Something interesting happened on my ruracio; if it wasn’t for her mother’s intervention, I believed I wouldn’t be married.
Okay, it's not that serious, but you should have seen how my wife, Mercy, was then raging with anger.
“You lied to me. How can I trust you when these two women come by claiming to know you?
“On my ruracio, Leon!” she stormed into the house.
“You know them?” my brother asked.
“No, bro, I don’t! In fact, I have never seen them. Ever,” I responded. “Why would someone pop out of nowhere to claim to disrupt my ruracio?” I wondered.
I stared at the two women - Sarah and Emily - with contempt.
At that time, nearly all women at the ruracio were speaking with them, trying to ascertain the veracity of their accusations.
“So you sired a child before and never let us know,” one of my cousins trolled me.
There was, standing, confused.
My conscious brain couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Maybe I would get clarity later on, but my brain was processing the issue. I could hear my breath and heartbeat.
I wondered how one moment I was important, and the next, I was figuring out how to solve a crisis.
“Sired a child!” I heard a voice in my head. “How old is the kid? Does he resemble me? Should I do a DNA test!” I wondered while still rooted in the same spot.
My brain randomised lots of ideas. Did I really know them?
Then everyone rushed toward me, screaming, “Surprise!” and Mercy, my fiancee, laughing in my face.
Huh! There was a lot more to see; little wonder I couldn't figure things out a few minutes ago.
I was confused because I needed to look at the greater perspective, to take a step back and see the wide angle. It was a prank.
I sat down, ashamed of myself and then was angry and nearly left, save for her mother calmng me down.
“Babe, this is Sarah and Emily. My friends. They weren’t on the list as we wanted to tease you a little bit. Sarah’s a financial expert, and Emily’s a doctor,” my fiancee stated later on.
I breathed. I almost confessed to something I never committed.
“You remind me of last week when I went to Co-op Bank seeking a loan for my business, and a lady just right outside mistook me for another person she once knew.
“So, she was calling me Jesse, insisting that I dated the cousin some years back,” I got my voice back.
“What, how did you react?” Sarah asked as we got acquainted.
“It almost got awkward as she was even looking for her cousin’s picture to show them to me. She was like, ‘Look, it’s Caro! You don’t remember Caro?’ I walked away and even forgot to apply for the credit,” I added as we all laughed.
“I know. We all got you. But wait a minute,” she interrupted. “What did you want the loan for? On a serious note.”
“I want to expand my business. Mercy (my fiancee) and I plan on focusing on supplies full-time after our wedding,” I said.
“She didn’t tell you?” Sarah asked.
“Tell me what?” I inquired.
“That I told her about Trade Finance?” Sarah stated while scanning around maybe to see if Mercy was around.
“Maybe she mentioned, and it passed me, or she was engrossed in planning the ruracio. What’s Trade Finance?” I defended my fiancee.
“Co-op Bank through Trade Finance offers you the most affordable way to fund your business without taking up a loan. All business customers like you can access various options at the nearest branch.
“From Bid Bonds, Letters of Credit, Performance Bonds, Custom Bonds, Advance Payment Guarantees and Credit Guarantees to finance their businesses. Co-op Bank, through Trade Finance, provides LPO Financing, Bills Discounting, Invoice Discounting, Post Import Finance/Import Duty Finance, and Supply Chain Finance/Distributor Finance,” she explained.
I argued that such processes consume more time.
“No. The bank processes the documents faster and assists you in managing your risks as you can negotiate credit terms.
“They also offer flexible repayment periods, unsecured trade facilities and also secured work permits for foreigners working for your business,” Sarah added.
“That’s great, Sarah. Let me visit the bank tomorrow to apply then,” I stated, but she interjected.
“Just fill out this form online, tell Co-op Bank which Trade Finance Solutions you are interested in and whether you are a Co-op Bank account holder or not. Leave out your details, and the bank will reach out to you.
“And also ensure you have relevant documents as advised on Co-op Banks' website,” she added. “Thank me later,” she stated as she left to hang out with my fiancee.
“Need a drink,” my cousin, who was passing by, asked. “And why are you smiling?”
“Never mind. Just wondering how I’ve been struggling with funding some project, then Sarah made it easier for me,” I answered.
“Are you sure it isn’t another prank?” he asked.
“No. No. I just checked it out on Co-op Banks' website.”