Bimpe kept glancing at the clock; it was five minutes to closing time, and she was in a hurry to leave the office. At exactly 6 pm, she grabbed her bag and belongings and hurried out. For the past week, she had made it a routine to arrive at the bus stop at exactly 6:20 pm. This habit began the previous Monday when she met a tall, charming, and handsome guy at the bus stop. He had helped her with her bags when she struggled to board the bus. The next day, she was exhausted and dozed off on the bus. When she reached her destination, he was kind enough to wake her up with a gentle nudge. His voice was warm and soothing, and for the next few days, they coincidentally arrived at the bus at the same time. Although they sat together, their interactions were limited to pleasantries.
Bimpe found herself eagerly looking forward to seeing him after work. She would rush through her workday, her mind filled with imagined conversations she might start. But each time she saw him, her courage would falter, and she would only manage a shy smile before looking away. For a change, Bimpe liked the public transport system, it was the same set of people boarding the bus daily. The regular passengers and even the driver began to notice her absence if she missed the bus due to a late meeting or assignment.
“Aunty, we did not see you yesterday! What happened?” They would always ask, and she would respond with an excuse or just smile.
Today, just as Bimpe was about to leave the office, her boss called her to discuss a proposal her team had submitted. The conversation delayed her for thirty minutes, and she worried she would miss him at the bus stop. But when she finally arrived, there he was, waiting as if time had stood still for both of them. Bimpe felt a surge of relief and excitement. Since they had to wait together, she finally mustered the courage to ask,
“What’s your name?”
“Collins,” he replied with a smile.
From that moment, their conversation flowed easily. They talked about everything and nothing, and Bimpe felt a connection that she couldn’t quite explain. They exchanged contacts and continued chatting until they reached their destinations. Bimpe was on cloud nine at the end of their conversation, her joy so evident that it seemed to radiate from her.
When she got home, her aunt, Sarah Coker, noticed her unusually good mood.
“Are we celebrating something?” Aunt Sarah asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, no… I mean, something like that,” Bimpe replied, a shy grin spreading across her face.
“Can you make up your mind? What’s going on?” Aunt Sarah pressed.
Bimpe hesitated, then blurted out,
“Aunty, I think I’ve found my husband.”
Aunt Sarah’s eyes widened in surprise before she broke into a spontaneous dance, clapping her hands and praising God.
“Finally, Bimpe, finally!” she repeated, her voice full of joy.
Bimpe was happy but she regretted telling her aunt. She knew her aunt would spread the news to the entire family, and she wasn’t even sure what was happening between her and Collins. That night, she waited by her phone, hoping for his call, but it never came. The following day, she woke up feeling let down and irritable.
When Bimpe arrived at the bus stop that evening, she was taken aback to see Collins. He was holding a child in his arms, a little girl with wide eyes and a shy smile, his face breaking into a warm smile immediately he saw Bimpe, as he gestured for her to come closer. He greeted her warmly and introduced the girl.
“Hi, Bimpe. Meet my daughter, Annabelle. Annabelle, say hi to Aunty Bimpe.”
“Hi, Aunty Bimpe” the little girl whispered.
Bimpe stood there, stunned, her eyes drifting to the gold band on Collins’ ring finger. How had she not noticed it before? Her mind raced as she tried to process the situation. Bimpe was dumbfounded and shocked,
“You have a child?” she finally managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes, I do,” Collins replied, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, are you also married?” Bimpe asked again her eyes fixed on the gold band on his finger.
“Yes, I am. Are you okay?” Collins responded with genuine concern.
Bimpe forced a smile and shook her head.
“No, nothing at all,” she lied.
Bimpe felt ashamed and humiliated for thinking a romantic relationship could happen between her and Collins, she barely even knew him. She had jumped to conclusions, assuming there was something special between them.
From that day on, Bimpe made sure to either take a longer route home or wait until 6:30 pm before leaving the office, avoiding the bus stop at 6:20 pm altogether. The bus stop romance she had imagined was over before it even began.
Written by Ajadi Ayomide.
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