Chapter 24: Chapter 24

The sunlight that sneaked past the closed curtain caused me to open my eyes. I had never known how to sleep with light. One of my neighbors decided to do blues that morning. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I thought of how I slept. I remembered just lying there and staring into space not even daring to turn lest I catch Ike's eyes on me.

I looked at his side of the bed and he was not there. I stood up and strolled to the bathroom door - he was not there either. Matching out of the room on bare foot, I realized that the song I was hearing was coming from my sitting room.

There was an inviting aroma coming from the kitchen. I redirected to the kitchen and he stood there with a trouser, loosely hanging on his waist so that I could see the line of his briefs. He was shirtless, dedicated to the egg in the frying pan. I stood at the door, arms folded, staring at  his well tanned upper body imagining what would have happened if I returned his kisses last night.

"Good morning to you as well, " he said as he emptied the contents of the frying pan into a plate.

I bit my lips as I smiled at him. "How long have you known I was here?" I asked.

"For how long you have been checking me out. "

"It was easy finding your way around, " I said, observing how he fit into the kitchen like he was well acquainted with it.

"Yeah. Especially as I didn't want to wake you."

I folded my arms beneath my breast and asked, "So what's the deal? "

"I'm making you breakfast and after that I'll hit the road, " He said, using a knife to cut the egg in the pan into four separate parts.

He dressed the egg into the bread then placed them in the toaster.

While he waited for the toaster, he said, " Honestly, I don't know what to say about last night. You always make it seem like I'm forcing you to date me. "

"We need our appetite."

I crossed to the cupboard and began to set cups for tea.

Breakfast was silent, not awkward but just lacked words.

"When will you be coming over? " he asked as we began clearing up the table.

"I don't know. I'll start working on the materials you brought today. Maybe when I'm done. "

"That's a lot of work. Hope you will be fine?"

"Yes." I was the one who decided to do it anyway.

By the time we were done clearing the table, he began to wash the dishes.

"I want to say it now. There's no more appetite to be worried about," he said.

"I did not change my mind overnight, " I said, drying the dishes.

"Why are you being rigid towards me, did something happen to you? "

I dropped the cup in my hand. "What do you mean? "

"I have been all the good I can be humanly and I still feel you are not into this. I blamed it on the fact we were just starting off," He said, now looking at me. "Sometimes I can't help feeling you were in this cause you didn't want to hurt me. "

I said nothing. The accuracy in his words made me start cleaning the dried cup once more. I felt bad, I felt terrible.

He turned back to wash the frying pan in the sink then asked, "Did something happen to you? "

"I don't think I'm down for this right now, " I replied.

He wiped his hands on a towel and came to stand before me. "Do you want me to wait for you and how long do you want ?"

"I don't know, Ike. I don't think you should wait. I don't think we should be dating or anything. Nobody really accepts it. I have not been able to talk to Wisdom to know but my sisters do not accept it, " I said.

It was all an excuse. I did not really care how they felt about who I chose to be with.

"So this is about people? " Ike asked.

"No, about me. I don't want to be making more mistakes . I'm 26 and it seems I keep making the wrong decisions. "

"Age is not a guarantee for perfection. "

He pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me. I leaned in, resting my hands at his back.

"I'll pretend to understand this because I care about you," he spoke so close to my ear. "I want you to be happy. If you don't want me, that's okay but just know, If you ever need someone, I'm always there. I have been since we were kids and I'll always be there. "

I held him tighter as I whispered a "thank you" that I'm not sure he heard but I meant it. I wanted him to keep being there for me even though I was not whom he wanted me to be.

A song started to play from the living room. He hummed to it while running an open palm down my hair.

'I'm not gonna wait until you are done, pretending you don't need anyone. I'm standing here naked_naked_naked

I'm not gonna try till you decide you are ready to swallow all your pride. I'm standing here naked_naked_ naked.'

"Maybe I should have used those lines instead," he said. I could not see his face but I could feel the smile in his words.

"I love your lines better. It's original. "

He continued humming the song with me in his arms. It did not feel bad and for a certain silly moment I wished I could try to stay with him. Though I knew it was just the attention I loved and nothing more.

I went to work after my breakfast with Ike. He drove me there before starting his journey back to Owerri. A spirit of casualness hit me and I did not even mind wearing an ankara short and a polo to the shop  with  fancy slippers on my feet.  I guess that was what it felt like to be free.

