‘You have to look relaxed and smile Nkeonyelu. Abi, you don’t want them to give you the visa?’
‘I hear that they look at people’s picture to decide who they will allow to go abroad o.’
‘Aha! That’s a better pose.’
‘Oya, Patrick snap it like that,’ Nkeonyelu’s mother’s insisted.
‘Make sure she looks beautiful o!’
‘Can you believe it? You, my daughter, will be going to Germany.’ Her ceaseless excited chatter attracted the eyes of other customers.
Nkeonyelu was not as enthused as her mother. Patrick’s busy photo studio was the best that the little town had and not far from it, was another shop where her heart lay.
Secretly in her mind, she wished the visa officer would look at her picture and dislike it.
She silently prayed that they would deny her the visa to join her unknown husband.
It was marriage by proxy and the past few month’s following the ties, she has nursed an unhappy heart.
Her secret love for Ekendili only seemed to burgeon more with each passing day, but she knew that her family would never welcome the suit of the poor cobbler when a golden opportunity has been handed to them right on a platter of arranged marriage.
© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
In response to the FFAW photo prompt above. Thank you, Uday for the picture and Priceless Joy for this enchanting story platform.
Quick glossary:
Abi – Don’t you?
Oya – Quickly
a cooking pot and twisted tales 
Ah that great dilemma of being betrothed to someone you don’t love and having to leave someone you do.
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Not a pleasant situation I imagine. Thank you 🙂
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Arranged marriages are a real nightmare
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Certainly so! Thanks Joan
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How sad that she is in love with someone she can’t marry and has to marry someone she doesn’t love. I hope for her sake they don’t like her photo. Great story, Jacqueline!
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I hope so too. Maybe she will have a chance with whom she loves. Thank you Joy
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I love your story telling!
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Thank you my lady 🙂
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Beautifully told.
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Thank you 🙂
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Oh! when will we ever learn!
“The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye / Lamenting some enforced chastity.”
(Willie Shakes; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hippolyta the Amazon, I think.)
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Such a good story Jackie. I liked the interaction between the characters and can see the realism in your story and the image. Well done!!
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Thanks Steph. There are still parts of the World where marriages are arranged and I bet a lot of unhappy couples too.
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How terribly sad. I hope they run off together! Great story.
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Hmm! That’s a possibility. Thank you Jenn. I just saw your comment now. My regards
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Her close this situation is to reality, and it Issas too. I really really hope Patrick takes a horrible picture so she can end up with ekendili ☺️
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Sorry, auto correct I meant, how close this story is to reality and it is sad too
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It does happen in some countries till today. Take India for instance.
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I also wish that she ends up with her loved one 🙂
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Will there be another chapter? I sure hope so!
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Hmm! Now you make me think of it. Thank you
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it’s sad – the number of women/girls/boys/men experiencing this each day. you’ve laid this out well.
ellespeth
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It’s unfortunate that it happens really. Thank you Ellespeth
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Touching and heart breaking!
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I can imagine how hurt she must have felt. Thank you.
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I could feel her heart ache!
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