Sudoku

I decided to run my Masters 
degree in the University of Ibadan 
for two reasons 
1) I couldn't get a good job 
after my first degree 
2) I was tired of sitting on my 
hands and waiting for something 
good to happen to me 
My father didn't mind 
sponsoring my education 
So I went for it
I started the programme 
while hoping to get a job 
and also somehow get to a relationship! 
I missed out on the relationship thing 
while I was studying for my first degree! 
I didn't see any need to mix business 
with pleasure 
The students that did so didn't do so well academically
My mother didn't give me 
the "get a husband talk" 
My family was a liberal one 
My Dad was an academician 
and so was my mum 
Western ideologies held sway 
in my family 
So I was not under any pressure 
to find love or to love anybody 
for that matter 
Love would either come or not!
So by the time I bagged my
 first degree, my head was in
 a cloud and all my friends 
had gotten themselves both 
a degree and a husband! 
The number of weddings I 
attended within three years 
after my NYSC got me worried 
It suddenly dawned on me 
that my priorities were not 
so right
The M.Sc was an opportunity 
to correct that in my opinion 
but the reality was quite different! 
Most of the guys in the school running 
their M.Sc were married 
or in a relationship already! 
Nobody looked my way! 
It was somehow very 
frustrating!
I could pretend it was okay! 
It would be a lie 
I was lonely and I longed for a relationship 
I blamed myself for not having enough 
sense to pursue 
the things that matter at 
the right time 
I graduated at twenty-six and returned 
to school at 29! 
The age was a disadvantage to guys!
I didn't mind a relationship 
that wouldn't lead to a marriage 
I wanted to experience loving 
and being loved 
Being jilted or heartbroken 
and Mending 
Arguing with someone who 
is not related to me by blood 
but connected to me by ties 
of the heart 
I had not lived! 
I had only existed
But the age was what 
people call "To marry" age! 
Guys assume if they dated a 
lady within my age bracket, 
I would be desperate to tie 
them down! 
I know this 
Guys that drew close to me 
had said it to me tacitly 
whenever they realize my age! 
It was a huge stumbling block!
I went to the PG school one 
day for my registration I bumped into this guy 
He was the youngest Ph.D holder in his department! 
He was bespectacled 
Dark, not too tall and very handsome! 
We met at the records office 
He needed his transcript and 
there seemed to be a delay somewhere
I offered to help him follow
things up and forward the transcript to him 
We exchanged numbers 
He left 
I got to work! 
The whole transcript thing 
took two weeks 
I called him daily to give him 
update on the issue 
He was very grateful 
I eventually got it sent to him 
It was done just in time
Two weeks later he called me 
He said he was on campus 
I guessed he wanted to say 
thank you 
He picked me up in front of 
my parent's house 
Drove around campus talking 
about the scholarship
 opportunity he just got and 
all the rest and how I was instrumental 
to his success 
It was nice
Then he said "Will you marry me" 
I thought he was joking! 
I had watched a lot of romance movies 
Guys build up stuff before proposing 
They take you out 
Buy you gifts 
Kiss you 
Attempt to sleep with you 
or even sleep with you 
You anticipate 
And they propose! 
His proposal was flat
It was cold and lifeless 
And he seemed to expect a yes 
He said he had thought about it 
and could see that it would be 
good move for the both of us!
 Chai! 
He had plotted the graph of my 
life 
Added me to one equation in 
his head and found that the equation 
was balanced! 
Nonsense!
He was four years younger 
than me 
I had seen his age on a 
document and I told him so 
He said his family would protest 
a little but not in a bad way 
He was also from an academic 
background and his parents 
would only ask him if he 
had given it a good thought 
He had it all worked out
I said yes! 
I didn't particularly have 
any feeling for him 
But I am no fool 
He was a nerd like my father 
He wouldn't cheat on me 
except with his studies and researches 
He would give me a solid home 
Peace of mind and we will live a good life! 
It wasn't as if I had any option!
We got married eleven months later 
Everything went as he "anticipated" 
The marriage is seven years old 
We have three children 
I grew to love him and he grew to love me too 
I don't think I could have asked for 
a better husband! 
We didn't start with love 
We just started 
Love grew!