STORY CENTRAL(SC)

((THE DREADED THIRTY))

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 1)

Have you ever had cold feets just at the thought of a deadline fast approaching
without any sign of a miracle to set everything rightly the way you initially
planned for it to be? Have you ever been faced with a situation that made you
completely helpless? That moment when you realize you have absolutely no
control over something that has the power to take your happiness away? I believe
we can all relate to setting deadlines for one thing or the other in our lives, but
definitely not as an ambitious and beautiful lady named 'Sandra'.

Years back when Sandra was still a teenager that was full of life and highly
ambitious, she always told herself and whoever cared to listen that she would get
marriage at the age of 24 and have two kids before the age of thirty (30).

Right from that tender age in life, Sandra had her entire life planned out and was
highly convinced on the outcome of her future. The ambitious teenager with a
beautiful dream told anyone that cared to listen that she would get marriage at the
age of 24 and have two kids before age 30.

Years passed and Sandra gradually grew into a beautiful woman. She gained
admission into the university and fortunately for mama's girl, her school was in the
same state her family resided in. Due to that, she went to school from home and
never had the chance to experience life as an independent adult.

Sandra was an outgoing and lively young lady and this made it extremely easy for
her to have friends. Everyone in her department knew whom she was and this
made her quite popular in school. Sandra's beauty scored her alot of passes when it
came to the opposite sex, as so many guys chased her left, right, center. She was
the dream of many guys and this attracted hate and jealousy from few ladies but
Sandra cared less if anyone hated her.

With the rate at which men chased Sandra, one would swear that her dream to get
married at the age of 24 was a done deal. I mean, all she would do is just choose
from the flocks of men that wooed her and Viola! Her dream would instantly
become a reality. Well, I wish that was the case for the ambitious damsel.

Year one passed, year two and year three passed in the university but Sandra was
still having a hard time being in a stable relationship with one person. She was 23
years old at the time she was in her 3rd year in the university.

By that time, Sandra's mum had already began to disturb and remind her that it was
time to bring her Man home to meet the family; sadly, there wasn't any 'Man' to
bring home. Sandra usually felt ashamed whenever her mum, cousins or friends
asked to meet her husband-to-be because in everyone's mind, they thought she
probably had a serious suitor by then.

Sandra couldn't bring herself to tell her family and friends that she was having a
hard time being in a relationship with any man. It's hard to believe that a lady like
Sandra that had so many men on her case was still very much Single. Like what
could be the problem?

Apparently, Sandra always felt as though there were many fishes in the ocean,
that's why she could hardly tolerate any slack from any man. There was always
something wrong in all her relationships and at this rate, one may begin to wonder
if the men were truly the problem or herself.

Apparently, the reason why Sandra's relationships failed was because she usually
ran faster than her shadows. She wanted husband duties from mere boyfriends that
were still getting to know her. The spec of men she truly wanted to get married to
were the ones that ususally wanted to take things slow, while the spec of men she
didn't see herself getting married to were the ones that literally worshipped the
ground she walked on.
As the days drew nearer to Sandra's 24th birthday with no husband on sight yet,
her feet began to grow cold. The thought of things not going the way she had
planned all her life, made her extremely scared to her stomach.

For unknown reasons, Sandra was under so much pressure that no one had put on
her. Due to this, she became a bit desperate in her search for a man that would put
a ring on her finger before her 24th birthday.

One cool evening while Sandra was returning home from school with her friend,
they got talking about random things and suddenly landed on Sandra's topic. "Girl,
are you sure your dreams would come to pass as you have always dreamed? What
happens if you don't get married next year or even at age 30. What then would you
do" her friend casually asked.

Without hesitating, Sandra immediately attacked her friend. "God forbid! Priscilla
please stop this! Who would say unmarried till age 30? Me? God forbid!.. Look, if
you weren't my long time friend, I would have called this friendship off this
minute. I will get married next year...Period! If you are bad luck, then you better
not bring your bad luck my way please. I will get married next year and have two
kids before 30 years of age and no one can change my destiny" she furiously said.

On seeing that Sandra was now angry, her friend apologised for her causal
statement. Despite still being angry, Sandra forgave her friend and they continued
their journey home.

Days turned to weeks and weeks to months and gradually, the number of men that
chased Sandra began to diminish. She was now in her final year in school as her
24th birthday approached slowly.

Sandra was in a relationship at the time and was convinced that her partner would
pop the question on her birthday because the clues she gave him about wanting a
ring was impossible not to notice.

Unknown to Sandra, the guy wasn't into the relationship any longer. He waited for
a better time to end the relationship but never got any chance till the night before
Sandra turned 24. On the eve of her birthday, she was supposed to hang out with
her boyfriend that night but he didn't show up as planned.
In the bid to find out what was going on, Sandra called her man severally but he
wasn't picking up. Desperate to find out what was going on, she headed to his
house that night but little did she know that her heart was about to be shattered.

When Sandra arrived at her man's house, it was supposed to be a surprise visit but
it ended in tears. When she entered his compound, she sensed a strange movement
by a particular guy that lived at the down floor of the building. It seemed as though
he ran to inform someone of something but she never knew he ran to alert her
boyfriend of her presence.

Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time for them to carry out their evil schemes
because Sandra was already close to her boyfriend's apartment. Before she could
wrap her head around everything that was happening, a lady hurriedly walked out
from her supposed boyfriend's room with her hair looking a bit messy. Few
seconds after the strange lady left the room, her boyfriend walked out looking
shocked. "I thought we normally call each other before visiting?" He shamelessly
said.

Still confused and shocked, Sandra looked into his eyes with tears in her eyes and
gently muttered "Why?".

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 2)

Life has a strange way of proving its superiority over the will of man. You can
have plans for your life to go in a certain direction but things might end up not
going as you planned. The best way you can happily go through life with certainty
that your future will turn out great is if you put your trust in God and believe that
your life will go according to his will. Most times, what we earnestly desire isn't
God's will for us and that's why it's always advisable that we seek God's face in
every plan and decision we make.

