Abuja lane II

Continued from Here

The security man comes into the reception, with Jevnik nylon bag in his hands, heading straight to Emmanuella’s desk

Security man: “Aunty person say make I give you.”

Emmanuella: “Thank you, where’s the person”

Security man: “Him don go, but he say paper dey inside the nylon”

Emmanuella: *sigh* “ok thank you”

She collected the nylon from him and signaled him to leave, Jevnik wow baby girl you are in heaven, she thought to herself as she took out the note placed on the take away pack, it was from Femi.

Since the best way through your heart is your tummy, Eat and think of me. Or am I there yet?

Your Yoruba demon

Femi.

Emmanuella sighed with deep satisfaction, this is what I like, good food and fine boy, Oh God please let it last small, she thought. Femi for the past three weeks had been chasing her with finesse, and she was beginning to fall for him. Has fallen for him, of course she has, since that evening in Jevnik. But she just didn’t know why she was delaying. She picked up her phone, and dialed his number.

Femi: “hey babe” he picked up at the first ring “I was just about to call you, the driver just got here”

The way he called her babe always threw her off guard, the first time he called her “babe” she had lost track of what she planned to say, still no difference now.

Emmanuella: ” I got the food” she said with a smile “and the note, thanks”

Femi: “you’re welcome, you wanna go out later today?”

Emmanuella: “Erhmmm depends on where I’m going to ”

Femi: “I was thinking a quite evening where we can talk, maybe dreams garden?”

Emmanuella:” Talk? Hmmm, sounds serious, am I safe?” She said jokingly trying to still her already beating heart

Femi:” ahahahahah, we will see about that, so six, seven?”

Emmanuella:” Seven is fine, I’ll meet you there, I have to go a client needs my attention , see you then!”

Femi:” Alright”
                                    ****************************************

He parked in front of her gate and looked at her, she squirmed under his attention and looked away, they were still seated in his car

Emmanuella:” I had fun” she said trying to brave up ” thanks for the drawing, and that stuntman! Ahahahahah na wa oh, some people have mind biko!” Ok Ella keep quiet, this is getting awkward, she thought as she fiddled with her bag

Femi:” I hate playing games Emma, I like you and I have made it known to you several times, I want you, not as an occasional thing but my constant girl, I really want to see where we go with this, or don’t you feel something for me?”

Emmanuella:” It’s not like that Femi, I like you, really do matter of fact, and I would like to see where this goes but you came at the wrong place and time, I’ll soon be rounding up with my service and I’ll have to go back to Lagos and I am not good with long distance relationships, why start something if it’s going to end almost immediately?” She said in a small voice almost tearfully avoiding his eyes

Femi: ” feels like you’re trying to convince yourself not me, Look at me” he moved closer to her and held her chin forcing her to look at him ” I want you, i am not going to let something as ridiculous as different states stop me from getting you, do you understand me?”

She nodded and realized she was a bit turned on with his confidence, she took her chin away from his hands and look away mulling over what he just said 

Femi:” so how about we take this step by step, and cross that bridge when we get there, but I promise you this, distance isn’t going to be a problem for us” he moved back to his space “I’m going to Lagos tomorrow I’ll be back on Tuesday, I’ll see you then?”

She nodded already feeling the days he would be gone “Alright I’ll see you when you get back” she said as she opened the car door and stepped out, “goodnight” she said and stepped aside as he drove away.

She took out her phone as she walked up to her apartment and called Tinuke

Tinuke:” hey girl, what’s up ”

Emmanuella: “Femi just dropped me off, and he has officially asked the question” she said as she opened the door, threw her bag on the nearest couch and flung herself on it 

Tinuke:*screams* “babes that’s wonderful! Finally! So how much is my commission, as per the agent of love” she laughed as she said it

Emmanuella:” commission ko commission ni, abeg jor, my problem now is what to do, I mean I wanted a boyfriend, and I really like Femi but now that the opportunity has come I don’t know what is wrong with me”

Tinuke:” me sef I don’t know what is wrong with you, ahn ahn! weren’t you the one always yapping about how the only guys that see you don’t want anything serious, and now you finally see one, who is fine, and boxed up and serious oh, and you are hesitating,and that’s always your problem ,you’re all talk till it gets to the real deal. Femi is a good guy, plus he’s Franklin’s friend do you really think he’ll do something stupid?”

