Beyond the rejection

The man from France

Aunty Ngozi smiled warmly as Victor settled into the plush armchair in her study. "So, Victor, how do you find France? Is it living up to your expectations?"

Victor nodded enthusiastically. "It's amazing, Aunty Ngozi. The culture, the food, the people... everything is so different from what I'm used to."

Aunty Ngozi chuckled. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. But I didn't bring you here just for the scenery, Victor. I have bigger plans for you."

Victor's curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean, Aunty?"

Aunty Ngozi leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've been thinking about your future, Victor. And I believe I've found the perfect person to share it with."

Victor's mind raced as Aunty Ngozi pulled out a photo from her desk drawer. His eyes widened as he saw Ifunanya's smiling face.

"Ifunanya?" he asked, surprised. "But I thought she was just a friend of the family."

Aunty Ngozi smiled knowingly. "She is, Victor. And she's so much more. I believe you two would make a wonderful couple. What do you think?"

Victor took a deep breath. "I know you've been mentioning her as a potential wife for me, but... I don't think that's a good idea."

Aunty Ngozi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why not?"

Victor hesitated before speaking his mind. "Because, Aunty, I'd like to choose my own wife. I don't want to be forced into a marriage with someone I don't truly love."

Aunty Ngozi's expression turned stern. "Victor, I'm only trying to help. Ifunanya is a good girl from a good family-"

Victor interrupted, his voice firm but respectful. "I understand that, Aunty. But I've already met someone I care about. Her name is Sophie, and she's from France. We met in school, and... I think I might be in love with her."

Aunty Ngozi's face fell, her eyes narrowing in surprise. "Sophie? Victor, you can't be serious. You're a Nigerian man, and you need a Nigerian wife. Not some French girl you've just met."

Victor stood his ground, his heart racing with anticipation. "Aunty, I understand your concerns, but I'm willing to take that risk. I want to make my own choices, not just follow tradition."

The room fell silent, Aunty Ngozi's expression unreadable. Victor wondered if he had made a mistake, but he knew he had to follow his heart.

Victor's mind wandered back to his childhood, memories flooding his thoughts. He remembered Aunty Ngozi's warm smile, her comforting hugs, and her unwavering support.

He recalled how she had practically raised him, taking him under her wing when his parents were busy with work. She had been his rock, his confidante, and his guiding light.

Victor's thoughts drifted to the countless times Aunty Ngozi had stood up for him, even when her husband, Uncle Tony, had disagreed. Like the time Victor had wanted to pursue his passion for art, but Uncle Tony had insisted he focus on a more "practical" career. Aunty Ngozi had intervened, convincing Uncle Tony to let Victor follow his dreams.

And then there was the time Aunty Ngozi had single-handedly funded Victor's education abroad, despite Uncle Tony's objections. She had believed in Victor's potential, even when others had doubted him.

Victor's heart swelled with gratitude as he remembered Aunty Ngozi's selflessness. She had given him so much, and now she wanted him to marry Ifunanya. But Victor's heart belonged to Sophie, and he couldn't betray his own feelings, no matter how much he owed Aunty Ngozi.

The flashback faded, and Victor returned to the present, his resolve strengthened. He knew he had to find a way to make Aunty Ngozi understand his perspective, without hurting her feelings or betraying her trust.

Ifunanya sat with her phone in one hand and sipping her tea with the other as she scrolled through her social media feed. She had been thinking about Victor a lot lately, wondering what he was up to in France. On a whim, she decided to search for him online.

She typed his name into the search bar and waited for the results to load. And then, there he was - Victor's smiling face stared back at her from his profile picture.

Ifunanya's heart skipped a beat as she clicked on his profile. She scrolled through his photos, taking in the sights of France, his new friends, and his adventures. He looked happy, and that made her happy too.

She lingered on a photo of Victor standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, his eyes shining with excitement. Ifunanya couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of pride and connection to him.

As she continued to browse, she came across a photo of Victor with a girl but she pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the joy she felt seeing Victor thrive.

She decided to send him a message, just to say hello and catch up. As she typed, she felt a sense of excitement and nervousness, wondering what he would say in response.

"Hey Victor, it's Ifunanya! I saw your photos and couldn't help but smile. You look so happy in France! How's life treating you?" she wrote, hesitating for a moment before hitting send.

Victor's phone buzzed with an incoming message from Ifunanya. He smiled, remembering Aunty Ngozi's words about her being a great match for him. He opened the message and began to read.

"Hey Victor, it's Ifunanya! I saw your photos and couldn't help but smile. You look so happy in France! How's life treating you?"

Victor chuckled at her enthusiasm and started typing a response.

"Hey Ifunanya! Life is great here. I'm loving every moment of it. The food, the culture, the people... everything is just amazing."

But before he could even send the message, another one came in from Ifunanya.

"What's your favorite food there? Have you tried escargot? Do you speak French fluently now?"

Victor laughed, feeling a bit overwhelmed by her rapid-fire questions. He tried to answer patiently.

"Haha, yes, I've tried escargot! It's actually really good. And I'm getting better at French, but I still have a lot to learn."

But Ifunanya didn't stop there.

"What about your studies? Are you enjoying your classes? Have you made any new friends?"

Victor took a deep breath, trying not to get irritated. He remembered Aunty Ngozi's words about Ifunanya being a great match, and he wanted to keep an open mind.

"Okay, okay... one question at a time, Ifunanya!" he typed with a laugh. "My studies are going well, thanks for asking. And yes, I've made some great friends here."

He hoped that would slow her down, but he had a feeling she was just getting started!