Lost in an imaginary future.
The journey started when John went to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to make a withdrawal. He joined the queue of about six people waiting to use the machine.
John is a young handsome man of about 30 years old. He is a jovial person, always wearing a smiling face with his shinning gap teeth. He had left home to help his mother get some fruits and vegetables. He was at the ATM gallery to withdraw money for buying the stuffs. In what had become a regular reminder, his mother told him that morning to put an end to keeping her waiting before carrying her grandchild.
You are my only child. I wish you have a sibling but I wasn't so lucky. Give me a child to make me happy.
This statement was a regular one from his mother. However, John is a reserved type that found it difficult to start a discussion with any lady. He is willing to make his mother happy but the relationship is not there between him and any lady.
He was at the queue when a lady walked up to him in tears. After exchange pleasantries, John enquired about the reason she was sad and tearful.
"I misplaced my purse containing my phone and some money probably in the car that just dropped me here. By the time I realized that I wasn't with the phone after alighting from the vehicle, the vehicle had already gone beyond my reach. Please can I use your phone to call my number so that if anyone picks it in the car, I can plead with them to see how I will get it?"
John immediately gave her his phone to make the call and luckily enough, the driver picked the call and told her to come and meet him at a park.
He said that I should come to a park to collect it. All I have is in that purse. Thank you. Have your phone.
He handed over John's phone to him and was making her way to go when John held her back.
Let's go and pick your purse and phone. I have enough money with me to cater for our transportation. Let's go quickly. John offered to help.
They went to the park immediately and were able to get the purse with its contents - phone, money and ATM withdrawal card - intact.
It was at the point of departure that they remembered to ask of each other's name.
John introduced himself and the lady also introduced herself as Juliet.
I so much appreciate your kindness John. I am indebted to you in gratitude. I'll save your number right away so that I can always call and say hello to a very humble and kind guy.
In his response, John saw his actions as expedient on him to advance the course of humanity. He didn't see anything so special about it.
They exchanged the number and departed.
That singular action of John which he did out of benevolence endeared him so much to Juliet. She could not stop talking about the nice John for her parents when she got home. Her mum was so impressed that she demanded to appreciate him on phone which she did when Juliet helped her call John.
Few weeks after, both of them agreed to meet at a garden to have a chat. Juliet can't wait for such day to come.
John is a handsome guy with such a kind heart. He's the kind man every girl wants. I wish I have him as a friend and probably as a lover going forward. That heart melting smile. The lovely diastema. Oooooh my God. We will make a perfect couple.
Juliet was lost in thought of imaginary family with John as her husband to the point that she could not hear her mum calling her repeatedly.
When did you start this? I have been calling you but your attention is somewhere else. Hope all is well?
"I am sorry mum. All is well" She responded.
She met John the following day as agreed and they had fun eating, playing games and chatting.
Juliet told John a lot about her family. She is the second born among three siblings. Unfortunately she lost her older brother few years ago. She's left with a younger brother. She demanded to know a lot about John and he responded to all the questions she asked. John is an introvert and as a result, Juliet was in charge of most part of the discussion. This meeting was the genesis of the love journey between the duo.
In another two of such meetings, both of them fell in love.
John, few days later, was totally under the influence of the love and affections which prompted him to demand for the first step of their marital journey - visiting her parents - to be carried out.
Let's take things gradually. Everything will fall in place by God's grace. Before we go deeper, let's talk about our genotype. Mine is AS. What's yours?" Juliet asked.
Whenever Juliet remember the word "genotype", what comes to her mind is the agony, the pain, the waste of resources that her parents went through for her elder brother, who was SS (sickle cell disease) , before dying at the end of everything. It was during this time of sad experience that her parents did what they were supposed to do before getting married. They went for test and discovered that both of them are AS while their first son was SS and Juliet and her younger brother, AS. Haven loss the SS patient, they warned Juliet and her brother never to be committed into any relationship without knowing the genotype of their partner. This always ring bell in the brain of Juliet.
John responded to Juliet's question by playing down the issue.
We don't fall sick in my family. I hardly fall sick so, you have no reason to panic" he responded.
If you haven't done your genotype, please do it in order for us to know the future of this relationship." Juliet insisted.
John, at this stage, knew that Juliet was serious.
Juliet asked him of his parent's genotype which he responded that his father is AS while mother is AA. In Juliet's mind, John has the possibility of being AA or AS.
After much back and forth discussion, John agreed to go for the test. He already realised from reading related literatures that the only result that would work for him is being AA. The anxiety in him was high while waiting for the result.
The result came and John is AS.
It distabilized him right from that point. He broke the news to Juliet and Juliet was sad at the development.
With tears in her eyes, Juliet took time to explain to John her family experience about her late brother.
We can't both get married since we are both AS. We need to take into consideration the health of our unborn children. We will continue to be friends because you are more than a friend already." She gave John a warm hug.
This elicited a long silence from John which prompted Juliet to tap him on his shoulder for his comment on the issue she raised.
I am lost in the imagination of a family of me and you that is becoming a mirage. The picture of us playing with our children and giving back to our parents and society is what I am seeing in the imaginary world. I am lost in these thoughts and honestly I don't want to be found. I love you" John replied.
They both agreed to part ways as far as marital ambition is concerned but to remain friends going forward.
For the next week's and months, the mood of John changed. He is more quiet than he used to be. Like he'd wished in front of Juliet, he was lost in the thoughts of building a home with Juliet for almost a year before he was able to begin to rediscover himself.
This is the reality. I can't have Juliet as wife and I need to accept it now" He concluded to himself.
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This is an impressive story, @lightpen. It shines the light on multiple challenges of finding the right partner in life. For John, he is hindered by being quiet and shy. For Juliet, she has had a devastating family loss and knows personally what is at stake with choosing a husband who may have conflicting genetic material. We can only hope, in the end, that they can both find the right person even though it will not be one another.
Thank you for sharing your story in The Ink Well and for reading and commenting on the work of other writers in the community!
Thank you for the usual encouraging remarks. You are doing a nice job.
I learned some things from this story! I hadn't heard the term diastema before. When I looked it up, it made me smile that someone would find that to be an attractive feature in a partner!
Also, I was not aware of the AS/AA/SS genetics, and that the cross of two people with AS can result in a child with sickle cell anemia. I am fascinated by genetics, so this was really interesting information.
This is a sad tale, @lightpen. It made me realize that we are all lucky if we find someone to spend our lives with who is all things - healthy, a good match (genetically and otherwise), and a good person.
Diastema really makes someone attractive to some people including me.
Thank you for the positive review.
Truly, we should happy finding someone without impending obstacles to spend our lives with. Cheers!!!
This is a very impressive story, it suits the prompt very well.
Thank you bro for the remark.
John should be happy because he can still have the woman he loves close to him as a friend. His mother may not be that happy for she's still missing grandchildren.
But wait... They didn't consider adoption. That surely would solve their problems. May be their love was not big enough (or smart enough).
Captivating story. Congratulations.
Adoption would really be the way forward. However in Africa, the orientation is quite different. They'd given preference to give birth by self. I believe they understand as we continue to enlighten them. We have enough children without parental care who need it.
Thank you.
"However in Africa, the orientation is quite different. They'd given preference to give birth by self."
That's an interesting knowledge. Thanks for sharing it.