FRIGHTENED LOVE

"Hurry up, Sweetie, we're running behind schedule," Mr. Ethan called out from the door, already waiting for his wife to emerge from the room. "I'm coming, you know I'm not as quick as you," Mrs. Barisi replied, hastening her pace. They were both on their way to their daughter Silla's graduation ceremony. Mr. Ethan was so excited that he couldn't sleep all night, eagerly awaiting the dawn of this momentous day. To him, it was the pinnacle of his life to see his daughter graduate from college and blossom into a remarkable young woman. "Is my makeup okay?" His wife Barisi asked, stepping out of the door with a smile. "You look as stunning as always," Ethan smiled back, opening the door as they exited. The family resides in a bungalow in the city of Lagos, a hub for financial businesses. "Oh! It's a very congested place," Barisi remarked, wondering how they would locate their daughter amidst the crowds at the convocation ground. Nevertheless, they made their way through as Mr. Ethan spotted their daughter "Sila" among the graduating students. Mr. and Mrs. Ethan waved at her in unison with warm smiles that melted Sila's heart. Sila considered herself very fortunate to have such fantastic parents who would go to any length to keep her happy. One thing she cherished most about her parents was the love they shared, evident even between themselves. She was always grateful to God for blessing her with such a beautiful home. After the ceremony, everyone rushed to reunite with their loved ones. Sila ran into her father's arms. "Sorry, honey, we arrived late," Barisi apologized, stroking her daughter's hair, elegantly styled for her party. She held her dad's hand, expressing her relief. "I would have been so upset if I hadn't seen you guys when I did because you were almost late indeed. ""Why would I miss my daughter's graduation?" Mr. Ethan exclaimed with wonder. "Come on, honey, you know we wouldn't miss it," his wife said, prompting laughter at her candidness. "SURPRISE!!!!! "Everyone shouted and popped their balloons. Immediately, Sila opened the parlor door to enter after the long day. Sila was so surprised that she could only gasp. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her parents had invited all her "long-time-no-see” family and friends to celebrate Sila's graduation party with them. It was a small house party, but she could tell they had put in so much effort due to the quality of foods and drinks on the table. The living room was tastefully decorated with flickering lights and numerous floral arrangements. Sila was so thrilled that she couldn't help but tear up at her parents' gesture. She quickly wrapped herself in her father's embrace. "I love you so much, Dad," she said, overcome with emotion. "I love you too, my little pumpkin," Mr. Ethan replied, wiping a tear from his eye. But he quickly composed himself, mindful of the saying "a strong man's tears are not to be seen." Yet he was overwhelmed, remembering the challenges they faced before Sila's birth. Some had even suggested that his wife Mrs. Barisi was infertile and that he should consider divorce. But he ignored the negativity, trusting that they would have a child in due time. They had waited over 15 years before Sila's arrival, making her all the more precious to them. Ethan hugged his daughter passionately, eliciting a hint of envy from their guests. "Come on, what are you guys doing? This is not the time to be sentimental. Let's celebrate," Barisi said, breaking the silence. "That's right," Mr. Ethan walked to the table and grabbed a bottle of wine. "Cheers to my Sila's good grades," he said, raising the drink as everyone shouted cheers in unison, and they all began to enjoy themselves. Sila was delighted to see all her cousins whom she hadn't seen in years. They had a joyous celebration, dancing and playing together like children. The next morning, before the first light kissed the horizon, Sila was already awake cleaning the living room where they had partied hard the night before. Barisi heard a squeaky noise and wondered what was going on. She stood up, walking groggily, following the sound. Barisi entered the parlor and saw Sila trying to adjust the small cozy sofa to mop underneath. "No, honey! You don't have to do that so early in the morning," she said, trying to take the mop from her. "It's fine, Mum. I've been awake for a while. I wanted to finish cleaning before you and Dad wake up." She wore a solemn expression. Barisi reached for Sila's face, urging her to meet her eyes. "It's okay, Honey. You've already made us proud with your outstanding grades. Your father and I are extremely proud of you," she said, smiling at her daughter as she reached for her face. Sila gave her mum a grateful smile. "Thanks, Mum. Can you adjust now and let me finish cleaning up, please?" Barisi stood in front of Sila as she reached for the duster on the table in front of them. "If you insist, let me join you. "Sila's tone turned slightly pleading, "You don't have to. I want to do it by myself! When will you and Dad stop treating me like a child? I'm 21 already. "Barisi raised her eyebrows, speaking calmly, "But that doesn't change the fact that you are my baby. ""Whatever…" was all Sila could say, knowing that her parents always won whenever it came to an argument about her not being a child anymore. If there was anything her parents had taught her, it was “good morals”. Silla was very hard-working; she was intelligent and well-mannered. Though her parents had her at an older age, that didn't stop them from giving her proper upbringing because they knew it was for her own good. As a child, her parents would discipline her when necessary, adhering to the adage "spare the rod and spoil the child". So they never hesitated to discipline her. Her father, Mr. Ethan, was a retired minister. Sila was born the year he retired. While her mother, Mrs. Barisi, was a secondary school teacher, they were both retired. Life wasn't easy for them, as the whole family depended on pensions to survive. When Sila was still in college, she considered having a side hustle, a "part-time job", but her parents dissuaded her. She was asked to focus on her studies and graduate with good grades, which she did.