My perfect marriage episode 24 – finale

MY PERFECT MARRIAGE

Episode 24 (Final)

“Calm down honey’ Elvin whispered as he held her close.

“I love you Patience and I dreamt of you every night after Siavonga, I constantly asked God why he let me love you when you were already taken. You coming back into my life has taught me to trust God more in all I do” Elvin said.

Patience had held back for so long, she had never told Elvin how she felt. A lot had been stored up in,side for fear of what would happen next.

‘I love you too, I always ask what I did to deserve you. You are a blessing to my daughter and i.” she cried.

“Honey she is our daughter now”.. He interrupted.

“Hush my love hush, hold the tears for the wedding”.. he teased.

Patience stayed at Elvin’s home until midnight watching a moving as she they shared the couch. However, he respected her not to touch her.

“Honey I guess its time I dropped you home” Elvin said.

Patience looked at the time and agreed, in her heart she was racing the idea of her mother seeing the ring.

When he parked in,side the yard he looked at her and smiled.

“I love you honey”. He said

“I love you too” she said.

“My people will be coming next weekend, is that too soon?” he asked her.

‘no absolutely not, well I will hear what mum says just in case she may need more time to get my dad’s relatives here”.. she said.

“ok honey. Sleep. Greet my angel”. He said.

When Patience walked into the house and turned on the living room light her mother was sleeping on the couch.

“Mum, what’s the matter?” she asked.

“Nothing is the matter,.. well actually there is a problem”.. Her mother responded.

“What is it?” she asked.

Please sit down here next to me, her mother said as she sat upright.

“Ok, what is it mum?” Patience said as she sat down and hid her hands under the bag on her lap.

“Patience my baby you are divorced, people talk. The man you have been hanging around with is good quite alright but you just cant be in a relationsh¡p as a divorced woman. You have to be serious and committed. You move around together freely and very soon people will start concluding the rumor Philip has been feeding people that you actually left with another man”.. her mother said.

“mum, I love him and that is why I am with him. people can talk quite alright but I know what I want”.. she said.

“But my daughter does he seem serious, like ready for…”

Patience quickly interrupted her mother as she showed her mother the ring.

“Mum do you mean this” she said as she showed her mother the ring.

“He asked you to marry him?” her mother asked in shock as her eyes w¡dened.

“Yes mum today”.. Patience responded.

Her mother immediately knelt down and lifted her hands in the air as she cried in a song

“Who can say a thing and it comes to pass? Until the lord allows it”.. Her mother sang.

Patience knelt down beside her mother and worsh¡ped with her as they cried.

It was a touching moment, no one could explain the joy that the two shared but it was from above.

Patience then explained to her mother concerning Elvin’s relatives and she agreed to have them over the following weekend.

“Mum I want to start the teachings right away”.. Patience said excitedly.

“No problem my daughter this time you will go through the full traditional teachings and you will be fully baked for it”.. Her mother laughed.

“Mum we have to pick a day for fasting every week and in fact we have to fast the day before they come”.. Patience said.

“That’s right my daughter, my heart is at peace, I know this is Gods doing. I’m not angry or overwhelmed like I was on your previous marriage”.. Her mother said.

Patience took her mother’s hand and smiled.

“What would I do without you? She said.

Patience immediately called her sisters on a conference call and broke the news to them.

“The excitement in south Africa and America was contagious. All her sister’s accepted to come and even her two immediate older sisters who had initially failed to come for her first marriage confirmed they would be coming from America.

Elvin came from a family of two children, his older sister was married in the United States and she met with Patience’s sisters as they agreed to fly for the wedding together. Elvin’s mother danced when she received the news of Elvin getting a wife and when he introduced Patience to his mother, she was even more happy and proud and congratulated her son for having such great taste.

Elvin’s mother accepted Thandiwe wh0le heartedly and the bond she created with Patience’s mother was like they had known each other for years. It was almost like Elvin’s mother and Patience’s mother were sisters from another mother. They were both widows and had similar interests.

Tisa had fallen pregnant again and unfortunately miscarried when she realised Philip was dating his secretary. Philip was verbally abusive and they often argued over money that he rarely brought home. Philip lost his job without official notice and he was running from one court to another to sue for his benefits. Tisa’s boutiques brought the money home and it was much h-rder to survive. Phil¡ps girlfriend gave Tisa no peace, he often slept at her house. He gave all the money they had saved from Tisa’s boutique to his girlfriend who secretly used it to plan her wedding with her boyfriend.

Philip hated Tisa and he couldn’t stand her, he called her illiterate and just a cheap woman with nothing to offer. However she was the reality he had to go back to and not even his children with her made him content.

Word had gone round about Patience’s wedding and Elvin went the extra mile to make it special, he hired artists to perform on their wedding day and paid for her dresses that were coming from the states with his sisters.

Patience and Elvin were not planning on a bridal shower as they decided to purchase all they needed themselves. Elvin’s house just like Patience’s house had everything built in, all the major things were part of the house such as the fridge, stove, microwave dish washer and washing machine. They diverted all their funds towards their wedding.

After the stressful days of planning and the long sleepless nights the wedding finally came.

Patience spent at the Protea hotel where the wedding would be held, no one knew about her where abouts except for Elvin. This was specifically to avoid the scenario she went through on her first marriage. The ladies slept at the matron’s house who happened to be Kassy.

The day of the wedding Patience’s mum went together with Kassy and the stylists to dress up Patience. She looked beautiful just like a princess, she had everything she had ever wanted and more.

