World of Uncertainty --- The Ink Well Fiction Prompt #148

What kind of world are we in? You don't have something, you are in trouble; you have it, you are still in trouble. This is a world crowned with so much uncertainty. It all started in the city of Uruana, a city known as the heart of where things happen.

Priscilla is a young lady in her late 30s who stays in Uruana without getting the full gist of what is happening in the town. Everyone knows Priscilla is of age to be married. Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley, her parents, were urging her to introduce a man to them as her husband.

"I have tried all my best to get noticed to no avail. Am I different from other ladies, or is my own world different? Why won't any man seek my hand in marriage?" She soliloquizes as tears drop down her cheeks.

The incessant yapping and cruel words from her parents didn't allow Priscilla to think twice about the precautions of what her next action would be.

One day, Priscilla packed her property, left a letter on the center table, and abandoned her parents to travel to a new city for fresh air from all the hurdles and disturbances from her parents. Also, with an anticipation to see someone propose and seek her hand in marriage just to make her parents happy and see her as a blessing rather than a curse.

Instead of greener pastures which Priscilla seeks, after she got to the new city, she got a self-con apartment and settled for the meantime. Unexpectedly, she got welcomed to the vicinity by robbers who broke into her apartment and robbed her of everything.

From the experience, she made up her mind to go back to her parents due to the hardship she faced after the incident, as she could not afford a square meal on a daily basis.

The thought that her parents must have been worried about her raced through her heart, and seeing her back would bring joy to their hearts. But she was shocked on her return. Reaching the house, she saw families and friends gathered, all with a face that could scare even a little child away.

She couldn't tell who died, but the dress code speaks of sorrow. Immediately she sighted her mom in black too. "Mum, what's going on here? Why is everyone putting on black attire?"

"We are mourning..." Immediately, the sound of the long tower bell woke her up from the long dream.

This is not a good sign at all; it's a clear vision that something bad is about to happen. I need to visit home as soon as I can. She packed her belongings and set out to join the first bus.

Source

On the bus, she met Andrew, a young man in his early 40s. They started conversing with each other. Numbers were exchanged, Priscilla felt at home with Andrew, who also felt he had found his soulmate.

On getting to the bus stop, she noticed Andrew was also heading to her location. It was then she knew they were from the same village. They boarded different cabs to their different homes after bidding each other farewell.

"Shameful daughter who doesn't want to marry, we thought you were gone for good. Who asked you to return?" said her mother without minding how hurtful those words would make her feel.

"Young lady, hope you are returning with the mindset of getting married to your father right? Better return back if you are not with a husband. It is a sacrilege for a lady of your age to still eat from her mother's pot," her dad added.

Shocked by everyone, Andrew stepped out from where he had been eavesdropping on the whole conversation.

"How did you get here, Andrew?"

"We are from the same village. You know that; I was able to describe you to my parents, and they gave me directions to your house," he answered.

"Okay, did you hear anything?"

"Really? Of course, I did, but you don't have to be scared, okay? Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley, with due respect, I must say that everything I heard today was uncalled for. You don't have to push your daughter into marriage, rather allow God to fulfill his plans. I didn't come here to say this, but with everything I have heard today, I don't think hiding things from you all would make anything sense. I have loved your daughter from the first day I met her on a bus, and I would like her to be the mother of my unborn children."

"Andrew, please don't do this because of all you heard, okay? I'm not bothered because I'm already used to their cruel words. I only came back because of the terrible dream I had, which I will soon be heading back to the city since everyone is fine."

"I guess everything happened for us to meet ourselves. I love you, and once you accept my proposal, we are getting married before the year is over. We still have about eight months to get into courtship and do all the necessary things."

Without wasting time, Priscilla accepted his proposal in front of his parents. They did all the necessary rites and got married to each other and lived happily as a couple. Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley felt guilty for the cruel words and apologized for their impatience and lack of parental love.