AUTHOR’S POV
The emotional weight of the tenth-year remembrance service for his father still hung heavy in the warm air as their convoy finally pulled into the family compound.
The compound was already bubbling with the chaotic, beautiful noise of the northern women. The rich, smoky aroma of pounded yam, local miyan kuka, and peppered goat meat cooking over open firewood pits drifted through the courtyard. Wandi was already barking cheerful orders near the kitchen setup, and the cousins were loud on the veranda.
But before the festive chaos completely swallowed them up, Akila had a mission to execute. He needed to officially present the woman who held his heart to the matriarch of his family.
He leaned down to Soteria.
“Ziniya, let me quickly go and check on Mama in her room. I want to make sure she’s well rested after the long service, then I’ll take you to see her, okay?”
“Alright, my love,” she smiled.
“Take your time. I’ll hang out with Amara and Effiom on the veranda.”
Akila nodded, stepping away from the noise of the yard. He walked down the quiet gravel path toward the white-washed cottage at the back of the compound, the private sanctuary where his mother always stayed.
His heart was pounding against his ribs, a strange, nervous energy fluttering in his chest that felt completely foreign to a commander.
He knocked softly on the heavy wooden door. Two distinct raps.
“Shigo ciki, [Come in],” her sweet, fragile voice echoed from inside.
Akila pushed the door open.
The room was cool, shaded from the harsh afternoon sun, and smelling faintly of menthol and traditional oils. Mama was sitting on her low, cushioned armchair, a beautifully patterned shawl wrapped around her shoulders.
“Mama, good afternoon,” Akila said, walking over to kneel directly on the floor beside her feet, taking her small, warm hands in his.
“AkilaHyel, da kanka [you yourself],” she smiled, her eyes crinkling with deep affection as she patted his knuckles.
“The service was beautiful, ko? Your father would have been so proud to see you standing there today like the son he raised.”
“Thank you, Mama. It was indeed a heavy day,” Akila swallowed hard, clearing his throat as he looked up at her. He decided to drop the heavy cargo right there.
“Mama... actually, there is something very important I need to tell you. I want to propose to my girlfriend.”
Mama stopped patting his hand. She went completely still, her eyes narrowing as she looked down at him with a classic, sharp expression that made him feel like a ten-year-old boy caught climbing the mango tree.
“Kai, AkilaHyel!” Mama exclaimed.
“Which one is girlfriend again? You are standing in front of your mother talking about girlfriend? Gaskiya, you want me to knock that your big head this afternoon?”
Akila couldn’t help it; a deep, rumbling laugh tore from his chest.
“Sorry, Mama. Forgive me. I mean my wife-to-be.”
“Yawwa!” Mama clapped her hands together once, a triumphant grin breaking across her face.
“That is better! That is what I want to hear. Wife-to-be. Not all these modern English terms. So, the girl I saw you holding, the one with the beautiful gap tooth and the kind eyes... she is the one?”
“She is the one, Mama,” Akila said softly, his voice filled with a profound, unshakable certainty.
“She is the one i want to do life with. But, Mama, it’s a surprise oo. She has absolutely no idea. Please, you must not mention a single word about a proposal or a ring when she comes in.”
Mama let out a loud laugh, waving her hand dismissively.
“Ahnahnn! Are you teaching your own mother how to keep a secret? Keep your lectures to yourself, my friend. I know how to handle things like this. Go and bring her inside let me see my daughter! Quickly!”
Akila smiled, standing up and brushing down his native attire. “Alright, Mama. I’m coming.”
He walked back out to the veranda, his eyes immediately locking onto Soteria.
She was laughing at something Effiom had said, looking so effortlessly elegant. Akila walked up to her, offering his hand.
“Come, baby,” he whispered. “Mama is ready to see you now.”
Soteria’s breath hitched slightly, a nervous excitement instantly taking over her face. She took his hand, smoothing down her lace skirt as he led her back down the gravel path.
When they stepped into the cottage, Soteria immediately dropped to her knees with deep, unforced traditional reverence, bowing her head.
“Good afternoon, Mama. How are you doing today, Ma?”
“Oh, look at her!” Mama gasped, her eyes instantly filling with shining tears of pure joy. She didn’t even let Soteria finish her greetings before she reached out, her small hands grabbing Soteria’s arms and pulling her upward.
“Get up from the floor, my beautiful child! Come and sit close to me here.”
Just as Soteria sat on the edge of the low stool beside her, the cottage door burst open with a loud, energetic clatter. Wandi walked in, holding a tray with a tall glass of freshly made local zobo drink.
