Everyone wants love.

I was among the lucky ones who found it.

I met Ayo when I was 18 and he was 21.

We were neighbours, his parents owned the only duplex on our street.

One day, I went to fetch water in his compound as I usually did. He was the one who turned on the taps and waited until I had filled my gallons because the gateman wasn't around.

While my gallons were getting filled, I found a place to sit and then continued to read No Longer At Ease by Chinua Achebe.

That caught his attention.

We talked about the book and some other books we had both read.

It became a habit and we bonded over books. 

On some days, I went over to his house not to fetch water, but just to talk about books and good movies with him and sometimes read or watch a movie together.

On our first date, he got me three books, two of which he had read. He took the one he hadn't read, and he told me he was just borrowing it and would return it to me immediately after reading it. 

He then took me to a restaurant just beside the bookstore and we had lunch.

Ayo was my first kiss.

I loved him and I knew he loved me too.

I saw it when he looked into my eyes and told me that I was beautiful.

I saw it when we talked about books and movies and other random things.

I saw it when he got me gifts and when he accepted my gifts with what I felt was too much appreciation for someone who could get anything he wanted.

 We talked a lot about our future together and we were very convinced that we'd get married and have a beautiful home full of children.

We talked about our genotypes too and we realised we were both AS.

I cried so hard that day in his room because I just figured out we couldn't have children without putting them at risk.

He held me in his arms and consoled me. 

We agreed that as much as we loved children, we wouldn't have any unless we chose to

 adopt.

We did get married and we had a beautiful home but no, we didn't raise any children.

We were happily married for twelve years and then I found out.

Ayo, my loving husband for twelve years, had three children with another woman. A girl and two boys.

He claimed that it was all his family's idea, that his family wanted him to have an heir as he was the only child. 

Despite all his pleadings, Ayo never gave me a reason why he hid it from me all along, for about ten good years.

So I walked away from my marriage of twelve years.

I started plotting to revenge Ayo. To destroy his wife and that of his family but while I stalked him every day, I realised that Ayo spoke the truth.

He didn't love the other woman and he didn't even visit her or his children.

He sent them money for upkeep and that was it.

It had been three years since I left Ayo and he had never for once gone on a date with another woman.

He had reduced how often he called me as I never answered.

I have made up my mind to call him and talk things out with him.

One day, we'll both talk about my revenge plan and laugh about it.

For now, I owe Ayo three years of love and affection 

I wouldn't lose my one shot at true love because I have seen how much this man loves me because, at the end of the day, we all want love