*THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE*

:A short story.
Written by Jane David
Kane's birthday was fast approaching; Mary thought of what to do in order to make her it a remarkable one. It was going to be boyfriend's 35th birthday. As a student she had no money to fund her bills except the one given to her by her parents or her boyfriend.Kane and mary relationship has lasted for three years and it was a golden opportunity for mary to prove her love to her heartthrob on his birthday, Kane has always being the one spending on her so she never wanted a situation whereby kane would see her as a liability"Kane has always being the one spending on me, he does almost everything for me, he has being so supportive and caring.atleast he deserves better and I'm not going to slack behind, I must go against all odds and make sure I make his 35th birthday the talk of town. Kane deserve the best" Mary rolled from one ankle of her bed to the other wallowed in thoughts.
"No, it wouldn't look good if I get money from him to get him stuffs, no not at all. It must be a surprise to him. But how am I going accomplished this?....I have to make that day a blast for him but as I speaks now I don't think I've up to such an amount" mary muttered.
It was really a cool idea for her, she realized she had dozed off in the middle of her thoughts when she heard her phone rings. It was morning already and some of her roommates had gone for class, she reached her hands to her phone which was placed under her pillow. It was her Dad she yawned and coughed. She didn't want her voice to crack in order to avoid unnecessarily query from the father. "Hello Good morning sir " she said mildly. " " Good morning Mary, I'm sending your school fees right away. I hope all is well? Once you receive an alert don't hesitate to go pay your fees, hope you understand?" Her dad's roared from the phone, sounded authoritatively.. "Yes sir, thanks sir " Mary answered politely shaking her head like a lizard has if the person in question was before her. Immediately her father dropped the call, Mary rushed for her pen. She torn a piece of paper and pen down everything she needed for Kane's birthday...After some minutes she got a message buzzed, she picked it and slide to her inbox, it was her bank who has sent her a notification of Money Creditation. Her dreams of getting things done was going to be fulfilled, happiness filled her heart as she kept smiling at her phone. Oh little! Poor Mary. she suddenly forgot how tough things are at home and how hard it has being before the poor father could gathered the money for her fees which she was about wasting on unreasonable thing. MARY became lost in love fantasies and vain desires, she buried her background under her dead conscience which was wrenching inside and paved way for emotions that enchanted her.
Every night, she rolls from one ankle of her bed to the other ruminating and meditating on how that fate day would look like, she paid less attention to herself and studies infact Kane’s birthday fever robbed Mary of her time. Time for her studies, religious and social life. She thinks only about one thing which was making her boyfriend's birthday a conspicuous one. Even when her good friends complained of her lackadaisical behaviour towards her studies which was so sudden and alarming yet she paid deaf ears and continued in her love adventure.
The D-day is finally here, Mary denied herself of sleep in order to be the first person to wish Kane well. As she called and called yet he didn't answer, she thought maybe he could be fast asleep. She took to her social medias, flaunted Kane’s pictures with a birthday wishes, before this she had earlier bought and packed Kane’s gifts which was a whooping sum of fifty thousand naria, Since Kane couldn't answered her calls she went to bed and promised to call him back in the morning. On waking up that late morning, she reached to her phone to see weather Kane had returned her calls yet he didn't...she clicked on his contact and resend the call, the number was busy and she kept on trying still she kept receiving the same reply. She thought maybe He could call back after the calls. Mary never noticed that throughout the week of his birthday, KANE never called her and he hardly replied her messages on social media. She in return never complained because she wanted everything to be a surprise, boring him with calls and messages could leads him inviting me over and all my plans of surprising him would be unaccomplished" she never wanted that to happened.
