Mike was standing and facing the calendar hung on the wall. Lost in the thoughts of his girlfriend, Aisha, he didn't know when his mom entered the living room.
His mom had been around for a few days. She tiptoed towards him and tapped him on his shoulder.
"Mike, what is the problem? What's disturbing your peace this much?" She asked.
"You are aware, mom. Dad is aware too. This is the time that I needed emotional support from every quarter, but you and dad are not giving me the same. You are rather adding salt to my injury."
"Sit down and let's talk," said his mom after robbing his shoulder tenderly. "Why are you in doubt of our love for you? You are all that we got, and we can't afford to see you going the wrong way without calling you to the right path. Try and understand what I have been telling you for the past three years. It is time to move on with your life and let Aisha move on with hers wherever she is."
"No mom!" Mike cuts in. "If you love me the way you claim, you should love whatever or whoever I love. Instead of encouraging me to get married, help me look for Aisha, my beloved wife in waiting. It's been four years, mom. Just exactly four years that I last heard from Aisha." Mike looked at the calendar for a few seconds before burying his face in-between his palms.
"We have tried our best to reconnect with Mama Aisha. When your father traced her to her known last address, we were made to understand that she had relocated to the United States with her daughter. We have explained all these to you, but you refuse to accept reality and move on."
"Whether in the United States or any other country, you and dad have the connection and means to find me, my dear Aisha."
"What if the girl you are dying for is married already? How are you sure she is interested in you the way you are interested in her? We are at our permanent home address, and if she is so passionate about you the way you are about her, it's easier for her to reconnect with you than the reverse. Move on with your life and get us another woman. I am longing to carry my grandchild."
Mike sank himself into the chair without responding further to his mom.
"I pray you don't accept the reality too late," her mom concluded after minutes of silence.
Mike and Aisha grew up together. They attended the same primary and secondary schools. Even when at the university, they were close friends who found it fulfilling to spend time with each other.
Mike can't just keep his mind off the day he and Aisha made a vow to each other.
"It's been a year since I said yes to your proposal, and I never have any reason to regret it. We are made for each other," said Aisha, whose hand was on Mike's shoulder. "I am promising you today that I will forever love you. Nothing will ever make me leave you."
Mike was full of smiles. He held Aisha's hands with his and reciprocated the vow.
"I will love you till death do us apart. Whatever it takes for me to marry you, I won't hesitate to do it."
Both of them locked into each other's arms for a few seconds.
All these memories kept replaying in Mike's head. On his way to work the following morning, he was smiling at all the good times that he had with Aisha.
"I will wait for you for whatever years it takes." He said to himself and hit his hand on his car steering.
Mike continued to wait for the anticipated reconnection with Aisha. He tried as much as he could to talk to his parents, who were becoming more agitated by the day that their only son was waiting endlessly for a woman to get married to.
"We have accepted our fate," said his father when Mike visited him to reassure him that he would soon reconnect with Aisha. "It is my prayer that you get to know the reality of the matter very soon."
On a fateful Friday, Mike received a call from his father.
"I want to see you on Sunday. We have a very important issue to discuss."
Mike went to see his father as requested. He met both of them seated calmly waiting for his arrival so that they could have the all-important discussion. With his walking stick in-between his laps and his phone on the arm of the couch, he went straight to the topic of discussion.
"Four days ago, Aisha's mom reached out to me. They are now in Canada. She reached out to me via Facebook."
"How are they doing? How is Aisha? Did you collect either or both of their phone numbers?" Mike cuts in with loads of questions.
"I spoke with her that same day, and she told me that Aisha is fine. Let your mother tell you the rest." He picked up his phone and started scrolling through while the wife continued the talk.
"Aisha got married to a Canadian last year. Her mother sent your dad the pictures."
"See the pictures here," the dad extended the phone to him.
Mike collected the phone and scrolled through the pictures for a few seconds.
"Mom! Dad!! This is not possible. Aisha promised to withstand any storm to marry me. I don't believe this."
"Mike, I will call Aisha's mother so that you can hear from her and possibly talk to Aisha directly, but that won't be today. When your nerve is calm, we are going to do that another day. I only called you today to inform you about this development so that you can find closure to the issue. Aisha is not your wife. Move on and bring home a woman to get married to."
Mike went speechless with tears rolling down his cheeks.
"I will have to speak to Aisha before I can leave any comment."
"My son, it had been seven years of blind ambition from you. I am a woman, and I know that a woman who loves you and knows how to connect with you won't abandon you for years while you keep waiting in vain. I am glad that the time has come for you to move on. Forget everything about Aisha and move on," the mom pleaded with him.
It was a heavy load on the heart of Mike, but he accepted his fate after sometimes and moved on with his life.