The Buffer

It took him 30 days to summon the courage 
to ask her out
He wanted to be very sure
She was not the kind of lady to take for a spin 
and drop off somewhere 
It will be all in or nothing with her
She was exactly what he had always wanted
 in a woman
She was just perfect
The way she talked
The way she walked
The way she smiled
The way she looked when she was serious
He loved her from the very first minute he 
set his eyes on her
She was everything 
He went to God that night in prayer
He said “Lord, I have met her and as soon as 
I saw her I knew she was the one! 
Thank you for bringing her my way”
Then he spoke with a friend who was also a believer
The friend counseled him not to go by his feelings alone
”Pray and be sure you heard from God” said his friend
He saw a lot of sense in what his friend told him
He decided to spend some time in prayer 
While he was prayer, he drew close to the lady 
and they became friends 
He was careful not to be the type of friend 
she would become too comfortable and intimate with!
He had seen good friends who married each 
other because they found it easy to transition 
to lovers and had also seen good friends who 
couldn't transition to lovers because of their 
friendship
It was a tightrope he was determined to 
navigate with dexterity 
He made sure he left that room to maneuver 
whenever God says ”GO”
The Holy Spirit confirmed that she was the one 
seven days after he started praying
He was praying in the afternoon when he saw her
She walked right into his sitting room carrying a 
baby boy and asking him what he would like to 
eat for breakfast
It was a vivid vision 
It lasted for about five seconds 
It shocked him!
He had never ever had a vision like that before
An open vision
Wow!
His heart leapt for joy
He went to church later that evening and excitedly 
told his pastor what he saw
His pastor was awed!
The pastor had never seen an open vision too
He was very interested in the details
They talked about it until he practically had to take a 
pencil and draw what he saw
The clothes she was wearing was a green Ankara gown 
with a stylish yellow bow
She called him by a name he was sure she doesn’t 
know he bore and he called her by a name she had
 never told him she bears!
His pastor was very convinced
Indeed God had chosen a wife for him from above!
When he got to the office, he went to the Human 
resources department 
He wanted to know if there would be any implication 
if two staff members married each other
It had never happened before in their firm and 
he was aware that some companies had serious 
issues with it while others didn’t pay any mind to it
The Human Resources manager told him either of 
the intending couples must resign!
As soon as he left the man’s office, he called an old 
friend who had been waiting on him to resign and 
float a business with him
The friend was an investment banker who had the 
capital and idea to run a micro finance bank but
 wouldn’t have the time to manage it
His friend wanted him to be the manager of the 
company on behalf of the investors
He didn’t want to do it because he knew it would 
mean a lot of work and responsibility 
He knew he was heading in that direction but he 
was okay with where he was at that moment 
His friend was very happy to hear from him
They talked terms and he agreed
His friend said he would draw up the contract 
and the business would take off the following month
He resigned immediately afterwards, giving his 
employers a month in lieu of notice
As soon as he dropped his resignation letter, 
he went to her office and told her he would 
like to take her to dinner the following Saturday
She saw it coming!
He had teased and danced around the whole 
dating issue but she knew he was interested 
in her in that way
She agreed to the date
He took her to a classy outfit
She had fun
He told her he had resigned to head 
a micro finance bank
He told her how he felt about her
She listened patiently and seemed glad
She told him she would pray about it
He liked the response
The night was a huge success
He was sure it was a done deal!
God spoke to him clearly and succinctly!
They had three more dates
He noticed that unlike the first date when she 
was nice and attentive 
The other dates felt like someone on a mission
It felt very curious to him!
She would order the most expensive stuff and 
even order excess in take-away packs to take home
She would act as if he was the last thing on her 
mind! Offhandedly and distant 
On the fourth date she was picking calls 
every few minutes
Everything was just  somehow
He had to ask her what was wrong 
She told him since he decided to ruin a good 
friendship by asking for her hand in marriage, 
she had decided to make him pay heavily for 
daring to ruin their friendship
She said she knew that as soon as she told 
him her verdict, which will be a resounding No! 
They would no longer be on talking terms!
“We were very good friends and you ruined it! 
I just wanted you to feel the pain I am feeling 
right now in your pocket! You put me in a 
difficult position! I have to say “Yes” to your 
marriage proposal in order to be on good terms 
with you! 
If I say “No”, we will practically be strangers! 
So I am enjoying what I can before the shoe drops!”
Wow!
He didn’t say anything!
As they left the restaurant
An uneasy air hung between them
He didn’t get it
Should she be nasty to him?
He did everything right and treated her 
with great respect
Her attitude was extremely foul!
He took her home
The journey was a silent one
He had her in his mind and was occupied with 
how to change her mind 
She felt horrible!
She had wanted to tell him nicely and be courteous 
but since he asked her out she had grown 
increasingly irritated with him
She didn’t know she would boil over like that
When they got to her house, she wanted to 
apologize but the word stuck in her throat 
As she was opening the door to alight, he said 
“I am sorry for ruining our friendship! 
Can I withdraw my proposal and assume we can 
return to normal? I don't mind us being friends 
but it wouldn't make sense for us to become 
strangers because of a marriage proposal!”
