Victoria felt someone tapping her to wake up. "Victoria" her mother, Beatrice called out. "Victoria" She said again. "Mum" She moaned opening her eyes. "What is it?" She said rubbing her eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked. "I want to talk to you" Beatrice said in a serious tone. "Talk" Victoria asked confused looking at the wall clock, 2:30 am "Mum, it's the middle of the night, Is everything OK" She said sitting up. "Are you fully awake" Her mother asked. "Yes" She answered rubbing her eyes. "Now, I want to ask you some series of questions and I want you to be totally honest with me, ok" She said looking with a stern serious face. "I'm listening" Victoria said. "Is there anything you are keeping away from me, anything at all that I should know about?" She asked.. "What! Victoria said. "What do you mean?" She asked puzzled. "Victoria, I am your mother, I love you and care about you. See, my heart is heavy because of you, I can't sleep and I am not happy, all these are because of you" She said looking at her face feeling stricken. "You are not getting any younger, in few months now, you will be clocking 36 years old, you have everything any young woman need in life, a good job, you are a beautiful and remarkable young woman, you have a good attitude every man would want in a wife, your beauty is flawless and you have shaped your life with the word of God and in the way of the Lord." She paused for a while seeing the hurt on her daughters face as she spoke those words. She knew her words were piercing through her, although her intentions were not to make her feel bad about her situation but she had to speak her heart to her. "I would never do anything to hurt your feeling my dear, everything I am saying is for your own good". She said in love. "Your immediate younger sister is married already with two kids, let's say for the sake of arguments that she got married whilst still in the University at a very young age but look at Rachael, your little sister, she also got married last year and you my daughter, you don't have any man in the picture, what is happening?". Her mother said with a lump of tears. "Please tell me?" She said again. "Mum" Victoria started to say then paused to stare at her mother. She felt her pain but she had no idea what to say or how to start. "Mum, please don't cry, please" She said to her mother. "You are the reason for my tears, you are Victoria" She said in tears. "I need you to tell me the truth" "There's nothing wrong with me Mum but I promise you, things will change for me, everything would be fine" Victoria said trying to comfort her mother. "I know everything would be fine" Her Mum said looking up at her. "I know it" She said again. "See, Albert called me today" Beatrice said searching her daughters face. "What! Why?" She asked in an angry voice. "He said he was coming home in few days time, he's coming back to you" She said. "He promised to make things right and start the necessary arrangement for
both of you" She said. "Mum..." Victoria tied to say. "No, wait my dear, things would be fine. This is all you have always wanted, for Him to come back home, back to settle in Nigeria and that's what he's doing. He already set up some interview for jobs here in Lagos" She said looking at how irritated her daughter was. "Mum, you know there's nothing more between myself and Albert" Victoria said fuming. "I don't have anything with him and it's a waste of time if he is coming home for me" She said infuriated. "But things would be OK now" Beatrice said pleading. "No! She shouted in angry, "He cheated on me mum, series of affairs, lying, deception, numerous of call from his so called friends and fiancée to tell
me to stay away" She said angrily. "My dear, I know and he explained his side to me. Sweetheart, Albert is a good man and his intentions towards you are good. You have to forgive him, let's go of the past for a better future together" She said to her. "Every relationship has its own ups and downs and we must be willing to forgive the other party" "There's no future between us Mum, not now, not ever" She said bluntly. "Please Mum, forget about Albert and myself, please" She begged. "God will bring my own husband soon, only be patient" She said. Furious and angry, she stood up from the bed and look at her daughter with the most disgusting look. "Patient! what patient, can't you see it, can't you hear what others are saying about you, me. I don't care what you do Victoria, reconcile with him" She raged at her daughter, walked out and slammed the door. Victoria was shock at her mother's behaviour, She felt her heart jumped as she slammed the door. "Oh God! she said as she felt the tears rolling. She wanted to shout or even scream but her mouth were shut as she flooded in tears. She wanted to ask God to speak now or she would walk out but her mouth couldn't utter those words. She expected her mother of all people to understand her plight. She had made up her mind long ago never to have anything to do with Albert again. It did took her several months to get over the heart break and pain of the break up, all she wants now is to move on with her life and no mention of his name to her. They dated for almost eight years; two years into their relationship, he had traveled to the United Kingdom to study

