swann:
CHAPTER THREE


Mhiz, Lawlahdey, Jagugu88li, DaddySLY



Isabella stared at herself in the mirror and tugged on the sleeve of her wedding gown. It was an original Emiliano Alvarri, gifted to her by her brother from hish latest wedding collection. It was a fitted white gown with three slits on its waist line and a blue lace extending from its neck line to waistline.

“Are you really going to get married this time, Izzy?” A lady sitting on a sofa by the side asked. It was Rosa, Isabella’s younger sister, named after their grandmother who had had the unfortunate privilege of being a bridesmaid to her sister, twice. The first two times had been disrupted by Isabella’s sudden refusal to get married and running away from home on the wedding day.

Isabella shot her an angry look.

“You really should not say such words, child. It’s bad luck” said an elderly woman who had just entered the room.

“But it’s the truth,” Rosa muttered as she rolled her eyes and let out a sigh.

Isabella turned around to walk towards her and sat next to Rosa, resting her head on the top of the back rest. She put her hands to her temples and rubbed it.

“I don’t think I can do this,” she said as she put her arms down to her side.

“That’s what happens when you keep going out with these forsaken Nigerian men,” Rosa said as she raised her legs and crossed it on the couch.

“Still pained about Tolu?” Isabella asked.

“I’m way over that piece of shit. But I learnt my lesson from it anyways,” Rosa replied and she brought out her phone to text someone.


“Which is?”

“Don’t fall for Nigerian men. They’ll break your heart into a million tiny pieces and grind it into powder,” Rosa said as she dropped her phone by her side andz looked at Isabella. “Just as David did to you”. She added with a mischievous smile.

Isabella turned to her side and signalled Rosa to unzips her gown. She then pulled off the gown and put it on the mannequin besides the mirror. It would stay there until the wedding which was happening the next day. If it was going to happen, she thought.


“But what do you think I should do?, Isabella asked as she turned to Rosa who was still sitting on the sofa.

“Run away,”

Isabella gave her a confused look.

“Okay, so don’t run away but remember that David’s location is precisely forty-five minutes away from here on a plane and In movies--.”

“This is not a movie,” Isabella interrupted.


“What I’m trying to say is you have to go look for love if it’s not forthcoming. You’ve had this massive crush on him since forever. But do you want to know why you just can’t move on from your almost relationship?”

“Wow! When did you become a psychologist? Tell me more,” Isabella said as she removed a stray thread from the gown.

“Deep down, you just want to know what would have happened if the both of you had entered a relationship back then, if you hadn’t left for Italy when he asked you to stay back here in Nigeria and it keeps on haunting you that you’ll know how it would have been. You’re obsessed, I tell you. That’s why you keep embarking on all these six months relationship with men whose only claim to fame is the physical attribute they share with David,” Rosa concluded.

“That doesn’t matter anymore now, does it?” Isabella replied as she stared at herself in the mirror. “By tomorrow, I’ll be putting on the wedding gown and a ring on this finger,” she added as she raised her left hand to show her protruding ring fnger.

“In case you change your mind, have this,” Rosa said as she brought out an envelope from the insides of her jacket.

“What’s that?” Isabella asked as she walked towards Rosa.

“Open it”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Isabella exclaimed with a smile as she brought out the contents of the envelope. Inside the envelope was a plane ticket and a small book containing some addresses and phone numbers. “What do you expect me to do with all of these?

“We want you to go find that boy,” The elderly woman who had been crocheting in a corner spoke up.

“Nonna Rosa, you’re in on this too?

“Izzy, we are only trying to help you not make the biggest mistake you will ever make tomorrow. It’s time for you to face your fears and go to the person you truly love.” Nonna Rosa replied.


“For a grandmother, you sure teach good behaviour,” Isabella sneered.

“I won’t waste my time on this. Keep the envelope and its content in case you change your mind. And if I were you I would go quickly before the wedding comes,” Rosa cut in as she stood up and made for the door.

Isabella brought out the contact book and checked its first page. The contacts of David and his parents were on it along with their addresses. The other pages were blank. She took out the plane ticket and looked at it, then looked at the gown she had placed on the mannequin besides the mirror and put her hands on her chin as she decided which she would choose. She turned around and glanced at her grandmother who was still crocheting. She had been taken care of by her since her parents died in a plane crash when she was eighteen. It was one of the reasons why she had returned to Italy, to stay closer to her and also the reason why she had almost married twice as the old woman had always pressured her about wanting to see her grandchildren before she died but she never went through with the weddings because she realized, even though lately, that they were not truly the one she wanted to get married to. The old woman glanced back and nodded her head. Isabella, then made her decision.