Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The gentle breeze whistled past peacefully. While I claimed  ignorance, I knew that I looked forward to seeing Ike. I found myself wanting that more. I told myself, I just wanted to know how he was faring but it was like we shared the same pain. I understood what he was going through. Sometimes I was filled with so much sadness when Memories with Mathew decided to play in my head and hearing Ike talk soothes something inside of me.

To be honest, life was fair to Ike; He had time to realize he was about to be hurt bad- choosing to remain was now his decision.

I had a book on my lap but I was not concentrating anymore. Another thing I looked forward to was a call from Aku telling me she made good sales in a day.

The calls from customers kept coming, sounding more and desperate. I needed to go home. I knew that.

Mrs Idika called once to know when I could come to take her measurements for a new dress. "Is this your own Christmas holiday? " she had asked. I only laughed in reply.

Ike returned, bearing gifts. "My apology gift," he said . They were fabrics with very distinct designs. I loved the uniqueness and the feel of it against my fingers.

I turned to the light taps of slippers on the German floor behind me. Michelle approached in shorts and polo.

"Auntie, " she said, beaming all smiles as she approached.

"What are you up to? "

"Auntie," she laughed, covering her mouth as she squatted beside me.

"Michelle, I'm waiting for you to finish your stage art."

"No, it's not stage art, I like seeing you. "

I looked at her briefly then I turned back to the book I was reading.

"Auntie, it's just that I want you to help me and choose what I'll buy for my friend on Valentine's day. "

I laughed, could it get funnier?

"So by friend you mean, boyfriend?" I asked, trying to figure what her age was. Aku was eighteen. They could have been of the same age bracket.

"No, no. It's just my friend. It's umm_ a boy though."

"A friend that is a boy, is he not a boyfriend? " I was teasing her.

We ended up deciding she will get her 'friend ' a T-shirt or watch for Valentine . She hurried off happy that she could afford it with her little savings.

Ike came later that evening. He wore a sky blue shirt with a black trouser and on his feet were leather slippers.

He sat beside me outside, after a moment of staring into a space, he said,

"Let's get ice-cream or something you like."

It was a nice invitation considering It was only once I stepped out for a stroll since I came to Owerri.

I accepted the invitation and went in to tell Auntie Maimah.

"You people want to tempt my toothless mouth but buy for my daughter, Michelle," she said.

The ride to the mall was short. I picked the caramel and chocolate flavor for both of us not forgetting Michelle's own.

In the car he said, "let's go see my home."

I turned my full body to face him. "What about Amanda, Is she okay with having me around ?"

I had to ask because she did not seem okay being in our presence that night.

He held the steering wheel with both hands as he said, "Amanda. Amanda left that night."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Okay, I'll just drive you home, if you are not okay with it. "

"Let's go to your house," I said, patting his hand which was on the gear.

He turned to look at me, one side of his lips pushed up in a smile.

"Yes, my lady."

That and his facial expression made me smile as I stared out through the car window to behold the sight of the city illuminated with street lights. Music could be heard from almost every corner - from houses to clubs and even churches singing, praying and screaming in tongues.

"What genre of song is your thing?" Ike asked.

I replied, still looking out of the window. "I listen to everything and nothing."

He laughed. "That means you like nothing."

I raised my shoulder in a shrug.

He just put on the radio. There was an educational session going on about Diarrhea. Some information flew into my open ears not that I wanted to learn about loose stool.

I felt Ike's hand on my lap. I turned from the window .

"You were lost. I was showing you my primary school. "

"Oh where ?"

"We've passed it."

The car became silent again. I was searching for things to say, Ike beat me to it.

"I used to be small when I was in Primary school. I mean, smaller than others in my class."

I laughed, imagining him in a shirt that was over sized and could serve as a gown for his small body.

"And you know something else? I was the class monitor. " he was saying, " I used to report defaulters, write names of noise makers. I used to be bullied also and each time I will stare up at my bullies like David before Goliath trying to wear boldness because the principal was my father."

I laughed, easily placing the scenes in my head. "Was I in the toddler section? "

"Yes, if that is what you call the diaper section, " he replied.

I placed a hand over my mouth as I laughed. He was not looking at me. His eyes were fixed on the road. One hand was on his lap and he used the other to turn the steering wheel .

"I remember the day I came to visit and Auntie Maimah told me your mother took you guys. I lost interest in the football I normally played with Wisdom that day."

I held the hand that was on his lap, using my thumb to trace his phalanges. He smiled and tightened his grip around my hand for a short while then he let go of my hand and said, "We are here." Just before he started hooting.

