As Feire drove back to her place, she sipped from the bottle of pepsi in her left hand. Her mind was blank, the sound system was a rescue as she played songs to get her attention diverted from thinking about what could get her perplexed. She was not sure she was ready for any of that anymore, or perhaps, at least for that day.
She was a year gone now, a year gone into a relationship only herself and Desmond knew about. Though, she felt Desmond had no other lady apart from her, but everything surrounding her at that present moment was not enough to stand as a proof of his uprightness before her. She was getting confused and she has not been hiding it from him, he just usually try to calm her down, probably take her out, and after they have had nice time and he has reassured her that nothing would go wrong, she would bounce again having no doubt that Desmond could lie to her. Here she was, no one has said anything different concerning this issue yet, and everyone believed Desmond could be a scum.
Was she really ready to go home or just stop somewhere and relax her head before going back into that house? She just moved into her apartment for about three months now and she was staying alone. It is a two-bedroom flat and Desmond had gotten the place for her and also furnished it to her taste because she didn’t want to go back to her parent’s house. Those were another set of characters in her life, they wouldn’t treat her like she was twenty-six already, they would always try to act like parents which they were, but to a little girl. A girl who just returned from school and you have to hold her hand to write the assignment, speak to about life and encourage her to read, all those stuffs. She was really done. They try to monitor her going out and coming in, giving her time to use outside and mandating her to return before certain time?
She needed her freedom and she’s got it now. She took her eyes off the road and checked the time on the dashboard; it was just five-thirty. She murmured some words to herself as she marched he brake. The traffic was hectic and she has been in it for over thirty minutes now. Desmond had not called her after she finished her radio show, could that mean something? Could it be that he felt offended that she brought the issue up on her show or he felt so bad that she ignored his call when she found out it was him?
As much as she was tired of this melodrama she had gotten herself into, it was hard for her to let Desmond slip away. This guy is a solid guy, he would occasionally just send her a text that he would love to take her out, or maybe she could visit his place since he was staying alone and Feire was still with her parents then. That was one of the major reasons he took it upon himself to get her an apartment away from home. He already begged her to keep their relationship away from every ear, and if peradventure anyone sees them together and try to tease, they would lie that they were just friends. At first, she never saw the big deal until it was becoming more glaring to her that she couldn’t tell any of her friends about him and obviously none of his own friends seem to know anything also.
She picked her phone and stared at it for some moment. She didn’t know if she should call or just stay in her lane. She didn’t know what she would hear from him and what to say back. Truth be told, she really loved him and wouldn’t want him to slip out of her life, but this secrecy? She took in a deep breath and dialed his mobile number.
“Hey.”
“The radio presenter, what’s up?”
She tittered. “I am not good. Where are you?”
“I’m around Ikeja.” He replied.
“Really? I too. Can we go out? I want to see you.”
“Okay, since it is you who wants to see me, it is going to be on you.”
“Okay, let’s meet at Mega Chicken. I am close to the place.”
“Okay dear, I will be with you shortly.”
She dropped her phone and her eyes scrunched tight in anticipation of something unexpected. Though he didn’t sound angry on phone, maybe he was not angry with her.
** ** **
Feire had a seat and placed her phone and purse on the table before her. She didn’t know if she should place an order and eat before the arrival of Desmond because who knows if he would come angry and crush her mood and appetite.
Her phone buzzed and she reached for it. She thought it was a Bank alert but it was just a text message. She was already hitting her threshold and only a bank alert could get her to excited state. Why is Mosun coming again? She chuckled as she murmured. The message she got was from her friend, another major character in her life asides Desmond and her parents. They’ve been friends for almost six years now, right from the day she went to write her entrance examination into the university, she met Mosun and her outspokenness drew Feire to her.
The two came to write an examination in a school they were not familiar with but Mosun appeared as though she knew everywhere within the school, ask her a question and she would tell you where the thing or a place is situated in the school. She made Feire miss her way to the exam venue because she was part of the first batch to write the examination and she was strolling around like a staylite, directing others to their exam venue and wishing them success. It was when Feire finished her exam she saw Mosun under a tree with the same calculator they were given to write their exams, then she suspected that she was also a jambite. Friendship grew and she was to her like a sister she never had.
“Boo.” Desmond pulled her cheek as he stood before her. She was so buried in her phone that she didn’t notice when the gentleman walked up to her. She dropped her phone in shock as she looked at him.
