Bianca and Bob had the most wonderful love story. Theirs was a story that proved the theory that love is blind. The universe brought them together from opposite ends of the earth and together they created something beautiful. Everyone who heard their story was left in awe, some asking the exact prayers that she had used in asking for a life partner.
You see, Bianca and Bob met on the phone. Bianca worked as a receptionist in a huge company. She had worked there for the last ten years and was now about to hand in her resignation letter to pursue her education. She had saved enough money to take up a course at the university. Luckily she also found a part-time job meaning that she would have the time to do both. Bianca was tired of her current job and looking forward to the next. The men in her office kept making advances at her, and she was least interested. You would think that they would have given up by now. But now, ten years down the line, they were still begging for her attention. But you couldn’t blame them. She had an adorable face and a matching body. There was just one problem. Bianca had a bad heartbreak years ago when she was younger and so she vowed never to invest her emotions in a man again.
On the other hand, Bob was working in a different country as a communication officer. He loved his job. He was an extrovert and so he made very many friends in the short period that he had been there. His life was simple. Work, home and occasional outings with his workmates. He was a man of integrity. He worked hard and the output of his work was evident. Within no time, the company was making huge profits and this success was attributed to his hard work and brilliance. His love story was different. He had been involved with this girl who became very sick and eventually, she died. He was left completely heartbroken and had not been interested in moving on in terms of his romantic life. He said that he had loved and lost, and those memories were enough for his lifetime.
“Hello,” Bob said.
“Crystals Limited, hello,” Bianca responded.
“Who am I speaking to?” Bob asked in a manner that sounded rude.
“Well, who would you like to speak to?” Bianca answered, and then Bob hang up.
That was how they first spoke to each other. Bob had been calling to speak to the marketing manager regarding a partnership that had been discussed earlier. Unfortunately, Bianca was in a bad mood after one of her bosses spoke to her rudely. She was staring at the clock waiting for her shift to end. Then he called again.
“Hello, hi. I’m sorry if I was rude,” Bob said. Bianca couldn’t help but notice that he had a deep masculine voice, and she was impressed.
“Sorry, who would you like to speak to?”
“Mr. Weris please.”
“Well, he’s not around. He left earlier. Would you like to leave a message?”
“Yes just ask him to call me back, thank you.” He gave her his information and then he hung up.
Bianca put the phone down but she couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like. His voice was therapeutic to listen to and she immediately found herself feeling much better. She zoned out for a few minutes and when she checked the clock next, it was time to go home. She picked up her bag and started packing her things. She was ready to leave, and then she heard the phone ring again.
“Hello, hi it’s me again,” Bob said.
“Yes. How can I help you?” She asked.
“You can help me by giving me your number. I don’t know, I might be crazy, but you have a beautiful voice and I would like to get to know you,” he said.
Bianca would have caved in. But as a receptionist, she had heard those lines over and over again. She wasn’t going to fall for this one. She hang up and walked away. She had been waiting all day for this moment, and now she couldn’t wait to get home and take a bath with some wine and Jhene Aiko music. What puzzled her though, was that she had the same sentiments as Bob. She had felt something in her stomach when they first spoke, almost like butterflies. She pushed those thoughts far away and tried to refocus but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
The next Monday, Bianca was minding her business when she saw a man in a suit walk through the door. The first thing she thought was that he was cute. She looked up and then down again when she realised that he had seen her looking at him. When she looked up again he was still staring in her direction. He was walking towards her when suddenly the manager, Mr. Weris walked in.
“Good afternoon Bob.”
“Good afternoon,” Bob responded.
“This way please,” Mr. Weris said leading him towards a room.
All this time Bianca had not realised that he was the Bob she spoke to a few days ago. All she knew was that he looked good and he had a striking aura.
A few minutes later he walked out of the room with Mr. Weris. He subtly dropped a card at Bianca’s desk and when she checked, it had a note attached.
“I knew that that beautiful voice was accompanied by an even better face. Call me.”
