WEDDING INVITES

The Thing About Plus Ones

Pelumi's date cancelled three hours before the wedding.

"Sorry," Chi Chi's text read. "Something urgent came up. I can't make it."

The words landed like cold rain on a carefully planned day.

He stared at his phone and sighed. His suit was already ironed, he had shaved, and he had even bought a new pair of shoes. Now, disappointment sat on his shoulders like an unwelcome guest.

Everyone would arrive hand in hand with someone they loved. He could already hear the chorus of curious aunties.

"Where's your girlfriend?"

Skipping the wedding wasn't an option. It was his cousin's big day, but attending alone felt like walking into battle without a shield.

He searched his contacts until one name floated to the surface like a lifebuoy.

Joanna.

They had never been more than neighbours who exchanged greetings that came and went like passing clouds. Nothing beyond the occasional ‘Good morning’ and ‘How are you doing?’

Desperation, however, can be a powerful motivator.

The door opened after the second knock. Joanna stood there wearing a bonnet and an oversized T-shirt.

"Yes?"

He cleared his throat. "Sorry to bother you. This is going to sound strange, but... would you like to come to a wedding with me today?"

She blinked. "Today?"

"Right now." 

She looked at him as though he had just asked her to board a rocket instead of attending a wedding. "Are you serious?"

"Completely. I'll explain everything in the car. Please."

His confidence, once as tall as a skyscraper, was beginning to crumble like dry biscuits.

Joanna studied him before smiling. "You've always seemed like a decent neighbour. Give me a little while."

Relief rushed through him like fresh air after a storm.

When Joanna finally stepped outside, time seemed to pause out of respect.

She was breathtaking. She had blossomed like a flower after the first rain, leaving Pelumi wondering how he had never truly seen her before.

He stole glances at her throughout the drive. His eyes wandered back to her as faithfully as a compass finding north. It was a mercy they didn’t crash on the way.

At the venue, everyone assumed they were a couple. Neither of them corrected anyone.

The harmless lie danced among the guests until it almost felt like the truth.

"I heard you two met during NYSC," one auntie said with a smile sharp enough to cut through silence. The aunties were already at work, spreading rumours.

Without missing a beat, Joanna nodded. "Yes. He couldn't cook to save his life."

Pelumi nearly choked on his drink.

The afternoon unfolded like a beautifully written love song.

They danced until laughter became music. They joked until strangers smiled with them. At one point, they raced to grab the last puff puff from a tray.

He had never known laughter could make someone look even more beautiful.

"You're surprisingly good company for a fake date," Joanna said.

"The feeling's mutual," Pelumi replied. "You're officially the greatest emergency plus one in history."

As evening painted the sky with shades of gold, they slipped outside, away from the cheerful noise.

"Thank you for saying yes," he said.

"Thank you for asking."

Silence settled comfortably between them, not awkward but warm, wrapping around them like a favourite blanket.

"You could have come alone," she said softly.

"I know."

"So why didn't you?"

He smiled. "I didn't want to."

She held his gaze for a heartbeat.

Then she leaned closer, her voice barely louder than the evening breeze.

"Next time," she whispered, "just ask me to dinner."