Marriage Arrangement

Ivie Osagie wiped her forehead with a handkerchief as she strode down the quiet street. She squinted as she looked up at the sunny skies. She fumed bitterly as she quickened her steps. If only she had a car. With her meagre savings, she could barely afford a good one. The driver of the taxi she boarded had angered her. He refused to go further into the street. Instead, he dropped her off at the junction and sped off. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't know her phone was vibrating in her bag. When she got to know, she stopped walking and found a nice shade under a tree. There were several calls from her older sister, Ehi. She also received a text message from Ehi, asking when she would arrive. With a heavy sigh, Ivie put her phone in her purse. She wasn't surprised by Ehi's behaviour. Ehi loved pestering her. Her sister chose the worst time to call. As early as five o'clock, Ivie's phone was bombarded with messages from her saying there was something important they needed to discuss. She wondered what Ehi had to say that was so urgent. Ivie slowed down her pace when she sighted her sister's house among the row of identical bungalows in the street. She was glad the house was located in the middle of the street. This was her second visit. Finding the house would have been difficult if it wasn't in a central location. Ehi was quite excited about her latest achievement. Her husband purchased the house a month ago. Her sister had bragged about decorating with the best materials. That was Ehi. She loved the good life. That could be seen from the way she lived her life. She loved to acquire the best of everything. From designer clothes and shoes to expensive dishware, kitchen utensils and other household items. As she usually said, everything has to be on point. Ehi was proud of everything she owned. As a Pharmacist, she prided herself on being professional and smart. She was the golden girl. Ehi was also very proud of her marriage and her family. She always talked about how fulfilling it was to have a good family life. Her husband, Wole was also a Pharmacist. She met him as a student at the university. After four years of dating, Wole proposed and she gladly accepted. Ivie had never voiced her opinion but she always thought her sister was too good for him. As the son of two renowned medical practitioners with successful careers spanning decades of excellence, her parents were more than willing to give their blessings for the marriage. Ivie wondered if her parents ever cared about their true happiness. As soon as her sister got married, they focused their attention on her. They made it a point to constantly remind her of the importance of marrying into wealth. To them, Ehi was the perfect example she needed to follow. If possible, they wanted her to marry into a wealthier family. Sometimes, she tried to be understanding but she was exhausted. Maybe her parents behaved that way because they wanted their girls to have a better life. The comfortable life they couldn't give them as kids. Although her family's financial situation slowly improved over the years, her parents' views on marrying their daughters to the highest bidder never changed. Growing up, her family managed the best way they could. If they needed to change their wardrobe, only one child would get a dress or a shoe. Sometimes, Ivie had to share dresses with her sister, which she didn't mind doing. As a child, Ivie remembered seeing her dad work tirelessly as an office clerk. Her mother, who started married life as a full-time housewife had to get a job as a secretary. As much as she criticized her parents, she was proud of them. They were hardworking people. A character they had instilled in them as kids. Before her father retired, he got to work as an administrative manager, while her mother left the workforce to start a business. She scanned her surroundings when she arrived at the front porch of Ehi's house. True to her word, Ehi had carried out several landscape changes outside the house. She couldn't deny that her sister had done a great job here. Ehi had a talent for planning, decorating and organising. What Ivie loved most was the array of beautiful flowers that added colour and freshness to the rather drab concrete floor. She rang the doorbell and waited for a response. Shortly, she heard her sister's voice echo from the entryway of the house, followed by the sounds of light footsteps.  The door flung open, and her sister broke into a cheerful smile. Ehi was a pretty woman. She was tall and slender, with a slim face and big brown eyes that were shining brightly at Ivie. She wore two-piece designer sportswear from a popular brand. It consisted of a crop top and shorts that accentuated her tiny waist while clinging tightly to her round hips. Even though they had very different characters, with lives so far apart, Ehi was her best friend. Theirs was more than a family bond. With only three years apart, they did most things together as children. Even as adults, they maintained their bond. Though, it was a little different now because Ehi was now a married woman who only wants to focus on nurturing her husband and daughter. "Finally! You are here," Ehi said, as they walked into the spacious living room. "Yes. This discussion you want to have better be important. I skipped a free dinner in a high-end restaurant for this. With that being said, I hope you have