Emmanuella:” no” she said already feeling scolded 

Tinuke:”ehen! So please eh, don’t use your hand to drive something good away, at least you will join the baeful gang, ahahahahah, abeg jor, enjoy yourself and stop overthinking things.”

Emmanuella:” Ok Mummy!” She said with a smile, already feeling giddy with happiness

Tinuke:” I have to go, Franklin and I are going to the Bank, I’ll talk to you tomorrow”

Emmanuella:” ok, goodnight”

She picked up her bag and walked to the room, and mused on everything as she pulled off her clothes and walked into the bathroom. It’s not like I don’t like him, and besides who knows if I’ll get a job here, she chuckled who am I kidding I love Lagos too much to be based here. But maybe this could work. And I’ll finally have an excuse to tell Hussein off.

Hussein is a guy she met in Lagos last Christmas, he was based in Abuja but attended a wedding in Lagos, and although she didn’t know he was married at first, when she found out she was already in too deep and she couldn’t say no to him, as in he says come and she appears right in front of him!. Maybe now I’ll have a bit more self respect and control, she thought unconsciously puffing her shoulders up a bit as she walked out if the bathroom. 

                   ******************************************

This was her millionth time checking her phone for a new message. Not that she was expecting something but at the same time she was expecting at least a “hi” from Femi, it’s been five days and she hasn’t heard from him, she knew he had returned from Lagos because she had asked Tinuke yet he hadn’t called of even sent a message. That’s it! I can’t certainly be with a guy that would stay up to five day so! without talking to me, no way, what will he do when we fight, thank God I haven’t even spoken about saying yes sef. She thought angrily as she mindlessly tapped on her desktop and deleting the numerous errors she made as she typed.

And yet she still caught herself checking her phone for his name to appear somehow. So instead she Tinuke a message

Aunty this person you so endorsed is already messing up, since he got back from Lag he hasn’t even gotten in touch with me, na so dem dey do?

Her telecom blinked, a sign that her boss needed her attention, she stood up and went to answer her boss. 

By the time she got back her phone was already blinking. A text message from Tinuke

And so you’re angry because he didn’t reach you, did it occur to you that he wants you to call to at least show your interest, I thought you are the one forming pro woman rights, oya call him nah, abi? if you don’t hear from him call him now 

Maybe I will, prove to him I’m not into games as well, and then tell him off, yes! She thought. She finished up the letter her boss needed her to type and gave it to him and returned to her seat, mentally boosting her confidence as she called him.

Femi:” hey babe” he picked at the fourth ring

The confidence she thought she had built up melted away just as she heard his voice 

Emmanuella:” Hi” she had nothing in her head

Femi:” good to hear from you”

She didn’t know where the anger came from, but it came and she unleashed it on him

Emmanuella:” really?, wow that’s wonderful, seeing as you came back since Tuesday and you couldn’t even call, no,text sef and its good to hear from me? I don’t get guys at all, they push and push and when the door is finally open, they turn around and leave” she left the reception because her voice was getting higher

Femi:” wow,wow calm down, whoever said anything about leaving, I didn’t call you when I was in Lagos because I wanted to give you space to think, and when I got back Tinuke said it would be better if you called first, and I see she was right” she could sense the smile in his voice and she was angry because he was smiling

Emmanuella :” Tinuke told you not to call me?” Trying to attach her anger to someone else

Femi:” that’s not what I said, she wanted you to have enough time to make up your mind, safe to say you’re willing to give us a try hmm?” He asked in a teasing way

Emmanuella:” I mean I was, but with this you new behavior I don’t know, how can you stay away from a woman you claim to like for days and not even talk to her” she said her anger quickly ebbing away.

Femi:” ahahahahah, trust me it took a lot for me not to reach out to you, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you, how about that?”

Emmanuella:” I’m listening” she said already forgetting her anger and flirting with him

Femi:” well, how about I surprise you as your first legit outing as my girlfriend”

She sighed in a satisfied manner , girlfriend hmmm

Emmanuella:” I like the sound of that” she said to him and to herself