Fate of love

what is this feeling?

Morning sets in as Tayo was already cleaning each vehicle is the compound, he placed his phone at a corner playing music and singing continuously after the flow of music. Favour walked furiously to her car, she was already late for work; Tayo please open the gate, I’m late for work my customers are already calling me for goods. Good morning ma, he dropped the cleaning foam inside the bucket then rushed to the gate. The car drove out, not quite long Ibukun came out with Adeola dressed up for school holding her bag firmly to her back. The atmosphere changed, love arrows fall at all angle that there was no escape route for Tayo he just kept on starring at Ibukun till she walked pass him. His eyes were glued to Ibukun on her every step towards the gate, Adeola noticed the look on Tayo’s face but kept her words to herself. Did you just get these clothes or what? You look differently today. Adeola blushed but Ibukun who was in question was bemused because that wasn’t her first time of putting on the clothes. No, why did you ask? It’s nothing, don’t worry you can go.

Your eye glows like the stars, your astonishing beauty like that of a morning rose. I asked myself each time I set my eyes on you ‘what is this’ the reply was love. I never thought I could fall in love with someone till I met you. You know I do tell myself that love is just a fantasy and will never be real but you prove to me that I was only lying to myself, he held her hands and smiled lavishly. Bang, Bang, Bang!!! There was a knock at Tayo’s door, he jumped off his bed like one who had suddenly seen a ghost; yes, who is there, he sluggishly dragged himself towards the door as he pulled a wrapper to cover his chest. Here is your food, Ibukun stretched out a flask to Tayo. Flabbergasted and morass in thought, Tayo cleaned his eyes to see properly it as the same dress Ibukun was putting on in his dream. IIII… BUK… KUN, he stammered looking in shock; was this the same cloth you were putting on this morning when you were about to take Adeola to school? Yes of course, how different am I looking this time? What sort of question is that? Oops, didn’t you say I was looking different this Morning, I was even going to ask; what was the change you saw in my dressing this morning? Like a snake got his tongue, every effort he made to say a word were thrown into the sea; I… he thought within himself, am I really going to tell her I dreamt about her? No, I can’t. He wave his head, don’t worry, where is my food?

Loneliness hits Ibukun inside the house but she acted strong holding it to herself. Walking to and fro in the room all by herself; should I go outside to this boy, won’t he think I am bugging him? Ha what do I do now that I don’t have anything to do? She lay back on her bed then slept off. Seriously, at first I never find you charming, even now I am surprise how I have fallen so deeply in love with you she turned her back at him wearing a compassionate look on her face as she continued with her words. Silent befall the room making the alarm ring out so loud to her hearing like it was inside her ear. Jeez it’s time to pick Adeola from school. But wait, what was this dream about? Did I just dream of myself falling in love with Tayo? Hell no, that can’t be possible, she sighed. She got herself prepared then walked out of her house only to find Tayo leaning on a tree lost in thought. She stood and watched him for about a minute than tiptoe to get close to him. Mister man, what is wrong with you? I’ve been here for about a minute now and you didn’t notice me. The words still didn’t get into Tayo, it made Ibukun feel uneasy that she had to scream out his name; Tayo, Tayo, Tayo!!! Suddenly he snapped out of his thought; oh it’s you Ibukun, what brings you here? It’s time to get Adeola from school, but what could have happened that made you so lost in thought? It’s nothing jor. Don’t tell me it’s nothing, I stood here watching you for minutes and even talked to you but you were so deep in thought that you lost your vision and hearings too. Well if it is something personal that you can’t share, I pray God sort it out for you. Amen, he smiled lavishly. She headed out.