some mouth-watering dishes in the house. You need to offer a good bribe." Ehi laughed, excitement ringing in her voice. "First of all, I can assure you this piece of information is important. Secondly, I do have some food in the house. Nothing fancy though. I won't be slaving over a stove until next week." Ivie stared at her. "Let me guess. You plan to dine out." "Wole and I will check out some good places during the week. We intend to dine out and place orders from home. I heard there is a new place in town. It should be fun." Ivie gave her sister a half-smile. "I bet it was your idea?" "It may have been my idea but Wole agrees. There is no harm in trying something different from the usual. You should try it too." Ivie sank onto a sofa. "Yeah, right. Like I have the money to hop from one expensive place to the other. I'll pass." "Another thing, you won't enjoy it when you are alone. It's meant to be like an adventure. Life is short. We need to grab every good opportunity that comes our way." "I hear you loud and clear. Where is your little man?" "He is out with his dad." "Daddy-son outing?" "No. They are visiting Wole's parents." Ivie slanted her brow. "And why are you here? I hope my presence is not the reason you are home. You could have easily rescheduled." Ehi plopped down beside her. "You know how it is with those people. I didn't want to go. I'll rather spend my day with you." "It can't be that bad. Well, they are your in-laws. You can't keep avoiding them. Moreover, you are the one people gravitate to. I'm quite sure you can handle them. Unlike me, I won't survive a minute in a stuffy place like that." Ehi rolled her eyes. "Exactly. Wole's parents are very proud people. They believe one should comport one's self at all given times. They live dignified lives that I find boring. I guess they feel embarrassed whenever I'm around. So I avoid them as much as possible." "You can't always avoid them because you are bound to them for life. I think you should bear with it." Ehi laughed drily. "No, Ivie. I won't do that. You know me. I hate having a negative energy around me. I'm a good wife to their son. A good mother too. I won't stress myself over their issues. They should bear with me." Ivie laughed cheerfully. "You've always been the stubborn one." Her sister slanted her head, giving Ivie a funny look. "When I look at you, I see that you are the perfect representation of what they like. Well-composed, docile and sweet. No, wait. You are not the docile type. Unfortunately, people don't know that because looks can be deceiving. Apart from a few, others don't know your bite is worse than your bark. You'd be perfect for the old grumpy in-laws. Too bad they don't have another son that needs to wed." "You are joking. Do you think I'll marry into that kind of family? No way. In such situations, I lack patience. Whenever I lose my patience, it will be a war zone. I can't imagine living like that. It will drive me crazy, for sure. There is so much one needs to consider when taking the big step. You are not only married to him but his family too." "You can't marry into that family? Hello! I'm married to one of them. Are you saying I made a poor choice?" Ehi said, her tone sounding accusatory. "You didn't hear those words from me. I was speaking for myself, that I won't do it. You wanted it and it was your choice. No one has the right to judge you for that," Ivie replied. Ehi pointed a finger at her sister. "You. Always ready with witty remarks. I know you won't say it outrightly but I can tell you don't support my marriage to Wole. I don't expect you to understand my decision now. Maybe you will, when you fall in love." Ivie sighed. "I only want the best for you, Ehi. At the end of the day, what you think is best will certainly be different from what I think. That is all I will say." "I married a person I love. I didn't do it for wealth or a name. My decision suited mom and dad's plan but I did it because I love him. As for his family, I can cope with whatever they throw my way. You know there is no perfect union, right?" "I know that." "Good. Once you are married, there is no going back. Mostly for people like us that take our vows seriously. As for you, I'll advise you not to listen to our parents. They can only talk. Once you are married, even your parents become outsiders. Your experiences are yours alone. Marry someone you love, okay?" "Awww...my big sister is so emotional today. I hear you." "I'm serious, Ivie." "I know you are." Ivie laughed. "I don't have a boyfriend. Honestly, I've never thought of marriage. All I care about right now is myself. I want to earn as much as I can, so I can have a comfortable life. You know I have plans to get a better job. If possible, have several sources of income." "My dear, even the best job won't satisfy you. I know how you are. But it's good that you can endure. I think having a business of your own is what suits you. While I understand the need to live a comfortable life, that shouldn't stop you from giving love a chance. You are a thirty-year-old who has never thought of getting married. I find that hard to believe." "You trouble me more than our parents do. Can't you pretend you didn't hear anything?" "You know how it is for us. We have to be open and honest with each other." "I'm not totally against the idea. If there is someone in my life, I might consider it. Either way, I'm indifferent. If it comes, great. If