That was how they met, and now, a year down the line, he had proposed and the wedding was set to be in a few weeks. Bianca had it all planned out. Well, she had always dreamed of a wedding with her ex but that didn’t work out. Now, she could only thank the heavens for bringing a man as amazing as Bob into her life. He was tall, chocolate skinned and had a small afro. He had two dimples on either side of his face. His personality matched his looks. He was witty and intelligent. In short, Bianca considered him a miracle.
It was now the morning of their wedding day. They had planned a beachfront wedding, with lots of flowers for the occasion. Bianca was getting dressed and she looked like an angel. Her bridesmaids looked like goddesses. It was hard to believe that they were a group of friends who were all nothing short of gorgeous. They wore long baby pink dresses with detailing on the bodice. They had matching hair, natural hair puffs held up at the top.
On the other side of the Town, Bob and his groomsmen were getting ready. Bob and Bianca had agreed to match their outfits with a small section of matching Ankara. It worked out. Excitement was in the air.
Bianca and her team had not realised what time it was until one of the aunties came rushing into the room. It was 2.30 pm and they were supposed to depart at 2.00 pm.
A trail of cars sounded at the Hems Beachfront Apartments at about 3.30 pm. There was a lot of traffic on the way. But all was forgiven when the bridesmaids got out of the car in their flawless makeup and beautifully sewn dresses.
They all lined up preparing to walk towards the location of the church service.
On the other side, a lot more was happening. Bob had been in tears for the last hour. He claimed to be overwhelmed by all that was happening. If anyone had told Bianca that he was a mess, she would probably have become overwhelmed as well. Ironically she was the composed one and ready to marry the love of her life.
The song started to play, and the audience was notified. One by one the bridesmaids walked past the beautiful seats as the crowd smiled and cheered them on. It was amazing to see everyone so happy. Bob had tried to compose himself but it was evident that there were tears in his eyes. The bride was still in the car.
Once the bridal party was done, Bob suddenly walked towards the church minister and asked for the microphone.
“I’m very sorry to waste your time, but this wedding won’t be taking place,” he said as he started to cry again.
Bianca didn’t know what was going on. She got out of the car and towards the venue accompanied by her father. She was ready to walk down the aisle when she realised that everyone was looking dull and some even crying.
“What’s going on?” She whispered to her father.
“I don’t know darling,” he responded.
Bob walked towards her with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry I have to do this Bianca. I love you, but I can’t get over my ex. I’m sorry,” Bob said and then he ran off.
*******
After the tragic wedding when Bob left Bianca at the altar, she decided that from then on she was going to focus on herself fully and actualize her dreams. She turned her attention completely to her education, and it bore fruits. She had quit her job as a receptionist while she was still with Bob. She took up a Bachelor of Arts in Commerce as she worked part-time at a call centre. She worked hard day in and day out to ensure that she remained at the top of her class and still satisfied her boss at the call centre. By the time of her graduation, she had applied for a full scholarship in Italy and they sent back an acceptance letter.
On the other hand, Bob travelled back to his country soon after he left Bianca at the altar. He was ashamed and had lost some friends because of this incident. They said that they thought he was more decisive than that, and they hated that he broke Bianca’s heart. She was a beautiful soul and had won the hearts of many. But what many people didn’t know is that Bob had not planned it out. Up until the night before the wedding, he was sure that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Something came over him that morning when he was getting dressed, and he knew that he might end up hurting her. He decided to follow his instincts and that’s how he ended up breaking her heart.
Bob decided that he wasn’t going to go after any other lady after that. He felt terrible that he had to leave a wonderful woman. She was a blessing and he had broken her spirits. He couldn’t handle the thought of it, and deep down he was heartbroken too. He spent time questioning himself and his character. How could he do such a monstrous thing?
However, Bob continued to work hard and he was eventually promoted to head manager. He had money and he used it to travel. He would go on a trip at least once every three months where he got to reflect and unplug from the reality of this life; the reality that he was responsible for another person’s sadness. He tried to contact her several times but she had blocked him on all platforms. He even sent physical letters to apologise to her, but he never got a response.
