THE TREASURE THAT FIXED MY LIFE

“But this is not the first time that a man held my hand, why should I become unassuming?” This was the first time John was meeting with Tina after a long time since they got hooked up on Facebook. John came with a lot of anxiety as if Tina never got any before. The moment of deep emotions rang with the deep stare straight into each other's eyes, “Tina Love, is this you?” John asked anxiously.

Yes o, Tina quivered and answered calmly, trying to situate her confidence. This was because Tina, a well-brought-up lady couldn't imagine how fast she could go deeply into a relationship with a young man on the phone even without seeing who he was. She remembered how one time she sent him pictures and videos and how the other she defended a deal that almost ran her into trouble with Jessy her best friend. “Anyway, it has already happened, so let me just accept the fact for my mental health.” Tina arrived at this strong resolution when she remembered how good John had been to her when she was emotionally down due to some family complexities.

Tina came from the family where her own biological mother died after giving birth to her, and she was left with no option but to grow with a step-mother, Agnes. Agnes never loved Tina even up to the love a needle has for a piece of cloth. She would never speak tenderly to her let alone affording a gift for her. “One of my worst experiences was when she forced me to drink hot water and also poured same on me from our small water kettle that my Dad bought when I was two years old, but this guy stood for me. John must be a good guy.”

It was only at this point that Tina could hear John still talking to her. “My Love, is anything the matter?” John asked tenderly caressing her chin and looking steadily into her eyes. It was then that Tina threw her arms for a warm embrace which led to their first kiss. Tina then began to speak out; “I will never forget about you in my life Bob J., you have done a lot to my life, most especially, you have given me emotional balance.”

Another chain of emotions unrolled when Tina optioned that she would have to return home before her step-mother returns from her office work. John never wanted to let her go-“I thought...” John grumbled with his voice suggesting as though he struggles with an idea in his head. “You thought what? Feel free to share with me My Love.” Tina’s emotional reaction nursed in John the confidence to demand that she should spend the night with him, for “there is something I want to discuss with you…” “Only that it is best discussed in the night,” Tina concluded John’s statement which seemed to be inconclusive. They both jumped and hugged each other again with giggles. None of them was surprised that such a deep hug earned them another kiss that was not anticipated.

“I have heard you My Love, but I must be on my way now. I hate doing anything that will make my step-mother angry, not because I fear been maltreated but because I genuinely love my stepmom. Ever since my Dad got married to her, she has been my friend, but unfortunately I am not her friend.” John looked deeply into Tina’s eyes and sighed “okay, Tina Love, I won’t stop you, we have more time to spend together than this. Please, don't hurt yourself.”

“I really don’t want Mummy to get home before me, at least, let them find something to eat when they come home.” Tina hurried home, however, before she could get to their old two bedrooms apartment, which was located close to Ebenta Village Market, she decided to enter into provisions shop that was closer to the main road to get a gift for Agnes. “I love my stepmom, she is a good friend to me, I like staying with her, but she doesn’t like seeing me, “yet, that is not enough reason to hate her, let us think of what to do. Hmm...get her a gift on your way home, I will pay for it. John may be right anyway.””

It was bed time, everyone slept but Tina still kept awake reflecting and rejoicing over her step-mother’s reaction towards her present, for “she has never been this happy with me before. It means I can sit with her and discussed as John rightly suggested. So, a good friend is indeed a treasure that fixes someone's life.

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