She didn't say a word
She nodded and disembarked!
When she got home she didn't know what to feel 
Relief for getting the issue resolved somewhat 
amicably or anger at herself for making her 
displeasure at his proposal so obvious
She wouldn’t have married him if he was 
the last man on earth
She didn’t even pray about it
She didn’t consider it at all
He was simply not her type 
As a buddy, yes! 
But as a hubby, No!
He cried when he got home
He didn’t know why!
If there was anything he was ever sure of in this world
It was the fact that they were meant to be together
God’s hand was in it!
He called his pastor and told him
His pastor was shocked!
What!
When they got to the office the next day he put 
in the effort to act normal
She also did
Within a month it was as if the drama didn’t happen
Although the relationship had been tainted by it
He waited for six months, hoping she would 
suddenly hear from God and come running to him
She didn’t 
One day she told him about a guy that was 
introduced to him
A guy who lives in Japan
They seemed to have hit it off quite nicely
He gave up
Then he met a lady
A “buffer”
He had no plans for her but just needed someone 
for the moment
Someone to talk to and go out with
Someone beautiful enough to turn heads and 
distract him
He needed to move on!
He met the lady at a friend’s church
He was invited for a ministers conference 
Somehow they got talking
Then they got talking some more
She was a good distraction
Troublesome enough to keep his thought 
from drifting to other things
Fun enough to keep him planning his next move
It was innocuous 
They didn’t define the relationship
She called, he called
He called, she called
She called him in the middle of the night when 
she couldn’t sleep
He called her on his way out of the country because 
he had no one else to call
They seemed significant to each other in an 
insignificant way
Their relationship hung loosely for six months
Then she invited him to have dinner with her 
parents
She told him her parents wanted to meet the 
man in her life and since he was the only one 
she had to bring him or face harsh criticism 
from her mother 
He decided to bail her out
But he was so blessed by going
Her family was warm, intellectual, 
welcoming and classy
He fitted right in
He got to the house around 4pm
She told him there was a four a side football 
match all the guys participate in
He dressed for it 
His dinner attire hung in his car
The match was fun
Her father was a one time goalkeeper for his alma mater
The man was as fit as a rock
Nobody could score him
He couldn't remember the last time he had so 
much fun and laughter
After the dinner, as she walked him to ward's his 
car, unplanned and impulsively
Perhaps because he felt so free and happy 
He kissed her
It was meant to be a stolen kiss
The type he would say ”i am sorry” to and then 
see if he could get the real one with her consent 
But once his lips touched hers
It was like honey dripping right into hot milk
He couldn't stop!
She took it and then gave it back
Toe to toe 
They kissed like two tigers having a sparring match 
When they came up for air, they both started laughing 
She looked at him and said ”You are free to say 
no and then do it your way if you feel I deserve it 
but this is how I feel right now”
She went on one knee and said ”Will you marry me?”
He looked at her, pulled her up and kissed her again
He said Yes!
He didn't know how else to be happy 
She made his world meaningful!
When he got home he announced his engagement 
to his friends and loved ones
He had resumed at the microfinance bank 
months before and everything was going on very fine!
She came to his office at noon!
She brought his ring and hers
It was so cool 
They went off to lunch and started talking wedding 
The plans went quickly 
She was a catholic and they had to go through 
extensive marriage classes
It was fun all through 
A month to the wedding, he sent out his Invitation cards
Two days after the cards went out
She came to his office for the first time
She didn't call or gave him an inkling
She just showed up
She said ”We need to talk ” 
He said ”Okay”
She said ”I went to pray in five places and your 
name came up in all the five places! 
I didn't even mention your name!
 I was there and the pastor said ”How is your husband!” 
I told him I am not married and he said 
”Are you not So and so’ s wife?
I have also prayed and you are the name 
I heard in my spirit
I had been praying that God will lead you back 
to me until I saw your wedding invitation!
I know you want to do Gods will
I want to do God's will too
Is there any hope for us?
He didn't know what to say 
He looked at her and he was flat
Her sight brought him no joy, no excitement, no warmth 
The mere thought of his wife to be made his heart dance 
He told her there was nothing he could do
The revelation had been overtaken by a new reality 
He had found love in the most unexpected place
He was happy! 
What else would he say he was looking for!

Ps: He got married in July 2014
His marriage has produced three children
His wife lectures at a popular University in Lagos
He is MD of a Microfinance Bank
The lady works with a renowned auditing firm
She is single 
Wherever she goes for prayer they still tell her he is the one 
And she is fervently praying he would come back to her
She met the Brother in Jeans and T-shirt and narrated 
her story
She wanted him to intervene
He said he wouldn't
She wailed and cried "Just one phone call sir"
He caved in  and called the man
They met a few days later
The man told his side of the story
The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt got the gist
He told her to move on
She said "Use the Holy Spirit to talk to him,
let him do God's will! Please!!!
He told her "That will be witchcraft"
”I don't want to miss God’s will!” She insisted
So she remained single, waiting for a miracle!!!