Bianca landed at the University of Milan on a fine Saturday morning. It was a beautiful city that was characterized by the preservation of cultures. She landed in the country a week before she had to report to her first class, and this was to give her ample time to settle down and begin her new life. She visited The Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral which was top on her list, and she was not disappointed one bit. It was an accurate depiction of the pictures that she had seen online. She also had an opportunity to see Leonardo da Vinci’s mural “The Last Supper,” in real life. It was a testimony of the centuries of art and culture. She instantly knew that she would love the place.
Bianca settled in her new home, a small and yet cosy one-bedroomed apartment. During her first class, she made a friend called Leonardo. He was thirty minutes late to class and needed someone to consult on what he had missed. He was from Uganda, and the fact that they were both East Africans made them instantly connect. Leonardo was tall and extremely dark-skinned. He had a connecting beard, and a voice so deep that it reminded her of Bob.
“Where are you going after this?” He asked her.
“I was just going to go back home, maybe read a book or something,” She responded.
“Don’t be so boring. Let’s take a walk around and see what this city has to offer.”
Bianca decided to accept his request. She was quite excited actually. Something about this Town and being away from what she thought was reality calmed her soul. She remembered the beautiful quote by Trevor Noah: If there’s one thing you won’t waste your money on, it’s travelling. Travel the world. See another place. Discover a different point of view. Travelling is the antidote to ignorance, that’s so true. It changes your mind, your perspective, how you believe, what you believe.
Leonardo and Bianca instantly became friends. They went everywhere together. Whether it was to class, church or a walk to the park, Leonardo and Bianca would always be together. When they weren’t together people would ask, “Where is your shadow?”
None of them planned it, but one thing led to another and the two of them decided to commit to one another. It was hard at first knowing Bianca’s predicament. She was terrified of committing to someone and it took a lot of bravery to finally say yes to him. Deep down, she knew that she was in love but accepting it was hard. It reminded her of Rihanna’s Never-Ending lyrics: It doesn’t have to feel so strange to be in love again.
They were best friends. The kind that can sit in a room silently and not feel awkward at all. The kind that treasures every single moment together. It was beautiful. If you had been watching from the side you would most definitely feel a little jealous.
They were now in the final month of their studies. Soon they would be graduating. Bianca and Leonardo both wanted to look for jobs in Milan for a while before deciding on where to settle. Leonardo asked Bianca to take a walk with him in the park. This wasn’t strange. They had done it countless times.
“Bianca, it has been such a pleasure going through this journey with you. I love you. You’re focused, and that has kept me grounded too. I’ve managed to maintain my sanity even through the darkest moments of this master’s degree.”
“Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?” Bianca asked blushing.
“Because I mean it, Bianca. I mean it from the bottom of my heart” He said.
Suddenly, Bianca heard the sound of violins moving closer to where they were seated. She was busy trying to locate where the sound was coming from when she turned around and saw Leonardo down on his knees.
“Will you marry me?” He asked.
She was surprised and it was evident. It was all completely overwhelming. She tried to get the words out of her mouth but she couldn’t. So she nodded her head and stood up to hug him tightly.
The couple decided that after graduation, they would be heading to Uganda and then to Kenya for an introduction to each other’s families. They wanted to take their time to plan the perfect wedding and so it was set to take place the following year. But first, they had to focus on their studies. This was the final stretch, and they both needed to focus on their work.
One night, Bianca suddenly became really anxious about everything. Was she making the same mistake that she had before? What if Leonardo also left her at the altar? Would she be able to live knowing that two men betrayed her? She decided to take a walk down to a nearby restaurant just to calm down.
Halfway through it started to drizzle and Bianca wanted to walk back home, but something told her to keep walking. It was quite calming. The sound of rain, the rustling of leaves and the beauty of nature. She didn’t regret it one bit.
When she walked in she saw what looked like a familiar face. She couldn’t see that far because she didn’t have her glasses on, but then he stood up and walked towards her direction. It was Bob. She wanted to walk away because all the pain she felt when he left her suddenly came back.