To be very honest, Sandra wasn't wrong in anyway by desiring a beautiful life and
setting a short deadline for her marital journey. The only sad thing she did was to
allow herself get consumed by her desires without letting life play out itself
naturally. Sandra felt she could control everything and that's where she missed it.
On that fateful evening Sandra caught her boyfriend 'Paul' cheating, it felt as
though the essence of her life was ripped out from her. The fact that she was
hoping to be proposed to on her birthday by this same guy, made matters worse.
She just stood there staring at him with lack of words to properly express how
broken she was feeling.

Can you just pause for a minute and imagine how Sandra was feeling at that
moment. How devastated it felt to see her dreams of getting married at age twenty
four (24), crushing before her very eyes. The lack of remorse on Paul's side
increased her pain the more. The effrontery and audacity he had to ask Sandra why
she didn't call before coming over. It was clear he didn't have much feeling for her
as she initially thought. What a sad way to find out that you are unloved.

"Why did you do this Paul? I trusted you and this is what I get in return for my
loyalty to you? How could you do a thing like this to me a night before my
birthday and proposal? I don't deserve this sort of embarrassment from a man I was
hoping to spend the rest of my life with. Paul how could you?" Sandra furiously
said as tears dripped from her eyes.

Asides from cheating and hurting Sandra's feelings, Paul was confused about so
many other things she said, so he voiced out his confusion. "I don't understand you,
when did I ever say I was going to propose to you on your birthday? I know I did
wrong by cheating on you but the truth is that I'm tired of this relationship and
don't want to be with you anymore. You are too controlling and dominating; I can't
be with a lady that feels she can control my life just because I'm in love with her. I
never said I will propose to you on your birthday, that's all in your head and has
nothing to do with me. You can't force me into marrying you just because we are in
a relationship. I can't continue like this; I want my freedom and liberty back. I'm
sorry it has to end this way but it's Over between us. I wish you all the best in your
future endeavors. Happy Birthday in advance!" he coldly said.

At that moment, Sandra was as good as dead because her whole body was numb.
Her heart raced non-stop as her body shivered. Life meant absolutely nothing to
her at that point because the only life she had programmed for herself in her mind
had crumbled. Her mental safe haven was gone and she was left more vulnerable
than she had ever been all her life.
Heartbreak is a minor word to quantify what Sandra was going through at that
moment. She managed to walk down to the busy road to get a taxi home. Words
failed her to go on further in any confrontation with Paul. She figured there was no
need because the cheater wasn't even remorseful.

The ride back home that day was one of the most traumatic moments of Sandra's
life. She cried her eyes out till the driver had to intervene in the matter. He tried to
comfort the grieving passenger with nice words, even without knowing what the
problem was. It was such a pitiful situation for the devastated young lady but this
was just the beginning of her nightmare.

Immediately Sandra returned home, she ran into her room and burst into tears. Her
cousin who was present went to find out what was happening. "What's going on?
You are scaring me Sandra; what happened in school?" Her cousin asked.

After crying for a while, Sandra began to narrate her ordeal and when she was
done talking, her cousin patted her back and chipped in; "Sandra, I know how hurt
you must be feeling right now but I just want to tell you that it isn't the end of the
world. Everything happens for a reason, so maybe he isn't your husband" her
cousin said.

With that being said, Sandra burst into more tears as she looked at her cousin. "I
had it all figured out from day one; what happened? I want to get married and raise
my kids early before age 30. I can't be single on my 24th birthday. This isn't the
life I desire, I can't take it. What did I do to deserve this? It's so unfair" she soberly
said.

When Sandra was done talking, her cousin shook her head and began to counsel
her. "Why are you so hard on yourself? Why put so much pressure on yourself
with no reason for doing so? Even if you stay single till age 30, 40 or even 50
before getting married... so what? I understand that you want to get married early
and have your kids early, but also remember that you can't control life and it's
unexpected outcome. You will be fine eventually and would meet your soulmate at
the appointed time. Don't be too hard on yourself dear, everything will be alright"
her cousin said.
That word of advice somehow gave Sandra the strength she needed to pull though
that day. It was one of the worst days of her life but life had to go on.

The next day was Sandra's birthday party. She wasn't in the celebration spirit at all
and told none of her friends what happened between Paul and herself. Most things
for the birthday celebration were already paid for before the party, so there was no
going back. The party lasted for few hours before everyone retired home. Sandra
cried bitterly after the party ended before leaving for her house.

Life soon moved on a year later. As at then, Sandra was now 25 years old and it
scared her whenever she remembered that she wasn't married yet. It was hard for
the 'Deadline Conscious' lady but something happened one fateful day.

It happened that Sandra was in a hurry to get few supplies from a supermarket for
work. In great haste, she hurridly picked the things she needed and was about
heading to the cashier to pay.

Immediately Sandra turned in haste, she collided with a handsome gentleman and
her items fell from the basket she was holding. They both hurriedly bent down to
pick up the items that fell off, but were suddenly struck when their eyes locked
together.

Before Sandra could utter any word to the gentleman that had succeeded in stealing
her attention, he looked into her eyes and smiled faintly.

"Hi there! My name is Dominic" he said with a charming voice and Sandra was
Blown Away!

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 3)

⭐Like Before Reading⭐

Isn't it awesome how you can meet someone amazing at the time you least
expected it. After a sad breakup, most people take too long to heal and get back on
their feets again and that was the case of Sandra. It wasn't easy for her to come to
terms that her dream of getting married and starting a family at the age of 24 was
not going to be a reality. That was a lot for the ambitious lady to take in but with
time, she gradually accepted the sad reality that was right before her. Regardless of
the little twist in Sandra's love story, she was still optimistic and hoped for a good
turn around before age 25 elapses.

At this junction, it's safe to say that Sandra still hadn't taken her cousin's advice to
take life slowly and stop putting pressure on herself. Another thing that made
matters worse was her mum's persistent request for a son inlaw. The elderly
woman kept asking her daughter when to expect her suitors but Sandra gave no
tangible reply to her desperate mother.

With everything that was ongoing in Sandra's life, meeting Dominic was a blessing
to her. There was just something about the gentleness of Dominic that blew her
mind away and made her want to know him more. He was jaw-drop handsome and
the perfect medicine for her bleeding heart. Their eyes remained locked together as
they picked up the items that fell off the basket.

