Chapter 34: Chapter 34

Tunde

There was slow traffic. I  waited like others in the line for  whoever or whatever that was blocking the road to clear. With each forward movement, the car in front of me made, I also moved to cover the space. Pedestrians could easily walk and cross in between the cars because they knew  the cars could not speed up .

I finally reached the point that was causing the delay. The road spoilt in the other lane and the people there were now joining the lane I was on. Immediately I passed that junction, I sped up free as a bird.

I parked in the open parking space of the restaurant opposite my work place.  If the people in my work building were asked to pay for parking there,  a lot of money would have been realized because people like me and Nene parked there everyday.  I saw her black ford which was similar to mine. I knew if I came down from the car and looked up, that I could see her looking down from the railing.

I sat in the car and looked through my phone for the schedule I had drawn for the day  before I stepped down with the envelope containing building plans I still needed to develop to my client's taste.

Once in my office, I said a quick prayer to bless the day then I got to work  on my table. De Pascal peeped in and waved at me and I responded and asked, "How are you doing, Sir? "

"I'm fine, Tunde. Jisike."

Even when they thought I was Yoruba they still spoke Igbo to me. One that I always found funny was when I earlier started working there, they would say,

"Juo Nwa Yoruba, " -ask the Yoruba child.

It made me smile because I could understand them well and they did not know. So most days, I would stand in their presence as they discussed me with my arms folded and they would return, speaking English to discuss with me like I was a foreigner.  Now, they know I can hear Igbo even though some people still call me, 'Nwa Yoruba'.

I noted the former errors which I now corrected on the building plan. Satisfied with my work, I put it back in the envelope  then took the envelope out  as I went up to see Nene after locking the entrance to my office.

Nene and I got closer. We did not give a name to the relationship because I always felt what does not have a name would be hard to end.

Her new sales girl pointed to her little office and told me she was around.

"Thank you," I said to her.

I reached the door to her office and leaned on it. She was sitting  in front of her sewing machine and backing the door but facing the light coming from the window. I walked into the room and she turned quickly as the sole of my shoes announced my presence.

"Hey Tuntun," She called out then returned to what she was doing.

I laughed, standing at the window and looking at the little houses beyond.

"You can not stand there," She said, "I need the light."

"Sorry Ma," I said, going to sit on a cushion.

The only  sound in the room was the sound of her sewing machine as she pedalled it. Not wanting to be a distraction, I brought out my phone and accepted requests on my Instagram page then posted the pictures of the paintings that I had finished.

"How are you, baby? " She asked, still doing what she was doing.

"I'm good and I can see you are beautiful."

She turned to look at me with a smile then she faced her work once more.

"Do you have a lot of work on your table? " I asked.

"Ummm _ I have this one and two others, " She replied, still pedaling.

I nodded. "I'm going to a site. Will you join me? "

"Yes," She quickly replied, "I would love to."

"But you  can't? " I asked as she was not making a move to get up.

"I can. This won't take long, " She  replied.

I nodded, then replied  a chat from a few people including Flourish, a member of the church. She was the one I told Nene about. We were close until I met Nene. The truth was that she still tried to talk to me but it was hard for me to reply like I used to. Almost everyday she sent me songs for the choir rehearsal,  which gave us a reason to talk.

"Done," Nene said.

"Thank God," I  breathed out.

She hit my arm and said, "Let me weave it," as she entered the outer room.

I sat back waiting for her  then I replied Flourish who was asking what time I would come to church. I truly did not know so I told her that. She sent crying emojis telling me that she had wanted to join me from her junction.

"I'll let you know when I'm coming," I replied.

"A date? " Nene asked from the door.

Briefly I wondered if she could see my phone from the door then I replied, "A church member. I was chatting with a church member."

She laughed. "Don't mind me. I was just pulling your trousers, " then she turned and winked at me.

"You are crazy, " I said, shaking my head.

We went in my car to the site and I handed the plan to the contractor incharge.

"I want to go round the baby building, " Nene said.

"It's fine, " I said and she walked away. I did not know what she wanted to look at or what she wanted to see. The building was just raised to the foundation point and that was all.

"Be careful !" I shouted as she walked from edge to edge. She was in heels as always, with well fitted blue jeans that stopped at her ankle. She wore a peach singlet and an ankara jacket which was formerly hung on her chair in the office.

I took her to two more sites which active work was already going on in. I hardly went to supervise works but the client  wanted me to supervise the work myself to make sure nothing went wrong.

"Tunde, I'm not following you to any site again, " Nene said as we walked to the car.

I laughed. "I'm sorry, my lady. I just wanted to spend some time with you."

" Let's do this. If we  have a busy day  and we can't see, we could spend the night together, " She said, pulling off her jacket.

"Sounds like a plan. "

"Because I can not deal with the nails everywhere. "

" Honestly I thought you were enjoying it, " I said.

She hissed and got into her own side of the car and I laughed going round. We paid a quick visit to some places I saw in the town while I was looking for a place to move to. She took pictures of the houses. Most of it were new buildings  or buildings that were about to be finished. She loved the idea of one so much that she could not stop talking about how serene the environment was on our way back to pick her her car.

"So, would you spend the night? " I asked just before she came down.

"No, I have to finish up the work I neglected while I went out with you. "

I nodded, drumming my hands on the steering . "Okay. I'll be going to church after now. I'll call you at night when I'm back. "

"Do you go to church every day? " She asked, slipping her hands into her jacket.

"No, unless there's a programme we're preparing for, " I replied.

She smiled. "It's good."

I  rubbed a thumb on her chin before I leaned in and pecked her on the lips. She did not like that quick one. She pulled my head and deepened the kiss then she rubbed her nose on mine.

"Take care of you, " She said and climbed out of the car.

I smiled  and watched her from the Window of the car till she crossed over to the other side of the road.