LOVE IS BLIND🌚

T.K paused the audio book he was listening to with the stereo remote and reclined on the plush leather seat. With a slight push, he made the seat spin around twice as he smiled to himself." How time flies " he thought. 

Two years ago he was appointed Principal of the "Awka institute for the blind and Visually impaired ". The  second academic term was almost over and he was looking forward to the holidays," maybe I'll go down to Nanka and see my parents " he thought or maybe......

The voice of his secretary, Fiona interrupted his thoughts. "Three people are here to see you Sir,she declared,"a man a woman and a girl.

T.K sighed, wondering which of the parents of the students was here to complain again.

"Send them in",he said , putting on his game face. If he wasn't blind , he would've recognized the there visitors in his office before Fiona introduced them.- Mr Onwuka, his wife and their daughter  Uju, his ex .

Struggling to veneer his shock, T.k travelled the length and breadth of his frazzled mind, wondering what had brought them to his office 4 months after his relationship with Uju had ended. Yes it was four months, and he remembered her everyday.  "Only one thing could bring them here", he conceded,  liquid balls of sweat forming on his face, "Uju must be pregnant" . The thought of it made him cringe.

After a weird silence, Mr Onwuka cleared his throat and spoke, "Tobechukwu nwam, we've come to ask for your forgiveness and to try and reconcile you and Uju.She insists she wants to spend the rest of her life with you". All the memories T.k had tried to contain, flooded out ,like a landfall.

Last year,T.K had asked his driver Ndubisi Okoli ,to help him find a wife.....a faithful , understanding young woman who could handle the prospect of spending the rest of her life with a blind man.  Some months later, Ndubisi said he had found a perfect match,..Uju Onwuka,a secondary school teacher and the daughter of Elias Onwuka ,a very successful Cement distributor in Ekwulobia,with multiple warehouses.

Ndubisi was concerned about one thing,how a woman like Uju was still unmarried at the age of 30. He could've understood,if she was a widow or a divorcee, but the reality that she was still a spinster nonplussed him.... Perhaps she wanted a solitary life.But as time went on, Ndubisi did some digging and found out the reason.Her parents were too possessive of their only daughter and child and could not allow her marry a " nobody". Unfortunately for Uju, everybody was nobody for her wealthy parents.

Ndubisi gathered that up to six men had asked to marry Uju but her parents declined all. They were either too poor or from unknown families. But T.K wasn't perturbed by those." I'll just have to spend some time with her, he thought , fully convinced.  "parents dont actually influence such matters if the girl is truly committed".

Weeks later, on a Sunny Sunday afternoon,T.K and Ndubisi sat with cold beer bottles in Wintess Garden Hotel, waiting for Uju to arrive. Ndubisi had arranged the meeting but he felt the probability of Uju coming alone was low. By 4pm,she was already an hour late and they wondered if she would show up at all.

They were about to pay the waiter and leave when Uju breezed into the lounge.  Before, Ndubisi thought Uju was handsome and not beautiful.But not that day. Rocking a white polo and a jean trouser with her braids flowing gracefully on her shoulders like a Byzantine goddess, she looked 7 years younger and stunning. 

Ndubisi waved to her and of course went to another table closer to the pool, slightly jealous of his boss and friend.

Uju had been diffident about he she would react when she finally met T.k but soon, the drinks were flowing and the conversation was flowing too. As they talked she studied him closely. He had an angular face and a lean muscular body,exceeding her expectations.

then she glanced at her watch, she would have to head home or she would be late and get the third degree from her father.

"Can we see again?",T.K asked as she stood to leave.

"I'm not sure", Uju replied after a slight hesitation,"I'll think about it".

But 4 days later,she arranged to see him again and within months,they were engaged......But things went south with Uju's parents, who refused to approve the marriage.

"Of all men,why marry a blind one?, he father asked, furious with anger","i didn't raise you to be that foolish inugo!!".

As Uju wept that day, Mr Onwuka phoned T.K and warned him sternly never to go near his daughter again and he never did until now.

Switching back to to the present in the office,T.k started listening to the story  Mr Onwuka was telling him."After i told you to leave Uju alone,she spent most nights crying around the house. Then one day, she came back from work , complaining that something had flown into her eyes and before night, she was completely blind.......... 

Immidiately, T.K understood why the Onwukas had come to see him and he was only half listening as Mr Onwuka continued..., "The terrible pain in her eyes and the yellow pus that dropped form it and how she was admitted at the teaching hospital"...

 "We've gone to the best opticians in the East of the Niger and they all said they don't know what it is"

"So what can i do to help?" T.K asked

"Well, we realized we made a mistake when we ended your relationship with our daughter, and we were hoping you still wanted to marry her.

T.K smiled,he could forfeit his salary to see their faces now for a minute.

"Not at all,Mr Onwuka",he replied.  "before the unfortunate accident, one of us could see,but now , we're both blind... Onye isi anaro edu onye isi... , A blind person cannot lead another otherwise ,both will fall

Uju was crying now..... but T.K didn't care.

"I can help her secure an admission in this citadel of unseen learning if you want too",he added.

For Ide... on his birthday 💯😅