"Nice meeting you Dominic, my name is Sandra. You don't have to worry about
helping me, I am fine" Sandra calmly said. Dominic still went on to help her pick
the items despite telling him not to bother. In no time, they were done picking the
items and hurriedly stood up to their feets. "Sorry about that, I wasn't looking
towards my direction. Hope I didn't hurt you?" He inquired and she said "No".
They spoke for a little while before walking down to the cashier for pay out.

As they walked towards the cashier's counter, Dominic engaged Sandra in a

conversation. "Do you live around here?" He asked, "Yes I do, my house is just
few blocks away" she replied. Dominic revealed that he lived far away but just
came around for some groceries shopping. They talked a little bit more before
finally arriving at the counter. Their goods were checked individually and the bills
were given to each of them.

As Sandra was about paying for hers, Dominic immediately prevented her from
doing so and revealed that he would foot the bill. "What a gentleman!" Sandra
thought to herself. In order not to look too easy, she turned down his kind gesture
but he still insisted to foot the bill.
Deep down in Sandra's heart, she was helplessly falling for Dominic but showed
no clue at all. She managed to comport herself throughout those minutes they were
together. After checking out, they left the supermarket and headed to the parking
lot. Sandra didn't have a car but Dominic did have one. He asked to drop her off
wherever she was headed to and she surprisingly agreed.

That day was the beginning of a friendship between Dominic and Sandra. Few
days later, they met each other again at a nice restaurant for dinner. They were both
happy to see each other again and enjoyed each other's company. Sandra kept
hoping that Dominic would ask her out but that didn't seem as though it would
happen anytime soon. Dominic didn't rush things by took his time to get to know
her better before any other thing.

It's been over 2 weeks since Sandra crossed path with Dominic. Due to over
excitment, she already told her friends about the new guy she met which was no
other person than 'Dominic'. In Sandra's imagination, she had already pictured
herself getting married to him. With high expectations, she waited for Dominic to
ask her out but he still hadn't done so.

After waiting for over a month without any show, Sandra realised it was best she
did something to upgrade her relationship status with Dominic from 'Casual
Friends' to 'Lovers'. There was no way she was going to let him slip through her
hands; not when she genuinely liked him and also needed to get married as soon as
possible. She waited for the perfect time to make her move and finally did so one
fateful day.

It happened one day that Sandra and Dominic were to meet up after work hours.
He drove down to her house to pick her up before heading to the restaurant. "You
look beautiful today as always" Dominic complimented and Sandra blushed. She
thanked him for the compliment and felt as though it was her lucky day to make
her move.

When they arrived at the restaurant, they alighted and walked inside to have
dinner. Food was served and they ate happily. They talked about random things
and smiled while at it.
After about an hour, Sandra figured it was the right time to shoot her shots. She
was a bit nervous and shy but managed to put those discouraging emotions aside
and pour her feelings out once and for all. Without prior notice, she striked out of
nowhere. "I have something to tell you" she said, "Ok dear, go ahead I am
listening" Dominic responded and leaned back on the chair to listen properly.

Tensed and nervous, Sandra took a deep breath and dropped a shocker; "I am in
Love with You!"

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 4)

It gets to a point in a person's life where they take the bull by the horn and pursue
what they want out of life. In Sandra's case, she wasn't about to let an amazing
human as 'Dominic' slip through her fingers. For all she knew, he was the man of
her dreams and possibly her husband-to-be.

After Sandra professed her love intentions for Dominic, he was a bit shocked
because it felt weird for a lady to make the first move by revealing her feelings for
him. The shocked gentleman was used to the old traditional way of a man making
the first move. It took a while for him to wrap his head around what Sandra said
few seconds ago.

Dominic was humbled and dumbfounded but managed to say something. "You
don't mean what you just said, right?" He asked but Sandra was mute. She wasn't
able to reveal any other details concerning her feelings due to shyness. At that
moment, she wished the ground could just open and swallow her up so as not to
face Dominic by answering his questions. She was slightly embarrassed in herself
but the deed had already been done.

There was an awkward silence in the atmosphere but Dominic had to man-up to
the situation. He looked into Sandra's shiny eyes and smiled faintly; "You are a
very beautiful and attractive young lady and to be honest, I admire you alot but... I
really don't think we can be anything other than friends because I already have
someone else in my life. I had a situation with a lady but we are currently working
on our relationship. I don't want to take advantage of your innocent love for me,
that's why I feel it's right I put you straight. You will always mean a lot to me as a
friend and not a lover. You are beautiful and would definitely meet the right person
for you soon. Don't feel sad and down because if I wasn't already taken, I would
have asked you out long before now. Hope this doesn't interfere with our
friendship because I'm still opened to being your friend" he calmly said.

When Dominic was done talking, Sandra felt totally empty and heartbroken but
managed to act mature and comported. She smiled faintly and assured Dominic
that she understood perfectly fine but deep down, she was dying within.

For some strange reason, the energy in the atmosphere suddenly become off and
tensed. Dominic figured Sandra wasn't comfortable being there anymore so he
asked if she wanted to leave; of which she said "Yes". In no time, he paid for the
bills and drove her home.

When Sandra arrived at her apartment, she burst into tears. At that moment, there's
no suitable word to describe how devastated and humiliated she was feeling. The
fact that she was turned down on her very first attempt of confessing her love for a
man, made her more sad. It was going to take a while before Sandra completely
heals from the trauma she was feeling at that moment.

As Sandra laid on the cold floor in her apartment that fateful evening, the scary
thoughts of not getting married even at age 25, sent chills all over her body. The
reality of being single and crossing over to age 26, slowly began to dawn on her. It
wasn't a good day for the emotionally tortured lady. Too sad!

After that day, Sandra and Dominic's friendship began to drift apart. She began to
behave weirdly around him and it affected their relationship greatly. Dominic tried
his possible best to keep their friendship afloat, but it just wasn't working out
anymore. In less than two months later, they became strangers and barely kept in
touch with each other.

Shortly after, life moved on and Sandra shifted her focus back to searching for a
husband, but she also carried her business and job along. Amazingly, she launched
other branches of her business and began to make more money than before.
Gradually, her focus shifted from searching for a husband to growing her business.
It wasn't easy for Sandra to take in the reality that she wasn't living up to her
dreams as she had originally planned all her life. It was sad and made her cry
almost every night but there was nothing she could do to change her fate. Slowly
and surely, life moved on.