it doesn't, that's fine too." Ehi moved closer to Ivie and sat in a lotus position, placing her hands on her sister's knee. Her eyes lit up and she said, "Now, we need to talk about why I asked you to come. Told you I have something to discuss with you." "Yeah, I almost forgot. So what's up?" Ivie asked. "Wole's friend was here last week. He works as an investment banker. He is quite an ambitious young man but he is a good guy. He has been single for some years and he says he is ready to settle down." "You know I don't like such arrangements." "I know that. Just hear me out." "Okay. So what do you have in mind?" Ivie asked. "I know you are not concerned right now. Alright, let's forget about marriage. You can date without getting married. Don't you think so? Go out with the guy. Get to know him and see how things go." "I'm not interested. I told you where my focus lies. There are so many things I need to do. You know I need to take care of myself. I'm tired of living solely on my monthly salary. It is enough to sustain me but I can barely save a reasonable amount. It's not good enough." "Do you know if something better will come from meeting this guy? Or any other person for that matter. You need to put yourself out there. With your current lifestyle, you don't have the time to go out. You need to meet people, network and make good connections. Marriage or not. Think about what I've said." "I will. You said he works as an investment banker?" "Yes. He's been doing it for years now. I heard he is quite good at it. One of the best in that field." "What's his name?" "Sydney Okoro," Ehi said. Ivie laughed. "I once met a guy called Sydney. He was a jerk so I quickly deleted his number. I made sure I blocked him too." "I'm sure you met a different person. Sydney is a great guy." "One date and that's it. Nothing more." "I'll hold you to that because I know you. You may suddenly change your mind tomorrow. I need assurance that you will go on this date. I don't want surprises." "I promise I'll show up. There is no harm in trying. As long as you know he is a good guy, I'll take your word for it. Hopefully, he will be a gentleman like you said." "Trust me, he is. You can't remain this way. Be adventurous. If you keep waiting for the perfect time, it might never happen." "I didn't say I was waiting for the perfect time." "I think you are. You want to focus on acquiring wealth now. After that, then what? There will be other things to do. You dated in the past." "Yes, I did. I never met anyone special. All I did was kill time. Do you know I've never had any meaningful relationships? That is why I've not given marriage much thought. You met Wole at the university and you fell in love. I wasn't lucky enough to have that. I've tried to have a serious relationship but I always grow tired." "Are you saying you've never had romantic feelings for anyone? Deep feelings aside, you never met any guy you had a deep admiration for? A crush? Anything?" Ivie frowned. "I can't think of any right now. Trying to juggle my memory." "Oh, I recall." Ivie's eyes widened. "What is it?" "A long time ago. You talked about one boy for weeks. I don't know what to call it but you thought he was cute." "Who are you talking about? William?" Ehi grinned. "You know who. William Ajayi. That spoilt brat. He is the one you talked about for weeks. You guys fought like cats and dogs. As a kid, you didn't know what it was but I bet you had a crush on him. You talked about him constantly. Gosh, it was annoying at the time." "Yes, I talked about him. It meant nothing. He irked me. As you said, he was a spoilt brat. A rich kid with several nannies. But his parents are the best. They are very nice people." "Yes. We got so many gifts from them. I recall spending a day at their house. I felt like I was in heaven. You know how simple-minded kids can be. I was excited about everything in that house. They had a very beautiful home. I still have a solid memory of the place in my head." "I loved that house too. I always looked for ways to go there." "To see the home or William?" Ivie chuckled. "Please, stop it." "I haven't seen them in years. You keep in touch with them, right?" "I see Mrs Ajayi occasionally. She keeps urging me to visit her home. Most times when we meet, she takes me out for lunch. And I enjoy chatting with her." "That doesn't surprise me. She is a good woman. I used to admire her a lot then. She never made us feel like they were of a higher social status. Another thing I liked about her was her drive to succeed. Even with a wealthy husband, she worked hard to earn her own money. I'd love to see her again," Ehi said. "You can if you want to." "What about her son? Do you think he is married?" "I don't know. I never asked. I know she wishes for William to return to the country," Ivie replied. "He is still overseas?" "Yes." "I think he should remain there. Life there probably suits him. He was that annoying kid that always looked down on others. I wonder why he was so different from his parents." "It wasn't entirely his fault. He was a kid. A kid raised by several nannies. His mom once told me she regrets leaving him with those nannies. He didn't grow up like the rest of us. So we can't blame him for his attitude. Hopefully, he is wiser now. From the little I know, I think she is proud of him." Ehi smiled. "You think he has grown into a fine young man?" "Maybe he has. Who knows?" Ivie said with a shrug.