“Mama, I brought your….” Wandi stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening into massive circles as she saw Soteria sitting by Mama’s side.
She immediately dropped the tray onto the side table, wrapping her arms around Soteria from behind, laughing loudly.
“My sister! You don’t know how happy I am to see you here! Welcome to Hong officially!”
“Wandi, abeg, don’t break my daughter-in-law’s neck with your loud shouting,” Mama scolded playfully, though her own face was split into a massive grin.
She turned back to Soteria, her hands gently framing the young woman’s face, her wise eyes taking in every feature under the warm lamp.
“Soteria, my daughter,” Mama murmured, her voice dripping with an emotional, beautiful tenderness.
“I have been praying for a woman like you for my son for years. Akila is a good man, but his heart became so rigid after his father died. He refused to bend for anybody. He carried too much heavy stone in his chest. But today... standing in that church, I looked at him, and I saw his father’s light back in his eyes. Wandi, ko ba haka ba? Did you see him?”
“Mama, I did oo!” Wandi chimed in, leaning against the armrest, her eyes sparkling.
“The hard guy actually smiled three times during the service! It’s an absolute miracle.”
Soteria burst into a bright laugh,
“Mama, Sister Wandi... thank you so much. He is a stubborn man, yes, but he has the most protective, beautiful heart I have ever known. It is an honor to be here with you all.”
Mama’s expression softened.
“Come here, Akila. You both should kneel down. I want to pray for you.”
She placed her right hand on Soteria’s head and her left hand on Akila’s shoulder as he knelt beside them.
She closed her eyes, her lips moving as she began to pour out a heavy blessing.
“Ubangiji Shi albarkace ku... May the Lord Almighty establish this beautiful life you are building. God will grant you perfect peace, long life, and yara masu albarka [blessed children]. Soteria, you have brought joy back into this house, and the Lord will pour that joy back into your own bosom a hundredfold. You are officially welcome to the Gaya family, my daughter.”
“Amen,” Soteria whispered, as she wrapped her arms tightly around mama’s shoulders.
Wandi squeezed into the hug from the side, laughing and wiping her own eyes.
Akila stood up quietly, watching the three of them gisting, laughing, and swapping hilarious stories about his childhood.
He gave Mama a quick, subtle nod and stepped out.
Akila walked out of the cottage, the afternoon sun hitting his face as he marched straight across the courtyard, his eyes scanning the crowd until he spotted exactly who he needed.
Naya was standing by the beverage cooler near the veranda, pouring herself a cup of zobo, looking relaxed after the long day.
He walked up behind her, his voice dropping into a low tone.
“Naya. Please come with me. It is urgent.”
Naya paused, the plastic cup halfway to her mouth. She turned her head slowly, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at his serious tone.
“Ahnahnn, Akila. What is it? I am tired oo?”
“Drop the cup, Naya. It is urgent,” he muttered, turning on his heel and walking toward the quiet, shaded space behind the parking garage.
She sighed loudly, dropping the cup onto the table, and followed his heavy strides. The moment they were completely out of sight and earshot of the main yard, she crossed her arms over her chest, pinning him with her sharp look.
“Okay, What’s up?.”
Akila looked around to ensure the place was clear, then turned back to her, an uncontainable grin finally breaking completely across his face.
“I need your full help with something,” he said, his baritone vibrating with a rare, jittery excitement.
“I am proposing to Soteria.”
Naya’s jaw literally dropped open, and she let out a muffled, high-pitched scream, her hands flying to her mouth to choke back the noise so she wouldn’t alert the yard.
“Oh my God! Yaro!” she gasped, her eyes wide with frantic delight.
“Are you serious? You are finally doing it?!”
“Yes, I am serious,” Akila laughed, holding her hands steady.
“I want this to be the most sophisticated, high-end blindside she has ever experienced. She is too smart, Naya. Her mind picks up on everything. I want her to be completely surprised.”
Naya’s eyes lit up as she leaned in closer, her brain already shifting into planning mode.
“Leave the planning to me and Amara, Akila. I am the Chief Planner. We will come up with a plan. Tell me exactly what you have in mind for the ring...”
____________________________________________________________________________
The flight back from Yola to Abuja was quiet, but it was the kind of quiet that felt heavy with new beginnings. The dry, dusty air of Hong and the towering granite hills that had witnessed Akila’s childhood gradually faded beneath the clouds, replaced a few hours later by the familiar, sprawling tarmac of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Abuja met them with its usual fast-paced energy. The broad, smooth asphalt of the airport expressway stretched out ahead as Akila drove them into town, his large hands steady on the steering wheel.
