Chapter 34: Thirty-four

I woke up with arms around me, and I didn't even have to think twice to know it was Chinwe. When I got home yesterday, she wasn't there, and I'd used my spare key to get in. She probably came home when I'd fallen asleep.

"Get off," I joked, forcing myself out of her cuddle, and she groaned, reluctantly releasing me. "Don't tell me you left your room to sleep here with me?"

"I miss you. I haven't held you in months." She whined, stretching her hands to grab me again, but I recoiled and got up from the bed.

Dr. Mary granted me my week off yesterday, immediately after she came back from wherever she'd gone. She was visibly upset and down when she returned, and when I asked her what was wrong, she told me it was nothing and then said I could go on my week off.

"Please, Tari." She pouted, her arms outstretched. I finally gave in. She was right; it had been a while since we'd hugged. I slipped into her embrace, and she pressed me to her, making me chuckle.

"Oh man, I missed these tits the most." She sighed, rubbing our chests together, and I playfully slapped her off me. We broke into laughter.

"You're a crazy girl."

"Love you too." She said and then grabbed me by the hands and started pulling me toward our living room.

"What is it?" I asked, following her curiously.

"I have a surprise for you." I followed her until we got to our dining table, where two plates sat in separate trays. When she opened one, a gasp escaped me at the sight of my favorite dish: freshly baked pancakes, a little burnt, just the way I liked them.

Tears of satisfaction brimmed in my eyes. Joy was a great chef, but she never made pancakes. I think none of the Afeelos liked them, and I couldn't suggest she make them for me because I was just a mere employee like her; I had no right to ask.

"I love you," I muttered.

"Humans." She shook her head, smiling, while I sat down and started devouring the pancakes. "So, all of a sudden, you love me because I made your favorite dish?"

"Do you think Thomas Hobbes was lying when he said humans are selfish? Oh my God, Chinwe, this is so good." I groaned, shaking my head with my eyes closed as I savored the first bite.

"Thank you. You know it runs in the family." She smiled proudly. Chinwe's mother was a talented chef who never made a bad meal. Even when she was sick, her cooking was still amazing. It was like a special gift from God to her. Every meal was a masterpiece, with flavors that danced on your tongue and left you wanting more.

My favorite days back in university were Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays because that was when her mother sent us food she made especially for us. The sweetness of the food was like a drug; it made us forget all our sorrows until the next day.

"You're good, Chinwe, but you can't be compared to your mother."

Chinwe threw her hands up in surrender. "Of course, I'm not denying that. My mother is a goddess."

"I just remembered that afang soup she sent two months ago." We both groaned, covering our eyes as we remembered the food. She'd prepared it for one of her friend's birthdays and decided to send some remnant to us. Unlike our university days, now she hardly sent food to us; it was only on special occasions like her friend's birthday.

"Whenever I'm sad and remember that food, joy just comes from nowhere." Chinwe sighed, making me laugh.

When my laughter subsided, she held my hand on the table. "But seriously, though, I missed having you here."

"Awwwn, baby. I missed being here too." I blew her a kiss before I continued eating my pancakes. "So, do you have any gist for me? What's been happening?"

She leaned closer, excitement glinting in her eyes. "Yes. I had the best fuck of my life. A guy; you'll know him, so I won't tell you who he is."

I frowned. "Are you serious right now? When did we start keeping things from each other?"

"Okay, fine." She surrendered. "He's your boss's son, Dr. Mary's son, Suka Afeelo."

It came to me immediately; geez, how could I have forgotten?

"That reminds me! You sent him your nudes, right?"

"What? What nudes?" "

"You let him take pictures of you half-naked?" Her shock fell, and guilt replaced it. "Are you crazy? People don't even trust their boyfriends and husbands with things like that, and you, a guy you just met?"

"It's just a picture."

"What do you mean it's just a picture? He showed it to me! I'm like his closest friend." I explained when confusion marred her face, probably wondering why he would show me the picture. "What if something happens and your picture is everywhere on social media? Your parents would disown you."

"I'll ask him to delete it." She told me in a defeated voice.

"He might have saved it on other platforms, but you can still try asking him to delete it, and please don't try it again."

"Okay, ma." Even if she was mocking me with the "ma" because I was sounding like her mother, as long as she was listening to what I was saying, then I was fine with it.

"Now gist me everything," I demanded, and she did.

"I noticed Suka was eyeing me during the shoot. Even while talking to other people, his eyes would still linger on me, and he was fucking hot, so I returned the energy. Immediately after, he walked up to me. You know, even if he didn't walk up to me, I would have walked up to him."

I shook my head at her in wonder. This boldness Chinwe had always amused me. She was always ready to go for any guy she wanted, even if it meant being the one to approach him.

"We started talking, and then he invited me to his gallery. It's so beautiful, Tari. I wish you were there to see it. Then he told me that he was planning on quitting photography, and then I wanted to give him a reason not to. That's why I did that."

"Cute, but still not justified," I told her. "You think some nudes would make a man change his mind about his career?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "I don't know why you keep talking down on men. All men aren't the same. Just because you've met some shitty ones in the past doesn't mean they're all like that."

