ANOTHER CHANCE TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT

Sitting in my office, the scene of a few days ago keep replaying in my head; ×××××××××××××××××××××××××× "I want a break up Danny" these are the six words that came out of Jenny's mouth as I stood still in my room staring directly at her, from her facial expression I could tell she wasn't joking this time about breaking up with me "a break up? why?" I query surprise at the whole thing "yes a break up Dan. It's obvious that our relationship is no longer working out, I mean I feel very much single even though I am dating you" " am still confuse Jenny"

" you're always prioritizing your work more than me who is your girlfriend. I am sick of constantly having to compete with your work for your time and attention" " Jenny you know I am doing all this for our future, so I'll be able to provide your needs" " Oh! fuck that, money isn't everything you should know that!!" " I know but I do try my best to make out time out of my busy schedule for you so what's all this nagging about?" " exactly what I am trying to say Dan. you're always busy with work, to you work comes first before me, no time and attention from you yet anytime I bring this up, you will tag me a nagging girlfriend which makes it more frustrating"

" Okay..fine. I am sorry for calling you a nag and I'll also try to create more time for you so calm down Jenny" " funny enough, that's what you keep saying but nothing ever change. I'm tired Danny and it will be best to just end things here so we can go our separate ways" " No Jenny, I will not consent to this break up"

"you don't have a choice Dan, I am breaking up with you and I don't need your consent to do so" " Jenny please let's talk this out as adults" " I'm sorry Dan but we are done, our relationship is officially over. good luck on marrying your work" Jenny infer turning to head out

" wait!!!!" Halting Jenny from going further " yes Dan" " are you sure this is just all about me or is this some sort of excuse so as to leave me for someone else?" "there's no one else Danny, you know I've always been faithful to you throughout our three years of being together so that question you are asking is completely irrelevant"

" Fine.. if this is what you want then you are free to leave Jenny, am sure there are many other girls who will jump at the chance to date me" " I guess so.. anyways goodluck with them" Jenny uttter, finally walking out on me without looking back.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• That's the last I heard from Jenny, my now ex girlfriend

A knock on my office door interrupts my thoughts. I sigh knowing that it must be from Mira, my talkative cousin. I did invite her over a few minutes ago after recounting all about my break up with Jenny to her during our phone conversation. * * * * * * * * " I hate to say that I did warn you earlier Danny. you are a workaholic and no girl wants to end up with a man who gives more of his time and attention to his work than her, to me that's equivalent to a relationship that has no direction" chide Mira, as she sits on a sofa in my exquisite office directly facing me.

"I know Mira but what I need right now is a way out not all this scoldings of yours" Mira sighs "am just disappointed in you Danny, so what now?" "I need your advice to help me get her back into my life Mira" " Lol.. medicine after death huh?" " am serious Mira"

" do you still love her?" "yes I do love Jenny very much and you of all people know that Mira"

"then do what she wants from you, which is to give less concentration to your work and more time and attention to her. above all make efforts to win her back asap or else you risk losing her forever" " I know and that's why I called you here. How do I do that? I have tried calling and texting her so we could talk things out but she isn't responding to any of my calls or messages, I am out of ideas Mira"

" if that's the case, then simply let her go" " No Mira, that's out of it because I've come to realize how special she is to me these past three days we've been separated" " Does that mean you are truly going to change and focus more on her as your girlfriend?"

" yes Mira, I will do anything to get Jenny back into my life again even if it means changing my workaholic ways" " am happy to hear this" " so Mira, what's your suggestion on the way forward? should I call her parents and plead with them to beg her on my behalf?" " hmmm.. there will be no need for that Danny" " Why Mira? do you have a better suggestion?"

"yea, my suggestion is that you can apologize to her now that you have the opportunity and try not to hurt her again" " I don't understand what you are saying Mira, how do I apologize to her now when she's not here. quit joking when I am being serious"

" well I am serious too Danny, you can come in now Jenny" The office door opens Jenny dressed in a short fitting pink gown, steps into the office smiling affectionately at him " I am here my love" "wow.. Jenny, how come you are here?"