Soteria sat in the passenger seat, looking at his profile. There was a softness in his eyes now, a gentle, unhurried ease that hadn’t been there before they traveled down for his father’s tenth anniversary. The heavy burden of old grief had cleared, leaving behind a peaceful stillness. Every now and then, he would glance across the gear stick at her, his eyes warm, holding her gaze just long enough to make her stomach do a joyful, erratic flip.
ONE MONTH LATER
Soteria knew something was definitely up.
She was certainly not the type of woman who passed through life with her eyes closed. She picked up on every single shift in routine. She noticed when things didn’t completely align. And lately, the people in her inner circle were acting completely bizarre.
First, it was Akila. The man had suddenly started becoming unavailable.
When she asked, he would casually smile and say he had to sort out some urgent stuff at the office.
Now, Akila worked hard, yes, but he valued his weekend rest fiercely unless the world was coming to an end.
Then there was the phone issue. Whenever they were together and a notification popped up, he would casually but very deliberately tilt the screen a fraction of an inch away from her line of sight.
One Tuesday evening, while they were having dinner at his place, she couldn’t take it anymore. She narrowed her eyes as he typed a rapid response to a text message and shoved the device straight into his pocket.
“Baby,” she said, leaning back and crossing her arms.
“Who is that you are texting with such speed? Since when did you start hiding your phone screen from me?”
He didn’t even flinch. His face remained perfectly calm as he reached out, his large hand gently wrapping around the back of her neck to pull her close, his deep chuckle vibrating against her shoulder.
“Ziniya, are you investigating a captain? It’s just Effiom reaching out to me about some clearance documentation.”
She let it slide, but her suspicion didn’t die. It just shifted down the line.
Two days later, she was having lunch at a café in Wuse II with Amara and Naya. They were supposed to be reviewing the final checklist for the upcoming outreach they had, but the energy at the table was completely confusing.
Amara was aggressively checking her smartwatch every five minutes, and Naya was distracted.
“Okay, the both of you should stop it right now,” Soteria said, dropping her fork onto her plate with a sharp, echoing clink.
She leaned forward, pinning them with a sharp look.
“What is actually going on? Because if you guys think I am blind, you are deeply mistaken.”
“What do you mean, mama?” Amara asked, her voice jumping a whole octave higher than normal. She quickly grabbed her glass of water to hide her expression.
“Nothing is going on nau. We are just tired from work.”
“Lie to me again, Amara, and I will just change it for you,” Soteria threatened playfully, though her mind was spinning.
“Naya, you are distracted, Amara keeps checking her watch. Is there something that I need to know? Naya, are you planning to travel out of the country without telling me?”
Naya and Amara exchanged a swift, terrified glance across the table. It was a look that lasted less than a second, but to Soteria’s inquisitive mind, it was an absolute admission of guilt.
They realized she was growing far too suspicious. If they didn’t pivot right now, she would unearth the entire proposal plan before the weekend.
Naya immediately leaned forward, dropping her demeanor and slinging her arm over the table.
“Osheyyyyyy baddest. Detective Soteria on the beat. Fine, you caught us. We were trying to keep it a secret, but the truth is... we are actually concerned about Akila.”
“Concerned about him, how?” Soteria asked, her heart doing a sudden, nervous skip.
“His birthday,” Naya said smoothly, her face turning into a picture of perfect sisterly concern.
“Think about it. He turned 31 recently. Yes, we did that small bonfire for him, but Akila has never actually had a proper, intentional celebration since our dad passed. Now that we are back, he’s already sinking back into his extreme work routine. I and Amara were just thinking of how we can help him.”
Soteria relaxed slightly, her suspicion deflecting off the target.
“Oh. But his birthday has already passed nau. Today is over a month later.”
“Exactly!” Naya pressed, her voice dripping with sudden inspiration.
“That is why you should organize a surprise birthday party for him!”
Soteria blinked, utterly taken aback. “Surprise keh? A month after his birthday?”
“Yes!” Naya insisted, leaning in closer.
“He has absolutely never been surprised before in his entire life. Because the actual date has passed, he would not even suspect a thing. He thinks the birthday celebration is over and done with. He won’t suspect it at all. A perfect time to do something nice for your baby!”
Amara chimed in instantly, nodding her head vigorously.
“Babes, Naya is completely right. You know how your man is, if you had tried to do anything on his actual birthday, he would calculate the details and shut it down. But doing it a long time after will mean a lot to him. He deserves to be celebrated after all he has been through.”
Soteria sat back in her chair, tapping her chin as her mind began to run through the idea. “Hmm... that’s actually true,” she said.