A year passed, two, three and four years passed but Sandra's dream had still not
been fulfilled. At this time, she was now 29 years old and still unmarried.
Depression has become the norm of the day for Sandra as she was mostly moody
and depressed.

Unfortunately, there wasn't any family member or friends close by to help Sandra
during those tough times. She had moved out from her family house and most of
her friends/cousins were already married so they were more focused on their new
families. This brought tears to her tears whenever she remembered that most of her
friends were Taken or Happily Married, but that didn't mean she wasn't happy for
them.

As the golden age thirty (30) slowly approached, Sandra's depression worsen. She
suddenly stopped eating and looking out for herself. Slowly, she became a shadow
of who she used to be. However, things went to the extremely one fateful day.

It happened that Sandra fell into depression as always but this time around, she
wanted to hurt herself because life made no sense to her anymore. After work
activities that day, she took a walk towards the main road and knowingly
positioned herself to be hit by any moving vehicle. Before she knew what was
happening, a jeep that was on high speed knocked her off the road. Blood spilled
and she unconsciously fell down on the ground in a flash of light.

Instantly, a handsome gentleman alighted from the vehicle and ran towards her
screaming "Help!".

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 5)

⭐Like Before Reading⭐

There's time for everything under the sun. When things don't go exactly the way
you want them to, don't feel sad or discouraged because it could be that it isn't your
time for manifesting yet. When we begin to see life this way, we would attain a
certain level of peace; knowing that what's rightly ours would never miss us but
would locate us at the right time. I believe Sandra wasn't aware of this truth, hence
the reason she tried to rush life, but that doesn't mean she was now 'black listed'
from receiving God's blessings.

Just as they say, the best things of life happens unexpected. God loves to show up
when all hope is lost in a situation so that way, all glory would go to his name. If
things had gone the way Sandra predicted, she wouldn't see the need to
acknowledge God's mighty hands upon her life as the author and finisher. She
would have probably given all credit to her beauty and we know God doesn't love
to be a 'Tag Along' in our story.

While Sandra thought of ending her own life due to her deteriorating mental and
emotional health, God was already a thousand steps ahead of her and was about to
set a feast table in the midst of the crisis. God's ways are not our ways and his
thoughts are not our thoughts. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so is
God's ways higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts. The mystery
of God's works makes him interesting and amazing. That way, we can never get
tired or familiar with God.

Immediately after the accident, Sandra fell on the ground and was bleeding
profusely. The impact from the accident was too intense and had injured her head
greatly. Sandra was lying lifeless on the ground and it brought great fear on the
handsome gentleman that hit her. The cry for help lasted shortly before the
gentleman carried her into his car and drove off in high speed to a nearby hospital.

Sandra was immediately rushed to the emergency ward for treatment, while the
gentleman gave reports on what happened. That moment was indeed a scary one
for the gentleman and he kept praying for a miracle in Sandra's healing. He made
calls to some friends and they were there shortly to support him.

After about five hours of waiting, a doctor came to the waiting room and informed
the gentleman and his friends that Sandra was now responding to treatment. What
a huge relief it brought to everyone because it meant that Sandra would be ok. The
hospital bill was paid and they were allowed to see the patient later on.

It was already getting late at this point but the gentleman insisted on waiting till he
could see Sandra. When he entered Inside her room, the state at which he found her
wasn't good at all, due to the bandages that were on her head and body. Everyone
felt bad for her due to her condition, and prayed for a fast recovery.

After spending almost a whole day at the hospital, the gentleman had to leave with
his friends because it was getting very late. "I will be here first thing tomorrow
morning, please takecare of her very well. See you tomorrow" he said and took his
leave.

Shortly, Sandra's bag was searched and her phone was found. Her family were
contacted by the doctor on duty that night. They agreed to be at the hospital first
thing the next day.

First thing the following day, the guy was the first to arrive before Sandra's family
members. Fortunately, Sandra was awake at the time so they started talking. "I am
so sorry for hitting you, everything happened so fast. My name is George and you?
" he said. Sandra was too numb and in so much pain to keep the conversion going
but managed to reveal her name too. She replied with a faint smile on her face as
he spoke calmly to her.

Fortunately, that day was the beginning of something beautiful for Sandra but she
wasn't aware yet. Due to the disappointments and heartbreaks in the past, she didn't
want to acknowledge the gentleman's fine qualities and handsomeness. She turned
blind eyes to those things and only concentrated on getting better.

A week later, Sandra was discharged from the hospital. By that time, she had
grown fond of George due to all the times they spent togther at the hospital while
she was admitted. He visited her everyday and kept her company whenever her
family was absent. George paid the remaining hospital bills and drove her home
that day. Sandra's mum was in the car as they drove to her daughter's house.

All through the ride, Sandra was asleep in the front sit, while her mum gave
directions from the back seat. George stole glances at the sleeping beauty and for
some strange reasons, he was happy having her as a part of his life. The way she
laid back on the car seat as she slept, got him mesmerized by her beauty and pink
lips.

All of a sudden, this new guy was into Sandra more than any other guy from her
past. Her mom noticed the way he looked towards her direction as he drove the car.
The elderly woman could tell that George liked her daughter and it made her a bit
happy.

Finally, they arrived at their destination. Jayce gently tapped Sandra to wake her
up. When she opened her eyes, she was happy that they had gotten to her house
and she thanked George for being too kind and caring. "Thanks for everything, I
can't thank you enough for your kind heart and gesture. God bless you" Sandra
said, "Don't mention, it's my pleasure" he replied.

Instantly, Sandra's mum figured she needed to give them some privacy so she
excused herself and walked inside the apartment. Sandra was about to alight from
the car too but was stopped by George. "Can we talk?" He asked, "Yeah, sure!"
She surprisingly replied. George took a deep breath and said; "I would love to see
you again, can that be possible?" He asked.

That question threw Sandra off balance because she wasn't expecting any advances
from an amazing gentleman such as George. She didn't want to get her hopes high,
due to all that happened to her in the past. Despite the walls she was trying to build
around her heart, George was bound on crushing them.

"Can I see you again?" George repeated and Sandra finally gave a reply. "Yes you
can, but why?" She curiously inquired. He smiled faintly, looked into her eyes and
said; "Because you are amazing and I love talking to you.