I made myself comfortable by removing my seat belt before the gate was finally opened.

"Obi, you don sleep ?" he asked the person at the gate as he drove in.

"My cousin," he said to me.

I watched him as he looked for the right key to open the door amongst his bunch of keys.

"This was where I grew up, " he said, "Then Mummy was transferred and we moved to Umuahia. "

I nodded, wrapping my arms around my waist. I realized his father was not in the picture.

"Are you cold? " he asked.

"No, I'm good."

"What about your father?" I asked.

"Brother welcome," Obi said, walking to the door then he raised a hand and waved at me, "good evening."

"Yes, good evening," I replied

He finally opened the door and turned to his cousin. "fuel dey abi? "

"Eh, I buy fuel this afternoon. "

"Oya, put on Gen naa."

We went into the house using his phone's flashlight.  I sat on the nearest sofa while he placed his phone on the table, illuminating the whole room then he wandered off in the darkness.

An annoying voice told me then that I should have gone home. That voice followed by a sudden feeling of disinterest. That feeling that Could make me lose my appetite for even ice-cream.

The lights in the room went on, the fan began to rotate, the television, every electronic in the room began to introduce themselves as the generator went on. Ike came back to the room , holding our ice-cream nylons.

"It's not as cold," he said, setting it down on a stool before me after he took his phone.

"We might drink it," I said.

He got a stool and took a plate of ice-cream while I also began working on mine.

"You asked about my father. He's dead."

I paused with a spoon close to my mouth. "I'm sorry."

He dismissed my late condolence with a wave of the hand. "It happened a long time ago."

"My cousin stays in the bungalow with his family, " he said

" A family? "

"Yes, they have two boys now, two big heads. They must have slept, you would have seen them. "

When he was done with his ice cream and mine was just the dissolved cream in the plate, he took the plates and discarded them then he came back. His shirt was now unbuttoned, revealing the white singlet he wore inside and he was on barefoot.

He smiled at me before settling in front of the CD .

"Don't tell me you want us to see a movie," I said, walking to where he was on bare foot. I settled beside him.

"Nah."

"So do you have something you like to watch: Wrestling, boxing, football?"

He turned to look at me. "I love watching you."

I wanted to keep eye contact but I became uncomfortable and began to smile broadly. I walked back to my seat, feeling less of my age. I was feeling like a young school girl.

Rihanna and Mikky Ekko's 'Stay' began to play, starting with the soft keyboard and he stood and walked to where I was.

"Will you dance with me ?"he asked, his hand was extended to take mine.

"This is such a slow song. I can't dance with it," I began to protest but he pulled me to my feet.

"We would find dance steps to match it," he said .

'All along it was a fever

A cold sweat, hot headed believer

I threw my hands in the air

Say show me something

He said, if you dare come a little closer... "

He moved the center table then ushered me to the dance floor; the center of his living room. He took my hands , placed one on his chest then took the other to his waist, I took the cue and placed it at his back.  His hands went to my waist still guiding me closer to him.

We began to sway lightly to the sound coming from the speakers.

"Not really sure how to feel about this, " he sang close to my ears, "Something in the way you move, makes me Feel like I can't live without you. It takes me all the way. I want you to stay_"

It sent tingles round my whole being and I shivered.

"No, no,'' I said, shaking my head, like I could shake the moment away, like waking up just when I was about to fall into a deep spell. The moment was too intimate. I was not sure if that was what I wanted. What will happen after we have made mistakes for the night? Mistakes we would both regret for a whole year or more than.

I was still holding him, he was looking at me. No smile, something else, something else I did not know. His eyes were narrowed in slits, his lips tightened. I felt Nostalgic suddenly. Mathew.

"I need to be going. It's late at night and my Auntie will be so worried. "

"She knows you are with me."

"I need to go."

I realized at that point that we were still swaying as we talked. I stepped back, disengaging from him.

"Let me take you home, " then he raised my chin to look at him, "I Want. You. To. Stay," he said,  placing emphasis on each word.

"I can't. I have to go."

"After now, after _ " He let go of my face and wiped his own face letting out a sigh.

"I'll take you home."

The ride home was quiet before he began, "I'm sorry for ruining it."

"I'm sorry too."

He reached out and squeezed my hand at the gate before I got down from the car. We said nothing to each other, just the squeezing of hands.

Going inside, Michelle was in the parlor, I gave her the ice-cream which she hurried to put in the freezer. Auntie had gone to bed. I dragged myself to my room, pausing to lean on the wall mid way. I knew I had to run again. I was complicating myself again.

I had to return home.