Part 4 (Final): The Chandler Who Burned Time Instead of Wax

Bastian returned to Ottoline's shop the following week, then the week after, their initial encounter gradually deepening into something neither had quite anticipated when he'd first arrived, grief-stricken, seeking his own borrowed reunion.

"I keep finding reasons to visit," he admitted one evening, watching her carefully work on a candle meant for another grieving customer. "Though I suspect you've already noticed that most of my reasons are somewhat flimsy."

Ottoline smiled, warmth spreading through her chest at his admission. "I noticed. Though I confess, I've found myself looking forward to your visits rather more than professional distance probably recommends."

"Is that permission to stop pretending I'm simply here for casual conversation?" Bastian asked, hope evident beneath careful humor.

"I think," Ottoline said, setting aside her work to give him her full attention, "we've both been dancing around something neither of us has properly named yet."

Bastian reached for her hand, warmth and genuine affection evident in his gentle grip. "Then let me name it properly. I came here grieving Livia, genuinely believing I'd never feel remotely whole again. Instead, I found you someone who taught me, through your own vulnerable healing, that grief and genuine hope can exist simultaneously, rather than one canceling out the other."

Ottoline felt tears gathering, moved deeply by his sincere words. "I think I needed exactly that lesson too, Bastian. I spent three years hiding behind my craft, terrified of properly confronting my own grief. You helped me finally light that candle for myself."

"So where does that leave us?" Bastian asked softly, uncertainty and hope both evident in his careful question.

Ottoline considered the question seriously, genuine certainty settling into her answer. "I think it leaves us exactly here, Bastian. Choosing whatever comes next together, deliberately, rather than simply as strangers connected by shared grief alone."

Months passed, their relationship deepening steadily, built genuinely on shared vulnerability and hard-won healing rather than simply circumstantial connection. Ottoline found herself, gradually and without quite realizing the exact moment it happened, genuinely happy again—not despite her grief, but alongside it, exactly as her mother's brief, precious reunion had taught her was possible.

On the anniversary of that first fateful night, exactly one year after Bastian had first walked into her shop seeking borrowed comfort, Ottoline surprised him with something she'd been secretly preparing for weeks.

"I made this for you," she said, presenting a small, carefully crafted candle unlike any she'd made before—not designed for grief-driven reunion, but for something entirely different.

"What does it do?" Bastian asked, curious.

"It's not for the past," Ottoline explained, warmth evident in her voice. "It's for the future. Light it, and it simply burns like an ordinary candle, marking time we choose to spend together, rather than borrowing time from grief alone."

Bastian's eyes filled with emotional understanding, gratitude and love both evident in his expression. "You made an ordinary candle. For us."

"I wanted us to have something that wasn't built from loss," Ottoline said softly. "Something that simply marked joy, chosen deliberately, moving forward together."

Bastian pulled her close, genuine happiness evident in his warm embrace. "I love you, Ottoline. Not because grief brought us together, though I'll always treasure that unlikely beginning. Simply because you've taught me, completely and genuinely, what real healing actually looks like."

"I love you too," Ottoline said, resting against him with complete, genuine contentment. "Thank you for helping me finally learn to want something purely for myself, instead of only giving comfort away to everyone else."

As they lit the ordinary candle together, its steady flame marking simple, chosen time rather than borrowed grief, Ottoline felt something permanently, beautifully settle into place—proof that even the deepest grief could eventually make room for genuine, lasting joy, chosen deliberately rather than simply granted briefly through borrowed magic.

THE END 🕯️💛✨

Part 4 (Final): The Chandler Who Burned Time Instead of Wax

Bastian returned to Ottoline's shop the following week, then the week after, their initial encounter gradually deepening into something neither had quite anticipated when he'd first arrived, grief-stricken, seeking his own borrowed reunion.

"I keep finding reasons to visit," he admitted one evening, watching her carefully work on a candle meant for another grieving customer. "Though I suspect you've already noticed that most of my reasons are somewhat flimsy."

Ottoline smiled, warmth spreading through her chest at his admission. "I noticed. Though I confess, I've found myself looking forward to your visits rather more than professional distance probably recommends."

"Is that permission to stop pretending I'm simply here for casual conversation?" Bastian asked, hope evident beneath careful humor.

"I think," Ottoline said, setting aside her work to give him her full attention, "we've both been dancing around something neither of us has properly named yet."

Bastian reached for her hand, warmth and genuine affection evident in his gentle grip. "Then let me name it properly. I came here grieving Livia, genuinely believing I'd never feel remotely whole again. Instead, I found you someone who taught me, through your own vulnerable healing, that grief and genuine hope can exist simultaneously, rather than one canceling out the other."

