Meant To Be
By Olunfulola Adeola
Episode 36
“I cannot believe my eyes! I just can’t. Damn!” Kore said pacing to and fro the p@rt of that lounge he and his friends occu-pied.
“You can’t believe what?” Tosin asked.
Tade said, “He should even st©p pacing, it’s aggravating my headache. Tell us what you saw that you could not believe.”
Kore explained, “You know I told you I was going to meet a potential client at ICM (Ikeja City Mall).”
Tade said, “Yes, you did . So?”
“I nailed the deal and…” Kore was saying when Tosin interrupted,
“Congratulations man!”
Tade said, “Drinks on you, bro.”
Kore continued, “Whatever. On my way out, I was on call with my surveyor when my eyes met Ayo’s…”
“Ayo?” Tosin asked,
Tade asked, “Which Ayo?”
Kore gave him the stink eye and he defended himself, “I gotta ask man!”
Kore said, “I saw her just for a fleeting second and I had to ru-b my face to be sure only for me to not see her again. One minute she was standing there smiling at a guy! Another moment she was gone
. Like gone!”
Tosin said, “Lagos is kinda small you know. Especially all this mainland areas. You can just run into anyb©dy at any time.”
Tade agreed, “Yeah. Just take it easy man. You decided to leave her be so leave her be.”
Tosin said, “Guy, you no say if na oyinbo them go don drag each other to court tey tey.”
Tade asked, “On t©p we-tin?”
Tosin replied, “Why you dey ask question like say you no dey educated na? As per custody of the child na.”
Kore said, “I cannot do that to Ayo.”
Tosin said, “All right.”
Tade advised, “Guy, you gaz get yourself together because you guys might run into each other more times than this and you have to comport yourself.”
Kore said sitting down, “It’s so ha-rd . God! I miss her like crazy!”
Tade said, “You nee-d a hole to drill bro.”
Kore said vehemently, “I am not gonna do that.”
Tosin ch!pped in, “Oh! So, you are going to stay without S-x till forever. Huh?”
Kore said, downing Tade’s trophy drink, “Whatever. Let’s talk about something else abeg.”
“Okay o.” Tosin said.
Kore said, “This guy should come and give us drinks jare.”
Tade called, “Barman!”
Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ
“I can’t believe you just dragged me outta ICM like that!” Wale exclaimed.
Ayo apologized, “Sorry na.”
He said, “Oya, explain yourself. What happened? Why the mini drama?”
She said, shivering slightly, “I saw him.”
He asked, “Him who?”
She said, “Kore!”
He said nodding, “Ooooh.”
He asked, “So, why did we have to run still?”
She said, “I was scared and seeing him was unexpected, he could walk up to us and a drama will start.”
He suggested, “Or you miss him so much and you don’t know how you are gonna act around him if he actually made a move closer.”
She snapped, “That was not what I said.”
He said, “Ehn, I helped you interpret it ni nao.”
She said, “Okay. Sha, let’s go home.”
He asked smiling, “Your place or mine, baby?”
She said, “Shey that movie did not make your head turnioniown like this? You better drop me at my house.”
“Your say is my go, madam.” Wale said and kick-start the car.
Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ
A month after the episode at ICM, Ayo went to see Wale in his house. He just arrived from the states where he went to see his dad. She decided to prepare something for them to eat while he took his bath. Some minutes later, he entered the kitchen. He stealthily moved towards her and was almost upon her when he hit something on his way and she got distracted from pouring the vegetables into the stew pot.
Water spilled and as she made to balance herself, she sli-pped. He caught her and steadied her on her feet but he held on to her.
“Shey you know…?” He k!$$£d her full on the mouth interrupting her speech and his ton-gue tea-sed herl-ips open before delving in and swirling causing her to mo-an, she could feel the heat of his mouth all the way to her core. Then just as suddenly as he started, he st©pped and pu-ll-ed back.
“Oya, let’s finish up this food na, hunger dey wire me o.”
Ayo was surprised. She just k!$$£d a man! Another man! That isn’t Kore! It took her br@in some minutes to register she was no longer with Kore but then,
“You…you just k!$$£d me. You…Why?”
“Because I can and I would do it again (takes a step towards her, ma-king her step back) if I want to. I missed you.”
“You can’t just go ahead and k!ssme anytime you want.” She protested and in one swift movement she was back in his arms with his mouth on hers, this time, he k!$$£d her de-eply and r0ûghly and then pu-ll-ed back, grinning wi-dely.
“You see that I can?”
Silence.
“Oya, let’s finish cooking this food na.”
“You are so unbelievable.”
“Yeah.
. I am that magical. I know for a fact you want me to continue, yeah? Should we take it upstairs?”
“Get lost jo.” She said going back to cooking.
Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ
Later that night Wale chatted Ayo up on WhatsApp…
“Thank you for coming over today.”
“Yeah, even though you are so troublesome.”