Sandra was a bit shy and looked downwards. Her subtle gestures drove George
crazy and before she knew it, he leaned forward and gave her a soft Peck on the
Cheek.

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 6)

⭐Like Before Reading⭐

How beautiful and amazing your life would turn out if you leave God to take the
wheel. Who would have thought in a thousand years that Sandra will find love in a
man that almost unkownly granted her suicidal wish. Isn't it amazing that she
found a man that surpassed her imaginations at the oddest times. Listen, when your
time comes to be loved right by the partner God has destined for you, even if you
are outside the surface of this earth, God would show up with your partner. At last,
Sandra was one step closer to receiving the love she deserved and have always
dreamed of. When you finally meet the right person for you, everything just feels
easy and willingly without the need to force anything.

After that soft peck on Sandra's cheek by George, her heart melted instantly. For a
second, the whole world paused as she stared into his shiny eyes. The perfume
George was wearing was very pleasant and almost sent Sandra to cloud 9. Such
pleasant smell coming from a dead-drop handsome gentleman. Oh My, she was
already in Heaven! .

Suddenly, the atmosphere became intoxicating with genuine and authentic feelings
in the air. Sandra was a bit shy and tried as much as possible to avoid eye contacts
with George. After about a minute of silence, they finally broke the silence.

"I'll be going inside now, thanks for the ride and have a nice day" Sandra gently
said and alighted from the car. George didn't want her to go but had to take things
slow. "Ensure to get some rest, I will call you later to check up on you. Say
'Goodbye' to your mum for me" he calmly said and bid her a final 'Goodbye' as she
walked inside her apartment.

Everything still felt like a dream to both of them because neither of them were
expecting the peck. George waited for a little while before driving off to his
destination. Immediately Sandra entered inside the house, she began to blush and
her mum couldn't help but notice the beaming smile on her daughter's face.
"Hmmm, somebody is happy today. Ok oo!" Her mum playfully commented.
Sandra blushed even more and went straight to her room to avoid more questions
from her mum.
All through that day, Sandra couldn't get her mind off George; same with him.
They thought about each other and couldn't effectively do any other thing that day.
Just as promised, he called her in the evening to check up on her and they spoke
for few minutes before ending the call.

Everything still felt like a dream to the surprised lady but she played cool
regardless. That night, she took it up to God in prayer because her heart wasn't
going to survive another disappointment or heartbreak. "Father, I know I have done
alot of things in the past and also made so many decisions without inviting you to
take the lead. God I'm really beginning to like this amazing man that you brought
my way but this time around, I need your guidance and discernment. Please don't
let me go too deep with him if he isn't in your will for me. I need your guidance
please father, don't let me go astray again. I trust your counsel for my life and leave
everything to the potter's hand (God). Take the lead and glorify your name in my
life. Amen!" She prayed.

For the first time in Sandra's life, she was at peace with her decision, herself and
with God. It was truly an indicator that George was the missing piece to her puzzle.
She laid back on the bed and slept like a new born baby.

From that day henceforth, a beautiful relationship was born between George and
Sandra. Everyday in that relationship felt surreal to the two lovebirds. Initially,
Sandra was taking things a step at a time but finally brought down her guards when
George continually proved to her that he was for real.

They went on dates together almost every weekend. George was very close to
Sandra's mum because she treated him like her son. Gradually, all Sandra's family
members got to know about him and his family also got to know about Sandra too.
At this point in their relationship, it was evident that they were headed for the alter.
Just when everything was going smoothly in these two lovebirds relationship,
something unexpected happened.

One fateful afternoon, Sandra visited her man because it was weekend. George had
complained during the week that he missed her; as they couldn't see each other
during the week due to the workload of activities they had to tend to. Seeing each
other that weekend made them really happy.
When Sandra arrived George's appartment, they hugged each other tightly before
heading to the kitchen to prepare something they would eat. As she left for the
kitchen, her phone was left behind in the livingroom where George was working
on his laptop; trying to finish up an important business document.

Few minutes after Sandra left to the kitchen, her phone began to beep
continuously. George initially didn't want to look towards her phone, but was
drawn to just look through to see what was responsible for the continuous beeping.

One look at the notification column and George's heart instantly dropped due to
what he saw. His heart raced as he looked at the last message that was sent.

The message was from a guy named 'Domic' which read; "Sandra I need you
back!".

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 7)

⭐Like Before Reading⭐

It's funny how the devil shows up Before and After a Miracle. Once you get closer
to your breakthrough, the devil becomes restless and seeks for every means
possible to ruin your joy. But how wonderful it is that we serve a God of justice
that sees and knows all things. A God that raises a standard against the devises of
the enemy. The devil might have thought he had won but God was not about to
fold his arms and let a silly text message, ruin a beautiful relationship between
George and Sandra. Tensions are high and Fingers crossed as we anticipate what
was about to go down that very afternoon.

Immediately George read that single sentence that sent chills down his spine, he
removed his eyes from Sandra's phone and tried to redirect his focus back to what
he was working on, but it was almost impossible for his mind to completely ignore
that text message. As a mature and reasonable man that George was, he kept the
information to himself and didn't say a word to Sandra who was busy cooking in
the kitchen. Deep down in his heart, he wanted to see her reaction when she returns
and reads the text.
After about an hour later, Sandra returned to the livingroom to inform George that
food was ready to be served. He smiled and walked straight to the dining table as
Sandra brought the food from the kitchen and served him. The meal looked
absolutely delicious and George couldn't help but compliment her food. "This taste
amazing, thanks babe" he said with a faint smile and Sandra blushed afterwards.
"You are welcome dear, I already ate some in the kitchen while cooking so my
tummy is a bit full. I will join you if I get slightly hungry again" she replied and
walked to the livingroom to have a seat.

As Sandra walked to the livingroom, George observed her subtly as she took her
seat and picked up her phone from where it was lying. Immediately she looked at
the phone's screen, her face changed instantly and looked as that of a confused
person. The atmosphere was quiet as she scrolled through her phone in silence.
George behaved as though he was engrossed in his food but was actually watching
her every move. No one said a word to each other for about two minutes, till
Sandra broke the silence.

"Hi Babe, uhrmm, I think I should share this with you because we promised that
we wouldn't keep any secrets in this relationship" Sandra confusingly said and
walked towards George with her phone on her palm. George behaved as though he
knew nothing and immediately showed concern. "What's that babe? Is everything
ok? Talk to me boo" he said in a concerned tone. She had no idea that he already
knew what she was about to reveal to him.

