The Great Escape

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Relationships and dating in recent times have become like a coin thrown on a surface, whereby there is a probability of either the head or the tail showing forth. If the head then you're lucky. Gone are the days of our forefathers, when dating and courtship were not an essential part of relationships before marriage. By that time, women did not have to choose whom to marry and the men either didn't find it challenging to get a wife.

Marriage was based on recommendation, and as a man, you can depend on whoever is recommended. But in today's world, yeah, honestly, a whole lot has changed. People have to date and then transition into courtship before marriage. Most times you're not ascertain if the marriage will work out after many years of dating and courting.

“How long are we going to date before you meet my parents?” Mary asked.

For some minutes Andrew didn't respond. He combed his hair, used his deodorant and began to put on his shoes.
“I wonder why you always become deaf and dumb whenever I talk about this issue”, Mary burst. She stood up from the bed and walked to Andrew who was staring at himself in the mirror.
“Baby as you can see, I am almost late for work. Whatever the discussion, when I am back we'll talk about it.” He responded

“No o” she interrupted. “How many times will you keep avoiding this discussion? It only points to want fact that you're not interested in me and I am going to do something about it”

He put on his shoes and bade her farewell without saying a word to her. Not long after, she packed her bag, took her clothes and left.

She had already made up her mind that she wouldn't continue in such a relationship that was heading nowhere. She recalled how she had spent almost a decade in a relationship with Andrew, yet he couldn't talk about marriage.

As Andrew stepped into his office, his phone beeped. He took it out, and it was Mary. He opened the WhatsApp message, smiled and ignored it.

---

“What could make a man who's doing well financially not interested in getting married?” Mary said to Jenifer her friend.
“Well there are so many factors to it, basically I think the man doesn't love you. Meanwhile, I told you to leave Andrew years ago and accept Mark, who was head over heels in love with you, but you refused, now Mark is married with two children. You would have been the one”
“But how do I begin to accept someone's hand in marriage when I don't have an iota of love for him?” She asked
“Love is built, in the course of time you would have loved him back”
“Anyways, I know what to do”

---

“What are we cooking this weekend”? Andrew asked walking into his street”
“What do you want to eat?” Mary asked as well.
“Let's go with rice and banga stew. My favourite”
“If that's okay with you no problem.”

After some hours, Mary arrived with the ingredients for the soup and in a few minutes the food was ready.

After everything, Andrew insisted that she sleep over, but she refused. In the end, she left.

Two hours later, that almost culminated at midnight. Andrew heard a soft knock on his door. After three to four knocks, he voiced out.

“Who's there”?
“It's me,” an unfamiliar voice responded. Andrew wondered what such a person would want from him at this time of night. After all, he didn't expect anyone.

“What do you want”? He asked
“Please I need your charger head, mine just got bad”
“Okay” he responded thinking it was his neighbour

He opened the door, and behold, it was Mary. She pushed him aside and entered the house. On the bed was a girl Andrew had proposed to marry. A fight was about to break out, but the intervention of the neighbours brought calm.

Mary left and ended the relationship.

---

Two years after his marriage, he fell terribly ill and was bedridden for years and was diagnosed with prostate cancer and diabetes. The following year he lost his life. It was a pathetic moment in his life.