Chapter 17: Chapter 17

My father was the first man I met who knew how to cook. Most days, when he would fall out with Mummy, he would enter the kitchen. Ada and I would join him. He would instruct us, telling us what to cut, what to pound or the right amount of spices to use in each meal. It was my father who taught us how to cook.

The first boyfriend I had in university, did not know how to do anything. He even jumped to light a match which irritated the life out of me. I met Mathew later on after school, he used to cook with book guides or online cooking guides. It was amusing but I loved that I had hope of getting a good breakfast in bed someday.

Ike was cooking. He was introducing all the ingredients for his food in a grand style, claiming his rice would put any restaurant rice to shame.

"But have you met my rice? " I asked, hopping onto the Island. He turned from the pot and laughed then continued cooking.

"No, I have not, baby. When will you cook for me? " he said as he stirred the pot.

"Just hold your praises till you meet my food, " I replied.

"Now, you see this one? " Ike was saying, broadly smiling like a kid up to mischief. I smiled back, unsure of the deviation.

"This right here is the boss," he said, holding up a transparent plastic container. The container was filled with something that looked like grounded crayfish or dried fish. He poured it in and began to fry it with the onions and tomatoes.

"Crayfish? " I asked, just to be sure.

He smiled. "You are well acquainted with the boss! "

The kitchen was getting choky, the window did not seem enough for ventilation. I looked up, imagining what a ceiling fan would look like in his kitchen or any kitchen.

He seemed busy with the pot. Kept talking like he was entertaining an audience in a TV programme.

"Survival of the fittest it is! " he shouted, clapping his hands excitedly.

"I think you should let me take over now," I said, not sharing in his excitement as I thought of his health.  I did not think the choky environment was good for him, it was not even good for me.

"I think you should go sit down my lady, cause my wonderful delicacy will soon be down," he said then proceeded to pour  the rice in the sieve into the sauce he made.

"There," he said, walking to where I was sitting on the counter. "The last battle," then he pressed his lips to my forehead.

"Can't wait to taste," I said, rubbing my forehead on his.

"The meal on fire or this whole meal right in front of you, " he whispered huskily to my left ear.

"I'm talking about_ " I ran a finger down his chest, teasing him. "the meal on fire."

He threw his head back and laughed. "You sure? "

"Definitely, " I replied, all smiles.

Settling down to eat, I looked up severally to look at him.

A week ago he had said, we would take it slowly and I loved the sound of that. Ada did not. She had sounded so enraged over the phone. She did not like that I was launching into a relationship so soon. But she was not the one who was lonely and starved from the affections and attention of a man. "Oh, I remember Ike. He used to rush to the house without taking his bath when we were smaller, " she had said.

"Maybe but that is not my point. My point is_"

"I got your point, kid sis but Ike should be off limits for you. He is like family! " then she paused, "family! And what is wrong with him, have all women cleared from the earth surface? I do not approve of you guys at all."

"You don't? "

"Wait o. What about Tunde? "

"I don't know, " I replied, massaging my neck.

"You should get your shit together. I don't know what you call what you doing  but if you call it, 'moving on' believe me ,you are still stuck."

"Ike might be a good person but I don't like the sound of a fiancee leaving and then you. It seems like both of you are trying to mend each other's wounds," she had continued.

Even though I could be a rebound and he could also be the same for me, we were both adults.

Looking up from my food, I saw Ike had almost finished clearing his plate and mine was still at half plate.

"I did not do well? " Ike asked, pushing his plate aside.

"You did," I said and began eating like I meant it. "You are the best chef."

He laughed. "I already know that, baby."

He carried his plate into the kitchen and returned. "Let me feed you, " he said.

"What! No, I'm no child."

"I didn't say you are," he said, keeping a knee on the seat beside me.

"No, Ike," I said, holding my spoon tightly, wishing he would leave because I would be faster without him around but he didn't. He sat there till I cleared the plate then he carried it into the kitchen.

We sat in his sitting room. He sat on a low stool facing me while I sat on a sofa. My hand was in his and he used his thumb to caress my fingers slowly. I knew he was watching me but I kept my eyes on the television behind him.

"Are you okay? " he asked.

"Yeah, I am," I said, now meeting his gaze.