“Hey dear.” He had full black hair, which was black and lustrous. His face was strong and defined and his dark eyebrows sloped downwards in a serious expression. His usually playful smile drew hard line across his face and his strong hand held her close to hug him. As he stared into her eyes, his smile etched its way back into his face. His lips brushed her ear as he spoke, “How are you?”
“Er… fine dear.” He didn’t even look angry, or maybe he was hiding it. But come to think of it, angry about what exactly? About her topic on the radio show? She didn’t mention his name and the fact that they were coded was enough for no one to suspect that she was the one in question. “Are you fine too?” She asked.
“Sure. Please, sit.” He showed her the seat and he sat before her too. “You haven’t ordered anything yet?”
“Was waiting for you.” She didn’t know if she should bring up the topic of the radio issue or just let it slide since he didn’t appear as if it got at him.
He smirked. “I hope that is not to think I am footing the bills, dear.”
“I am not poor, man.” She gave a half smile.
“Oshey, rich woman.”
“What would you love to eat?”
He stared into her eyes. There was shyness to her, hesitation in her body movements and a softness in her voice. Her blue criss-cross blouse, brown hair, everytime sexy strut that tells the world, “I am beautiful,” soft hands, beautiful smile and glabrous skin was blowing him away as if he was seeing her for the first time. You know that feeling when you sit before your beloved and suddenly it is as though another chapter about their looks and appearance was opened before you. “You are beautiful, my darling.” He whispered.
“Stop making me feel uneasy, Des.” She blushed. That was one of the major things she liked about him, how he looks at her and compliments her every chance he gets. Er, he has been amazing for the past one year, does not look like one who’s cheating on her, she knows the work he does and where he works, knows some of his friends, though they don’t know her, or probably don’t know her as who she is to him, everything is simply amazing but weird. It is weird that you love someone so much, appreciate someone so much, really care and always blown away but you still aren’t getting enough. Just like a little princess given everything ever desired but caged in a house.
“See how she is blushing. Let’s order sharwama and probably a bowl of ice cream. Don’t worry, I will pay.” He winked.
“You don’t have to pay, gentleman. I am going to handle the payment today.”
He shrugged. “Here comes pride. Anyways, what’s wrong with you? You told me you were not fine.”
Her eyes twinkled, she glanced upward, her mouth pursed but slightly open and loose. Her eyes became fixed as if she was looking at something a yard behind Desmond. “Feire?” He called her again.
“Oh, I am fine.” She grinned.
“Unserious lady. Or do you think I am angry because you brought us up on the radio show?”
She shook her head and smiled. “I am sorry, I am just scared Desmond. We are one year into this now and it just seems as if we aren’t anywhere yet. I still don’t understand why you are hiding me, for how long will this relationship going to be before we get married, what are…”
“Feire!” Desmond interrupted. “I am coming, let me place the order.” He stood up, leaving her head drop into her palms. Soon he came back and pulled her hair softly. “They will get it done in a jiffy, dear.” His voice was soft and as sweet as he was. “I am not playing you, my love. You know this.”
“Tell me why I am in hiding, Desmond.”
“I am going to tell you when the time is right, dear. And when did you start talking about marriage like our parents?” He smiled.
“Maybe there’s a girl somewhere, didn’t you hear the opinions of people since morning?”
“It is normal to think like that. I would have thought like that too if I were to be in your shoes. Anyways, can we skip this talk and discuss something that will lighten up this atmosphere?”
“Mosun just messaged me that she would be coming again.” She rubbed her forehead as though she was tired already before her arrival.
Desmond laughed. “I would love to meet her today. At least, gradually start meeting your friends and you’d start meeting mine too gradually, you know? So you wouldn’t feel I have skeleton in my cupboard”
“Really?” She brightened.
“Sure.” He winked again.
** ** **
Desmond found it hard to control his laughter as he parked. He had been trying to calm Feire for some minutes now, she has been ranting about her mum and whatsapp. Her mum already sent four videos to her that day and she just sent two broadcasts that ended with curses if one doesn’t send it to others. She knew her mum would have sent it out of fear and mind of the prayer attached to the broadcast message, but why would she send it to her then? She just called her to warn her not to send her videos on whatsapp, she has been sucking her mobile data for some weeks with irrelevant videos that she has been sending and broadcasts on heart attacks, healthy way of eating and spiritual messages.
