The only name I gave him was Amanda. When he asked for my surname, I only smiled and said nothing. Thank God he didn’t insist. Because of the way people struggle with my surname, I prefer not to mention it. He gave his name as Johnson. We shook hands and sat next to each other without saying a word.

After the presentations, he asked which company I worked with and I told him. I tried selling to him since that was the reason I was there. “We are into this and that. We give you the best profile in the market and we are very easy to locate. You can check our website for everything  you need.”

He stood there nodding and looking straight into my eyes. I didn’t blink or look away since that would have meant defeat. He thanked me and said he would contact us when the right time comes.

The Secret He Wasn’t Telling Me Was On His Phone

Three months later, we went for a regional meeting and the lady from the front desk told me, “A man has been calling ceaselessly asking for you but each time I ask if it’s about business, he would say nothing and hang up. “Did he give you a name? I asked. She shook her head. I wasn’t curious. I knew it would be one of the people I have tried to sell to.

Many months had passed and I’d forgotten meeting a man called Johnson. The security walked into my office telling me a man was at the reception looking for me. Office meant business and if it was business then it looked like my target was going to look good at the end of the week.

I walked gracefully to the hall only to meet a face that looked familiar. “Where did we meet?” I asked him. He kept smiling while looking into my eyes. Right there I remembered where I’d met him. His name had lost its spot in my memory so I asked him to jog my memory. He said “Johnson.”

He told me, “It’s been hard trying to reach you so I decided to come here and look for you, Amanda.”

We ended up having lunch that day and the next day. He didn’t live in town. He came because of me. When he left, we continued chatting.

I knew what he wanted but I didn’t know if I was ready. I convinced myself I didn’t know him. I even told myself he was a married man trying to have fun. I was talking myself out of it even before he proposed.

When he finally proposed, he didn’t do it the way normal men do. He said, “I’m looking to settle down as soon as possible. If that’s not part of your plans, then you don’t have to date me. We will waste each other’s time.”

I asked for time to think about it.

I logged on to LinkedIn one morning and found a message from him. The message was as old as time. He sent it a week after we had met. I hardly go on LinkedIn. In the message, he said, “This is the only place I can find your surname so I came here looking for you, using your company name. What I have to say is not about business. This is my number, call and let’s talk.”

I called him; “I saw your message on LinkedIn. Why didn’t you tell me about it?” He answered, “I wanted you to find it yourself, however long it takes.”

Today?

I live in his house. I wear his ring. I bear his surname, I didn’t give him mine the first day so he was happy scrapping it off my name. I’m into him just as he’s into me. Our walls are decorated with our wedding pictures. I look at them and say, “Who would have thought I would ever live with a man I wouldn’t tell my surname?”

Is There A Perfect One Out There For Everyone?

It’s funny the way we find love but when he looks for you, when he makes an effort to have you, when he makes it worth it, you meet him halfway so you walk the aisle together.

Marriage isn’t an aisle we walk so we tread cautiously while placing our faith in the strength of what we have. It’s only a few months old but I believe we’ll see the end of our time together.

— Frema

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