"Do you want us to go out?"

"To where? "

"Anywhere you pick."

I tilted my head in thoughts for a while then I shook that off. "No, " I said, "maybe home is where I want right now. " I meant my home in Umuahia; my room and bed, nobody else. I missed that place.

"Let me take you home then," he said, pushing  back his stool and kneeling down in front of me. "You are sure, you are okay? " he asked.

I nodded in reply as I held the hand he had placed on my neck.

"I don't think you are, baby. But I'll take you home. Is that okay?"

I nodded again then he brought my head down and rubbed his forehead on mine.

"I love you," he said.

I blinked my eyes rapidly. No, you shouldn't say that.

It was too soon to be uttering those words to me and I knew I was not going to say those words back to him anytime soon.

He brought his forefinger to my lips then pressed his lips against it. "I love you. I can't take that back. "

I felt the need to say something. Do not love me. I don't need that sort of emotion right now. What happened to taking it slow?

"I'm complicated right now. I'm not even sure of my feelings. I don't want to hurt you," I said.

"You won't," he said, confidently. He took my hand, leading me to stand.

" Do you want us to dance? We look good dancing together, " he said, with my hand in his as he walked to the CD.

Memories of that day we danced flashed through my head. A day that had started off alright until I ruined it.

"What kind of song do you want to play? " I asked, pulling my hand out and sitting on the arm of a sofa.

" A kind you will love to dance to," he said, then pulled his lower lip in between his teeth. "Shaku Shaku." His eyes were twinkling.

"No! I can't dance that."

"What can you dance then? "

"Calisthenics."

He threw his head back in a loud laughter.

"You are so going to dance that."

I silently watched him as he rummaged through the discs. "I have not played these things in a long time," he complained.

"What's that? " I peeped to look at the disc.

"It's Celine Dion" He turned his full body to me. "Do you have something you like playing ?"

"No, I just play music - loud, blasting music on Saturday mornings and sunday mornings to annoy my neighbors."

He threw back his head and let out another laughter. "Why would you do that? "

"They do the same on other days."

"So then it is a competition? "

"Call it what you want. I think it is just fair."

"Who would have thought you had it in you."

He stood up, held up my face to look at him then he pulled me up to my feet. Our faces were so close. I just inched in a bit and pressed my lips to his. I did not move my lips. I waited for his response then he opened up, allowing our tongues to dance as we battled for dominance. His hands were on my waist, crushing his hips against me then he began to guide me backwards.

I kept stepping back till my back hit the wall then he lifted me off the ground. My legs wounding round his waist, he pinned me to the wall. I let out a moan as his mouth moved to my neck then returned to take all of mine with tongues plunging deeper. I heard the  sound of my ringtone. It was not so loud and in all of that ecstasy it did not even sound familiar.

"My phone," I managed to utter, not even believing my voice which came out very low and strangled.

He moved back and let my legs hit the floor. I arranged my flowered off-shoulder blouse that I wore with a blue jean before walking to the seat I left my phone in. I missed three calls from Auntie Maimah then one from an unknown number. I sat down, Ike sat on the arm of the chair, massaging my bare shoulder. It was past ten at night.

"We should get going. Auntie must be worried," I said, turning my body to face him. He kissed my forehead then said, "Okay."

My phone rang again when we were close to the gate. It was an unknown number.

"Lady, where are you? " the caller asked without introduction. Wisdom. I knew the voice. He was my big brother figure. It would only be strange if I do not know the voice of the only brother I have.

"We are in the street," I replied.

"I'm home. Been calling you almost the whole day. "

I let out a shout of excitement then said, "I'll soon get home."

The call ended and I turned to Ike. "Wisdom came home."

"Surprises," Ike laughed, "He didn't tell me he was coming home and we spoke two days ago."

Pulling into the compound, I could see Wisdom where he was standing at the entrance door. The light there illuminated his features, he was wearing a white polo and a khaki short.

"Look at my man! " Ike said, excitedly removing his seatbelt. I got down from the car and walked with Ike to Wisdom. I knew I walked faster than Ike, maybe I was even running. It had been two years since the last time I saw him. It felt like ages.

"Are you two fucking each other now? "  Wisdom asked.