Luckily for Mary, as she thought the birthday fell on Friday, so she had all the weekends to herself and for them to explore their world together. Mary paid a good made-up pro who decorated her, you need to see how gorgeous she was with her pink curved-nipples gown and her black heels, and everything she put on was perfect and flamboyant. You need to see her long Brazilian hair which Kane bought for her on Valentine's Day.Since Her boyfriend wasn't picking her calls nor returning neither, she decided to clear all doubt by paying him a visit inorder to put her plans in place. When she discussed her plight with her friend Rosy, Rosy suggested she stopped calling since she knows the way to her boyfriend's house and maybe He might have being busy with work loads.By Rosy's suggestion mary boarded a taxi from calabar to uyo,before 7pm she was already in uyo.As she got to Kane's house, there was no sign of a human being. "where could kane be or go to that he's not in the house, he isn't even picking my calls neither?" She muttered worriedly...In order not to spoil her day, she consoled herself with a positive feelings that, KANE might have stepped out with friends for some cool drinks. She went to where kane usually hide his house's keys whenever he goes out and the keys wasn't there. This got mary really worried and it was getting pretty late and she has being waiting for some hours.The night cold was already piercing through her body. She was blurred of what was going on, she called some of Kane's friends but none picked. Fortunately for her, Paul picked" hello our wife" Paul responded livelyly "Good evening Oga Paul, are you with KANE? Ini asked worriedly. "am supposed to ask you this, do you mean to say KANE didn't inform you of his birthday party?" Paul added surprisingly.... "birthday party"? Where? When? "ini cut in, in a sharp and anxious tone. "yes of course, haba. I don't believe this, trust me!KANE sent an invitation via Text messages and whatapp group across all his friends..why wouldn't he sent it to you his girlfriend?" Paul asked inquisitively."well, I'm on my way. Where are you" He added...Engulfed with shocked ,Mary forcefully managed a word from her mouth as her voice cracked under her breath " well, I'm in his house. I came here since 6pm.can you come and pick me, let's go together?..
When Paul dropped the call, it was like a dream to her, Many thoughts began to overshadowed her and she thought KANE was putting her through a test, she gathered her strength and chase away her fears .if KANE was testing her, then she never wasn't going to fall a prey..she leaned on the iron protector used in securing the house, still doubting kane's act as a test to her.Immediately She heard Paul's car horn, she left the iron she leaned on and walked towards the car. Paul got off his car and they both hugged each other with no much talk, he helped her put her bags in the car boot and they drove off.
As they arrived Emerald's hostel, The loud sound of Circular musics that was played was a clear sign that, A big party was ongoing.Without a waste of time mary got off from the car, she brought out her kiss pancake powder and rubbed on her face, "sweat might have clean some of made-up " she thought. As she and Paul approached the door the sound of the music ceased.Everywhere became calm, Paul pushed the door handle and the door opened.mary sight went blurred by the sight of KANE who was on his knees with a little piece of diamond on his hand before a gorgeous dazzling tall lady, Immediately Paul saw what happened, he rushed and held mary to prevent her from creating a scene, it came on her the reason for KANE's unusual attitude.Goose bumps filled her body as her mouth opened in agape, Her feets begans to shaken, friends who came for the party began to plead with the lady to accept the proposal as she smiled sheepishly. Just when they lady opened her mouth to say" yes" Mary screamed Wearily "No, no this is a dream. Someone should tell me I'm dreaming".She struggled to get off Paul's arms. At the sound of her voice Everyone in the party turned at her including other customers who came to the hostel to catch some funs, tears rushed from her eyes like a flowing river then she began to lament "KANE please don't do this to me ,please if I've wronged you in any way. Just give me a chance I would amend my ways",Her beautiful face turned soured as all the made-up she wore went off because of her tears. KANE stood off his knees and held the lady's hands Kerry His intending-fiancee. He held her hands firmly as the lady began to shiveres, In boldness he walked up to her and poured out his heart Callously " Mary I didn't invite you here, did I? No! if I needed you here, I would have called or texted you. Well! Kerry is the lady I wants to spend the rest of my life with and please don't create a scene here. Stay calm and enjoy the moment with us or you get the hell out of here because if you try to mess my day I would call the Corps for you".. Mary stood dumbed, Her throat went dry. Her feets began to wobbles, The world to her ended right before her very eyes. If she was dreaming then she better wakes up. She wiped her face over and over again with her hands to see weather she is seeing a movie or hearing a story.KANE and other friends left her, melodies of cool romantic music began to filled the air and people clicked to their ones as dance took the moment.Some people with good conscience came to sympathized with her. She was lead by Paul away to his car, she cried bitterly and narrated how she used her fees to get things for him.Paul took her to the park that night because she insisted on going back, Paul who was kind-hearted consoled her to moved on with life, He make an online transfer for her, at least her school fees is refunded back to her and.paul advised her to take back the gifts to calabar. Mary left uyo shattered, pained, wrenched, dejected, frustrated and anguished.
At some point she stopped crying and started laughing, people in the taxi with her got scared.
Those with their family held firmly on them incase she was going Gaga, yes of course Mary wasn't in a right frame of mind. She stopped laughing looked around ,she chuckled and sighedTHE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE.