The Perfect Match 

Akin wasn’t sure what to expect. He hadn’t done this in years and never thought he’d do it again. A blind date. All his friends were married with kids and were worried about him. Though he was not as worried as they were initially, he agreed with them that he wasn’t getting any younger. 

At first, he put in little effort. He would meet a lady today and not call after. Or he would miss a call and not return it until days later. But something shifted when he attended a mutual friend’s 30th birthday. 

He looked around and all he could see were lovebirds. Wives ensuring that every delicacy the food vendor passed with, a piece of it landed on their husbands’ plates. Their tables were filled with the event’s delicacies, and Akin was grateful he shared the same table as them. 

It was not a one-sided thing. He saw husbands helping to fix their wives’ smeared make-up, wives leaning on their husbands at the table for a selfie, couples twinning in aso-ebi and playing with their adorable babies and young children. 

The public displays of affection were in his face. He wanted it too. He was sobered by what he was seeing. It was not from a place of envy or comparison, but more of a reality check. He craved a life partner too. 

Kids? Most definitely. A mini-him he could spoil and come home to every day. That party changed everything. 

Now he was ready to play catch-up. He was done trying to sort himself out. He had tried work, the gym, social clubs, church and even his estate. Dead ends. 

Back to the blind date. The last one? He would rather forget it. 

The lady was quite good-looking and had a decent job, but when she spoke, it sent shivers down Akin’s spine. Her voice was deeper than Barry White’s and her shoulders broader than Michael Phelps’s. Politely, he had excused himself, claiming he forgot his floss in the car. He was back home in 45 minutes and had blocked her number. 

“Trust me, Akin. This date will be worth your while. Trust me.” It was reassuring hearing that from Veronica, the wife of one of his closest friends. He had always labelled her “the perfect wife.” 

Akin stared in the mirror as he brushed his rich, shiny beard. The line from his haircut was so smooth it was visible from far away. He was draped in a bright green Lacoste polo shirt and camel-coloured chinos. He wrapped his navy-blue cardigan around his neck and slipped into his boat shoes. Then he finished it off with his Tom Ford sunglasses. 

Though he hadn’t met the lady before, he had chosen the restaurant on purpose in case of any funny business. He would use the other exit that also led outside the restaurant to escape . 

Akin smelled his breath. It was not fresh enough, so he turned back to his car, helped himself to a pack of chewing gum, got about three pieces and tossed them into his mouth. 

He would spit them out just before going in. And in he went. 

His heart started beating fast. He was having flashbacks of his last blind date. But Veronica was a sure girl. She knew his spec and shouldn’t disappoint. He stepped inside and looked around. 

He could see families, couples and friends. No lady sitting alone at her table was in sight. 

“I’m here,” he had texted Veronica. 

The deal was that when he arrived at the restaurant, she would share the lady’s number. He dialled the mystery lady’s number while trying to locate her. 

“Hi. Sorry I’m a few minutes late. I can’t locate you, though.” 

“Here. On your left, all the way down.” 

Akin could see a lady with a hat covering her face, almost as if she was hiding. She had massive sunglasses on. She was wearing a teal-coloured dress and a desert-brown jacket. It was quite a distance, but she looked okay. He walked towards her. The lady was acting strange. Almost like she didn’t want to be seen. 

“Hi, I’m Akin,” he said, trying to catch a full glimpse of the lady’s face. 

“I’m Matilda. Nice to meet you, Akin,” she responded, taking off her beach straw hat, then her sunglasses, but keeping her face down. 

The voice sounded very familiar, but she was still trying to hide her face. 

Finally, she stood up and stretched out her hand. 

Akin drew back in shock. 

“Maddy?” 

From You’re Hooked. 

That was a popular matchmaking show in the country that had millions of views and followers. 

“Shhhhhhh… don’t loud it. Bra, sit down.” 

That was the Maddy he watched on TV. Authentic and hilarious. 

“Tell me, how in the world is the host of the most popular matchmaking TV programme in the country still single?” 

“Because apparently, being good at matchmaking doesn’t make you good at being matched.” 

“But, but, my assumption was that you have been taken.” 

“By whom? I have been doing that show for three years now and that’s what everyone thinks. I even eye some of those men participants reject when they burst their balloons, but shame won’t allow me to approach them. So I thought I got a referral from a trusted friend in Veronica.” 

Akin was already praying for and blessing Veronica in his mind. 

“I can’t believe this city will allow such a gorgeous lady like you to remain single.” 

“Me too. I also can’t believe men assume I’m not available. I had no ring, for goodness’ sake. Woh! I’m hungry. Didn’t order anything because I feared the worst. That if my blind date wasn’t a fine boy, at least, I would sneak out and block the number.” 

She called for the waiter’s attention. 

Veronica, you’re the best, a smiling Akin whispered to himself.