"I told him that I would love him with everything I had in me until the very end of everything, and I meant it."
~Sarah Ockler

After we finished dinner, the kids take their leave and Tunde asked if he could borrow Eli into the study for a few minutes. I had no objection to it so I nodded and the men take their leave.

Hawa took me with her into the parlour which is a big room with massive interior design and pictures hanging around. She showed me a few pictures of her and Tunde. In some, they were older and in others, they looked younger.

"I first met Tunde at the bar." she tells me as she drops the picture down on the stand that it was before. "he was at his lowest and didn't figure out who he was or who he wanted to be out yet even though he was a few years from thirty."

I didn't know much about the governor but I just thought he was born rich, Hawa just corrected that impression.

"I knew he loved me after three weeks of getting to know him, but I told him I was never going to settle for a man who wasn't ready to get his life together no matter how much he loved me. That was all it took. He loved me too much to lose me and that motivated him to change his life. I was too in love to leave him regardless but he didn't know that. A year later he opened his grain company from the money he saved the previous year. It was a small company then, but it no longer is today.

"Why are you telling me this? "

"I'm telling you that because I know that love can change a lot of things. I see the way he looks at you. He loves you and he is confident that with you by his side he can do anything, but you are feeling afraid guilty and uncertain about him." She responds.

I didn't know I was being closely watched by her and I wonder what else she may have found out. I am not sure she knew Anna so she wouldn't be able to tell if there is a difference between Anna and me. And Eli who should be able to see that is too blinded by love to see the difference clearly in his face.

Hawa continues to speak, pulling me out of my thoughts, "There are a lot of things that he would never be because of his condition, but there are a lot of things he is because of love. You want to let go but you're not sure and that's the problem with most of us, and this isn't where I'm going to ask you to trust your brain because your brain can only judge on what it sees and perceive, but I'd say, trust your heart and listen to what it tells you about him. You are young and beautiful and in your prime, but a man as devoted and loving as Eli comes once in a lifetime. Make the right decision before you walk down the aisle."

I won't be the one walking down the aisle but I'm grateful for her advice, I'll take and put it to use in my next relationship.

I nod and give her a warm smile, "Thank you, Hawa."

Just then Tunde and Eli walk out of the study into the parlour and Eli is wearing a goofy smile on his face and I wonder what Tunde told him that got him all happy.

He walks over towards me and quickly kisses my cheeks mumbling, "Shall we go?"

Shivers run down my spine at the feel of his breath on my neck and I want to lean against him more than ever. "Yeah, we should," I reply and he turns to Tunde who is whispering someone into the ears of his wife and having her giggle happily.

"We will be taking out leave, Mr and Mrs Carter," Eli speaks up.

"I have less than an hour before my glasses shut down and I need to take us home before then."

"We don't want it shutting down before it should," Hawa says lightly but still honest.

"Me too, so thank you so much for having us, I will take your suggestions into consideration Tunde and I will get back to you as soon as I reach a decision," Eli says as he shakes hand with Tunde and Hawa.

I do likewise with a bright smile on my face.

"You're welcome, you two are welcome to our home and offices anytime," Tunde informs us.

Eli wraps his arms around me and leads us out of the mansion towards our car which is already waiting for us. I do not for once complain about his arms around me and instead, I try to enjoy the moment.

Once inside, Gabriel drives us off to Eli's resident which would be a thirty minutes drive. I have stayed at the mansion all week and only went back to the penthouse yesterday because I felt like I needed space but now being Friday, I know I will be going back home with Eli.

The drive to the mansion should be under thirty minutes. Eli must have calculated the minutes and hours we would spend even before we came over for the dinner being the mad genius that he is. And being the curious being that I am, I cannot help asking the question that has bothered me in the last couple of minutes.

"You said you were going to consider Mr Carter's suggestions. What suggestions did he give you?"

Eli's eyes drop, "I'm sorry, darling, I was supposed to tell you, but I kind of forgot." he apologized before staring at me.

I shake it off, "It's fine, I'm just curious." and that would be my death.

He takes my hand into his and softly stroke it, "Well, you didn't use to be very interested in knowing things before." He pointed out.

If he saw the panic that just flashed in my eyes, he doesn't say anything about it., "You asked me to change, Eli, and I took your advice." I cockily replied and watch him roll his eyes. That line was the only card I could play in time like this and I'm glad it exist.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just happy about it, that's all, I like that you are curious and interested and that's why I felt bold enough to invite you tonight." he admits, "Tunde asked if I would want to venture into politics someday."

"Why did he ask that?"

"Well the lunching of sight has been a success since its first week both home and abroad and we are expanding to more than 10 countries next month and the glasses function 97% just as promised. He believes that I am doing something very good for a lot of people and I can do even more with the political backing of a party"

I think he's come this far without having to be political and he can continue even without it.

I have nothing against politicians except for the fact that most of them aren't as good as they make themselves out to be. Growing up on the streets we had a chairmanship race and a few candidates came out to contest and these men promised the best for our district in the south. One of the men Faruk Yeya won the heart of the people not just with his words but his actions, visiting the district almost every week, promising to build homeless shelters for kids on the street which I was one of them. I couldn't vote then, but I went to church and prayed that he wins the chairmanship election because of his great promises. He ended up winning the chairmanship position but did nothing of what he had promised. He broke my heart and after years and years of waiting for a homeless shelter to be built, I gave up and moved on with my life. I haven't trusted politicians since then, I couldn't put my trust in people like that. Tunde and his wife seemed to be great people and from the look of it and Hawa's story shows that they come from nothing and they might be different from the rest, but I don't know that for sure, not yet anyway.

He must have read something in my silence or expression because he asks, "You don't like the idea of me joining politics, do you?"

I don't, but I don't think Anna would mind, she loves the better things in life and if politics can get her there, she would do it.

"It's really not my decision, Eli, I'm not the one he asked."

"We will be saying our "I dos" before this year ends, I think it's as much your decision as it is mine."

"I know you have a great and big heart Eli, so I believe you will be different if you get into politics, but politics frustrate the good intentions good people have before stepping into power and end up corrupting them."

"You think that will have a negative effect on me?"

I stare at him, Eli wasn't like one of those men, he's true and honest and humble and I believe he will be different, "No, I think you have a heart that's in the right place and that is what's going to be harder for you because most of these men are twisted and I want you the way you are." I stretch my hand out and touch his face and he leans into the touch and his eyes flutters and when I pull away, his eyes open to look at me. "If you venture into politics, you will have my support."

He leans closer and kisses my lips, and I feel how his soft lips are tenderly on mine. "Stay with me tonight?" he mumbles and my eyes close and I want to desperately say yes because I want him to hold me and touch me and kiss me.

He's asking because he understands that going home with him is something that is normal and traditional and isn't the same as staying the night with him, but I know staying away is the best option I have.

"I can't," I place my head against his and exhale sharply before licking over my slightly swollen bottom lips. "I have a lot of work, project and assignment to catch up on, Eli, I asked Hassan to bring them over."

"You can do them on the weekends, I'm asking for one night."

"Eli-"

He kisses my lips again which catches me off guard and send my excuse flying. There was no way out of this and I knew it as well.