If I am to Judge

-Monica, you are the woman after my heart so I don't understand why you are running away from me. Most times, you miss the right guy because of a distraction nearby. I know that I might not be classy, might not drive the latest SUV but I know how to treat a woman right.

-You are funny Nnamdi, I have told you times without number that I am not ready for office romance.

Nnamdi and Monica works in the same office as sales executives and he wants to date her but she kept her distance not only because they work in the same office but from indicatuon, she wasn't ready for a relationship but he wouldn't give up.

-Why do some women play hard to get? I mean why are you playing hard when we are meant to be? He asked her

Nnamdi believed that she is the right person for him and he meant well but how do you know a guy who meant well when most times what guys actually want is to have fun? You see, girls are not stupid. Infact a lot of girls knows when a guy is out just for a reward because when a guy becomes too good to a girl and at some point wants something attached to being her nice guy, she understands that he wants to be rewarded with relationship, sex and romance.

Playing hard to get is a tactics most smart ladies use and it works in most cases because most times, I said most times and not all the time, a guy considers a woman that gave him tooth and nail very special, you will hear him say that ' this lady is special to me'. Most guys believe that a woman that gave them serious sleepless night and moments of devising a tactical break-in is confident of who she is, she is not like most women out there who falls easily to what a man posses or profess.

Many a time, a woman makes herself to be a prize to be won but in the process a guy who isn't confident of himself backs off and that is what scarces ladies in guys because every woman wants a guy who is confident of himself and one way of pulling this is by hanging around and keep pushing no matter how hard she resist and that is Monica's strategy. Nevertheless, Nnamdi wasn't ready to back off but a situation arose and they would never see each other again. She was transfered to the new company branch in the capital and it's bye bye Nnamdi.

Playing hard to get sometimes subjects a woman to a very difficult situation because although that what is meant to be must surely be but playing hard to get stops a woman from expressing her true feelings and when a guy is worked up to keep a woman's attention balanced, she ends up losing her sense of attraction and this leads to a situation where she begins to feel insecured. Insecurity comes in different forms just like what happened to Monica and she voiced it out

- You see Nnamdi, I am going to miss you a lot. Infact if there is anyone I will miss when I am gone; it's you. You always make my day and honestly I like you.

- We can still make this work Monica, I don't want you to leave so decline this transfer, just say the word and I will make it happen.

Monica refused to decline the transfer offer as suggested by Nnamdi and two months afterwards, she left for the capital. Her departure initially affected Nnamdi's input in the company though he kept in touch with her but as days turned months and months years, he accepted the situation but one thing he never failed to do was thinking about Monica. He was among the company staffs that attended her late brother's funeral and that gave him opportunity to once again meet her in person.

- Monica, I know that this is not the right time to do this although I have tried all these years to make you understand

Monica didn't allowed him to finish talking, she interrupted him...

- To make me understand that you want to add me to the ladies you slept with right? Listen Nnamdi, we are both adults, we can have conscious sex and that's if I want so stop preaching love to me because you don't love me besides you don't know who i have been with

- I don't know who you have been with, we can have conscious sex, we are adults; Monica I can't believe that this is coming from you

- You heard me right

Nnamdi stared at Monica and laughed. His reaction showed a real man because a woman's attitude doesn't change a man rather it strengthens his guts. Nnamdi kept in touch with her and never missed sending her romantic text messages every now and then and on her birthday which came a month afterwards, he called her by 12am and he has done this for the past six years. But this year, he didn't waste much time praying for her over the phone rather he simply said the words the moment she answered the call.

- Monica darling I am enthralled by your beauty, mesmerised by your charisma and spellbound by your love. No wonder I am always thinking about you. Happy birthday Angel.

He snapped the call and she called him back to appreciate him because one thing is sure, even if he doesn't truly love her, remembering her special day every given year meant something to Monica. Three months afterwards they ran into each other at the airport while vacating so while waiting for their flights, Nnamdi felt that it was a good opportunity for him so he switched their conversation about the gubernatorial election in which Monica's uncle won the election to their situation

- If we aren't meant to be, we would not be sitting here today, fate has done it's own for us so don't throw this away

- I can't believe that we are going to the same country, gush! Well, now I have company but an unsolicited one

They both laughed out very loud then Nnamdi cut the laughter short because he needed to say this while she was in this mood he thought

- Monica, you did the right thing by leaving for the capital because all these years, I came to understand one thing and here we are

- What do you understand all these years?