As patience was dressing she received a gift from Elvin, it was in an envelope. She wondered what it could be.

“Did he send me money as a wedding present? Or maybe a letter?” she thought.

Patience calmly opened the envelope and found two air tickets, to go to America for their honeymoon. She couldn’t believe her eyes and she just shed tears of joy.

“He sure does know how to impress” her mother said.

The wedding service was at the cathedral and patience got there in a white jeep while Elvin arrived in a similar one but in black, the ladies were in a white limo so were the men. Elvin had hired 6 bikers to esc-rt their convoy just like Patience had wanted.

The wedding was special but what made it extra special was the vows the two made to each other. Elvin had written down his vows and they were quite emotional.

“My dear Patience they say it takes a lot of Patience to get the one you love and it took me some Patience to get Patience. I love you like I have known you all my life. Standing here making my vows to you is not a joke, it a lifelong promise that I will live with for the rest of my life. As of today I have become blind, because from now onwards you are my eyes to see the world. I attach myself to you today until death do us apart. My precious one Thandiwe and yourself are a true reflection of love because your presence alone brightens my day, your joy is contagious its no wonder Thandiwe is always happy and that makes me happy. Bone of my bone flesh of my flesh.. Patience you are my hero.” Elvin said as he shed tears

Patience had written some vows down but decided to speak from her heart.

“Elvin my love, you found me at a place when I didn’t know myself. I was confused frustrated and very judgmental. You taught me to love and trust completely, you gave Thandiwe and I a home in your heart and understand us even when we were a handful sometimes. It had to take a real man to carry this extra baggage but God gave me more than that.. He gave me a king. Today you have given me the opportunity to trust again and to love again. Thank you for loving us..” Patience said tearfully

The two exchanged vows and just before midday the celebrant pronounced them husband and wife.

The wedding reception was at Protea hotel and it was the talk of the town. The music was great and the food was to die for.

The two love birds flew to America two days after the wedding and then later went to Italy where they closed their honey moon. Elvin was more concerned about Thandiwe and kept wishing that she was present to experience the fun with them. However, Patience comforted saying they would visit with her whenever they wanted as her family was there.

When they returned home Patience and Elvin officially settled in Elvin’s house while the other house was put on rent and it generated money to build their dream house. Patience had always wanted to go into real estate and Elvin helped her achieve that dream. Together they decided to give back to the community by sponsoring orphanages and helping widows. They knew that to whom much is given, much is required.

Patience was confirmed pregnant two months after the wedding and it was the happiest news for the couple. However she faced a challenge ahead. Philip started fighting for the custody of Thandiwe and this strained Patience throughout her pregnancy. Elvin offered her much support and always esc-rted her to court, after much evidence given Patience won full custody of Thandiwe and Philip was considered irresponsible by the judge who said he could only see her once a month in the presence of a guardian.

It was clear Philip was just trying to start an unnecessary fight and he did not even show much effort after the pronouncement.

Patience gave birth to triplets, two boys and one girl. They were very healthy and bouncy. God gave her what Tisa had obtained through crooked means. She was now called bana mpundu (mother of twins) and every day she never ceased to thank God for the miracles upon her life. Elvin was a great dad and very supportive, he was always there for Thandiwe and he officially adopted her by changing her surname to his.

Patience can testify to the fact that leaning on God gave her another chance, a second chance to be happy. She did not force herself to stay in a situation that God had clearly asked her to leave, and she was not bitter but in all things she trusted the Lords judgment. Many marriages fail because people have become saviors of their own relationsh¡ps. Let’s go through the lessons we have learnt from this story..

Tisa taught us many lessons which I will not list below.. However,

1. Petrina taught us that sometimes humble beginnings are the source of true happiness. Petrina went into a marriage with a man she only saw potential in, everyone else thought she was desperate and had lost her mind. Sometimes we reject people we know deep down our hearts that they may be right for us because society has set out standards they feel we should abide by.

2. Nonde taught us that medicine is not a solution. Nonde started her marriage on charms and what happened was that he left her for a woman who was not even her standard. She went backwards met Christ and started afresh in a new marriage.

3. Kassy taught us that Going into a marriage knowing very well that the person you are with is not right for you but at the back of your mind hoping things will be better is a recipe for disaster. Some couples are busy forcing relationsh¡ps. Unlike Kassy some people have to fight the rest of their lives because they made a wrong decision from the beginning. Wanting to be married to a wealthy man or just wanting to married itself should not lead one to settle for the wrong person. Some marriages today are a battle with side-chicks from day one not because the man changed but because the women thought they would change him through marriage. Women marriage is a lifelong commitment, choose your battle carefully.

4. Finally our main character patience taught us many lessons. Firstly, just like her name.. Patience sure does pay. We see how Patience was so patient in handling her marital problems. Some women take their battles outside the house before they can even sort them out between themselves. She tried by all means to sort it out within before she took it out. This helps maintain the dignity of your partner even when they have done wrong. Imagine you embarrass your partner publicly and then when you get back what does that say about you?. Some marriages have crushed because of what was said and not because of the initial problem. Secondly, letting go is a personal decision. Many people have stayed in dysfunctional marriages because of submission. There’s no submission without love so how can you expect to submit in a marriage that has no love. That is why killings are always on the media. Which is better to stay with someone you do not have the grace to tolerate or to leave and save yourself the sin of “murder”.

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We have come to the end of another story. I hope you really enjoyed it. I want to thank you all for having time to read the story. Your likes and comments are equally encouraging too. Be expecting another interesting story tomorrow by God’s grace. Have a great day.