When Sandra got to where George was seated, she handed her phone over to him
and sat next to him at the dinning table. "Babe I just received a text from a guy I
used to know several years back. He was a friend to me but was in a relationship at
the time so we remained friends and didn't take anything further. I just received a
message from him now saying he wants me back. We were never in an intimate
relationship when we were still in close contact with each other. We were only
friends then so it's quite shocking to receive this sort of message from him. I
wouldn't lie, I was attracted to him then but that feeling and attraction died years
back. We promised each other that there would be no secrets in this relationship,
that's why I feel it's right for me to reveal this to you" she calmly said.

For the first time in George's life, he crushed any remaining doubts he had and
gave a lady his 100% loyalty and trust. Deep down, he was scared that Sandra
would keep that little detail from him, but was amazed at how she came clean and
was totally honest to her Man and her Relationship. If he was initially having any
doubts about marrying Sandra, all doubts vanished at that moment due to that tiny
seed of honesty. It was after she was done talking that he spoke for the first time.

"I love you so much baby, thanks for being honest about little things like this, it
means I can trust you with big things too. You are genuine and I respect you even
more now than I did before. I love you baby" George calmly said and gave Sandra
a passionate kiss on her soft lips. He didn't reveal to her that he already saw the
text message.

George dusted everything beneath the rug and held her tightly as they locked lips
together. He later told Sandra to reply Dominic and handle the situation however
she deemed fit. He assured her that he trusted her and would let her handle
everything the way she felt was the best. Case closed!

That day was such a blessing in disguise for the two lovebirds because their
relationship became 10 times stronger afterwards. A text message the devil
intended to ruin them with, ended up making them more stronger and in love with
one another. It's such a relief that the case ended almost immediately it started.
Praise God!

Days passed and it got closer to Sandra's Golden Thirtieth (30th) birthday. At that
point in her life, she wasn't bothered anymore if she clocked 30 and was still
unmarried. For some strange reasons, she was no longer deeply rooted into that
fear she initially had of staying unmarried till age 30. Sandra now loved her life
and accepted every circumstance of her life wholeheartedly. As the golden age
drew nearer, she had no idea of the surprise that laid ahead. God was about to
surprise her but she had no idea of what was coming.

It turns out that George bought a beautiful engagement ring immediately after the
incident that happened with Dominic. He kept it in his possession waiting for the
appointment time to propose to Sandra but never found the right time to do so. As
her 30th birthday drew nearer, he came up with an awesome idea for the
engagement.
It happened on the eve of Sandra's 30th birthday. She wasn't feeling too well so
George when down to her house and drove her to his house so he could take proper
care of her that night. When she arrived at his house, she took her bath, ate and
drank some medication she came along with before dozing off to sleep. There
wasn't any time for them to talk or bond due to Sandra's health condition.

As Sandra slept that night, he gently inserted the ring into her finger and kissed her
forehead before retiring to the guest room to sleep there. Fortunately, she slept all
night without waking up in between sleeps so as not to notice the shinny ring on
her finger. Everything was still unknown till the next morning.

When Sandra woke up that morning, she was feeling better and did her normal
stretch. She was still feeling sleepy but knelt down to pray to God because it was
her 30th birthday. She bowed her head and said; "Dear Lord, thank you for
everything. There are so many reasons for me to cry today but I choose not to
dwell on those reasons, but rather to dwell on the reasons that put smiles on my
face. I thank you for life and for every wonderful person in my life today. I
specifically thank you for my loving partner George. I would spend forever
praying if I begin to list out everything I am grateful for today. I love you so much
Lord and Happy birthday to me. May today bring me more joy than sorrow.
Amen!" She calmly said.

When Sandra was done praying, she had no idea that George was at the door
listening to every word. He remained unnoticed till she opened her eyes and was
about getting up when her eyes caught the huge shiny object that was in her finger.
It took few seconds before her mind could wrap around the fact that it was an
engagement ring.

Immediately Sandra figured out what was going on and was about screaming,
George's voice interrupted from behind saying; "Babe, will you do me the honor of
being my wife?".

End of episode 7
Stay tuned tomorrow to see what happened next.

Written by Sonia Okehie

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 8)

⭐Like Before Reading⭐

If believing in Love is a crime, then I will gladly take the lead to my cell room and
if Loving is wrong, then I never want to be right. What an amazing feeling it is to
believe in something as beautiful and uplifting as Love. God's timing is the best
when it comes to finding your soulmate and it's safe to say that George and Sandra
were meant to be.

The proposal of a lifetime took place in George's bedroom on the very day Sandra
dreaded all her life. A day that began with uncertainties of what the future held for
her marital life, happened to be the day her 'Beau' put a ring on it.

There were diverse emotions in the air that morning because everything still felt
like a dream to Sandra. She found herself crying, smiling and laughing at the same
time after George popped the question. George was all smiles as he calmly stared
at his future wife to-be, waiting for her to accpet his proposal. On seeing that she
couldn't stop crying, he drew closer to her and knelt down where she was kneeling
too.

"Babe you are leaving me hanging, I need to hear my 'Yes' because I'm dying to
kiss you right now" George calmly said and before he knew it, Sandra planted a
soft kiss on his lips and whispered into his ears "Yes, Yes, Yes.. I love you so so
much". Immediately she officially accepted the proposal, he smiled and held her
waist tightly. They kissed passionately afterwards and didn't want to let go of their
grip on one another. It was such a beautiful and everlasting memory that would
always linger in their hearts.

Finally, Sandra was now officially taken off the market. Words would fail me to
fully explain the joy that overtook Sandra's heart at that moment. It felt as if her
whole life just began that day. No matter how many proposal videos you watch or
how many proposals you might have been a witness to, you will never truly
understand that feeling until you are the one proposing or being proposed to.
Everything felt magical and that birthday turned out to be the best birthday ever in
Sandra's life.

After the birthday celebration, the couple officially broke their engagement news
to their families and friends over the phone. Everyone couldn't contain their joy as
they shared in the couple's joy. Sandra kept flashing her ring to anyone that gave
her audience. They all laughed and blushed at the newly engaged lady.