Akila had spent a decade avoiding his birthday because of the grief tied to his father’s passing. The village bonfire had been nice, but a proper, intimate celebration, surrounded by the people he loved, would mean a lot to him.
“Okay, you people have a point. It’s actually a very beautiful idea. So, what do you think I should do?” Soteria murmured, a slow smile breaking across her face.
Naya and Amara practically exhaled in unison, the relief at the table so thick it was a wonder Soteria didn’t feel it.
“A small, high-end, intimate dinner party,” Amara suggested immediately, her eyes lighting up with creative fire.
“Just his inner circle. You, me, Effiom. You can even invite Pastor Uzor and his wife, a few of his close friends, and then family. We can get a very classy, exclusive private hall. Low key, very luxurious and completely private.”
“Yes!” Soteria gasped, completely hooked by the concept.
“Oh, How did I not think of this? Now I am so happy to do this for him! He deserves to be celebrated properly. Okay, ladies, let’s map out the plans.”
And just like that, with a masterclass in deception, Naya and Amara handed her the steering wheel. Soteria plunged headfirst into the project.
The planning took over three weeks, mostly because Soteria was an absolute perfectionist. Every single detail had to be vetted by her sharp eyes.
By the second week, they were looking for the perfect venue. Naya called her one afternoon while Soteria was at a client’s house for inspection.
“Boo boo, check your DM, I sent you a picture. I found the perfect hall inside that new hotel in Maitama. It’s completely secluded, very classy, and they only take one booking per night. I’ve already spoken to the manager sha.”
“Perfect,” Soteria said, opening the picture on her phone. “Ohhhhh!! Babes, it is gorgeous. I love this so much. Mbok, send me the invoice let me pay.”
“Ahhh, pay for what abeg?” Naya laughed over the phone. “This one is my personal gift to my brother. Thirty one is a huge milestone, and since he’s my favorite big brother, consider the hall bill completely covered by me. Don’t worry about it.”
“Naya, are you sure?” Soteria asked, hesitating. “I am the one planning this, I should be handling the bills.”
“Na you sabi oo. Madam, keep your money for the food and decor. Trust me, the hall is sorted,” Naya insisted.
“Thank you, baby. This means a lot to me. I am grateful.” Soteria cooed.
“It’s fine, my love. I dey for you. Let me quickly hurry home before yaro becomes suspicious.” Naya said.
“Okay, boo. See ya later” Then she hung up the call.
When it came to the catering, Soteria refused to compromise. She hired one of the top gourmet chefs in Abuja to design a customized five-course fusion menu, traditional northern delicacies reimagined with a modern, luxury finish.
When it came to the decoration, Soteria was a woman of specific tastes. She favored a very classy, modest, and sophisticated aesthetic. She called the event decorator into a meeting at her office, with Amara sitting in the corner under the guise of “moral support.”
“Okay, look at my mood board,” Soteria told the decorator, sliding her tablet across the desk.
“I don’t want the typical, loud Nigerian party decor. No flashing colored LED lights, please. I want a deeply sophisticated, masculine yet romantic environment. Think heavy emerald green drapes, deep charcoal accents, clean lines, and hundreds of white pillar candles in glass cylinders. The lighting must be very good. Let’s do soft shadows, dramatic warm glows and high-resolution finish.”
The decorator looked at the tablet, then glanced up at Amara, who gave her a very slow, deliberate nod behind Soteria’s back.
“No problem, Madam. Your vision is very clear,” the decorator smiled smoothly, recording the instructions.
“Emerald green, charcoal, pillar candles. I will calculate the total cost for this setup and send the breakdown.”
“Excellent,” Soteria said, completely satisfied.
Two days later, the invoice arrived. It was steep, but for Akila, she didn’t care. She paid the decorator the full amount.
____________________________________________________________________________
Later that week, Akila took Soteria out for a quiet dinner at a serene, low-lit restaurant in Asokoro. It was their first proper date night since returning from the village, and the atmosphere between them was wonderfully relaxed.
As they enjoyed their meal, Soteria wiped her mouth with a napkin, leaned across the table, and gave him a bright, knowing smile.
“Babe,” she murmured, her voice carrying a playful undertone.
“I need you to clear your calendar for next week Saturday evening. I have somewhere very special I want to take you.”
Akila paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. He looked at her, his dark eyes twinkling with an amused curiosity.
“Oh? Somewhere special? Just the two of us?”
“Yes, just both of us,” she said, nodding proudly.
“I want us to have a beautiful evening.”
Akila swallowed his food and smiled, leaning back in his chair.
