My Mother married my Wife

The rain fell heavily across the streets of Lagos, washing the dust from moving cars and crowded roadside stalls. Horns blasted endlessly. Street hawkers shouted over one another. Yellow buses splashed muddy water onto tired pedestrians trying to escape the evening storm. Inside a small apartment in Surulere, Bob sat near the window, watching the rain slide down the glass. His eyes were filled with dreams. Not ordinary dreams. Big dreams. The kind of dreams that kept young men awake at night. The kind that made them believe life had to become bigger than the streets they grew up in. Behind him, Alicia adjusted the collar of his white shirt while smiling softly. “You’re thinking again,” she said. Bob turned and smiled. “Can’t I think about my future?” “Our future,” she corrected. He pulled her gently onto his lap. “Yes… our future.” Alicia laughed quietly and rested her head against his chest. The room was small, but love made it feel complete. The old standing fan beside the bed made a cracking sound as it rotated slowly. Their kitchen was barely large enough for two people to stand inside together. The paint on the wall had already started peeling near the ceiling. But none of that mattered to them. Because they had each other. And because they believed someday they would leave Nigeria together and start a better life in Canada. That dream became the center of their marriage. Bob worked tirelessly as a freelance graphics designer while Alicia sold hair products online. Every naira they made was carefully saved toward visa applications, passport renewals, medicals, and travel documents. Every night they talked about Canada like it was heaven itself. “The roads are clean there,” Alicia would say excitedly. “And salaries actually enter on time,” Bob replied. “And no NEPA problem.” “And snow,” Bob laughed. Alicia made a face immediately. “I still don’t understand why human beings would willingly live inside freezer.” Bob burst into laughter. God, he loved this woman. He loved the way she spoke with her hands whenever she got excited. He loved the tiny gap between her teeth whenever she smiled. He loved how she always believed tomorrow would be better no matter how hard today became. To Bob, Alicia was not just his wife. She was hope. And he would do anything for her. Anything. Three months later, their traditional wedding shook the entire neighborhood. Music blasted through giant speakers while family members sprayed money on the dancing couple. Friends shouted, laughed, and drank themselves into happiness. Bob could still remember the way Alicia looked that day. Gold dress. Bright smile. Tears in her eyes as she said yes before everybody. His mother, Agnes, had joined them through video call from Canada. “I can’t wait to receive both of you here,” she had said proudly. Agnes was respected among their relatives. She had traveled abroad years ago and built a stable life in Canada. To many family members, she was the symbol of success. Bob trusted her completely. After all… She was his mother. Six months after the wedding, the visa applications were submitted. Then the waiting began. Weeks turned into months. Every morning Bob refreshed his email repeatedly. Every notification made his heart race. Then one afternoon, the email finally came. Bob nearly dropped his phone while opening it. Alicia stood beside him trembling. They read silently. Then silence filled the room. Alicia’s visa had been approved. Bob’s application had been denied. For several seconds, nobody spoke. Outside, a generator roared from a nearby compound. A dog barked somewhere down the street. Still silence. Then Alicia finally whispered: “Bob…” He forced a smile immediately. “It’s okay.” But it wasn’t okay. Not even close. That night, Bob locked himself in the bathroom and cried quietly where Alicia could not hear him. He pressed both hands against his mouth to stop the sound from escaping. Everything they planned… Everything… Was suddenly breaking apart. Two weeks later, Bob stood at the airport watching his wife prepare to leave without him. Alicia hugged him tightly, crying into his chest. “I don’t want to go alone.” “You have to,” Bob whispered painfully. “This is our future.” “Our future,” she repeated weakly. He nodded. “I’ll join you soon. I promise.” She looked into his eyes for a long moment. Then she kissed him softly. Neither of them knew that kiss would become the beginning of everything that would destroy them. As Alicia disappeared beyond the boarding gate, Bob remained standing there long after she was gone. Alone. Holding onto hope. Not knowing that thousands of miles away, fate was already preparing something darker than betrayal. Something neither marriage nor blood could survive.