Days passed and the wedding preparation began. Despite the date being months
ahead, the couple took no chance in making preparation towards their big day.
Sandra began to get her bridal train and wedding dress together, same with George.
They began preparing early so as not to rush or miss anything.

Everyone was super excited and couldn't wait for the days to drew nearer to the D-
day. While there was rejoicing in one camp, I can't say same for Dominic's camp.

It turns out that Dominic heard about Sandra's proposal on social media and had
been feeling uneasy ever since. It's been months since Sandra clearly put him in his
place by telling him that she was in a serious relationship with someone else.
Despite getting the message clearly, he somehow felt they would break up along
the way so he could have another shot with her. But unfortunately, Sandra and her
Beau were now officially engaged and were headed to the alter.

As the days went by and the wedding drew near, Dominic figured it was best he
acted fast or else it would be too late for him to ever have Sandra to himself again.
He thought of what to do but no idea was forth coming for weeks. After about a
month later of being clueless on what to do, the desperate man decided to take the
bull by the horn and approach George face to face.

Due to Sandra's constant tags on George's social media accounts, Dominic was
able to know his identity and where he worked. After gathering enough details, the
desperate man stricked one fateful afternoon.

It happened one busy afternoon at work that George received a notice from his
secretary, saying someone wanted to see him. When George asked for the person's
identity, the secretary revealed the name 'Dominic'. Without knowing anyone that
bears that name, he asked the secretary to let the person in.
While George waited for the unknown visitor, his mind went down memory lane to
the day Sandra revealed a certain 'Dominic' to him. He doubted if it was the same
person from his fiance's past but maintained his cool as he waited for the person to
walk into his office.

Few minutes later, an equally handsome gentleman walked into George's office.
"Hello, nice meeting you George'" the stranger said, "Nice meeting you too, my
secretary says you are Dominic, right?" George inquired just to be very sure and
the gentleman nodded 'Yes' and took his seat.

There was silence for few seconds as both of them looked confused on what to do
next. George was the first to break the silence after he figured Dominic was
holding back his speech.

"Please how can I help you?" George asked and Dominic smiled faintly. He looked
at George for few seconds before finally breaking his silence. "You have
something that belongs to me and I want it back" he bluntly said.

Immediately, George figured whom Dominic truly was. He sat up properly and
prepared for whatever was about to go down. Suddenly, the atmosphere became
tensed as two men that were in love with one woman were about to confront
themselves. There was fire on the mountain but no one was running yet.

When Dominic was done making that funny statement, George smiled faintly and
shook his head. "Now I know whom you are. You are my fiance's friend, aren't
you?" He said but Dominic wasn't there for jokes. "George or whatever you call
yourself, I am here to tell you to back off from Sandra; she is mine and has always
been mine. I don't bloody care if you put a ring on her finger, I would replace it
immediately you exit our lives. Do you get it?" Dominic angrily said.

At that moment, George lost his cool because it's apparent that Dominic had
crossed the line. "I would let everything you just said slide because I don't expect
much from a guy that let a beautiful and precious jewel like Sandra slip through his
fingers. Now listen, if you think I am moved by these your empty words, then you
must have another think coming and if you also think that I will leave Sandra for a
loser like you, then you must be crazy. You should be wearing glasses because it's
apparent your eyes are in bad condition. If your eyes were perfectly fine, then you
would have seen the gold in her when you both were still friends, but it's clear you
couldn't see well enough. I forgive you for barging into my office unannounced but
I won't be too nice if I still see you here in the next two minutes. Get lost because I
am never letting go of Sandra's hand. Make sure to shut the door behind you.
Nonsense!" George furiously said.

With the look of things, it's safe to say that 'world war 3' was about to go down that
very afternoon because Dominic was not ready to step an inch outside that office
until George comply to his demands.

Just as things were about to get messy, the door opened and it was no other person
than Sandra. Immediately she entered inside with a food hamper that contained her
fiance's lunch, her eyes jammed with Dominic's eyes and her heart dropped.

Out of shock, the hamper fell off Sandra's hand and scattered on the floor. She held
her chest and curiously said; "What in the world is going on here?".

The Dreaded Thirty (episode 9 & 10)

Final episodes!

Regret is a painful and unpleasant experience that no one deserves to go through.

It's quite difficult to know if a certain situation would lead to regrets because no
one knows tomorrow. When it comes to the matter of the heart, it's better to trade
wisely and with caution so as not to lose someone precious in your life. Dominic
unfortunately found himself in a tight position when Sandra was still in his life. He
couldn't have done anything differently to save his relationship with her then
because he had someone else in his life. Reagradless, Dominic just have to deal
with the sad reality that he has lost Sandra and wasn't getting her back without a
fight.

On seeing Dominic in George's office, Sandra was extremely shocked because she
never imagined such thing happening. The only thing she could find herself saying
at that moment was "What is going on here?".

There was silence for a while before George spoke out. "Babe, I am equally as
surprised as you are. This man showed up in my office unannounced and has been
making empty threats since he got here. I'm at that verge of losing my composure
and manners if he doesn't leave my office this very minute" he angrily said.

Immediately George was done talking, Sandra turned towards Dominic's direction
and confronted him. "Why are you here after I told you clearly few months ago
that I am in a serious relationship with someone else. When you told me years back
that you were in a relationship, hence we couldn't be lovers, I respected your
relationship and took a permanent walk out of your life. I never invaded your life
neither did I disrupt your happiness with your significant other. Why can't you do
same now the table has turned and you are on the hot seat? Listen very clearly,
don't let this happen again, otherwise I won't be this nice. Please if you can't share
in my happiness as an old time friend, then don't bother showing your face in my
life again. The least you can do is to be happy for me and wish me well, not barge
into my fiance's office to make empty threats. I don't want anything to do with you
so please, back off my life for good and never show your face again. I pray you
find the right person for you because that person is clearly not me. If you have
nothing positive to say or do, then I think it's best you leave my fiance's office" she
outrightly said.

For some strange reasons, the atmosphere calmed down a bit and was not longer as
tensed as it was when Sandra initially came in. Dominic was down but didn't let his
weakness show. He shook his head and sighed before walking out the door. But
before he left, he looked at the couple and said "Happy Married Life".

