KELENNA

Halfway

"Why are you still standing there and wasting my precious time with these lowlifes Victoria??!!!" A voice thundered.

Why would someone yell like that in this small evening market?

Everyone's attention was drawn to the voice, and I turned to behold a very familiar frame carrying a bago bag and standing before a woman selling fish with an expression I couldn't make out from where I stood.

I hope my eyes are playing tricks on me right now because this can't be anut Victoria I'm seeing right now!

Was she the one being yelled at?? By who?!

Instinctively, I scanned my gaze fast around and sure enough, a man was before a car across the road and fuming, there was also another indifferent girl leaning on the second door and busy on the phone.

Chinelo...???!

What in the world was she doing there on the phone and Mrs Victoria is the one carrying bags and buying things with an insensitive man yelling at her?!

"Victoria I'm f*****g talking to you!! You still remain there?!!"

Is this man still talking?!

"Which kind man be this one sef, this one follow for husband ni??" The akara lady commented with a grunt.

I moved immediately but stopped halfway, aunt doesn't know I'm here, and she may not like that I have knowledge of this kind of embarrassment... but I can't just stand here and do nothing right??

I took out my phone to call Jideka, to ask him what exactly? I don't even know. But I'm sure he'd say something useful.

I dialed Jide's number only for his phone to ring in my pocket. Damnit! I've forgotten I came out with it.

"What a heap of lazy bones you are Victoria!! Dragging yourself around like the burden you are!! Must you waste my time everywhere we go? What right do you have to f*****g stand there like a moron and conversing with lowlifes when I'm pissed and talking to you?!"

Okay that's it. This s**t of a man had better stop talking before I change my mind and come there.

Mrs Victoria finally moved to cross over, after paying the woman I guess, and the market woman started raining curses at the man.

The cursed the heck out of him in loud voices, down to his whole family, business and everything.

The drivers on the road halted their vehicles and motorbikes and waited for her to cross as she moved slowly with the bags, one heavy step after the other. The seller's daughter had helped her carry one of the bags.

But she was just halfway through the road, when her husband angrily barged into the car, slammed the door and drove off together with Chinelo.

What??!!!! Oh my goodness!!!!

Darn!! Why did I not come here with my car again?!

Right! I don't have any.

I'm sorry but which gutter did she pick up this b***h of a man from?!

For a moment she stood there, confused, not knowing whether to move on, or go back and I could see the drivers were getting impatient.

Before I could think of any other reason she might not want me to see her like this, I was already hurrying toward her.

However before I could reach her, a car stopped before her and a woman stepped down, helped her into the car and drove off, with the way they greeted it seems they knew each other.

I stepped back immediately so she wouldn't see me, but it was too late. The car reversed, and she caught sight of me through the mirror.

"Kelenna!!!! Stop trying to hide I've seen you!!!" She waved frantically from the car and I waved back with a back with a smile.

"Hi double queen!!! See you tomorrow!!!" I responded. They were already going far.

What kind of a woman is this?? I thought she would be sad about what happened but here she was smiling widely. Or am I the one that's funny?

Well whatever, it's good she's not sad. I just hope she won't go back to that man this night though.

I went back home to meet Jideka now lying on the bed, if I didn't know better I'd think he was asleep. Well, it's not like there's anything else he's supposed to be doing instead.

"Why are you wearing my clothes Jide? Where did you even find them."

"They weren't hidden."

"Who hides their clothes?"

"Then why are you asking like the FBI was involved in helping me find them?"

"Where are yours?"

"Did you see me with any bag when I came here?"

"That means you're leaving soon??"

"No I will be here for some time."

"Hmm. Get off my clothes!"

"Really? Ahh, okay then."

"And what are you trying to do?"

"What you asked me to do."

"Going...bare?"

"Not a new site is it, no?"

"Eeii, hold on. Are you being serious right now?"

"I should be asking you that Kel, but since you want your clothes so bad, I really don't mind being bare. At times I wonder why you do."

