I wish that what happened to me was all just a bad dream. But sadly, it’s not. I gues that is the price you pay for being naive. 

I was just 20 years old when I met a guy who actually lied to me about his name the first day we met. He also lied about his work place and always met with me at night and asked me never to come with my friends or siblings at our meeting place because he preferred a secret kind of relationship. 

I first met this guy at an ATM while in a queue and he introduced himself as Solomon. He actually offered me his place (he was ahead in the queue).  While in the queue we chatted for a few minutes and exchanged numbers and this is how we started communicating frequently. 

The guy was a control freak and I accepted whatever the he told me to do. When I was around him, he acted like a gentleman; he was affectionate and showered me with so many gifts that I was convinced he was the man of my dreams. 

Although he was the one controlling the relationship, I didn’t have a problem with that because I was always told that men have control in a relationship. 

After three months of meeting in cosy places for dinners, Solomon decided that he wanted a special moment with me at a hotel. I accepted and it was truly an evening to remember. 

Even after that evening of passion, Solomon kept meeting up with me. I would only spend with him two hours since I had curfew at home. By 8pm I had to be home. Our secret relationship flourished until a few weeks when I realized that I was pregnant. 

I was happy and called Solomon to inform him of the great news and I immediately proposed marriage before my parents found out. 

Buy I got the shock of my life. I called him when I reached the place we had agreed to meet at but hours later, he was nowhere to be seen. I called his phone and it was off. 

The following day I went to the workplace he had always told me about. On reaching there I was told that they don’t anyone under the name of Solomon. Desperate as I was, my last resort was to talk to my parents about my dilemma and they decided to investigate.

I’m almost due now and we still haven’t been able to find him. I guess that makes me a single parent now. No one should have to go through this kind of treachery – no one! Therefore, before thinking you have found ‘the one’...ask yourself, how much do you really know about that person? Do yourself a favour and do your homework, or you will find yourself in my shoes.

As told to Doreen Umutesi