Benevolent atmosphere was welcomed, Tayo and Adeola were playing while Ibukun walked by carrying some wet clothes to spread outside. Tayo starred for minutes till he stepped on a stone then fall to the ground. Adeola laughed continuously as she ride her bicycle closed to him, what were you looking at that got you lost till you fall she laughed stepping with one leg to gain balance, she could tell the painting on Tayo’s face. I don’t even know how I slipped of, he cleaned himself holding one hand of the bicycle. After a while, they both sat in the garden having educative talk while Adeola tripped in few word that got Tayo amused. Brother Tayo, I know you like Sister Ibukun. Shut up, what do you know, how could you even say such a thing at your age? But Brother Tayo, that’s the truth. I like her just the way I like you too, we are all one family. Brother Tayo, she smiled raising her eye brow, but this like is very much different or let me put it this way you love her. He covered her mouth immediately. You are too young to say such thing, suddenly there was horning at the gate. Let me get the gate, go on with your play.

The weekend was embraced with a clouded weather as if it was going to rain, Tayo just finished washing the cars and was about heading to his room while he burst into Ibukun who had rushed out to get the clothes she spread out while it was sunny. Please, Tayo can you assist me with the clothes so it can be faster and easier? Yes, why not. While they were both packing the clothes, Tayo hums a song “I love my baby” by wizkid. Hmm hmm, Tayo, I have not seen your girlfriend come to visit, why? That’s because I don’t have one, and why does your boyfriend not come to visit? I don’t have a boyfriend. Stop deceiving yourself, why won’t you have a boyfriend? The same law applicable to me is also applicable to you; why don’t you have a girlfriend? Stop using my words back at me, he paused and stare hoping Ibukun will give yield to his glance; just answer the question. I just don’t have a boyfriend and you? Same here though. But I want to tell you something they both echoed, go first they echoed again. Oops, ladies first. No you go first, I’m all ears. I had a dream. Ditto, but what was your dream about? In the dream, I found a stone in a pool of mud but never knew what it was till it was raining, even still I still did not recognized it but I picked it up. After a couple of months the stone had been with me, the stone becomes attractive little by little but I still don’t know what it is. Wow, you found something precious in your dream. She held the clothes closer to her face almost covering her face while she thought to herself; what do I tell in now? So what was your dream about? He smiled. You mean my dream? No mine, who else is here? Oh well, I use to have this piece with me but never knew the usefulness so it was more as if it’s useless for me. On a certain day, I got stuck in a puzzle and needed a piece to solve it but couldn’t fine one, then I realized what I had always needed has been with me all day but to time for me to recognize it.

Mummy, I keep seeing that girl at my work place in my dream. Esther paused for a while and then threw a question at Tayo; and what was she doing in your dream? Was she chasing you around with cane or what? She giggled. I kept on dreaming of myself getting married to her. Esther chocked, she coughed and then cleared her throat; what do you mean by getting married? Atanda, resting his back on a pillow sits up as the words of Tayo hits him where he laid. But Mum, I think I have fallen in love with her. You think or you have fallen in love with her? Atanda interrupted, what are you two saying? When did you start working there that you are talking about love moreover, how old are you? Tayo grumbled, I’m twenty plus already. You are twenty, yet to get a degree and here you are talking about love. Atanda, Esther shouted raising her eye brow; that was too harsh. Tayo left for his room in tears. You shouldn’t have said that to him, you know how miserable he feels about that already. That is the more reason we should push him to do the right thing at the right time. Must you make things more difficult for him?

I would have called it a blunt feeling, but it seems to get hold of me day by day that I can’t seem to forget the embryonic of it, Tayo said to himself as he walked towards his door step. How did I come to this or do I say how did I bring myself to this? Myriad thoughts run through his head that he became uneasy. Should I just confess my love for her instead? Ha, no. it might seem as if I am in a rush and moreover it’s just six months I started working here, not even up to a year, it will look as if I am a flirt. Languid and entrapped in her thought, Ibukun also felt the same way as Tayo. Do I go to him to tell him how I feel about him? Hell no, that’s a slap on the face of womanhood moreover, he just started working here. I will just keep it to myself. They both felt erratic, rolling on their beds with uncertainty. They both had a sleepless night.

.