The wedding was in two weeks time and I wasn't in any way prepared. I tossed around the room, cracking my head for a solution. It was the weekends and there I was, in my room standing in front of my bed, walking aimlessly around. I was in a big dilemma. No, dilemma wasn't the correct word to explain the situation I was in right now.
"What was I going to do?" I thought to myself. I needed like fifty thousand to sort myself out for the wedding and at the moment, I was completely penniless. I had used up all my savings and now I was stranded. There were a lot of things to buy for the wedding and I hadn't bought a single thing. and to crown it all I was the chief brides maid for christ sake. Feeling defeated, I slumped back on my bed, pondering over my options which were none at the moment.
"We're definitely tossed" I said to myself, laughing at how hopeless I was. It was impossible to get that amount of money in such short a time. I was only a student and an apprentice. I didn't earn a monthly salary or wage. The little income I got was from my little side hustles as a student. Selling products to people and getting little commission. There was no way I could raise that sort of money from such a small hustle in two weeks.
Thinking deeply, I decided to try borrowing. This was one thing I had vowed to myself never to do except it was for an investment. But in this case, I was out of options. I had no other choice. Time wasn't on my side either. Swallowing my pride, I picked up my phone and made a call to my favorite cousin.
" What's up" She answered on the third ring.
" I'm fine. You?" I replied.
"I'm doing well. How are you preparing for the wedding", she asked me.
"You know you're the chief bridesmaid, and it's your sister's wedding. No go fall our hands oo" She said jokingly.
" Actually, that's the reason I called" I said to her.
" I was wondering if you could lend me some money. I promise I'll give it back after the wedding", I said.
There was some minute of silence before she answered.
" Dee, you know things are tight everywhere and are you forgetting I'm also one of the bridesmaids?" She asked me.
I paused, unsure of what to say. I knew I was about to be disappointed.
" How much do you need" she asked?
" Like fifty thousand" I said, cringing a little.
I knew I was asking for a lot. As the silence stretched, I quickly added.
" You can give me thirty or any amount you have "
"Dee, you're asking for a lot. If you were not my favorite cousin I would not have even answered you" she said.
" Well, as for now, all I can lend you is ten thousand, at least just manage that one" she said in a pleading tone.
A wave of disappointment washed over me. What was I going to do with ten thousand, I thought? At least half bread is better than none, I said, consoling myself.
" It's fine, I'm really grateful for that. Thank you dear" I said, expressing my gratitude.
" No worries, anything for a sister" she said.
"Alright, I have to go now, bye"
"Bye" I replied, hanging up the phone.
I slumped back into the bed, feeling defeated. In as much as I was grateful for the ten thousand, the truth was, it was not nearly enough. I decided to cut down on the things I really needed for the wedding. Grabbing a book and a pen, I wrote down the things I thought were essential for the wedding, the most important being my dress for the wedding, which would probably cost not less than fifteen thousand naira to make, the uniform materials for the bridesmaid, the fascinators we were all required to come with, and a lot more.
I tried calling some of my friends and loved ones but to no avail, they all turned me down. I was all alone in this. Days passed by and nothing was coming forth. Soon it was a week to the wedding, and I wasn't the least prepared. I wanted to come up with an excuse not to attend the wedding, but my conscience would hunt me for life. It was my sister's wedding. I wasn't going to miss it for anything in the world.
It was now six days to the wedding, and there I was penniless, defeated, weak and frustrated. My soul, spirit and body were in no mood to attend a wedding at all. I was just coming back from lectures that faithful afternoon when the most miraculous thing happened to me. I got an alert. A credit alert of forty thousand naira from a random person. There was no name, no information about the person or how it was sent.
At first, I thought the universe had decided to play a joke on me. And so I cross-checked it over and over again, but there was no indication of who sent it. I was beyond happy. I screamed for joy. The answer to all my problems was here staring at me right in the face. Soul food had been sent to me. It was like my soul came alive again. The amount of joy I felt at that point was indescribable.
I quickly used the money to sort out my problems. I attended the wedding feeling the happiest person in the world. The wedding was a bash. I celebrated and danced like there was no tomorrow. Indeed, there is God who performs miracles, I said to myself.