Dolly coughed and scratched her teary eyes as she struggled to breathe.
Traces of chocolate-coated strawberry still on her plate.
Soon, her skin and lips had turned bluish.
“Quick, call an ambulance?” a guard at the station shouted.
A dare now hampered our Ksh2.3 million yacht date. Some games are not for romance. I wish I had not picked truth-or-dare cards.
Big question? Would you spend Ksh2.3 million to please your lover on Valentine's Day?
With the inflated costs on Valentine’s Day, some prefer celebrating a few days earlier or later to cut costs.
This year, I decided to surprise my love Dolly with time on a yacht down at the coast, and I hoped this romantic gateway would help spark our love.
“Ryan. I hate surprises. Are we doing anything on Valentine’s Day, or should I go ahead and schedule a work appointment?,” she asked a fortnight ago as she helped me with my podcast. She had reviewed the script, timed me and even helped with the storyline.
Happy with the recording. All I did was nod!
“You are making me quite anxious, babe,” she laughed, and I swept aside the issue.
She has this trademark laugh that always tags my heart. She laughs with love, and her playful nature at times overwhelms you.
Dolly is no material girl, but flowers on a romantic Valentine's Day speak volumes to her. She gets goosebumps after being gifted with chocolate-coated strawberries with a scoop of ice cream.
Breakfast in bed and rose flowers spread across red candles. Haa.
But I thought she would enjoy something different this year. Having been married for five years, I wanted to take it up a notch this year.
Whenever I researched Valentine's Day treats, rose flowers, hotel bookings, surprise vacations, fancy dinners and sweet graphic cards floated to the top
However, I settled for a chopper ride from Wilson Airport to Mombasa - her first flight.
Unlike last year, we didn’t do the couple matching outfits. Dolly looked lovely in a red dress that brought out her amazing features.
“It makes me feel like a butterfly,” she joked, adding that it sat on her skin like soft petals.
She slid her headphones on, leaned her head on my shoulder as the chopper lifted off the ground, then kissed my hand and stared out the window.
“How’s the view?” I asked her.
She smiled at me, with the red lipstick glowing on her lips, “It’s so beautiful with you in it. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Dolly had a way to my heart with her compliments. It was an art she had perfected over the years.
After resting for a few hours in Mombasa, she changed into a red bikini and paused on the yacht, tricking the sun into shining on her.
I placed my bag near the deck and joined her as we cruised the Indian Ocean, laughing and reminiscing about our young days.
As our conversation flowed, the wine added a heavy sense of pleasure.
On the return trip, as the yacht glistened in the sunrise, and the coast outline was clearer, I challenged her to truth and dare.
I asked her to gulp a glass, but she wasn’t aware that she was chewing the chocolate-coated strawberry.
Dolly leaned back and raised her hands around her throat.
At first, I panicked, as I thought I would lose her. Then a thought rushed through my head.
“Are you choking,” I asked Dolly, and she immediately nodded.
It was just a few days ago that I reviewed the Heimlich Maneuver technique used to help a choking victim on the Helpfie app when I was waiting in line at the supermarket.
I quickly stood behind her, wrapped my arms around her waist, folded one hand into a fist and clenched the fist with the other hand. I began to give her abdominal thrusts, and right away, a piece of strawberry flew from her mouth, landing on the cooler box on the bottom deck. With tears in her eyes, she whispered, “Thank You!” and I cuddled her softly as the tour guard looked on in utter amazement.
“I thought you would have to place fingers in her mouth to dig it out,” the tour guide mused, but I pointed out that a blind mouth swab is not advisable since it could push the food further down and make the situation worse.
He requested to know more about the technique I used, and I pulled my phone up and reviewed the Heimlich manoeuvre with him. He inquired how he could get the Helpfie resource kit.
Beyond a day on the yacht, this Valentine’s Day, I gifted Dolly a more precious gift! The gift of life-saving care with just 5K, you can get the value pack - which includes the Smart First Aid app (works offline), a 30-piece First Aid Waist Pack Kit, a 30-page First Aid “How to” Booklet and a 24/7 Country-Wide Ambulance Annual Cover.
“Use Lipa Na M-PESA Buy Goods Till 5548523 (eBlocks Ltd) to purchase so that it can be delivered before Valentine’s Day,” I advised as the emergency service responders we had called conducted advanced medical checkup on Dolphine.
The first aid intervention you provided saved her life,” the tour guide stated as he handed Dolly a warm blanket from the Helpfie first aid waist bag.
“We will be home soon,” I whispered as she smiled.