“I lost my wife ten years ago, my children died in a fire four years back. I miss them.” he said sadly. I stood up and touched his shoulder.

“Every time I see children, they build joy in me,” he spoke, wiping his tears.

“I am sorry.” I said, hurt.

I could feel the pain of losing a wife and his children. It was not easy. I wondered why his face lit seeing children giggling. How could I just suspect a man like him?

“Nothing can bring them back,” he spoke and sobbed more.

I couldn’t even hug him, how would I console him? I put my feelings aside and consoled him. We drank tea in silence.

“I am sorry but I admire you a lot. I have to go. Goodnight.” I said and left.

I watched him turn off the light and I left to go home. I drove home; the road was so silent and empty. Everyone seemed to have gone to sleep. The street lights were on. I drove home. I stayed in the Avenues.

I felt guilty for spying on Darlington. What if he reported me? I would lose my job and the promise I made to the helpless children. I didn’t let him cry alone, he needed a lot of comfort. I suddenly fell asleep thinking about him.

The next day, I was so scared to go to work. I didn’t want my actions to stop me from doing my duty. I became so offish when Mrs Rorr kept staring at me. It seemed as if she knew something was up.

“Mavis, what is the problem?” she asked as she entered my classroom. I was marking my book.

“Oh sorry…” I said shyly.

“You are not yourself, are you OK?” she asked, concerned.

“Oh, Ma’am, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I will be fine.” I chuckled.

“I thought maybe you weren’t well. You will be fine,” she said and left. Her questioning and looks scared me a bit. I thought it was about Mr Gambo. I could feel in my heart that worse was yet to come. I kept looking at the entrance thinking I would see a glimpse of him. Tehn the fear turned to hope. I wanted to see him.

I kept thinking about him, I missed seeing him. It was a bit strange, falling for a stranger. At lunchtime I decided to Google him in one of the secretary offices. Mr Darlington Gambo owned TM supermarkets in town.

I raced out of the orphanage and drove my car to town. I remembered the supermarket close to the bus station. As I parked, I saw Darlington standing with some men who dressed in uniforms. I watched him talk to the men calmly. He seemed like a good man. He smiled as he went back inside. I walked quickly, following him.

“Darling wait.” I shouted loudly.

He looked back and he was astonished. He stood and I walked fast.

“I am sorry, I just missed seeing you today I mean…” I spoke gently, confused.

He looked at me quietly.

“I and the kids miss you.” I continued shyly.

“I can read you well. You are the one who missed me,” he giggled.

I had never seen or heard him laugh before and it was my first time seeing him like this. I thought he was a secretive man, a lot about him was unexplained till last night. It turned out I had fallen for the man I called a mystery.

After that we became so close, we spent a lot of time together. I now understood he was not the same man as I thought.

Mrs Rorr liked seeing the man at the orphanage. He was a father to the opharns and they loved him dearly. They would ask me if he was coming, especially the boys whom he played soccer with. He was a busy man but made time for the orphans.

He proposed to me for marriage a few months later and I agreed. I volunteered to clean his yard during weekends. We were planning our marriage. It was not easy at first; I panicked when we jotted down what we wanted. My parents were happy for me. They supported me.

Everything was booked. I made my colleague, Dorothy, my best maid and Mrs Rorr, my maid of honour. Five kids in my class were the flower girls. Darlington was smiling every moment when I spent time with him. He was planning to have kids with me soon after the wedding.

I was delighted; it was a story to tell my kids one day. The mystery man turned out to be my husband. I never met a man like him, maybe that’s why I followed him on the first day I saw him.

“Mavis, I am very happy for you, hope you won’t leave us soon.” Mrs Rorr said, smiling.

I hugged her, it was bringing tears to my eyes. It was as if I was going far but I was still with them.

“I am not going anywhere, I will be with you always.” I said with a smile.

“You are getting married to a rich man. Maybe one day you will say you don’t want to work.” Dorothy spoke in tears.

“I promise, I love this place, it’s like my home and you are like family to me.” I spoke and hugged Dorothy.

I was honest; I would never leave this place. I loved the orphanage. I vowed to help the kids; it would be my duty so I wouldn’t break it.

We got married on the first of August, a lot of businessmen and the sponsors of our orphanage came. It was a nice event with a lot of happy memories. I had baby boy after a year and now I am expecting our second child. I still work at the orphanage and Darlington comes to visit the orphans whenever he can.

He still loved kids. I thought maybe after having kids he would love his own more. He did love them more, but he had promised Mrs Rorr to come visit them and even offer to read them stories and play soccer with the little boys.

After an exhausting day, I sat looking at the baby boy who was eating. My belly was growing big. Darlington entered as I still sat on the couch.

“Honey, I am home,” he spoke loudly.

I looked at the door. He seemed to have gone somewhere but then he appeared holding flowers.

“Are these for me?” I asked curiously.

He nodded and I stood up and hugged him. He might be older than me but he still had a lot of love. Many people believe if a man grows older, he will become restless and tired.

“To the most beautiful woman in the world,” he said, wrapping his arms on my back. I smiled knowing this would last forever.

***

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