for his masters. After a while, Albert stopped calling, changed his number and ceased every communication to him. Victoria was so scared during these times has she had no means of contacting him, his whole family also reside in the United Kingdom, after few months, he suddenly showed up, apologized for his behaviour and had no solid excuse. After so much pleading, they continued their relationship but still had been one argument to another, fights and silent treatments. He came home home once or twice in a year and during these time, he fought with Victoria who had refused to sleep with him and this enraged him the more. He argued that he loved her and she was already his wife in his own eyes; he saw no reason why she wouldn't sleep with him if indeed she loves him. After so much fight and pressure, during his last visit home, Victoria gave in to him, to satisfy his urges and express her love for him. After these incident, they still continued their series of fight and argument,one thing or the other. After almost six years of this struggle and unhealthy relationship, she came to an absolute resolution to leave the relationship but part of her still held unto him; he flew back home just to beg her and promised to make things right by her. But the last straw came when she began to receive series of emails and text message from a lady who claimed to be Albert's fiancée and wanted her to stay away from her man, she confronted Albert who lied about it but later came clean that she was an ex girlfriend and the incident happened when both of them were not in terms. Countless of incidents like gave her no choice but to end the relationship, she called off every ties between them, changed her phone numbers and any way he could contact her. These was six months ago, she realized the relationship was not healthy and she had to sort out her life and stop living in the illusion of them getting married. This decision has proven difficult for her but this time, she had the strength of God to help her through, she had grounded herself in the word of God and believes with all of her heart that the plans of God for her life are not evil or unhealthy relationship but a good future. Victoria drifted off into sleep with these thought.
............................ Victoria left home very early in the morning to avoid another episode with her Mum, especially now that her father who had always been a shoulder to cry on had traveled on a business trip. She tried to take her mind off the whole scene by loading her brain with so much work at the office since her confident and friend, Olumide has not been to work all day. it's so funny to have a guy as your best friend but her relationship with Olumide has grew stronger all the years, they both have been through all the battles of life, both fought hard to be where they are today. Back in the University, Olumide had been the one who introduced her to Albert, his friend and he has been her confider ever since then; each time she has an episode of quarrel and fight with Albert, he was the one she always run crying too. Both Albert and Olumide had both traveled together for their masters study in the United kingdom, although Albert had settles there, never to make Nigeria his home again but Olumide had returned three years later with a 8 months old baby to account for. She had marveled at this discovery when he told her all that happened back in the United kingdom; He said that he had a fling with a lady for one night and few months later, she came telling him she was pregnant for him, all his effort to avoid her was fruitless, eventually she moved in with him till she delivered his baby and there was no doubt that child was his as she is a total replica of him, although Victoria tells him she is more beautiful. Few weeks after the lady delivered his baby, she one day left the house to go buy some baby food and never returned, only for him to find a note she had left saying she wanted a life free of any stress of a child and she was sorry to leave their baby in his care but trust that he would take care of her. That was a shock to his life, after so much effort to care for the baby on his own, also joggling with work, he decided to come back home and take over his father's business. This was four years ago and since then, he had remain strong and a good father to Ayomikun. Olumide had worked hard to bring his father's business to a high standard which has now become one of the best food organization in the state, he later begged Victoria to come and head his account department. Since then, they had both work hard in building his company and remained best of friends. Reluctantly, Victoria decided to go for lunch with or without Olumide, as she slowly ate her chicken pie, she ponder on the fight she had with her mother, she wondered if she should forgive Albert, make up and probably marry him so she could leave this life of spinsterhood. All her friends are reminder of her solitary not to talk of her sisters, cousins and neighbors who she grew up with. One of the things she regretted in her relationship with Albert was the fact that she had slept with him, she had always said to herself and held unto to was the fact that, she would never sleep with any one who is not her husband but since she had given in to Albert years ago, she had unconsciously held unto him in spite of all his behaviour towards her; but after a while when she had renewed her relationship with the Lord, she understood that although she could not get her virginity back again, she was renewed by the blood of Jesus. She had prayed to broke any yoke or covenant keeping her with Albert; that was the starting point of her deliverance from him and since that day, she had held unto the Lord for direction for her life. She knew Gods plan was not Albert for her life, even though her body sometimes wants him to be, her heart was far away from hat notion. She had to fight herself constantly from the urge of forgiving him to come back but six month down the line, she felt she was totally free from him but now that he's coming back home and her own mother is totally in support of it brought the fear of uncertainty to her. "There you are" Victoria heard

abeg, space your story, couldnt read it. the whole write-up just dey make my eyes turn me . But seriously space it, so we can read the beautiful story.