After Dominic left the office, Sandra hugged George tightly and gave him a peck
on his lips. "I am sorry babe, I have no idea how he got your office address" she
sadly revealed but George told her not to worry and that he understands how far a
desperate person can go. Immediately, he called his secretary and instructed her
not to let Dominic into his office again. He also told his secretary to call the
cleaners so they can clean up the mess from the food hamper.

After that day, George and Sandra became more discreet about their personal lives.
They posted less on social media and even put their accounts on private. The last
thing they needed was another unexpected visit from Dominic. As the days went
by, the couple gradually forgot about the incident that happened days back and
didn't let it steal their joy anymore.
As Sandra and George's wedding day drew nearer, they couldn't be more happier.
George bought a new house to start his new family and moved from his old
apartment to the house. Sandra was extremely happy when she heard the good
news. Their future seemed extremely promising and at the look of things, it's safe
to say that their marriage would be blissful.

Planning a wedding wasn't as easy as Sandra had first thought. Despite having a
wedding planner, she was still very much involved in her wedding preparations.
While she was busy trying to get her bridal train together, she was also trying to
come up with the perfect wedding vows for George.

This struggle can also be relatable to George too because he was going through the
same thing. The quest for the perfect wedding vows wasn't an easy one for both
parties. They wanted their vows to come from the heart and also wanted it to be as
genuine as possible. However, there wasn't much time on their hands to come up
with the best vows ever.

Finally, the D-day came and everyone was so excited to gather for the wedding
ceremony of two people that were so dear to their hearts. Everyone dressed their
best as they arrived the church venue to witness the joining together in holy
matrimony of Sandra and George. The couple arrived shortly and the church
wedding began.

After series of activities, it was now time for the couple to say their vows to each
other. Geoege was the first to say his vows so the floor was given to him to do so.
At first he was nervous but immediately he looked into Sandra's eyes, the words
began to flow effortlessly. "Today still seems like a dream to me because never in
my lifetime did I ever imagine myself getting married to an amazing lady like you.
Since the day you walked into my life, all you have done is show me what true
love means. You came into my life at a time I least expected to meet my soulmate.
It took me zero minute to realize that you are the one I want to spend the rest of my
life with. I am not good with making promises but I promise to make everyday of
your life a beautiful one. So far as I live, you will have no reason to cry.
Everything you will ever need or want, I will provide. I forgive you in advance for
your flaws, mistakes and shortcomings. Divorce is never an option in our marriage.
I promise to be the best husband to you and I promise to never let you down. I love
you today, tomorrow and forevermore baby. Thank you for choosing me!" He said.
Extraordinary everyday from
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Before George finished saying his vows, tears began to drip from Sandra's eyes.
Her heart melted instantly due to the magnitude of George's vows. She looked into
his eyes with her teary eyes and said; "I could say 'Thank you' to God for a
thousand years for bringing you into my life, but it still won't be enough to express
how thankful I am to God for making me cross path with an angel like you. Being
your wife is one of the best things that ever happened to me because I get to wake
up right next to you for the rest of my life. I waited too long for you but you were
worth the wait. I promise to love you for the rest of my life and make you a happy
man all your life. You are my angel, my king and lover. My heart is and will
forever be yours. Thank you for making me the happiest woman ever. I love you
baby!" She said.

The whole atmosphere suddenly began emotional and everyone couldn't help but
tear up, blush or smile. It was such a memorable moment for the love birds as they
seal their union before God. Rings were exchanged and the couple kissed
passionately afterwards. It was such a beautiful ceremony with positive vibes only.

Shortly afterwards, the reception kicked off. Everyone headed for the venue to
wine, dine and make merry in celebration of George and Sandra's union. Everyone
danced in excitement with the couple and had the best time of their lives. The
couple were all smiles and had great fun at their wedding ceremony.

After the wedding, everyone retired to their various houses. Sandra and George
retired to a hotel for an early honeymoon retreat. Their wedding night was blissful
as the couple intimately ministered to each other. Sandra had the best night of her
life because George was very good in bed and knew how to handle her. They had
the best time of their life and it was a great kick start to their 'Forever' journey. The
honeymoon lasted for two weeks before their life gradually returned back to
normal for the newly weds.

Days and months passed and life was nothing but blissful for Sandra and George.
One fateful day, Sandra woke up feeling sick, she threw up a couple of times and
decided to visit the pharmacy to buy a pregnant test kit on her way back from
work. After work that day, she went to the pharmacy to buy the test kits. When she
returned home, she went into the bathroom to test herself and confirm her doubts.
The test results came out 'Positive' and Sandra almost collapsed due to excess joy.
She held her chest as she tried to digest the good news.

Immediately George returned from the office that day, Sandra ran and hugged him
tightly. "Babe, you seem very happy, what's going on?" He curiously asked. Tears
dropped from her eyes as she handed over the test kits to him. As George
confusingly looked at the test, his eyes cleared when he saw 'Positive' clearly
written on the screen. Out of excitement, he screamed for joy and gave his wife a
tight hug. He kissed her passionately and kept saying "Thank you Lord". The
couple kept the news to themselves for a while before informing their family and
friends. Everyone shared in their joy and were very happy for them.

Just when the couple felt God had done so much for them, they weren't aware that
he was about to blow their minds away. Turns out that they went for scan to find
out the sex of their baby. After the scan, the doctor dropped a shocker; "You are
having twins!" The doctor happily announced.

Oh My! You need to see how happy Sandra and George were. They were
extremely happy and didn't know why God was embarrassing them with blessings
upon blessings. With the look of things, it's safe to say that God's mighty hands
were upon them. Their union was blessed and there was no two ways about it.

Sandra's pregnancy was without many complications. She was pampered by her
husband, family members and friends; whatever she needed was given to her. As
the delivery date drew nearer, everyone prayed and asked God for safe delivery.

One fateful evening on the 9th month, Sandra's water broke and she was rushed
into the labour room. She had severe contractions but was positive that she would
give birth safely. After about 20 minutes of labour, she gave birth to a bouncing
baby boy and girl and they were named 'Restore & Hope'.

God is never in a hurry, but always on time. Don't rush God, but rather trust his
timing and believe that he would never put you to shame. God wants the best for
you more than you want the best for yourself, so trust his best for you!

The End!
NOT FOR SALE!!!!!!