I scoffed in reply, remembering the reason that resurrected my distrust in men. Maybe if she had told me this before Mene asked me out on a date yesterday and then chose to ignore my texts after I'd agreed, I would have supported her view. He wasn't even taking my calls either.

"Just go on with your gist." She gave me a look I understood. She had sensed that something was wrong and would be asking me about it later.

"So, after the pictures, we fucked. It was beautiful, Tari. I wish I could go back. We fucked, made love, and fucked again. I even slept in his gallery that day, and when we woke up, we fucked again. We also talk every day. We might hang out sometime."

"Might?"

"He said he wants us to be careful". She explained. "He doesn't want his mother to know he's seeing anyone. Will Dr. Mary not like to meet with me?" I paused with my glass of milk a few inches from my mouth.

"Why will I know that?"

"I don't know. You're close to her, aren't you?"

"I'm close to her professionally. We don't talk about things like that." I explained before taking a large gulp of the milk.

Chinwe didn't believe me, but she didn't say anything more.

"What about Bobby? How are things between the both of you?"

"He's stopped talking to me. Even the last time I sent him another irrelevant fact about Mene, he didn't respond. I think he's finally decided to forgive me."

"Bobby?" She chuckled and gasped at the same time. "That man doesn't know how forgiveness works, and besides, what did you do that demands forgiveness from him?"

"Something tells me that he's aware of what happened in that room that day, and this is like some form of punishment."

"That man is a devil."

"Tell me about it." I sighed. "But I'm happy he hasn't bothered me about anything since that day he came to my room and almost uprooted my scalp."

"God, I was so scared when I got your call that day. I almost rushed to that house, but you refused to come." I took the last gulp of the milk, emptying the glass with another sigh. I really needed this meal I just finished.

"I didn't want Dr. Mary to find out. Those rich people do scary things when you get on their bad side."

"True. Maybe that's why Suka doesn't want to meet with me. Maybe his mother wouldn't want him to marry me." I couldn't help myself. Marriage leaving Chinwe's mouth was like a dog hissing like a snake. I burst into bits of laughter, and she frowned immediately, knowing why I was laughing.

"Marriage? You? Ha! You can't even stay in a relationship for more than three months." I reminded her as I wiped tears from my eyes.

She playfully rolled her eyes and threw an empty bread wrap at me, which I dodged. "Hey! I can stay in a relationship for more than three months. I just choose not to." She defended herself, and I scoffed at her blatant lie.

"You're not marrying anyone anytime soon my dear."

"Why? Because I'm a free spirit?"

"Exactly. You're a free spirit, and marriage would choke you." Chinwe was the kind of girl Dua Lipa and Marina sang about. That kind of girl that didn't believe in marriage.

"Maybe. But I can try, right?" "

"You can try, but I know you. You'll run away from the altar on your wedding day." She laughed.

"Alright, it's your turn. Any new gist?" Chinwe asked, her eyes glinting with curiosity.

I took a deep breath, the words tumbling out of my mouth like a pent-up waterfall. "One of Dr. Mary's co-lecturers asked me out on a date on Wednesday, and I'll be going." Chinwe's eyebrows shot up, her expression a mix of surprise and intrigue.

"What? Why?"

"What do you mean 'What? Why?' Is it a taboo for me to go out on a date?"

She pursed her lips at me. "You know that's not what I meant. The last time we talked about men, you told me the tension between you and Mene was powerful enough to resurrect the dead. Why are you giving another guy a try?"

My response was a passionate outburst, a release of pent-up emotions. "Cause Mene is a frustrating piece of shit! Can you imagine that bastard? After making my legs shake and whispering love promises in my ears, he ghosted me! Can you imagine?"

Chinwe's eyes widened at my outburst, her hands flying to her chest as if she'd been struck by a bullet, probably the bullet of my tirade.

"Woah easy, Tari. Maybe he's busy or something. Wasn't it just yesterday he sent the text?" Chinwe's voice was a gentle breeze, soothing my frazzled nerves.

But I was beyond consolation, my words tumbling out in a torrent of frustration. "That's not it, Chinwe. This guy has been frustrating me ever since the day we met. I hate the feelings he provokes within me. One minute he's making me feel like I'm his favorite person, the next minute, he's treating me the same way I treated all the clothes my exes gave to me."

Chinwe's laughter was a welcome respite. "Like trash?"

I scowled at her and she laughed again.

"I know exactly what we both need. Let's go clubbing after your date tomorrow'". A sly smile crept up my face as she continued, "A night of drinking, smoking, and dancing. That's exactly what we need".

"You know me too well".

"What are friends for?" She nudged me playfully, mischief dancing in her eyes before she disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of four cousins' wine. I eagerly grabbed some wine glasses, and she poured the golden liquid, its aroma filling the air. With a flourish, she raised her glass, and I followed suit.

"To getting over shitty men."

"And not getting attached to any man."

We clinked our glasses together, the sound echoing through the room like a promise of liberation, and downed the wine in unison. I could already feel the wine washing away the bitter taste of heartache.

This was exactly what I needed.

Home.

There was no place like home and no comfort like the embrace of a true friend.