“Alright, Ziniya. If you say so. But is there a way I should dress? Should I do easy wear, a corporate look or an official look?”
“Don’t worry, I have a dress code for you. Wear something nice in your favorite colors, army green and white. Keep it very sharp and classy.”
Akila’s smile widened.
He reached across the table and lightly tapped her chin.
“Army green and white. At your service, baby. I will make sure I look my best for you.”
They spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing, the conversation flowing seamlessly from lighthearted banter to deep, shared dreams for the future. For Soteria, it felt like the perfect, peaceful calm before her big surprise.
_______________________________________________________________________
The next afternoon, the plans shifted to the next phase. Amara and Naya practically dragged Soteria out of her apartment under the pretext of an emergency dress-shopping expedition.
“Babe, you cannot host a premium dinner for my brother looking like you just left a meeting,” Naya declared as they walked into the boutique.
“You need something absolutely breathtaking.”
They browsed through the racks until Amara pulled out an incredible ensemble.
It was a gorgeous, sophisticated ivory satin outfit with an elegant, modest neckline, structured long sleeves, and intricate, hand-beaded detailing around the cuffs.
When Soteria tried it on, she stared at her reflection in the boutique’s full-length mirror. The fit was flawless, skimming her silhouette beautifully and highlighting her natural, radiant glow.
“Oh my goodness,” Soteria whispered, touching the fabric.
“This is stunning. I am getting this. Where is the attendant?” She asked as she looked around.
Amara moved forward and slid her black card to the cashier. “Don’t worry about the bill, boo. I’m paying for this.”
Soteria’s jaw dropped. “Amara, pay for what? Please take your card back joor! Why would you pay for my outfit?”
“Look at this one,” Amara laughed, waving her hand dismissively as the cashier processed the payment.
“Madam, please stop being stubborn. You’ve already spent a fortune catering for the food and the decor for this man’s birthday. Let me cover this dress and your shoes as my own support. Relax abeg!”
Before Soteria could even recover from Amara’s gesture, Naya chimed in with a bright grin.
“And since Amara has taken the outfit, I am officially covering your makeup and hair for the day. No arguments allowed!”
Soteria threw her hands up in the air, her gap tooth flashing as she laughed in sheer disbelief. “Ahnahnn! Na me dey do birthday? Why are you people treating me like I’m the celebrant?”
“We just want to do something really good for you, Soteria. Just accept the love.”
__________________________________________________________________________
The day of the event finally arrived.
From the early hours of the morning, Soteria’s house was turned into a bustling beauty studio.
Naya and Amara arrived with a hairstylist and a makeup artist in tow.
Soteria sat in her chair, completely bewildered but happily yielding to the pampering, believing it was all part of being the perfect host for Akila’s big night.
The makeup artist worked with absolute precision, enhancing Soteria’s striking features while preserving her natural skin texture perfectly, exactly the way she loved it.
Her hair was being styled into an elegant updo that would complement the regal neckline of her ivory outfit.
As the makeup artist reached for a blending brush to apply the final touches, Soteria’s phone buzzed on the vanity table.
She picked it up, seeing Effiom’s name flash across the screen. She quickly answered it, putting it on speaker so she wouldn’t disturb the makeup application.
“Effiom! Tell me you are with Akila right now,” Soteria said immediately, her voice a mix of nervous excitement and frantic coordination.
“Calm down, big head,” Effiom chuckled over the line.
“I’ve been with your man for the past three hours. We just left the car wash and we are heading back to his place so he can get dressed. He is completely clueless.”
“Good,” Soteria breathed out a sigh of relief, though her heart was hammering against her ribs.
“Please, Effiom, I am begging you, do not allow him to get suspicious. Keep talking to him about anything, football, politics, whatever. Just make sure he dresses in the army green and white outfit I told him to wear, and bring him to the hall exactly by 7:00 PM. Not a minute late mbok!”
“Soteria, you go need calm down. Just trust me. “ Effiom laughed.
“Everything is under total lock and key. Just focus on looking beautiful. We will see you there.”
“Alright, thank you, my guy” Soteria smiled, hanging up the phone.
She leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes as the hairstylist began securing the final pins into her hair.
In just one hour, she would be heading out, entirely convinced that she was about to pull off the ultimate surprise of Akila’s life.
Hi babiesssss!!!!
Two more chapters and we are done. I am both excited and a bit sad. I will miss my babiessssss…..
By the way, to make up for my absence, a bonus chapter drops this afternoon, but it depends on how well we engage on this chapter.
Love you, babiesssss….
The surpriser will get surprised🥹😹
Amara and Effiom👀
What do I smell?