Dunni rubbed the back of her neck with her left hand turning side to side. She sat in her a car blaring her horn for Sule, the security guard to open the gate. A few seconds later it dawned on her Sule had travelled to his village this morning to visit his sick mother.
She grudgingly opened her door and walked barefoot to open the gate but was stopped midway when she heard “Auntie Dunni” in a very familiar child’s voice.
Her gaze fell on Toni from her art class and wondered what she was doing around the area. The girl ran out of the car and towards her flinging her small frame into Dunni as she wrapped her small arms around Dunni’s middle.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, bringing herself to eye level with Toni.
The girl was yet to answer when Dunni heard a baritone voice behind her, “Toni.” she rose and turned almost crashing into a man.
“Yes, dad,” Toni answered. Giving Dunni a clue to her relationship with the owner of the voice. But nothing prepared her for the handsome man standing at 6 foot 1 inch, well built and broad shoulders, but still could not hold a candle near Moses. Why did she have to compare every man she met with Moses.
Toni’s dad cleared his voice.
“Sorry for startling you, and sorry she almost toppled you over. She thinks everyone is as strong as her dad,” he joked.
Dunni smiled and could not help herself from blushing, although hidden by her caramel complexion.
“She’s just herself. Kids are all the same.”
“Tade Braithwaite,” he introduced himself, stretching his hands out to her. Dunni Adesida, she replied, shaking his hands. She was amazed at the strength and softness of his hands and wondered what he did for a living.
“I am a doctor,” he said chuckling.
“Was it that obvious?” Dunni smiled self consciously knowing she must look a sight, standing barefoot and without her wig, she had removed and thrown to the backseat of her car?
“I get that all the time.” He replied with confidence devoid of cockiness.
Scratching his head looking unsure of himself with a boyish charm Dunni found endearing. The guy had done nothing, and she was completely smitten. She must be a pathetic case. Was she that desperate for a man in her life?
“You must be Dunni, the art teacher,”
“One and only,” she replied and repeating his line.
“I get that all the time,” Tade laughed nodding his head in approval. He liked her already.
The adults had forgotten about Toni until she tugged at her dad.
“Daddy, can we visit Auntie Dunni over the weekend?”
Tade looked helplessly at Dunni.
“Auntie Dunni is very busy, but you always see her in class every week.”
He would not have minded any visit with this goddess of beauty standing before him. She’d taken his breath away. She was beauty personified with her round-shaped face, light brown eyes that drew you in, a pretty button nose and thin lips with traces of plum cherry lipstick.
He swallowed hard. He had not felt this way when he met Solape. Theirs was a love that grew over time. Here he was staring at his daughter’s teacher with like a lovesick teenager.
Can this be love? He must be suffering from not having any woman in his life. What was wrong with him? Solape was barely cold in her grave, and he was ready to replace her. Gather your acts together. A voice from within scolded him.
“No, it’s no problem. I am free this weekend and can squeeze some time for Toni. Dunni felt it was her way of helping the girl who had gone through the pain of losing her mum at such a young age.
Tade had no idea that he was holding his breath until he released it at her response. He was not sure who was happier at the prospect of visiting Miss sunshine, him or his daughter.
“You can drop her at 4:00 pm with the maid if you’ll feel more comfortable.”
Here he was getting his hopes high, and she appeared to want nothing to do with him. She had to try harder if she wanted to get rid of him.
“I could come if that’s alright. We don’t have a maid.” He was happy about that fact but would have lied to be there.
Dunni looked at him queerly, unable to hide her curiosity, “Who cleans for you?”
“We have someone who cleans over the weekend.”
“And cook?” she asked, not convinced that it was just him and his daughter.
“I do that myself.”
Dunni’s eyes bulged. “You cook?” Not many men she knew cooked. Moses was one of the few she knew. She was doing it again.
“We could invite you for dinner someday.”
She loved the way he made Toni a part of the invite.
“Please come, my dad’s food is delicious,” the young girl bragged on her father’s cooking skills.
“I am not sure I have a choice here,” she winked at the child. “You’ve convinced me to try it.” Turning to speak to the father, “I’ll check my calendar for some possible dates, and let you know when you come over on Saturday.”
Tade felt something tugging in his chest all and more intrigued by this woman. Who was she, and what was her passion? What made her happy? What made her sad?
He kept his thoughts well hidden behind the calm look he used for all his patients.
“Okay, Buttercup, we have to leave. Miss Dunni must be tired after a long day.” Tade stretched out his hands to take his daughters’ in his.
“That’s a nice name. What’s the story behind the name?”
“That’s a story for another day. This young lady here is tired. Thank you for your time, and we are sorry for bumping into you like this. You must be tired after a hard day’s work” Tade apologised although reluctant to leave her presence.