Sometimes fate has a way of fixing situations and that was exactly what happened between Monica and Nnamdi. They both never knew that they took vacation the same month and also planned to travel to the same country. Funny enough, they both knew nobody in Australia but chose to simply visit the country so running into each other at the airport fixed one thing for Nnamdi; they were going to share the holiday apartment he booked and already paid for in Sydney.

At first she felt reluctant about the whole thing but staying in the apartment would enable her save two thousand dollars. It was just fun for both of them from the moment the plane touched down in Syndeyn and the one bedroom suite was fine because Nnamdi chose to sleep on the couch in the sitting room while Monica slept on the bed inside the room.

- Monica honestly, this is the best vacation of my life and it will remain in my memory for a very long time.

- The same with me Andy, infact you made my visit to this country special

- That is because you are a special lady

- Don't flatter me Andy, I am not special and if there is anyone special here then it's you because only a special man will treat a lady the way you treated me

Two weeks into their holidays was extremely a memorable one, they toured the country together, visited lots of monuments. Infact, one of the things Monica had in mind was that sharing the apartment with him might turn out to something else and as much as they both looked up to crossing the other lane, Nnamdi chose to give her intimacy instead and that was what got her wondering if he was actually for real so that afternoon while cooking, they got talking.

- So what exactly does men want in a wife?

- I will answer you from a man's perspective and not as the society put it. Honestly although sexual skill tops the list. However men want a woman who is affectionate and understanding. A woman who has a mother's quality, all men passed through the corridor of a woman they trust and feared; their mother so once they don't see something about their mother in a potential wife; nah nah nah. They play fowl

- Are you serious?

- Believe me, Men don't want a potential wife to compete with their mother but they set a standard based on what they see in their mother

- What are the standards?

- They varies Monica but I will give you just three; caring, forgiven and orderly.

- Do you see any of these in me since you claim to love me?

- Monica, we have just two days left in this country and i must be honest, there is a part of you I saw this past weeks and I am greatful that you agreed to share this apartment with me

- You didn't answer my question.

Nnamdi smiled as he watched her wash the vegetables then she began to laugh.

Life doesn't really give us what we want but the choices we make leads us to either our wants of simply spoil our stands that is why treating the people you meet as you would want to be treated matters a lot because things are not always what it seems. This thing called Love has a way of knocking us down because when we think that it has clicked, the other side of it just turn around and leave us broken and that's exactly what happened when Nnamdi and Monica came back from their trip to Australia. Nnamdi felt that all the good times he gave her would make her change her mind but women can be funny atimes.

- It was a wonderful experience with you Nnamdi and thanks for letting me stay in your apartment

- You don't have to thank me, it's a big privilege for me to have you under the same roof

They parted ways and the next coming week was something else because Monica went back to work very happy but Nnamdi began seeing his mistakes and recollecting everything that happened between them, he realized that he fucked up. Women don't like men who comes in close contact with a dove then let it fly away, they like men who when this happen, grabs the dove, pet it and gage it. Nnamdi finally understood what she meant that night when they came back from the club and she said that she was cold, instead of cuddling her, he turned on the heater and gave her two more blankets.

That was the signal but he messed it up and she simply saw a man who wasn't yet ready to handle his responsibilities like an Alpha. Ninety percent of women wants an Alpha male and Monica falls into this category but there is something wonderful about Alpha males. Every Alpha male understands exactly how to treat his own fuck up and that's exactly what Nnamdi did. He traveled six hundred kilometers to attend Monica's birthday two weeks after they returned and although she didn't plan to celebrate her birthday, he had it set up with her sister who was based in the capital. She invited Monica to her house with the pretence that she was sick but she got to the house only to find her parents and co workers.

She couldn't believe that Nnamdi planned the whole thing.

- My God, you got me here Andy. Thank you so much

- You are special to me baby and I can't live my life with any other woman, remember that day at the airport when I told you that you did the right thing by accepting the transfer? Well, there was no day I didn't miss you and all those moments showed me that you are the woman for me, you asked me if I see similarities between you and my mother, to be honest darling, you are down to earth, you cook better than my mother and above all, you are prayerful which is just typical mum for you.

Monica blushed then Nnamdi drew her closer to himself and this was what he said...

- I knew what you meant that night when you said you were cold but I didn't want to take advantage of the situation rather I want us to do it on one condition

Monica smiled as she remembered that night in Sydney then stared at Nnamdi

- And what's the condition?

- If i am to judge, i will classify you excellent, will you marry me Monica?

It's been fourth five years after her twenty ninth birthday and Nnamdi has not only proved to be an Alpha but a romantic one because he always made out time to cook with his beloved wife Monica.