Ottoline felt tears gathering, moved deeply by his sincere words. "I think I needed exactly that lesson too, Bastian. I spent three years hiding behind my craft, terrified of properly confronting my own grief. You helped me finally light that candle for myself."

"So where does that leave us?" Bastian asked softly, uncertainty and hope both evident in his careful question.

Ottoline considered the question seriously, genuine certainty settling into her answer. "I think it leaves us exactly here, Bastian. Choosing whatever comes next together, deliberately, rather than simply as strangers connected by shared grief alone."

Months passed, their relationship deepening steadily, built genuinely on shared vulnerability and hard-won healing rather than simply circumstantial connection. Ottoline found herself, gradually and without quite realizing the exact moment it happened, genuinely happy again not despite her grief, but alongside it, exactly as her mother's brief, precious reunion had taught her was possible.

On the anniversary of that first fateful night, exactly one year after Bastian had first walked into her shop seeking borrowed comfort, Ottoline surprised him with something she'd been secretly preparing for weeks.

"I made this for you," she said, presenting a small, carefully crafted candle unlike any she'd made before—not designed for grief-driven reunion, but for something entirely different.

"What does it do?" Bastian asked, curious.

"It's not for the past," Ottoline explained, warmth evident in her voice. "It's for the future. Light it, and it simply burns like an ordinary candle, marking time we choose to spend together, rather than borrowing time from grief alone."

Bastian's eyes filled with emotional understanding, gratitude and love both evident in his expression. "You made an ordinary candle. For us."

"I wanted us to have something that wasn't built from loss," Ottoline said softly. "Something that simply marked joy, chosen deliberately, moving forward together."

Bastian pulled her close, genuine happiness evident in his warm embrace. "I love you, Ottoline. Not because grief brought us together, though I'll always treasure that unlikely beginning. Simply because you've taught me, completely and genuinely, what real healing actually looks like."

"I love you too," Ottoline said, resting against him with complete, genuine contentment. "Thank you for helping me finally learn to want something purely for myself, instead of only giving comfort away to everyone else."

As they lit the ordinary candle together, its steady flame marking simple, chosen time rather than borrowed grief, Ottoline felt something permanently, beautifully settle into place proof that even the deepest grief could eventually make room for genuine, lasting joy, chosen deliberately rather than simply granted briefly through borrowed magic.

THE END 🕯️💛✨

Actress Laide Bakare has apologised and paid tribute to late veteran actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, after facing heavy criticism online over a dancing video she posted following his *****.

In a video addressing the backlash, Laide said she had just returned from a movie premiere and was unaware that the video had been widely shared and tagged.

She explained that her phone had not been with her for some time and urged people not to judge her without knowing the circumstances.

Calling it a “dark Sunday,” the actress expressed sadness over Ogogo’s ***** and urged people to be mindful of what they say during the difficult period.

The host asked a woman what she does, what her career is and the woman said she does OF.

All the men bursted they're balloons Immediately, I laughed. I must find that episode and watch it. I keep postponing.

And what are those men afraid of? Some men marry women that do OF. I saw one Nigerian man marry a woman that does OF last year.

In 2024, I saw another man marry a woman that does OF too. Despite all the dragging online the man didn't care and she married very young.

The funny thing is that the girl is a dancer, very successful. She even danced for Rema's music video and performed in Rema'a concert.

So I'm wondering, isn't dancing enough? Must she add OF to it? Didn't dancing pay enough?

She just keeps flashing in my mind sometimes, other times I forget. She's so beautiful. I've watched some of her OF content online.

Some people posted it for free. Them don stop sto de post am. Na only old ones de. *sigh*

Make I just make money first, I will subscribe to her OF content every month 🤔

And as for me, I'm not marrying any girl that does OF, no!!

Btw, if you know any woman that does OF, especially Nigerian, new ones that came out this year tell me they're names.

Let me write it and keep somewhere. When time reach I'll sit down and watch all of them. 🤔🤩

I know like 3 but those ones started since. I'm looking for new, fresh ones 👍🏼.

‘’President of the universe Baby Oku is joined by the Governor of Anambra for a #BigFlex dance. Tension still dey but right now we’re dancing big flex biko. Also did you catch that??? The universe has an Igbo president. Igbo nwere mmadu!!. Time for serious celebration biko. Oku gbawa #BigFlex💪🏾💪🏾'' he captioned the video

The wife of John Olaleye, one of the two teachers k!lled by terrorists after the abduction of pupils, students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has appealed to the Federal Government and Governor Seyi Makinde to help recover his remains for a dignified burial.