Tunde's shop was open so I stopped by it. I knocked on the door and his voice came from the inner room. I walked in there to see him sitting on a stool and painting on a canvas. Without turning from his drawing he said, "Good morning. "

" How much is this painting? " I asked, pretending to be a potential customer.

He laughed, now turning to face me. "Lady, I have trained my nose to know your scent so I can tell your presence even in my sleep."

I could not help laughing. His eyes held mine for a moment then he turned back to his canvas.

"I called you last night, " He said, "I wanted to tell you that I would not make it early to pick you."

"Yeah. I missed the calls."

I did not want to explain further because I did not want to lie to him.

He said nothing. He just silently  worked on the art infront of him. I followed the movement of his hand as he stroked in some places then took a different brush and dipped it in colour and  swept across most places. I wanted him to say something but it was like he had forgotten I was standing there. That's why I hated to lie to him; I felt he could tell when someone was lying.

Watching him, I remembered I had work to do . "I'm going upstairs," I told him.

"I'll come up to see you when I'm done, " he said, without turning to look at me.

I watched his back for a while then left feeling like it was a bad idea to have gone to see him.

I did not take home any work so the  materials I cut before Ike came, still lay on the table, untouched. I began to work while Aku began to weave the dresses I made. So far, I was proud of myself knowing I was not  going to disappoint my new customer.

Aku attended to the customers who came. It was a busy day. I had to even shut the door to my office to avoid distractions.

When I was done with the dresses for the bridal train,  I started up with the ones the ladies would wear during the burial.

Aku opened the door and came in hanging her sling bag .  "Are you not hungry? " She asked.

"No," I replied, drawing a sketch of the style I wanted to make for my cousins. Aunty Maimah's  dress was supposed to be a bland skirt and blouse but my cousins could do with a little design.

"Aunty, I'm going. Please rest small, " She said after some silence. " I can also get you food if you are hungry."

I smiled at her kindness. "I'll soon be leaving, " I said.

After the sketch, it seemed I lost track of time. I was able to Finish Miriam's gown and mine before I started to pack up.  I was going to continue the work at home. I knew that I was burying myself there to avoid the thoughts that pulled my head. Those clothes would never be enough, because even when I'm done with all the work on my table, I would still itch to work more. It was my sanctuary.

I carried a bag full of materials and climbed downstairs.  I peeped into Tunde's shop and he was sitting at his desk facing a man.  He waved at me to come in and I walked in and settled on the cloth padded bench. I waited while the man described the type of house he wanted and Tunde noted down the things he said.

"I'll drop you off. Did you want to leave without me? " He asked, after his client left.

"I didn't know if you were still busy," I replied.

He stood at akimbo and shook his head then went into the inner room and came out with his jean jacket on his shoulder.

He took the bag I was carrying from me then held my hand as we crossed the road to where his car was parked in the fast food opposite our work place.

"Have you eaten? " He asked as I buckled my seat belt.

"Nope. I have been busy since morning."

"Let's have something. I have always wanted to know if you know how to eat or you share your food with ants," he said, already coming down.

I laughed, shaking my head and also got down.

"Please, let me say this now, I'm paying so don't form an independent woman here," he warned as we entered the fast food.

"What? " I asked, laughing. "Have I ever? "

"I wouldn't know.  We have never been on a date before," He shrugged.

"So, is this a date? " I asked as we settled into a table.

"You can call it a meeting, " He replied then quickly looked around the place, noting the few people that were present then he asked, "What would you like to have?"

"What would you have? " I asked back.

He sighed. "That's how the problem starts. Tell me what works for you."

"Jollof rice, chicken and no salad."

"Drink? " He asked, rising from his seat.

"Orange juice. "

Tunde returned first with my tray of food then he went back for his. He settled in the seat adjacent to mine as we ate.

"Their food is not actually bad," He commented.

I nodded with a mouthful of rice then bragged, "I actually cook better than this."

He laughed. "I actually manage to cook meals I can eat but not for another person's taste bud."

I smiled at him then began to  cut my chicken.

"Just use your hand, " He said and I rolled my eyes.

I wanted to invite him in when he drove me home and stopped outside my gate. I did  not. I took his hand which he offered me and held on it while we smiled at each other.

"See you tomorrow, " he said.

"See you tomorrow."