FeMiNiST.

On the Glorious morning that Susan asked Emeka to marry her, The Earth seemed like it would explode. It was about time. Six years, they had been dating for six years, and she was beginning to feel like it would never happen. She knew he still had a lot of "working on himself" to do and she felt frightened by how long it would take.

He didn't say no. He said yes.. screamed at the top of his voice and put the ring she bought on her slender finger. This felt right, to her. Why did she have to wait till he was ready? Who on Earth made the rules? 

Emeka was a hard-working man. Even though he dropped out of school and started life on the wrong foot, he was a changed man. In the six years that she had been with him, a lot had changed. He was putting his life back together, for her.

"Baby, I get that you're feminist and all but asking him to marry you? That's not something you see everyday. Are you ready for this? I mean, what if he says no?" Kate had asked.

Kate was Susan's best friend. It didn't make sense to her, but she knew better than to argue with Susan over Emeka. There were two things Susan did not take lightly... Feminism and Emeka. It was funny how they ended up as best friends when they had completely varying views on Everything. 

Kate was absolutely not a Feminist. She did not even want to be identified as one. She was a working, married woman with two kids and a husband that would summon the demons of hell if she wasn't home fifteen minutes after four o'clock. Benjamin was not against Kate working, but he made it clear to her that work should never interfere with her duties as a mother and as a wife.

"I love him babe. It doesn't matter how much money he has, I have enough for us both. At least until he graduates and finds a job. Oh. Yes, I didn't tell you.. He has gone back to school"

"Emmy is back in school? How on Earth? Susan are you paying that boy's fees?" Kate was fuming. This seemed like the height of it. Susan had lost her mind.

"What's wrong in helping my man through school? And stop calling my man "boy". You worship that woman beater you call a husband, and you want to disrespect my man cause he's broke? Guess what. I'd rather marry a broke man and be petted than be some Gucci punching bag".

"If your boy was a man, he'd be working like a man and not letting you be the man. I mean, what kind of a feminist are you? A desperately lonely one, I see. You want a man so bad, you're willing to accept a bag of immature shit just because he can deal with your toxic feminism. Who the fuck lets a woman propose?"


This, was the last conversation the best friends had before Susan's wedding a week later. Typical of Susan to do whatever. Kate was absent, but it didn't matter. It was an expensive wedding. Susan wanted it big. She was proud of Emeka, who had organised everything, even though every single naira spent was hers.


As she walked down the isle, she felt the tears of Joy well up in her eyes. She was getting married, at thirty-two.
When Susan got to the altar and found another bride, beautifully dressed, standing opposite her man, she was confused and disturbed. She wanted to run away, but a part of her told her that this was a test. Emeka could definitely do this, to test her. So she walked closer, smiling.


The clergyman called out her name.

"Susan? Susan Okafor?"

"Yes!" She said. The tears were rolling down her eyes now, because she knew she had been right all along. Emeka was the one for her.
The next words from the clergyman were painful, were heartbreaking.



"Susan Okafor? Miss Susan! Please come this way, You will be representing the parents of the groom. You are to Receive the bride".


This, this was all her money. Her gown was immaculate white. Her hair cost more than a hundred thousand naira and she was putting on heels for this man. But there he was, smiling at some other woman.


"Ma, thank you so much for sponsoring our wedding. This is all possible because of you.. Emeka told me so much about you." The bride said.


And It was all clear now.