The deceased’s wife and his elder brother and widow made the appeal days after the rescue of the 39 pupils and five surviving teachers who spent 56 days in captivity.

One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded by the terrorists in captivity.

It was after the rescue that authorities confirmed that Olaleye was also k!lled, bringing the number of teachers murdered in captivity to two.

In a video sighted online, Olaleye’s widow is seen dancing and praising God when she was informed about the rescue of the abducted teachers and pupils, unaware her husband has been k!lled.

In a video posted online, Olaleye’s widow appealed to the government to recover her husband’s body and assist the family.

“I was heartbroken when I heard that my husband was not among those released,” she said.

“My plea to the government is that they should please, in the name of God, release my husband’s corpse to me.”

She also appealed for educational support for their three children and assistance to help her cater for the family.

“He left three children behind. My appeal is that they should support us concerning these children, especially with their education.

“As for me, I am the one solely responsible for taking care of everything in the house. I am begging the government to have mercy on us and help us in whatever way they can.”

Terrorists said Mr Michael Oyedokun disobeyed them, they said he died because he disobeyed their order. That day when we reached the forest, they told us to drop all our phones, we did so but we didn't know that Mr Michael Oyedokun didn't dropped his own. A terrorist who was sitting with him on the motorcycle discovered a phone in his pocket and he began to question him, the teacher said he did hear when they said that, immediately the terrorist slapped him and when their commander heard, he took it up and he was furious.

They have two commanders, a General commander and a camp commander. The General commander said; If I didn't k*ll anyone...I must k*ll this man for disobeying my order.

The following day, Mr Michael Oyedokun was s*aughtered. He was shouting as they were dragging him away, he was begging and his noise was so loud but later...no more noice.

One terrorist in his age of 17 or 18 came later, he was dancing and singing to celebrate the ***** of the teacher.

Mr. John Olaleye was m*rdered on June 7, they k*lled him because they said they have warned that military men should not move closer.

They didn't k*lled them in our presence, they came to take them away and go to another place to carry out that **** act. We were only hearing their noises.

They have a tent where they kept us, we were chained and they handcuff our hand for the whole 56 days. They blindfolded our eyes and anytime we wanted to pee or defecate, we would beg them.

They changed locations, we didn't stay in one place through out the 56 days. Sometimes, they would hit us with a gun. We used to suffer for any crime those little children committed.

When it's time for them to pray, they didn't joke with it. They prayed alot and recited Quran. They would never miss their prayers and when it's time to recite Quran, they would never miss it.

The terrorists said they didn't want money but they wanted their people who were arrested to be freed, that was their demand. We men suffered alot, they should not see us praying, anytime they noticed we were praying...they would beat hell out of us. They said they didn't want us to pray or call Jesus.

When he was asked how they were saved. He said that the terrorists willingly released them. They asked us to go that day because military have abducted their families, they told us to go willingly so that their families could be released as well.

When we were released, they told us the way to pass and they told us we will see two streams on the way. After those two streams, you will see the solders who are there to receive you, they told us.

I was the one carrying everyone when we reached the streams, I carried almost those little children because most of them were already weak. After a short trek, we saw some security men who have been waiting to receive us.

It was a bitter experience, they gave us majorly rice and red oil, no pepper and sometimes it would be only rice without salt or red oil.

There was a time they k*lled a deer and a grasscutter for us. Since the day they have eliminated Mr John Olaleye, they have changed to us, they started treating us well, they changed their cruelty ways of dealing with us. They changed when they heard that some of their family members have been abducted by the solders.

The day we would be released, they asked us if we would take out bath but we said no, we were eager to live the forest. They told us to get ready that we would go home that day.

When we reached Ibadan, one of the military commanders asked me if I could identify the terrorists if I see them on phone. He showed me their pictures and I could identify one. They told us they have arrested 8 of the terrorists and others have been nutrilized.

We thank God that we survived but we are not happy that Mr Michael Oyedokun and Mr John Olaleye could not come back.

Credit - Hammed Egalitarian Ishola

The husband of Mrs Rachael Alamu, the principal of Ahoro Esinle School in Oyo State, who was abducted alongside 43 students and pupils in Oriire local government area on May 15, went before God in thanksgiving today, July 12, following their release on Friday, July 12.

Photos and videos shared online showed Professor Alamu and other members of First Baptist Church singing praises to God for the safe release of Mrs Alamu and others.

The professor was seen dancing with other worshippers as they sang “Hallelujah” in gratitude for the safe return of his wife and the other victims after weeks in captivity.

The members marked the occasion by dancing together in evening gowns, celebrating the milestone with visible joy.