" It's all my doing Danny, I came here together with her but I did tell her to wait outside your door for my signal while I first come talk to you" Mira expound laughing loudly as though this was all a joke to her "yes Danny she did arrange this meeting, me coming here is all thanks to her. yesterday she came to see me at my work place, apologized on your behalf and promised to talk to you about your attitude towards our relationship"

" yes cousin, when you earlier called me to come over to your office today, I seize the opportunity to bring her with me so you two could reconcile and sort out your differences" " Wow.. thanks a lot Mira" Moving towards Jenny

" I am sorry Jenny for everything I made you go through in our relationship, am also sorry for neglecting your emotional needs. Please give me another chance to make things right, I promise to do better for real this time" I divulge staring expectantly at Jenny "It's okay Danny, if I hadn't forgiven you then I won't be here in the first place so yes Dan I forgive you" "I love you and these past few days has been hell for me as I couldn't stop missing you, please be my girlfriend again"

" I love you Danny, I couldn't stop missing you too and yes I will be your girlfriend again and again and again" "wow..thank you so so so much Jenny" With excitement, I didn't know when I engulf Jenny in a tight embrace. Pulling out of the embrace, I smirk at her "there's one more thing" "what's that" chorus both Mira and Jenny with obvious curiosity

Going down on one knee in front of Jenny "I've always wanted to do this and I am happy today is finally the day I will get to do this" " wow.... Danny I can't believe this" Jenny exclaim with surprise written all over her face

"Please Jenny will you marry me and make me the happiest man tonight?" I propose holding the ring I had previously purchase on the morning after our break up "Awww.. my cousin is so romantic" They silence that follow after my proposal to Jenny got me nervous of what her reply will be Still kneeling in front of her

"Jenny please say something, will you marry me?" Jenny lovingly looking at the man kneeling in front of her "yes, yes, yes I will marry you Danny"

That's all I needed to hear as I gently slip the ring into her mid finger before enveloping her in a passionate deep kiss, our mouths dancing in perfect rhythm with my hands fumbling her clothes in an attempt to take it off A cough from Mira abruptly stops us from going deeper, snapping me back to the reality that Mira my talkative cousin was still here with us in the office " Ermmm.. seems you two are forgetting that a third party is still here, anyways I think it's time I excuse you two love birds. I am happy for you two and congratulations Jenny" " Thanks a lot Mira, I appreciate" "you're welcome wife to be, after I am gone you two can continue from where you stopped, see you soon byeeeee" Mira winks at us before finally leaving my office "bye cousin" Now it is left with just me and Jenny in my office "so now she is gone, can we continue from where we stopped?" I romantically whisper in her ears swiftly sweeping her off her feets over to one of the office sofa. I gently got on top of her body sensually nibbling at her lower lips seeking entrance into her innermost chamber granting the entrance she slowly reciprocate my kiss, sucking hungrily on my lips as a lollipop

"Wait Jenny.. I need to lock the door first, I'll be back in a jiffy" "ahahaha... naughty boy" " I love you Jenny" " I love you too Danny"

Nelly✍🏽.

Don't forget to comment! After reading any story

POETRY TITLE: THE BLOOM OF YOUTHFULNESS BY MISS BLESSING BASSEY S.

POEM PREFACE The poem "THE BLOOM OF YOUTHFULNESS" is a narrative poem that focuses on the challenges encountered by youths in a country, the need for them to be empowered, the negative aftermaths of neglecting and not empowering them, ways/mediums to empower them(youths) and lastly the benefits of empowering the youths. LYRICS OF THE POEM At twenty, Wandering endlessly In a familiar motherland Shoes worn out, stomach rumbling With the fury of the sun heightened.

The weary face of the wanderer crestfallen The experience of youthfulness stings The bloomy rose withering for lack of nutrition Burdened with too many luggages And with no means to bring it down Faced with the fear of growing older With nothing to show forth. A loud outcry is heard Unemployment, hunger and penury Why do you plague us?

