CHAPTER 6: THE TORONTO INTERVIEW
1173 Words
BRIDE FOR HIRE – CHAPTER 6: THE TORONTO INTERVIEW
*8:00 AM. Friday. Toronto Pearson Airport.*
The flight was 11 hours of no sleep and too much turbulence.
Tobi held my hand the whole time. Didn’t let go, even when I tried to pull away.
*Me:* “You don’t have to do this. You can go home, say it didn’t work.”
*Tobi:* “I’m not going anywhere.”
We landed at 7:45 AM. Toronto was cold. 6°C cold. My thrifted jacket from Lagos wasn’t enough.
*Tobi:* “You’ll get used to it. Or you’ll hate it forever. Either way, I’m here.”
We took a cab to the Airbnb in Downtown Toronto.
Small. Clean. One bedroom.
Tobi booked it under both our names.
*Tobi:* “Proof of cohabitation starts now.”
*Me:* “You’re taking this seriously.”
*Tobi:* “I am taking _us_ seriously.”
---
*8:30 AM. Airbnb – Toronto.*
*Tobi:* “Interview is at 9 AM. We have 30 minutes.”
*Me:* “To do what?”
*Tobi:* “To look like a couple. Not a contract.”
He pulled me into the bathroom.
*Tobi:* “Your hair is a mess. And you have flight face.”
*Me:* “Thanks.”
*Tobi:* “But you still look beautiful.”
He said it so casual, like it wasn’t a big deal.
But it was.
Because nobody had said that to me like that in years.
*Tobi:* “Ready?”
*Me:* “No. But let’s go.”
---
*9:00 AM. Canada Immigration Office – Toronto.*
Officer Martins looked older in person. Tired.
*Officer Martins:* “Mr. and Mrs. Bolanle. Sit down.”
We sat. Close. Too close to be fake.
*Officer Martins:* “We received an anonymous tip that your marriage is fraudulent. Paid for immigration purposes. Is that true?”
Tobi answered before I could.
*Tobi:* “No.”
*Officer Martins:* “Then prove it.”
She slid a folder across the table.
*Officer Martins:* “Tell me about this photo. Eko Hotel, July 13th. You look angry, Mr. Bolanle.”
*Tobi:* “Because I was. I didn’t want to do this. But she convinced me.”
*Officer Martins looked at me.*
*Officer Martins:* “And why did you convince him, Mrs. Bolanle?”
I took a breath.
*Me:* “Because my auntie has cancer. Because I needed ₦500,000 to save her. Because Tobi needed a wife to stay in Canada. It started as business.”
Officer Martins leaned forward.
*Officer Martins:* “And now?”
I looked at Tobi.
He wasn’t looking away.
*Me:* “Now it’s not.”
*Officer Martins:* “Prove it. Tell me something only a real couple would know.”
Tobi answered first.
*Tobi:* “She hates okra. But she ate the whole pot I made last night because she didn’t want to hurt my feelings.”
*Me:* “He hates jollof. But he ordered it on our first fake date because I said it was my favorite.”
Officer Martins wrote something down.
*Officer Martins:* “And Mrs. Bolanle, what’s your husband’s biggest fear?”
*Me:* “Being alone. Again.”
*Officer Martins:* “And Mr. Bolanle, what’s your wife’s biggest fear?”
*Tobi:* “Losing family.”
Officer Martins closed the file.
*Officer Martins:* “Conditional approval granted. You’ll receive permanent residency confirmation in 6 months. You must remain married and cohabiting during that period.”
*Me:* “That’s it?”
*Officer Martins:* “That’s it. Congratulations.”
She stood up and left.
Just like that.
---
*9:15 AM. Outside Immigration Office.*
Tobi pulled me into a hug.
Not fake. Not for cameras.
Real.
*Tobi:* “We did it.”
*Me:* “We did it.”
*Tobi:* “Chinaza, I’m not letting you go after 6 months.”
*Me:* “I’m not letting you go either.”
We stood there in the Toronto cold, holding each other like we were afraid if we let go, it would all disappear.
---
*12:00 PM. CN Tower – Toronto.*
Tobi insisted we go sightseeing.
*Tobi:* “We need a memory that’s not about immigration.”
We took pictures. Laughing. Holding hands.
A tourist offered to take our photo.
*Tourist:* “You guys look happy. Newlyweds?”
*Tobi:* “Yeah. Newlyweds.”
He said it like it was true.
Because it was.
My phone buzzed.
Dreame notification.
*“Chapter 5 hit 300,000 reads. Top comment: ‘AUNTIE IS CRYING AND PRAYING!!!’”*
I showed Tobi.
*Tobi:* “Auntie’s got the whole of Nigeria praying for us.”
*Me:* “She’s got the whole of Canada too now.”
---
*3:00 PM. Airbnb – Toronto.*
*Tobi:* “I talked to my lawyer this morning. Before the interview.”
*Me:* “Why?”
*Tobi:* “Because if we want this to be real after 6 months, we need to make it legal. For real. No NDA. No ₦500,000. Just marriage.”
I stopped breathing.
*Me:* “You want to marry me. For real.”
*Tobi:* “Yes.”
*Me:* “Why?”
*Tobi:* “Because I don’t want to let you go. Because when I’m with you, I don’t feel like I’m protecting myself anymore. I feel like I’m living.”
*Me:* “Tobi…”
*Tobi:* “Say no if you want. But I’m asking. Will you marry me. For real?”
I looked at him.
The man who paid me ₦500,000 5 days ago.
The man who drove 6 hours to Ibadan for my auntie.
The man who just chose me over Canada, over fear, over everything.
*Me:* “Yes.”
He pulled me into his arms.
*Tobi:* “Good. Because I’m tired of pretending.”
---
*6:00 PM. Toronto – Restaurant.*
We celebrated with suya and small chops.
Because Toronto might be cold, but Nigerian food is forever.
*Me:* “What happens now?”
*Tobi:* “Now we live. For real. No contract. No lies. Just us.”
*Me:* “And Amaka?”
*Tobi:* “Amaka can stay mad. She doesn’t get a say anymore.”
*Me:* “You sure?”
*Tobi:* “I’m sure. Because I chose you, Chinaza. Not papers. Not Mum. You.”
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
*Message:* _“Congrats on the approval. Hope you know this isn’t over. - A”_
Amaka.
Tobi saw it.
*Tobi:* “Delete it.”
*Me:* “Done.”
*Tobi:* “She can’t touch us now. We’re real.”
---
*11:00 PM. Airbnb – Bedroom.*
We didn’t sleep.
We talked. About everything.
About fear. About love. About what comes after 6 months.
*Me:* “What if we mess this up?”
*Tobi:* “Then we mess it up together. But I’d rather try and fail than never try at all.”
*Me:* “You’re crazy, you know that?”
*Tobi:* “Only for you.”
He pulled me closer.
*Tobi:* “Chinaza Bolanle. My wife. For real this time.”
*Me:* “Tobi Bolanle. My husband. For real this time.”
We kissed.
And it felt like coming home.
- Writer
