Three years later.......

It's been three beautiful years, three years of single bliss, three years of unadulterated happiness. You know they say you have until you loose it, for me, that's not the case. I just had to get divorced to know that my happiness doesn't have to come from anyone I can be my own happiness. I've been having the time of my life, away from abusive relationships,  toxic people and those who claimed to love me.

My name 'Oluwayemisi' means God has given me respect and joy and if he has given me who am I to throw it away. I'd be a complete fool to do that.

In the past three years, I've been successful, really successful. At the time of my divorce I had zero ambition, zero happiness but now a stroke of luck and help from the people who love me has put me where I am. And hardworking. Lots of hard work.

I have overcome chlamadyia and I'm in the process of becoming a better person but I haven't gotten there yet. It's a long and tiresome process I tell you. The only beautiful part is the end goal in sight.

Let me tell you what the past three years have been like:  I've become a special adviser to the president on educational matters, I've travelled all around the country,  I have seen and now have an idea of the deplorable system we run. The way our educational system is slipping out if our grasp daily.
I should probably tell you how that came about; shortly after my split from that hopeless man I was with, The professor who was reading my thesis saw potential in my Masters thesis and decided to recommend me for a job with the presidency. I began my job a couple of weeks later and it's been a worthy enough cause.

My life from that moment became what it is right now, chaotic, exciting and beautiful.

"Maami, your darling is home", I am the first child of two children, you would ask why, in a Nigerian family, well, my mom stopped trying when she almost lost her life when I was 18.
I shuffled excitedly into my mother's room, I went down on my knees the moment I saw her, the culture of where I am from demands it and no matter how far away from home I am, I try to inculcate it into my habits.
She was arranging her clothes.
"Maami, why are you doing this all by yourself, Kini Lola'nshe (what is Lola doing) why didn't she do this for you.
She answered my greetings first before answering me, typical Yoruba woman.
"I sent Lola to the market and that mall kilenpe na (what is it that you call it again)."
"Shoprite," I answered for her, she does this everytime, especially Spars, she doesn't like calling thier names. She'd rather say, kiletinpe na( what is it that you all call it again) .

"Ehn oooo, Shoprite your cousins are coming over next weekend."
"I would have come home next week if I'd known ha" my cousins are little, like way little. The oldest of them all is thirteen. My momma's brothers married late, I have loads of children to spoil like they spoiled me.

"Oluwayemisi side je kin wo e ( stand let me see you well)?"
She sighs and I know this marks the beginning of the usual lecture on MARRIAGE.
"Get married so you can be happy, get married so you can find happiness in your children,
I know that useless boy hurt you but I've seen other women be happy after their divorce. I want you to stop turning down men who want to marry you, not all men are the same, Oloshi alainitiju ni femi (femi is a shameless and foolish one) but it doesn't mean that you're going to meet another foolish man, even this life is a gamble." 
"Maami I'm happy jor and I don't and will never need anything or anyone to make me happy." I try to assert my claim, with my heart heavy.
"Paga ma sobe mo (don't say that again) you are just seeing it the way it is, changing your mind is key." I wrinkle my nose at her subtly, all that one na story.
"ki lo maje (what will you eat)." She sighs out when she sees my face.
Finally the time I've been waiting for, " Amala Ati ewedu" ( Amala and ewedu, a meal made from yam flour and ewedu a soup made for celestial leaves)
"Let me cook for you." She stands up, reties her wrapper and walks steadily to the kitchen. I know I'll be eating absolutely delicious food in no time.

I lay back on my mom's bed and thought of the times when femi's mom would come to his house in Lekki and remind me of my childlessness, when his aunt would leave her home in Ilorin just to make me feel little. Remembering all those times and all those sad years makes me unhappy.

I ate, helped do the dishes and fell asleep listening to Bankyw's song "heaven." He's the new Nigerian definition of husband goals.

I woke the next morning to the call of the personal assistant of the president who said I had to see the president first thing on Monday morning. I was shocked myself because I've always gotten my jobs from his assistants and never himself. I went to inform my mom I'll be leaving tomorrow which is a Sunday. She grumbled and said that the president doesn't let her see her daughter anymore, I looked at her quizzically. This old woman and her antics.

I also called my friend Michal to book me a flight to Abuja, I made breakfast with the help of Lola, my parent's housemaid.  We peeled and cut potatoes and then fried it, I made my usual pepper sauce.

Sunday morning came and I had to go back to Abuja to see the president, I am so nervous as to what he wants to see me for. As I landed in Abuja I had Michal pick me up from the airport and I prepared myself for the worst.

This days, I'm too lazy to be unhappy, i just can spend my time reading, writing, playing and eating. No one makes me uncomfortable or unhappy without my permission.

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This chapter is dedicated to hiishah__
I love you for loving this book as much as I love it.