Idleness, reliance and political negligence Giving birth to beggary, corruption and crimes. Crimes which are like cankerworms Sucking the blood of its victims Transforming them to predators. Predators who extends its venom to its prey. Caught, Imprisoned and made to pay the price A hefty price that would have been averted If its wings were empowered to confidently And independently face the world.

Hands stretching out And youths flapping their wings Imploring able hands to be empowered Skillfully, educationally and financially. Humbly appealing that the withered roses be

Watered, nourished and given the nutrients to bloom Nourishment through entrepreneurial skills/training, Job creation, education, free business finance/funds. Provision of access to loans and scholarship platforms, Indoctrination through seminars and webinars etc.

Now the roses are well nourished to bloom Crimes will be decreased with agility increased Roses instilled a sense of self-reliance/confidence Hopes revived with potentials discovered/utilized Bringing about national bountiful harvest.

EPILOGUE Bloom which means to fully change, grow, develop and glow depicts a state of high development and achievement of youths in a country if he/she is empowered through the use of empowerment strategies such as education, granting of loans and business funds/finance to spirited business entrepreneurs, provision of scholarships to the smart less privileged youths, indoctrination and most importantly creating and inducting youths into a life-sustaining occupation, profession, skills and training to enable them fight their everyday challenges such as poverty, idleness, hunger, crime involvement, corruption, beggary, boredom etc. It is also noted that empowering them enables them discover/utilize their potentials/talents, to be self-sufficient and reliable, make better decisions and contribute their quota for sustainable national development.

POETIC DEVICES EMPLOYED IN THE POEM 1. STRUCTURE: The poem has a total of 40 lines. It has 6 stanzas of 5 and 10 lines. 2. SYMBOLISM: In the poem "At twenty" and "rose" symbolizes a youth. "Predators" symbolizes criminals and "preys" symbolizes victimized innocent citizens. 3. IMAGERY: Line 1-3 of the poem depicts a picture of a wandering twenty year old youth. 4. PARADOX: Line 7 "the experience of youthfulness stings", we are made to understand that youthful age is not as rosy as it actually sounds. 5. METAPHOR: Line 9 "burdened with too many luggages" which connotes that the older a person grows and develop into a youth, the higher his/her responsibilities and experiences. Line 8 "The bloomy rose withering for lack of nutrition" connotes the depleting state of a youth when he/she is not empowered.

6. APOSTROPHE: Line 15 "why do you plague us?", a youth is lamenting to himself. 7. SIMILE: Line 18 "crimes which are like cankerworms" crimes is being compared to cankerworms. 8. PERSONIFICATION: Idleness, reliance and political negligence is personified to give birth to beggary, corruption and crimes.

POEM ANALYSIS STANZA 1 Portray an imagery of a youth wandering in his country (motherland) in search of a job to enable him make ends meet in other to fend for himself and his family who relied on him for provision. Line 4 and 5 narrates the stress he encountered.

STANZA 2 Depicts his disappointment at not getting a job/means of livelihood to lessen the responsibilities on him and also his fear of growing old without any achievement. Line 13-15 while lost in thoughts he hears the rhetoric lamentations of yet another jobless youth who was also searching for a means of livelihood/survival. STANZA 3 There is a saying that "an idle man is a devil's workshop". In this stanza, the youth he met further narrates the negative aftermaths which is beggary, corruption, crimes for survival and also the consequences of engaging in this crimes. He went further to explain that this crimes does not only has effect on its victims(criminals) but that this predators(criminals) actually transfers the venom (effects) to their preys(the innocent citizens) e.g robbery.

STANZA 4 Portray that the youths are reaching out and appealing to the government and the well-to-do individuals to empower them skillfully, educationally and financially so as to improve their self-confidence and self-sufficiency. This is to mean that youth empowerment is not only limited to the government but that wealthy/capable individuals should endeavor to offer their support and assistance when/where necessary. STANZA 5 Narrates the ways on which the roses(youths) can be empowered. STANZA 6 Narrates the benefits of empowering the youths and it concludes that it brings about national growth and development as harvest.

No uploads.

No uploads.

No uploads.