“Do you think I’m in love with him, Ruth?”I asked with a frown on Monday morning. I have told Deji that I will give him a definite answer today, though he wasn’t too happy about it, probably at the fact that I didn’t jump at the offer but I was able to convince him that I have to think about it and the implication before I could agree. We left the joint in moody silence.
“You are not in love with him, jummy.You are on the rebound from that slime’s betrayal.”Ruth said forcefully as she turned to look at me and I heaved a heavy sigh. “I’m so confused, girl. He is so caring, attentive and fun to be with. He said he is in love with me, though I will be stupid to believe him, considering he has a kid and wife at home.”I said almost to myself as I paced the tiled floor to the window and back again to where she stood. “He just wants to get into your pants and we both know that.”She said with a shrug. “Maybe I want him to. He kissed me once and I went to heaven.”I rolled my eyes heavenward and Ruth burst into helpless giggles. “Are you serious? What was it like?”She asked curiously. “He is a powerful kisser, girlfriend and a great smoocher.I’m really curious to know what it feels like to roll in the sack with him.”I said in a whisper as I went to the door to make sure nobody was on the corridor. “Whow! Don’t make me jealous’o.”Ruth grinned at me and got serious again. “Be careful, girlfriend. I don’t want some crazy woman poring acid on your skin and we need to get out to meet proper men.”She said thoughtfully and it was my turn to grin. “Really? What do you have in mind?”I asked in delight. I love intrigue and adventure so much. “I will let you know before the week runs out. Meanwhile I think you should just sleep with him and forget about him.”She suggested and I did! He was a double “whow!” in bed!
I and Ruth decided to have a night-out the following Friday but unfortunately the pressure at work was terrible and the traffic was worse. Christy gave me a ride into town and I decided to drop at iyana-oworo immediately we descend from third mainland bridge to pay my aunty an impromptu visit. Aunty Kenny as we normally referred to her, she had a twin brother who lived in port-Harcourt, had been living in Lagos ever since I could remember with her live-in lover that eventually become her husband and they had been married officially for three years now but there was no child between them. I have heard mother talked about how she had been running from pillar to post in order to resolve the issue and her husband had always been so supportive. “Jummy, I wish you can get yourself a man like Dipo.He is such a gentleman. He is so supportive, caring and so faithful to his wife, despite everything.”My mother will tell me with pride as if she is uncle Dipo’s mother. “How are you so sure he has been faithful to his wife, mum? Don’t be so gullible.”I would tease the way I normally do, tongue in cheek, baiting her and she would rise to the bait like I expect her to. “How will you know if a man is faithful or not when all you do is chase after unserious playful men that will use you and dump you? I hope you know you are not getting younger. “She will give me her reproving look and I would burst into laughter. To be candid, I do envy my aunty at times, not only is she one very beautiful woman with a “baaaad” shape, her husband is not bad-looking too, they are financially stable and they have a solid marriage from the little I’ve witnessed between the couple. I met the woman in question in a bad mood, even as she tried to hide it behind hugs and kisses. i know she was really happy to see me.
“What is it again, aunty?”I asked after a while as I sat down at the kitchen table with her uneaten dinner and dung in. i was seriously starving. “I saw my menstrual period again today. It seized last month and I thought God has finally answered my prayer. “She said with a heavy sigh as tears filled her eyes. “Has your husband been complaining?”I asked with a frown and she shook her head. “He has never complained jummy but should I wait till he start complaining? I’m wondering if it was that last abortion I did for him about two years before we got married.”She said with regret and I swallowed the morsel of amala in my mouth. “I think you should stop worrying yourself. None of you has been certified barren by the medical expert and you are both young. Enjoy yourself please. What is the latest good news in your life please?”I asked with enthusiasm as I kicked off my sandals and sat back to gist. She burst into laughter and joined me at the table. “Dipo just change my car last week. Please don’t try my new car, jummy, it is “End of discussions””She said with a grin and I whistled loud and clear. “I have to borrow it one of these days.”I declared immediately and she scowled at me. “What do you want to do with my wife’s car, jummy?”Uncle Dipo asked with a smile as he came through the kitchen door and went to give his wife a smacking kiss on the lips before he joined us at the table. “I need to paint the town blue and red and green with it or what do you think, uncle Dipo?”I asked with a wide grin. “Why not as long as the owner is aware of it?”He grinned back and my aunty scowled at both of us. “That is my car and nobody is taking it anywhere. “She said as she glared specifically at me. “Not even if I get you that beautiful silver accessory with the ear-rings? You could use it for your friend’s upcoming marriage and it goes with your organizer lace “I batted my eyes at her innocently and uncle Dipo roared with laughter. We gisted far into the night before we finally retired to bed and I left for my house on Saturday night.
The next Friday was less tedious and we decided to crash one of Ruth’s friend’s party. It was taking place in the middle of ikeja and we got there around mid-night. “You are welcome, babes. It is nice to meet you finally, jummy.There are some boring looking guys I want you to meet.”Julia, Ruth’s friend from her NYSC days said as she greeted us with hugs and linked her hands in both of ours. “That is the gist, Julia.it is real great to meet you too.”I said with a smile and could feel eyes following us. The bar was dark and smoky and I could hear laughter from the men sitting there with drinks and lots of smokeable things. I heard a familiar laughter and thought my ear was playing tricks on me. “Jummy, meet my honorable in the house and the hunk of the day, Oladipo Akanbi.Dipo, this is jummy and I’m expecting you to treat her well.”Julia pushed me forward and I stared in disbelieve at the head that was bent over an expensive cigar to lit it. “Julia, you should trust me. Have I ever treated any of your friends shabbily?”He mumbled around the cigar stick as he flick the lighter off and blow smoke leisurely into the air before he turned to face me. “Uncle Dipo!”I whispered in horror and he stared at me as recognition dawned slowly on his alcohol-induced eyes. “Oh my God!”I was intrigued with the way he spaced the three-worded sentence as he stared at me with obviously growing horror!
