato called. He was becoming a nuisance at this moment so when he asked what I was doing I said, “I’m in my boyfriend’s arms. Stop calling me. You’re already causing issues in my relationship.” My mom called the next day, “What did you tell Ato?” I asked, “Is he dead?” 

He stopped calling and instead asked about me from my mom. According to my mom, not a single day passed without him asking about me. I wanted him to learn to move on so I stopped calling him even when my heart was on fire and needed someone to talk to. Every fool will one day grow some sense. I got an awakening somewhere along the line and decided Andy wasn’t good for me. I called him and said it was over. I said it with fear in my voice because I wasn’t so sure. If he said, “No it’s not over,” I would have hung on to that and continued staying with him. But he said, “Please yourself,” and hung up the line. I cried for days. I broke down for weeks but I healed after a couple of months. 

I was single again and minding my own business when Ato called me one day. I said, “Are you bringing me a wedding invitation? It’s been over a year since you told me about that girl.” He said calmly, “Please, it didn’t work out between us. We were over just after four months of dating. It wasn’t her fault. I couldn’t love her the way I love you.” We spoke all day that day. He asked, “How’s your boyfriend? You two are still going strong?” I said, “There’s no boyfriend. I’m single.” All of a sudden there was strength in his voice. He said, “Please I’m sorry. I hope you’re healed now?” I lied, “It didn’t hurt, trust me.” 

The next day my mother called. She said, “Now what?” I said, “Nothing. I’m living my life.” She said, “Won’t you give him a try, at least?” I said, “Mom, for what? There’s no trial in love. You love or you don’t.” She said, “Get closer to the edge of the river and you’ll hear the fish coughing.” 

So one day I called Ato. I asked him, “Would you like to visit me in the city?” He said, “Yeah, why not? Please when do you want me to come? Today?” I said, “If only you’re ready but don’t say anything to my mother.” 

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He drove to the city in his taxi. I sat next to him whiles giving him directions to where I lived. When he entered he said, “You live here all alone?” I said, “Yes.” He asked, “You put this together all by yourself?” I said, “Yeah. I’ve been working hard.” I served him and he ate. He took his bath and we slept. I have a very big bed but he slept at the edge as though he was lying on a borrowed ground. All night I didn’t sleep. I was trying very hard to feel something for him but it wasn’t coming. I even tried to fake it but it didn’t happen. He stayed for three days. He kept playing small like a child living with his mother. I said in my head, “Naaa, I can’t. I will control him until his dying days. I need a man who has a presence—who will cover my weakness with his presence. This one here is just a good man. There’s more to marriage than just a good man.”

When he was going I asked him, “Do you still love me?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “You think the two of us can live happily under the same roof?” He nodded. I said, “I doubt.” He asked, “Is it because you have more money than I do?” I smiled and said, “Let me know when you get home.” He never stopped chasing. I never stopped saying no. 

He got married three months ago. I was at his wedding. I told him I was happy for him. My mom thinks I’ve lost a good man but I think, in the long run, being with a good man isn’t enough to sustain a marriage. There’s more. I won’t try to make a list because to each her own. 

–Anowa

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