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I COULDN'T BELIEVE my ears. My mom asking me this kind of a question meant she have deciphered my behavior. Another shocking thing was that she didn't appear surprised when I told her that I was in love with Stephanie.

"Son?" my mum called.

"Yes ma." I replied.

"I'm happy that you've really changed from your bad behavior and I'm happy Stephanie has inspired you positively but Josh you have to be careful; you're too young to be in a relationship, you still have a long way to go."

I already knew where my mom was driving at. "Mom?"

"Yes Joshua."

"I know all these you are trying to say, I know girls can ruin a boys destiny once the guy starts putting all his attention on the girl, but I hated girls yet my destiny was ruining. Mum, everything is just by choice, anyone that want to ruin his or her destiny would eventually ruin it with or without any girl. Stephanie is so special mom. She makes me happy. She motivates me positively. She's just an angel mum, I am changed thanks to her."

"I know son, it just that in this country, youths deceive themselves in the name of love."

"I know mom, they believe love is all about sex but mom, I'm not a kid. What I feel for Steph is way beyond sex. I love Stephanie and I will never like to ruin her destiny. I will never have sex with her until we are married. I promise you."

'Son, how come you know all these?" my mom asked so surprised.

"Mom, I'm not a kid, I'm in SS2 class entering SS3 by next term, do you think I'm still a child?"

"Hmm!" my mom mused in shock. "Okay son, but please don't disappoint me."

"Okay ma, I won't disappoint you and I won't disappoint God, I promise." I said smiling and my mom laughed.

"That's my son."

My mom was so happy that she even instructed me to invite Stephanie for a dinner and I did as she told me and luckily, Stephanie agreed. She came to our house the next day been Sunday in the evening. She was so gorgeously dressed in a skirt and a sleeveless blouse with her hair covered with a face cap. Since I knew her, I haven't seen her plait her hair unless weaving but today, her hair was just packed and covered with the cap and it made her so beautiful. I noticed that her appearance was so amazing to me those days though she seldom wore those her Mary too fine (Mary Amaka) outfits then.

I ran to welcome her and I collected her small hand bag and held her hand. I could see my mom on the top of our parapet roof watching us with a smile. Stephanie was a little shy but I didn't know the reason for her shyness. My dad wasn't around and she normally interacts with my mom freely like her own mom, although she did that to the most of the mothers in our church. I didn't know why she now felt uncomfortable and shy in our house.

My mom welcomed her like a daughter who had been away for a long time. We ate rice and stew with a turkey meat.

"You guys will make a good couple." my mom bolted out.

"Not again." I thought. First was you guys will make a good team now couple. But she was right in one way. Stephanie looked at me and smiled and I knew that instance that she concurred to that.

My mom after the dinner called Stephanie to her room for a private talk. I wondered what she might be telling her. I packed the dishes we ate with, cleaned the dinning table and washed the dirty dishes yet, they weren't through with their discussion. I then became perplexed. Not long after, I heard a loud laughter ensuing from the both ladies as they came down to join me in the living room.

"I'm sorry Josh for keeping you waiting of your guest." My mom said as they came down the stairs.

"No problem mom." I replied happy that Steph was back and happy too.

That evening was so sweet to me as the three of us played cheerfully. But it turned bitter as soon as it was time for Steph to go. I really wished she would sleep over but it was impossible.

"I want you to also come to our house tomorrow or next in the evening." Stephanie said while I was walking her home.

"That will be nice." I said.

Mrs Andrew Ikeoha, Stephanie's mom doesn't have a problem. Stephanie's dad is late and only Stephanie, her mum, her junior brother Moses and her elder sister Juliana makes up the family now. Neither of them was troublesome. In fact, for the few moments I've been close to Stephanie's family, they've all being friendly though I've never met Juliana who was in school.

"I'll come tomorrow." I concluded and she smiled.

"Great, I will be expecting you."

We continued walking down the streets and soon, Mrs Andrew as we normally called her drove by and stopped.

"My children." she said as she lowered the window of her vehicle.

Mrs Andrew was fond of calling everyone her children including my mom; she was not even old enough to give birth to my mom yet she calls her my child. She was not even an old aged woman, maybe just a bit. She to me might be a late forty aged woman or early fifty. She has Stephanie's face and I know she was beautiful only that age was merciless.

"Mom good evening ma." Stephanie said.

"Good evening ma." I added.

"You are welcome my children, I can see that you guys are taking your time out."

"Not actually ma," I said. " I was only walking her home."

"Now that my mom is here, I would save you the stress of walking all the way to my house then coming back again. I think it would be better if I join my mom." she said as she walked to the other side of the car.

"Okay bye." I said forcing a smile. I didn't want to be saved from any stress. I could even walk her to Enugu if I was asked to. I always wanted to be with her. I couldn't tell her not to join her mom, it could make Mrs Andrew mad, or maybe not.

"Remember tomorrow." Stephanie said as she entered the car.

"No problem."

"Bye son." Mrs Andrew said as she drove off. I Stood there watching them until they drove out of my sight. Stephanie's house wasn't even far from that spot. I walked a bit towards Stephanie house with the hope of seeing her once again but stopped and went back sadly. I kept thinking of her and I prayed tomorrow should come fast. I kept kicking the empty coca-cola can I saw beside the road with my hands crossed together behind me.

When I reached my house, my mom seeing how moody I was tried to cheer me up and she actually succeeded; she was quite talented with that. I spent the whole evening with my mom alone. My granny left two days ago and my dad traveled. It was then I pleaded with my mom to bring my siblings home ASAP and she promised to talk to my dad about it. Staying lonely began it effect that evening and I discovered how important my granny was to me and how important my annoying sister and brother was to me. Maybe Stephanie made all these possible. My love for her was now 90%; in fact, my love for my mom was 95% while that for Stephanie was 93%. It was unbelievable. I know you would want to ask about my love for my dad, well maybe it has added with 30½% making it 84%.

The next day, after school, I went to her house. I was served with a sumptuous egusi soup with garri. Mrs Andrew treated me like an in-law which I would be in time to come. With the way Mrs Andrew interacted with me, I knew she had no problem with me being Stephanie's close friend. I didn't know it would be possible; I was a bad boy, you know.

Mrs Andrew also called both of us together and gave us some motherly advise. One of them was, "don't let your closeness get in between your relationship with God and don't let yourselves be drove away from your dreams and visions in life." Well, one was already happening because my dreams was to grow, never marry and set up an organization against women. That childish you know. Stephanie have made me realize that and with Stephanie's help, I was setting up a new ambition in life. Stephanie has always being a helping hand to me as she lectured me in subjects I found hard and I was making progress in my academic life just in a matter of a month and two weeks of being with Stephanie. She never distracted me, rather she motivated me. We promised Mrs Andrew not to behave like some of our youths who deceive themselves with lust in the name of love thereby destroying their destinies. We promised her never to disappoint her.