“My mum is also like that.” Desmond rubbed his left eye.
“Imagine, Des. Who sends messages like this? A message that ends with a curse if I don’t forward it to other people. The last thing I can do is to forward whatsapp broadcast messages to my contact.”
“Just calm down, our mothers generally live to keep us updated but little do they know what they are sending is kinda irrelevant.”
“Anyways, are you waiting till this troublesome girl comes?” She asked.
“I am going to leave if she is not here in thirty minutes’ time, I have to get some things done as soon as possible.”
“What things?” Her eyes glinted.
He shrugged. “What do you want to know? Something.”
“You are just too secretive, Desmond. Come inside.”
“Okay dear.”
** ** **
FEIRE
You may be wondering that how did I even meet Desmond? I actually met him at a filling station for the first time and he offered to pay for my fuel but I refused. I didn’t know him, I didn’t want any connection and someone would now be feeling indebted to him. I just coolly refused the offer and we parted ways. I didn’t give him my mobile number, nothing. We didn’t start like all these guys who went to same secondary school or university. Perhaps that’s why none of my friends know him or can suspect us being together.
So I went to this eatery where I was minding my own business before someone came and sat opposite me with a tray of his food It was actually after one week of our first impromptu meeting and he was there, smiling sheepishly before me. At first, I was almost asking that brother, hope you have sense like this, but I just cautioned myself. Don’t mind me o, I am a very troublesome fellow, this version of myself you are currently seeing is just a version that is cool, you know?
So, he asked if he could buy me anything I wanted and I turned him down again. I was feeling like.. not this type of hungry girls and wouldn’t want his first impression about me to be that. He started talking to me about how ladies form hard to get and that’s how we began to talk o, I was defending myself that I was not forming, not just used to this mentality that imposes men that they have to spend on women. That’s how I asked him if he has paid for his own food and he said yes, I asked him if he wanted something more and he said I was proud. Since then, if I want to spend, he would shout pride.
So I gave him my contact that day and we became good friends. He said he liked my company, he said that I was cool and fun to be with, and moreover, I have a different orientation from many ladies out there. I didn’t see that, I was just being myself though. I have never been in a relationship though, my parents have been troubling my life concerning getting into a relationship because I was already getting old. I wonder who told me to come back to their house after I finished my Masters degree. That’s why I didn’t hesitate to leave the house when I got the chance. There was even a time it was trouble to them that I chose to work in a radio and becoming an OAP instead of going into what I read in school. I studied zoology and what on earth is my business with zoology?I even did went further for Masters and they were not grateful enough.
So, that’s my little story for now. Oh, I forgot to mention, I have one little sister, she is just in her three hundred level, she is a quiet type, so she’s not a problem in my life, her name is Ese. That is it for now.
** ** **
“I should leave anytime from now, dear.” Desmond checked his wristwatch.
“Where to?” She snapped. “Can’t you just sit down and be with me for a moment? At least you said you want to meet Mosun, meet her for the first time.”
“But dear, she is running late. I want to..” A knocked interrupted him. Feire glared at him and shook her head. “I am sure that should be her, let me get the door.”
“Is that why you are looking at me like that?”
“You are just annoying.” She walked out. Desmond was on his seat, the cheers and talks were audible to hear from inside, he hoped it wouldn’t be a bad decision he took to know one of her friends. He was not sure of the face of Mosun but it seemed he once saw her picture on Feire’s phone and whatsapp status. He would still tell Feire to keep them coded even after Mosun gets to know about them. He had his reasons and they were best known to him.
“So this is Desmond, and Desmond, meet Mosun.” Feire introduced as soon as they entered the living room.
“Desmond? I know this face, right?” Mosun asked.
Desmond’s face wrinkled. “Really? Where?”
“Do you know Kike?” She asked him, dropping her handbag on the sofa. Feire stood there, watching their drama.
Desmond was quiet, his eyes darted round the living room. He suddenly couldn’t find his voice, or probably didn’t know the best thing he could reply her with. “Kike?” He asked again, using his index finger to turn his ear.
“Are you not the one who usually come to take her out? It’s your car that is outside, right? I know that car too.”
Desmond just stood, kept watching. Feire was lost. “What’s happening? By the way, who is Kike?” She asked.
Mosun looked at her.
…to be continued…