“I got it from you.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure. Anything for you madam.”
“Why the k!ss?”
“Hmmm. Ayo, you don’t know how crazy you make me feel. Your thought is always on my mind and I’ve not st©pped admiring you for a second. You, back into my life is more than I could ever ask for. You are a good woman and I want to be with you.”
“Hmmm.”
“Say something jo.”
“I don’t know if I am re-ady for another relationsh!p.”
“We will wait then but I can as-sure you I will be stealing so many k!sses.”
“If I sound you from here.”
“See the way she is pretending like she didn’t enjoy it. Should I remind you how you m0@n ed?”
“I’m so going offline.”
“Oya wait na. Sorry.”
“I’m serious. I want to sleep.”
“Okay Bae. Sleep ti-ght.”
“You too.” Ayo texted, exited the app and double tap her phone to lock screen then she pu-ll-ed the covers around her very well before thanking God for the day and slee-ping.
Meant To Be
By Olunfulola Adeola
Episode 37
Wale didn’t go back on his words as he stole k!sses here and there whenever he was with Ayo and she was beginning to get attached to him. Thinking about him. Smiling at his messages. Looking forward to speak to him.
It’s been five months since she left Kore. She had just got back from church that Sunday, s£nt Itunu up to change into house wear while she wanted to also undress and go cook them something to eat for brunch when the doorbell rang. She had just toed off her heels beside the door and was about picking it when she heard the sound . She dropped it and opened the door. It took her almost two minutes to make the effort to close the door but it was too late, her visitor’s foot was in the doorway and with one fluid push, he was in her living room, standing by the door and looking around.
She relaxed and decided to handle the situation with maturity. Never would she have imagined Kore at her ap@rtment, not today, not yesterday, not tomorrow.
“What are you doing here?”
“What do you think?” He asked.
“Look, I don’t have time for all these your drama this afternoon. I just got back
. I nee-d to attend to some things so state your business and leave.”
“Yeah. I can see you are dressed in this same flowered go-wn you picked out at KC. Do you remember what happened the first time you wore this go-wn? I was going to take you out and you k!$$£d me while I was driving. I found a lot to park in, reclined your seat and fv¢ked you with my f!ngerstill you c@m£ over them.”
Ayo took in a sharp breath as the memories of that night flooded her br@in and vision, ma-king her we-t instantly. She swallowed, crossed her arms and asked,
“Is that what you are here for?”
“Yes, amongst other things. I own this building now. I want to pu-ll it down and rebuild a commercial building right here.”
“What! Are you high?”
“No but that aside. I knew you’ve been here throu-gh these months, I just wanted to give you time and I think five months is enough to time to forgive me and think about what we had and our son. Growing up knowing he has a father but you denied him of the connection.”
“So, you think now that you are here, I am just going to dance to your tune just like you made me do years back, ehn?”
“No. I know for a fact that you are not going to accept me easily and if you want me to keep telling you how sorry I am then I will. I am sorry but even you, in your heart, you know I am not that person anymore.”
“Uncle Kore?” Itunu called not sure he is the one, trying to believe Kore was actually in their house.
“Tunz my boy.” Kore answered turning to Itunu who raced down the stairs to him. Kore dropped to his knees and hvgged his son then they did their freestyle handshake.
“Where have you been?”
“Here and there but I am back now so you are going to see more of me.” Kore said, ma-king eye contact with Ayo who stood opposite them, watching and wondering why Kore decided to come here today at all.
“Itunu, plea-se go into the kitchen and make some sandwiches for us both.” She said and Itunu replied,
“Okay Mum.”
She turned to him, “I want you to leave now.”
“Of course, I will go. I just wanted to st©p by. And I can see the wheels in your head moving alre-ady, wherever you are thinking of moving to, I am just behind you, do not forget that.”
“Just go plea-se.” She begged not able to look into his eyes again.
. He walked towards her till he was standing in front of her. He lifted her face to look at him and she shivered at what she thought he planned to do. His face was so close, she closed her eyes in anticipation. Hisl-ips hovered close to hers as her toes curled in anticipation. Then all of a sudden, he wasn’t in her face anymore,
“It’s good to know you still want me as much I want you but when I k!ssyou, you won’t be covered in another man’s perfume.” He said and with that he was gone like the wind. Ayo sank to the floor and covered her face with her palm. What was wrong with her? He almost k!$$£d her but then she had wanted him to. And he knew! He knew about Wale! Wale had actually drove them to and from church and once they got here. She told Itunu to go in while he k!$$£d and smooched her in his car hence the perfume.
Kore is back! And in some ways, she can’t explain, she was still very much affected by him. Should she keep him away because of the past? Or should she accept, get married as planned and move on or leave?
Itunu had to call her thrice before she was pu-ll-ed back to reality. He had two plates on his hands, she accepted one from him and ate slowly while she listened to him talk about everything that happened at church that day.
Tbc