THE PROPOSAL (Final Episode)

Here are episodes 1 and 2 if you missed it.

Ed was handsome, rich and very intelligent. His father was a former minister of works and housing. He was clearly the kind of man any woman would kill for so why on earth would he settle for her when there are a million and one beautiful women out there befitting his status? Steph just could not comprehend his decision. Or may be he was merely deceiving her and toying with her already sensitive feelings because he wants to get in between her legs? 

What else can explain this? Why would Ed want to take advantage of her weakness? Why would he want to take advantage of that which hurts her the most?! 

The more she thought of it, the more her anger rose until she was literally boiling over. 

'Sex, sex, sex! That's all these men know. But for someone to go to this extent, is sheer wickedness,' she thought furiously. 

But a part of her kept reminding her that Ed was not like that. He was a good Christian, born-again, Spirit-filled and annoyingly honest. She had never seen him flirting with the ladies in the office even when they are trying so hard to get his attention. 

'Well, people can be deceptive. You don't know what they may be doing when you are not there," Steph stubbornly brushed off the thoughts. She made up her mind to be careful and keep a distance from Ed from now on. 

The next day was work. Monday. Steph called in sick and she did so again on Tuesday. Ed had been calling her but she wasn't picking. He came around to her house but she wouldn't open. She just wanted him to stay off. 

"Ping ping" a text came in. It was Ed. Slowly but curiously she popped it open. 

"I know you have been avoiding me Steph but we need to talk. You can't do this forever. Even after talking and you still don't want me, I will let you be. I love you."

Her heart melted at the words 'I love you'. No man had ever said that to her before. They sounded so genuine, so real. 

"Ok," she finally replied. "Let's see tonight by 8. Maama's Cuisine."

Maama's was their favorite rendevous spot. 8pm and they were sitting across the table, facing each other, both of them too eager to get words off their chest. 

"Ed, I am still trying to understand why you would choose me. Look at me. No man would want to be with me!" Steph said, gesticulating at the same time. 

"What lies has the devil been feeding you with?" Ed asked as he smiled calmly. 

"How do you mean?" His question was deep and threw her off balance. 

"You know, sometimes the devil feeds us with lies like 'you are incompetent' , 'you are not beautiful', 'Who would love you this way?' but truth is beauty transcends beyond what we see physically. Beauty is in the heart and that’s the beauty you carry inside Steph. That's the beauty I have seen these few months of closely associating with you."

Her eyes widened with disbelief. Did she hear well? 

"For a little over six months, I have worked closely with you Steph and I had come to encounter the real you - the person you are on the inside. And this is what I have found: you are the most amazing, the most beautiful woman I have ever met. While most women pay more attention to their superficial qualities you pay more attention to your inner self, your person, your character. Everyday I wake up,  I realize how much I want to be with you, to spend time with you and then it clicked - I wanted more than to spend a few paltry number of times with you; I want to spend the rest of my life with you! I couldn’t believe myself initally but it is what it is. I can't deny the feelings I have for you no matter how much I try. Have I prayef on it? Yes, I have and I even all the more convinced. 

So Steph, I didn't just fall in love with your looks, I fell in love with your personality. That's the kind of love that runs deeper!"

By the time he was done talking, both their eyes were moist. Steph quickly rose up and embraced him, her tears finally flowing freely. 

"Oh Ed! I never for once would believe that something like this would ever happen to me.  I have looked down on my self because of my physical deformity without recognizing that God has equipped me and is still equipping me with a deeper kind of beauty. It took you to make me realize this truth and I embrace it. I choose to love myself and stop feeling sorry about me or constantly blame anyone for it. Everything works together for our good whether good or bad."

"I am glad you see that now. Don't ever let the devil put you down. You are fearfully and wonderfully made," Ed said, obviously delighted as he stroked the little of her back. 

Once again he dropped on his knees and asked her again,

"Steph, will you do me the honor of being my wife, spending the rest of your life with me and being the mother of my children?"

"Yes, yes!" She screamed excitedly and her answer was met with resounding claps all across the room. Steph was so shocked. She just realized the people around had been watching their emotional episode closely. She and Ed had been so engrossed in their emotional moment they didn't realize they were attracting a lot of attention.

Ed slid the ring unto her finger and the deal was sealed with a kiss. 

"And about your face, that’s something a good plastic surgeon can fix, don't you think? And even without a plastic surgery, you still are beautiful in my eyes my love, " Ed quipped in the middle of all the excitement. 

With her heart brimming with so much joy and love for this man, she threw her head back and laughed as they made there way out of the eatery into the waiting arms of the night. 

END

*Moral of the story*: Your true beauty lies in your character. Build it. Work on it. Physical beauty without character means nothing. 

Don't look down on yourself. Love yourself irrespective of your past or how you look. Don't ever let the devil put you down and make you think less of  yourself.