Moses smoothened his sky blue bold check Charles Tyrwhitt shirt over his black jeans. Picking up his wallet and car keys, he stepped out of his house and about to get into his car when he heard the blare of a horn at his gate. A frown creased his handsome face as he wondered who could be visiting without first giving a call. He hoped he could disperse whoever it was quickly. He could not afford to be late for his appointment.
Moses was meeting up with Becca Williams, the new interior designer, he hoped to add to the team they currently used on their projects.
He chuckled at how riled Dunni was with the idea he was considering a relationship with Becca. However,
Moses found it an irony that Dunni could be worried about him getting heartbroken. On the contrary, she was daily breaking his heart with her constant rejection by not taking him seriously.
Moses stood swinging his keys while waiting for Audu, the gateman to open the gate. His eyebrows arched with surprise when he saw Dunni’s black Honda CRV 2013 model drive-in. He still remembered how he and Ola spent a day convincing Dunni to go for a range rover similar to theirs only for her to opt for the same Honda CRV they had tried convincing her to stay away from.
Dunni was like that, once her mind was made up on something. It took a lot to sway her. She was never hasty in making decisions, but when she did, you could be sure she had all the angles covered, nothing and no one could and would stop her. He smiled, always happy to see her, even though she never considered him more than a partner and friend.
Moses walked over to where she parked, but Dunni was already out of the car. Moses let out a low whistle. The girl will not be the death of him. He thought her skirt was rather short and the top too fitting sculpturing her body and showing all her curves. He swallowed hard, reigning his thoughts to order.
“Dunni, what brings you here?” She stopped in front of him a little surprise to see him all dressed and unsure as to why she came here in the first place. It was easy to talk to Moses about anything.
“What’s going on? You look upset” Moses had not seen this look on her face ever since she broke off her relationship with Benji when they were still at the University.
Dunni opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out only a torrential fall of tears pouring down her eyes.
“Did someone die?” he asked alarmed. Kemi was back at home to the best of his knowledge and doing fine too.
She shook her head vehemently, tears flowing down her face like the release of water from Kainji dam.
Something was definitely off. Moses glanced at his watch, discreetly. He had to leave now if he intends to make his appointment. He had no intention of standing up Becca. Taking Dunni by the hands, he led her inside while she followed docilely. Something was definitely wrong. The Dunni he knew would have snatched her hands from his grip and match into the house with words worse than a whip. He was becoming more worried.
“Please talk to me, you are getting me scared. Should I call Emma?”
The tears increased, but she shook her head.
“Is it about Emma?” she nodded.
“Is she okay?” Dunni nodded again
Moses was getting a little exasperated. He did not have the time to pull every syllable out of her as he was running late for his appointment, yet he did not want to leave her alone in this state.
“Can you tell me what Emma did or did not do or should I call her and ask why you are so upset?” He prodded as one will do to a child.
Sitting on the high stool in his kitchen, he offered her a cup of cold water.
Dunni took the glass cup not without taking in his dressed look.
“Going somewhere?” she croaked her voice still laden with tears.
“Yes, got to meet Becca at the Expo 2013.
“Oh, she murmured, but that drew a reaction he saw in her eyes for a fleeting moment and then it was gone. He wondered if she was beginning to feel something for him. It was selfish of him to think of his feelings when she appeared to be in one of the lowest moments of her life.
“I had better be going. I should not keep you. Dunni struggled to come down from the high stool leaving the glass of water untouched.
“Not sure I am comfortable with you driving in the state that you are. You can stay here, and I will drive you when I am back. Putting his both hands over her shoulders, I don’t know what happened today, but I know you will be fine. Whatever it is may not be as bad as you think. A problem shared is half solved.” He teased, trying to elucidate a smile from here.
“You have to go, or you will be late for your date.”
“It is not a date, he retorted a little miffed angry that she wanted to discharge him so quickly.
“She may be the one who will take you off my hands,” Dunni teased.
“You should have told me long ago you were tired of me and can’t wait to get me out of your hair. And here I am waiting for you to make an honest man out of me.”
He was rewarded with a small smile that tugged her lips.
“Moses, off you go. Your date is waiting. One of us should at least get married soon, and since it does not look like it is going to be me, we should at least give yours a try.”
He mumbled some words, not worth repeating out loud before giving her a hug. He loved the feel of her and how she fitted into him perfectly. Her head directly under his chin, the smell of coconut in her hair intoxicating his senses. He kissed her hair.
Dunni felt things in her heart by his show of affection, but she reprimanded herself not to give any meaning to such a gesture. Moses will never see her beyond a friend and partner. They joked about their marital state. It was just that endless teasing that started from the use of his dice.
Moses hesitated at the door, “Are you sure you’ll be okay? I can cancel the appointment.”
A little part of her wanted him to stay, but she could not tell him so instead, she commanded him to go convincing him she would be fine and waiting for him.
“Don’t go driving about in this your state. Lagos is full of mad drivers, and you need to be more than alert when driving on Lagos road.”
“Oh,” Dunni groaned. “Not again. I am not a baby.”
“I am a grown woman,” Moses finished the sentence and rushed out of the door narrowly missing being hit by Dunni’s sandals.
Dunni heaved deeply as she sank into the posh black leather sofa. She picked up the remote control and to put on the TV switching between stations and not finding any exciting program. She finally decided to watch CNN .
21stcenturybelle 