“Hi,” he said, in that deep masculine voice that she had fallen in love with in the first place.
“Hi,” she said in an unbothered voice and started to walk away.
Bob stood in the same spot for a few seconds. He was sad, and you could tell just by looking in his eyes. Suddenly he gained his composure and started to follow Bianca.
“Bianca! Bianca!” He said, “Please, just…What are you doing in Milan?”
“You really hurt me walking out on me during our wedding day. Now you want to act as if nothing happened.” Bianca was balancing tears as she said this.
Bob walked towards her and turned her to face him.
“Let me buy you a drink, please. I know that I can’t do anything to turn the situation around, but please I’m begging you. Let me explain what happened!”
Bianca wasn’t sure what to do but she decided she needed to resolve this issue once and for all.
They went to get a drink and Bob explained what had happened. It was very emotional. A few drinks in they were laughing like they didn’t have a bad history between them. This made Bianca remember exactly what she loved about Bob – how easy it was for him to make her laugh. Unfortunately, this was his last night in the city and he would be travelling back home the following day.
“Hey babe, where are you?” Leonardo called and asked.
“I’m out with my friend Stella. I’ll be home soon,” Bianca said and then she hung up.
“Who was that, and why are you lying to them?” Bob asked.
“Look Bob a lot has changed since you left me at the altar…” Bianca responded wiping a tear in her eyes. Bob instantly noticed the ring on her finger. It was beautiful.
“I should get back to the hotel. This was nice. We should catch up again sometime.” Bob said with a sad look in his eyes.
Bianca knew that he was hurt. He had seen the ring on her finger and he regretted ever leaving her. He opened his arms and hugged her. He kissed her forehead, and she looked up at his eyes. She felt at peace like she hadn’t in a while. They kissed, and although she felt a little guilty, she couldn’t help it. He slid a piece of paper into her pocket without her knowing and then walked away. She watched in tears as the man who was once the love of her life walked away.
When she got home and started to empty her pockets, she found the note that he had left her.
Call me. I might be crazy, but I still have feelings for you, and they’re stronger than they ever were before. My number is still the same.
Bianca remembered how they met. He had slipped a note just like this, and that note changed their life. She loved him, she really did. Even after all that he had done to her. After all those times she sat up questioning her worth, she still loved him.
A month had passed. Bianca chose not to contact Bob. She was now with Leonardo and she chose to respect him and to respect what they had. They had finished their exams and were set to travel to Uganda. Bianca had packed her bags and was excited to visit this country for the first time.
She woke up early in the morning, and suddenly her mood changed. Bob had been on her mind all night. She wondered how things would be if they were married. They would probably have kids now. She cried because she was confused. He had come, just like the first time, and completely distorted her mind. She couldn’t think straight. She wanted to tell Leonardo the truth but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
She tiptoed outside the room, wore her jacket, and took a walk to the park. She left her phone behind. She didn’t want anything to cloud her thinking. She needed to think things through. She walked around meditating about everything that had happened to her. Now, an hour later, she decided to choose the one person who had chosen her all along. She decided to go after the man who had never once disappointed her. She texted Bob.
I can’t do it. I’ve had a hard time making this decision, but I hope you understand. Things are different now, and we can’t talk anymore. Soon I’ll be a married woman. I hope you find love too.
By the time she realised it, she had taken too long and the flight to Uganda would be taking off in a couple of hours. She ran back towards the house now ready with a decision. She hoped she would make it in good time.
“Leonardo! Leonardo!” She shouted as she opened the door.
There he was seated on the couch waiting for her. As soon as she saw him she knew she had made the best decision. This was the man of her dreams, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“All this time, the universe was working out for me, and now it all makes sense,” she thought to herself.
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This story first came out on the blog as Would The Past Stay In The Past Or Would It Ruin The Perfect Love Story? and Would The Past Stay In The Past Or Would It Ruin The Perfect Love Story? (Part 2)
She Fell In Love With Him After He Had Moved On. Will She Get A Second Chance At Love?