JOY BEYOND BROKENNESS

It was then, when I thought that I had overcome my fears of losing her, that it hit me with the highest intensity. We were inseparable and so into each other that wherever one went, the other would always be. We did almost everything together, even joining the same social club and taking an interest in the most similar projects.
Everyone knew nothing could pry us apart from each other; our attachment was as strong as super glue repairing a worn-out sandal, almost impossible to break. They said it was fate that brought us together into a pair, but the universe had different plans for us.
Some of them thought that we let them down, that we had betrayed their expectations of us, because not everything happens as expected. We started being friends very informally; I answered a question in class, and many were surprised at how this well-known big-mouth was able to get it so right.
She kept her distance until the noise died down and then came to me. She greeted me and chatted with me for some time, after which we exchanged our mobile numbers and have been friends ever since. I had three male friends and four girlfriends in my close circle of friends, and she also had her friends but somehow, we managed our chemistry in our friendship.
Often, the guys in my circle and I were around her, protecting her from some perceived predators lurking nearby. As time passed, our friendship grew stronger. I was so pleased with the attention, knowing full well our relationship was platonic.
She certainly had beauty, blessed with all the characteristics of a lady, but I felt it was my responsibility, much like that of a brother, to protect her from those of unsavoury character, and that is exactly what I attempted to do. We remained in contact after school, calling more regularly, sharing problems with me, and sometimes requesting my advice.
During visits, even her friends would often be in on the joke, teasing her playfully, and even then we would share laughter. Once, she introduced me to a mutual friend as her boyfriend, yet made the mistake of adding, “for the where.” I knew she was uncomfortable, but that was it. Years went by, and it seemed God had refused to answer her prayers. Her longtime boyfriend broke her heart.
I was pained, knowing the man well; he had once implored me to protect her, so I was taken aback by the turn of events. He took advantage of her generosity, sapped her emotionally, and left the country, only to settle down with someone else in the space of a few months. I always encouraged her, telling her that with time divine intervention would appear.
I was thrilled when my phone rang one evening as I was busy preparing for a forthcoming examination. I had asked her to show me her boyfriend, and she showed not only her boyfriend but also her fiancé. When she subsequently called to invite me to her wedding, I could hardly contain my happiness. I was beaming all through the time leading up to her big day.
What pleased me even more was that I had predicted the direction she would take in her life, and she, remarkably enough, chose a date I had predicted too. Coincidence it may be, but I knew she was very happy with the route her life had taken.