Chapter 13: Chapter 13

The sound of my ring tone pulled me out of sleep.

I turned to the phone. It was a few minutes past one. Sleepily, I put the phone on mute and turned back to sleep then I heard my door open. The sound of hard masculine boots as it hit the floor followed. I immediately sat up the same time he put on the light switch.

"Ike," I said tiredly, rubbing my eyes.

"I will be sleeping here tonight," he said, still leaning on the wall close to the switch.

Here. As in my room or the house?

"Did you lock the entrance door? " I asked

"Yes I did."

I patted the space on the bed next to me and in two quick strides he was on my bed. I knew then it had been a bad idea to invite him to sit. He was smelling of strong alcohol and when I shifted a little away from him, the best I could do without him noticing, he turned to me.

"I took just a little, "

Oh I'm sure, I have seen you at your worst.

He didn't turn away. His eyes were bloodshot red. It was scary the way those eyes were just fixed on me.

"Ike, I think you should go to your room," I said, standing up.

He also stood then he walked to where I was- so close, I could perceive the thick smell of alcohol in each breath. He was still staring at me, his eyes red and sunken. I wrapped my hands around myself. If not for the window bars, I would have jumped out.

He still came closer like he was seeing a path through me in his drunken state. I moved back but met resistance from the wall.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just so down; I need someone to talk to," he said.

I stood transfixed. It reminded me of those times, Ada told me not to move so she could kill a mosquito on my skin.

I entangled and unentangled my hand waiting for him to say something. I could have easily pushed him till he was at the door but I just stood there at the window.

He came so close that our bodies were touching and I could feel his breath on my own skin. It sent tingles through my system, introducing a craving in me probably because I had not been in that position with a man for long.

"Ike, I think you need some sleep, " I said.

He rubbed his hands on his head restlessly. "We are experiencing so much friction. There's so much distrust and we're still trying to see if we could work."

"She's tired . She doesn't want this relationship anymore but she stays and keeps making my life difficult."

Dumbly and Slowly, I brought up my hands to encircle him while he also held me. I felt so little, standing there in his arms. We did not talk but just stayed in that position. I did not know what to say after all so I offered him comfort in my arms.

"I don't know what I did wrong," he muttered. "I don't know."

Still in his embrace I said, " You guys need to communicate more. That's just it."

I felt him nod against my shoulder. I wanted to step back from his arms but while still wondering if I should untangle his hands or just step back, he kissed my neck.

With his forefinger, he nudged my chin up and quickly he took my mouth. I stilled. I did nothing until his lips left mine.

His eyes remained on mine but he said nothing. I was not angry. I did not have the luxury to misinterpret what happened. He was a broken man seeking more comfort than my arms could give.

I held his hand and led him to sit on the bed. He just bowed his head in his palm.

"I am sorry, " he said without looking at me. "I'm sorry for everything. "

"I'll sleep somewhere else. Please lie and get some rest."

"I'm sorry," then he looked up, fixing his gaze steadily on me.

The generator went off. I found my phone in the darkness, told him goodnight and left the room.

The sun was already shining brightly when I woke up. I washed my face and headed to my room I lent to Ike.

"You are a good person," Ike said as I got into the room, forgetting to knock.

I walked to raise the blinds. " That I am,"

He was seated, shirtless. His chest and abs on display.

" Good morning. Sleep well?"

He shrugged. " I guess I did."

I sat on the Sofa in the room which was beside the bed and exhaled. "I have met you before that day I met you here," I said.

He laughed. "Your memories stretch that far to when you were little? "

"No, not so far. In your mother's house at Umuahia. You returned home in stupor. "

I watched him after that. He looked at me, his mouth pushed to a side in a little smile.

"So you think I'm a drunk and  you also think, my fiancee is cheating on me because I'm a drunk? " He let out a laugh, shaking his head.

Cheating?

"I did not say that."

I immediately regretted my confession. I should have kept my big mouth shut.

"I do not think you are a drunk. You are just seeking consolation in the wrong place. "

He sighed. "She made me. I don't know how we even got here."

He wiped his face with open palms. His eyes were red, either from alcohol or lack of sleep. It could even be pain he was trying to hold together.

He then told me how Amanda had got pregnant and he engaged her to save the shame but she had aborted the child after he had asked her to marry him.

After his story I held him. He remained silent for a while then he disentangled, said he was leaving.

