My Christmas Gift

I left Nigeria after high school but I was very much in touch with Adeleke my best friend from way back. Lakeside as I fondly called him has been my realest G for the longest time. If I ever needed a kidney, I can tell you for free that he would give me one of his without batting an eyelid. We share a very special friendship. Ours is a bromance that should be emulated or studied as a course.

He has paid me countless visits in the United States but I always made excuses not to come to Nigeria. Don’t ask me why. Lakeside is one of those die hard believers of the vast opportunities available in the country and he couldn’t live anywhere else in the world.

We would usually meet up in Dubai or some other country but I always dodged visits to Nigeria.

So after several threats from him, I finally decided to spend my Christmas holiday in Naija in 2023.

Lakeside has a very comfortable home in Abuja so my initial plan to stay in a hotel was aborted. Besides, Eka (his lovely wife), was bent on matchmaking me with her friend.

That was how I met the very beautiful Rose. Infact the babe was drop dead gorgeous but ten minute into our conversation, I already knew that I could never be in a relationship with her. Yes she was beautiful but something about her didn’t sit well with me and I wasn’t about to figure out what it was.

My meeting with Rose didn’t go as expected so Lakeside took me out to cheer me up then he literally dragged me to the airport to pick up his sister who was returning from Ethiopia where she had gone to do a research for her final year project.

My friend and I were lost in our discussion when we were suddenly interrupted by the most beautiful voice I have ever heard in my life. She hugged Lakeside before grabbing me, “so good to see you senior Steven”, she echoed with excitement.

Oh my word! the gorgeous damsel with the amazing voice was Darasimi. I haven’t seen her since I left Nigeria but I have seen pictures of her from time to time. Those pictures didn’t do her justice at all. A few years ago she was just my friend’s little sister but seeing her now was totally different. She stirred up things in me that I could not understand. There was a connect. This was her. This is the person I’ve been waiting for all this while. I knew at that moment that I had seen my wife. I had not even spent five minutes with her but I already knew she was special. I could feel it. My holiday was about to become more interesting.

Darasimi had grown up to become such an beautiful woman and she was also very intelligent and well mannered. I had to give it to my friend for doing a good job as her dad and mom since they lost their parents. This girl’s knowledge was vast. She could hold an intelligent conversation on any topic and this stimulated me intellectually and in many other ways.

I was shocked when she later confessed that she had a crush on me when she was a little girl. I was even more surprised when Lakeside admitted that he knew about it but never mentioned it. He recalled how he would, tease her about it but also made her understand that having a crush was normal but her books were more important. The thought that she liked me once upon a time was actually exciting. I was feeling things for Darasimi that I never thought I was capable of feeling again. I had a short time to stay in Nigeria so I had to make my intentions known before leaving.

First of all, I had to get her to stop calling me senior Steven…we were no longer in secondary school. Then I had to find a way to tell my friend that I was in love with his sister. This was his only sibling and he was very protective of her, I didn’t know how he’d react but I was going to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

There were days when Lakeside and Eka would be away at work leaving Darasimi and I to ourselves. This gave me the opportunity to get to know her better and I could almost swear that her eyes lit up whenever she saw me. Those times spent alone with her were divine and I could never trade them for anything.

So on this particular day, we had gone out for dinner and we had a really nice time. I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend but I wasn’t sure how she’d respond. Plus, I wasn’t sure if Lakeside would approve. My heart was constantly beating to the rhythm of the one called Darasimi. I was enthralled by her. There’s no way I was going to leave Nigeria without making her mine but at least I had to tell her first.

As we walked into the house that night, Darasimi stopped infront of the door right under the mistletoe. She looked up to thank me for a wonderful evening then leaned forward to kiss me. It was so unexpected but I was glad that she had the boldness that I lacked. I stepped back to look at her. Gosh she was beautiful. Her lips curled up in a smile as she whispered, “I like you senior Steven”, and she walked into the house.

You see that kiss right there? That was my cue. Now I knew I had to do something.

The next day, while Lakeside and I were hanging out. He noticed how withdrawn I was and asked what was wrong with me but I told him that everything was cool. He continued to probe me for answers because he knew me too well. He knew there was something bothering me. This was my opportunity to tell him about my intentions towards his sister.

I stuttered for a few seconds until I found my voice before asking his permission to ask Darasimi to be my girlfriend. Lakeside was quiet for what seemed like eternity. When he eventually responded, I smiled. This was indeed my G for life.

In his words, “the last time I saw you look at a woman the way you look at my sister was four years ago before you lost your girlfriend. My sister will not be a replacement for Eva but I know she’ll be in good hands and you’ll make her happy. I could never ask for a better and more honorable man for Darasimi”.
Men are not supposed to cry but I did.

This year, I’ll be returning to spend Christmas in Nigeria but this time, I’ll be coming with my wife and we’ll be sending the holidays with her brother and his lovely family.
Miracles happen at Christmas time.