Caught in the Web of the Future Adedoyin Ayanleye   © Copyright 2022 by Adedoyin Ayanleye

Photo courtesy of Anh Nguyen on Unsplash.

I wish I knew!

I wish I had listened!

As a young girl of eighteen with marital goals already roaming in my mind and head, I remember looking into the mirror telling myself “Kiki YOU MUST KEEP THIS GORGEOUS BODY for that young handsome man that would walk down the aisle with you.

Closing my eyes and smiling I decided to zoom off to Resort Hotel and suites in Gambia wearing my nice night gown, parading myself before my husband to be and telling him

Honey, how do I look? Still in my world of fantasy I heard the desired baritone voice respond with “You look gorgeous just like I have always loved it and am happy you are here with me not just as Kiki but as Mrs. Daniels” opening my eyes I comb my hair and I wasn’t just satisfied with the glimpse of the future, I decided to move back telling my husband

“Guess what honey, you are not just holding a gorgeous body but a Virgin” who has never been touched by any Man” leaping up for joy with my two hands in the air

I heard my mother’s voice calling me out of my world of Mrs. Daniels

Oh! My God! Why can’t my Mum just let me be there? I snapped and sluggishly dragged myself downstairs she handed the phone to me and said

“Jenny wants to speak with you”. Oh Jenny! I replied beaming my face with a smile

Jenny and I have been friends since we were born I guess. We have been family friends and we have always shared deep and secret thought together one of which is our usual slogan” PANTS UP TILL DEAL DAY’

Are you going for dance class? Jenny’s voice asked from the other end

“Of course I will, I am dressed already” we will see at the dance room.

We have always loved dance and have registered our interest with Mrs. Tracy our music and dance instructor in white watered garden school.

“Move it; shake it go, go down…. This was Mrs. Tracy as usual always ready to make sure we get the exact dance steps. She would always say” Kiki you should be able to twist your body well”

We were still trying to get the rhythm of our body to the introduced steps when this tall handsome guy came into our dance room. This guy looked like he fell from the planets of the handsome

His looks caught my attention that I didn’t even realize my legs were practically hanging in the air. My gaze followed Mr. handsome as he moved flaunting his car keys. Immediately I turned to jenny and asked

Jenny can you see what am seeing?

What? She replied turning her head in my direction

Oh my God who is this fine guy? She also asked the same question only for us to discover he was Mrs. Tracy’s only son

Come here girls meet my son Daniel he just came back from college” Mrs. Tracy said giving us that proud smile you see a mother give when introducing a responsible child.

“Hello! It’s nice meeting you my name is Kiki and this is my friend Jenny” I said smiling sheepishly his response melted my heart and even his handshake was worth keeping forever.

“Mum can I invite these lovely girls for my birthday party? He turned and asked his mother. Hearing the request pop out of the air was a dream come true I wanted to see Dan again, I wanted to have a chat with him. He just looked so much like my future

Of course you can invite them said Mrs. Tracy. He went to his car and returned with his invitation card. I collected it blushing “we will be there” I was thinking the date was probably next week only to see that the party is tomorrow. I was excited I will be seeing Daniel tomorrow I can tell my friend was wondering why I was so excited.

Kiki are you alright? She tapped me out of my world of staring at the card

Jenny I think ‘m in love you know that thing called Love at first sight

I guess you are joking right? Jenny said with her eyes opened are you sure this is Love?

It is dear I held Jenny’s hand gently and said “the long awaited love is here”

I remember jenny looking me in the eyes she said “girlfriend this is not love its infatuation trust me besides remember the secret oath “Pants up until deal day”

Common girl, I remember I wouldn’t do anything stupid

*****

Mum I have to go now the party is starting by 6pm its almost time

I rushed downstairs with my high heels and fitted gold gown, still looking for my mum, I saw her trying to get the clothes from the lines

“Mum I need to go now”

Oh okay but Kiki” don’t you think your gown is too short why not wear the purple gown I just bought for you its fine and nicer”

Mum I love this one besides its an all night party so I won’t be coming home tonight

Perking my mum, I rushed back to the sitting room to pick my phone

My mother walked in and said quietly there is something I would like to discuss with you.

What is it mum? I said with a long face can’t it wait? I further queried

“I see this exact same day in my past” she said with tears in her eyes

Common Mum what day! I am running late I said hurriedly.

I ran downstairs and screamed “Mum I will see you tomorrow love you”

The music filled the air with so much joy and happiness here we were dancing and shaking to the rhythm of the music when I suddenly got a tap

Hello dear, the celebrant wants to see you, He is upstairs

Oh my God jenny I can smell my future creeping in finally. I left jenny on the dance floor and followed the young dude that was sent. Getting upstairs, I walked into Daniel room, the pictures of so many girls hanging on the walls should have given me a clue but no I was caught in the web of future that I forget my present

Come in dear Daniel’s voice snapped me out of the pictures stare

Your room is beautiful but why do you have a lot of female pictures? I asked

“Don’t bother your head girl, just come in and sit down.

“I love you Kiki”. You look gorgeous and beautiful, meeting you in that dance room is the best thing that has ever happened to me

Oh! Thank you. I said blushing I guess this is the future I have always dreamt of my mind speaking into my head. It looked like it why not if not the name Mrs. Daniels is sure a big sign

Lost in my thought, I was brought back by Daniel’s hands gently caressing my laps with sweet words I slipped back into my future smiling I said “listen Dan you are not just lucky to have me but also lucky to have a virgin”

Daniel hearing this words from my lips gently pressed my lips into his and pushed me down on his bed the only thing I remember was Jenny tapping me and saying girl lets go home its 7am

Oh my God! I looked at myself and discovered I had a white blanket around my body with the stain of blood forming the map of Nigeria

This can’t be true I busted out crying “jenny tell me it’s a dream, tell me to wake up that I have slept for too long.

“It’s true dear” jenny’s voice, cuts in you have broken the secret oath Kiki” your pants are down”

No! I screamed my voice out, crying profusely” How could I have been foolish? After all my plans” the drive home was a quiet one, Jenny didn’t say a word to me

Opening the sitting room door I heard my mum talking to her sister over the phone

“I hope history won’t repeat itself in Kiki’s life” she said, her sister had been her only confident since I lost my dad at age 10. I stood by the entrance of door quietly listening to her conversion

“I tried sharing my story with her but she dashed out; I am hoping to tell her before anything happens”

I walked in with tears in my eyes. I looked my mum in the eyes and said “Mum its late now I guess I should have listened before dashing out because your past has eventually found me

“Your dream girl is no longer a virgin” I said holding her hands with uncontrollable tears

I lost it in the world of my future forgetting that my present needs me now.