The most calls and messages I got were from my service provider. Often, I called Aku for updates. She would ask when I would come back after telling me customers have been flooding the shop and I knew because they have been calling a lot. I knew that my coming back would be soon because in my usual nature, I wanted to run away again, this time from Ike. I had already packed my things but Auntie Maimah did not know yet.

What was wrong with me! Why could I not face things? I would want to say I'm a strong woman but everything inside will laugh so hard in mockery. It was just a brush of the lips and I had said nothing wrong or I thought I had said nothing wrong. I felt guilty, there was a little pain in his voice when he said,

'...and you think I'm a drunk'

He stopped showing up in the house.  He could have felt I judged him .

I went out to the sitting room. Michelle was just coming back from school. She was wearing a brown pleated skirt and a yellow shirt .

"Aunty, good evening," she said, squeezing my hand as she passed.

"Welcome ," I replied.

After some minutes, she was down again, now changed from her school uniform to a black jean skirt and ash polo.

Michelle began to search for stations, I knew she would finally settle for Zee world and immediately she did, I stood up.

"Auntie, come and watch today's own,"she said.

"Mba, watch. I need to work."

I went back to my room with nothing on my mind but to call Ike. I called Tunde first.

"You're calling me," he said immediately he picked up, clearly stating his surprise.

Oh yes, I am.

"Yes, how are you doing? "

"I am good. Sorry I have not called in a while. I wanted to know if you would notice. "

"Oh really? Wasn't it yesterday we just spoke?" I joked.

I laughed and he laughed along with me.

"Your neighbor, madam Chinaka has been coming to ask me of you almost everyday," he said.

I laughed. "What do you answer?"

"I tell her to ask your sales girl but she always insists that I should know your whereabouts."

"I'll be back soon Tunde. I have missed you. Both you and Madam Chinaka "

He laughed.

Yes, I missed him. I missed him watching me as I talked, I missed him walking me to the car park , I missed his silence and the smile that always tugged the corner of his lips as he looked at me.

After the call, I breathed in and dialed Ike's number. He had saved the number as Ikem. He did not pick on the first ring or second ring. I felt then I should not have called. Maybe he was ignoring me but I was still glad I tried reaching out. I wanted to know how he was faring, how he was walking on a ticking bomb in that house he always ran from or had he found another sanctuary no more Auntie Maimah's home?

Ike called back after a while. I stared at it for a while before I picked up. I did not want to miss the chance; maybe he loved to call in his own time.

"Hello."

"My lady," he said - which was a good start for me.

"Ike, how are you? "

"I'm good. Just the sun is turning me to pleasant burnt plantains."

I laughed. The sun and the hotness that came with it was really something to cry for. Sometimes it even came through the window when the curtains were up and I'll begin to wonder if I was on a beach or in my house.

"Why burnt plantain,  Why not burnt meat?"

"No, no," he said, "believe me, you can eat burnt meat. Have you tasted burnt plantains before, One that is forgotten while roasting it?"

"No, I have not, " I said, laughing. I was actually imagining it then.

"Then you should leave your plantains on an open fire One day. Leave it, go to work and return."

"You are unbelievable, Ike."

I was laughing.

He laughed then said, " I have been in Lagos. Work."

"What do you do? "

"Footwear," he replied, "we make them."

"Wow, I didn't know that. We could even become partners, " I said.

He laughed. "Yeah, I'm going to imagine it now you have proposed it."

" So how have you been? "

Without waiting for my reply, He said, "I'm sorry for the other night. I'm so sorry. "

"It never happened, " I said, waving my hand like he could see me. It had happened. We can not  change it but it happened. Because after that night, I still could remember the kiss, not the nature of his lips but  that it had happened.

"I was not my best self. I shouldn't..." he continued to explain.

"Ike," I called to shut him up.

He kept quiet.

"I'm not angry with you."

"Thank you, my lady."

" You are depriving Aunty Maimah  your face."

Ike laughed. " I sure am. Send my apologies across. We have spoken though. I let her know I'm fine."

I played with the end of my pillow casing and nodded before realizing I had to speak.

" How are you and Amanda?"

He was silent. I knew immediately that I should not have asked. "Sorry for asking," I quickly said.

"It's all good. I'm coming in tomorrow. What do I get you?"

"Crayfish!"

He barked out in laughter from his end and I could not help smiling too.

"Just get yourself back home," I said when he stopped laughing.

"I will, my lady."