"Why not? How can I not mind? Do I look like a strip show audience??"

"Okay then, your headache not mine. Here, have it." He threw my shirt at me and reached for the trousers.

"Jideka if that trouser goes any more inch down your waist, you're sleeping outside tonight." I flung the shirt back to him and headed towards the kitchen.

Shortly after he was behind me and chuckling.

"Okay what happened Kelenna?" He asked.

"What happened...?"

"You look very pissed."

"I do? Really?" Was I frowning or what? I didn't even know.

"Yes you do. My phone?"

I handed it back to him.

"Well it's—"

"Nothing? Don't bother, I'm not backing off."

"Haha, it's not nothing and I didn't say you should back off."

"What do you have in there? I smell akara, you still bought pap??" He squeezed his face like a child about to take meds.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I bought indomie for you sha, I'll cook it for you because you're just coming today."

"You're serious?? Don't go back in your words o!"

"But that'll be after I'm done eating my own food."

"Mtcheew, I'll just cook it myself. Thanks."

"Hahahahaha."

"Laugh all you want." He said begrudgingly.

"Alright, alright I'll really cook it. Hehe."

"Whatever. I'll be back Kel, let me get the bags Bigi gave us."

"Yeah right, I almost forgot about that one." He left to get them and was back immediately.

"Can I open them now?"

"If you ask me that question again you'll be scrubbing the toilet every day for a week."

"You mean with your toothbrush? With all pleasure."

I scooped some of the raw akamu remaining in the nylon and threw it at him, he swiftly dodged it and it got splattered on the kitchen door.

"Nonsense human being."

"Friend of a nonsense human being."

"The bags Jide. Let's know what's in it."

He opened them and I was surprised at all the things that were in it, there were a few clothes in each, some nice male bangles, key holder, and a Vaseline.

Vaseline? Woah na e mama pack this one join? Even Jideka had an amused face when he saw the Vaselines.

"It hasn't finished o, there are still some things here." He shook the bags and brought out some toiletries, even snacks—meat pie and juice, then a power bank!

"This guy get money oo. Power bank dey two of them!"

"Really? Make I see."

He showed it to me and I was shocked, all these must have cost much and he gave it to us like that? I'm not even very close to Bigi, why does he think I and my friend deserve all this from him??

Nevertheless, I was very happy about the gift, especially the power bank, NEPA and their wahala don dey too much.

"This power bank is what you should have bought me Jideka, not that dressing room mirror you put there."

He stuck out his tongue at me.

"As if you don't use it, I didn't buy it sha, the landlord said the previous tenant left it behind."

"So you just claimed abandoned property from the house?"

"Yeah, and transferred ownership."

"Ohh is that it? If you ever look into that mirror you're fool."

"I never said I was wise Kel."

I just facepalmed, arguing with Jide is pointless.

"Okay. Well, you can have most of the clothes, since you're basically a pauper in my house, let me be a good Samaritan."

"The house I paid for? Yeah thanks for your generosity."

I just gave him the middle finger and he smirked.

"Slice the fresh tomatoes for me Jide, let's get your noodles over with. Or do you want to eat the snacks?"

He appeared to reason it for a second before answering.

"No I'll have them tomorrow."

"Same with me. Are the pies still fresh?"

"Yeah they won't get spoilt." He got busy with the tomatoes.

I got my milk, soyabean and sugar, mixed them in the pap, then put some of the akara on a plate and digged in.

Oh, how I've missed this soo much! And this lady's akara is very tasty, I'd buy from her more, she can make it really well. Delicious!

At a point I even forgot that I was supposed to help Jide with his noodles and got lost savouring mine. Not until I saw him from the corner of my eyes and paused.

He had dropped the knife and was intently staring at the food I was eating.

"What... what is it?"

He didn't respond, is he angry?

"Jide what is it? See, I'm sorry I forgot—"

"Kel... can I have a taste?"