“No worries,” Dunni waved her hand into thin air. “Toni is a delight.”
Dunni got back into her car, once they left and drove through her gates. It was then she remembered she had not asked what they were doing in the area. Did they live here? She wondered. What happened to her there? She was practically drooling over the fine specimen of a man. And she was happy about it. For a long time, no one had inspired any feelings in her except the confusing feelings she had for Moses which she needed to stop analysing and this man she met today may just be her gateway ticket out of Mosesville. She still was not able to dispel her continuous comparison of Moses to any man she met. A good thing this stranger was meeting up in every way.
She went to bed that night with thoughts of Tade Braithwaite, and not the usual to-do list or design ideas in her head before going to bed. Dunni could not wait for the weekend. She slept with a broad smile across her face.
*****
Sule was still not back, and she had to open the gate for Toni and her Dad. She made a mental note to install an electric gate similar to the designs she used in a lot of her clients’ houses but never considered for herself.
She could imagine Moses and Ola’s surprise when she tells them she’s installing an electric gate. The guys were into every form of technology while it took her a long time to catch on. There had to be a need first, and others may have tried it out with positive feedback before she could venture into any trial of a sort. Well now is the time.
Dunni chose the garden to host them because the weather was good. Toni can play around the garden. She’d ordered jollof rice, fried plantain with stewed chicken and beef and vegetable salad from her food vendor, and also ordered a medium size box of small chops made by Twelve Baskets.
The Chapman drink, she opted to make by herself. That was relatively easy for a culinarily challenged person like herself. Cooking was not her fort. And she was not ready to make a mess of an outing because the food did not come out well.
She was putting everything away and arranging the crockeries in a basket on a small table beside the garden sofa when she heard the horn at the gate.
She tried to quell the giddiness she felt as she went to open for her guests, excitement filling every fibre of her being.
It was quite a sunny day, clad in yellow shorts, a white tank top matched with yellow sandals. Dunni wished she could throw her wig aside, but was plagued with the need to make a good impression, unlike the other day they first met.
Tade drove in his black Porsche car. She grinned. What was it with men and cars?
“She is a beauty,” she commented and was rewarded with a smile that reached Tade’s eyes. “I love women who have good taste in cars.”
“Don’t be deceived. My male friends have schooled me well.”
He laughed with a ring she had come to identify as his signature laughter.
Toni came out of the car with a tray of finger foods covered with a transparent cling.
“These looks yummy,” Dunni praised taking the tray from the little girl and leading them to the garden on the left side of the house.
“I hope you don’t mind. The garden seemed the best idea so Toni can have space to run around. We could go inside if she wants to do so later.”
“No, the girl will love you to bits for this. She loves the outdoors. I am not able to indulge her with that luxury between my work and the need to rest. Her favourite place is the Lekki conservatory centre.”
“Really? I go there a lot as well. I’ve seen some of her drawings but just thought they were merely drawings. She must be such a green thumb like my mum. You should try gardening with her.
The two adults settled on the garden sofa while Toni went straight for the swing.
“You’ve got a beautiful place,” Tade commented, wondering if there was a man in her life and thought it was not very intelligent of him to have assumed she was available.
He had discreetly checked her ring finger when they met. There was neither engagement nor a wedding ring, and that was good enough for him. Nevertheless, he wondered the wisdom of coming.
Dunni tacitly avoided responding and shouted to Toni so she could hear from the distance. “Do you want a drink now?”
“No! I have one later,” Toni shouted back squealing with glee as the swing went higher.
Dunni poured a glass full of Chapman and dropped some crushed ice into it, handing it over to Tade.
“Thanks, this is nice, he commented after sipping the drink.
“Thank you, that’s one of the few things I can do in the kitchen. The rest is a disaster.”
Tade smiled, relishing the cold drink in the hot weather even though they were under a shade.
“I hope you don’t mind me leaving you. I need to take care of my guest. You are the maid today.”
Tade guffawed. Suppose I get to sit sipping this drink and relaxing. I don’t mind being the maid. I will leave you guys to catch your fun.
“Or would you prefer inside?” She asked thoughtfully. Squinting her eyes from the sun rays that fell over her face where she stood. “Maybe watch football or something on the TV?”
“Thanks but I am fine here.”
“Awesome, see you later,” she waved and ran to meet Toni.
Tade chuckled, she could afford to run with a slim figure. His thoughts went places that dared not be viewed on a TV screen. The shots she wore showed off her slim long straight legs.
He sipped on his drink, but he was drinking in every bit of Dunni’s beauty as he watched her with his daughter. They made a good picture of a happy family. She could easily fit in them.
He wanted this girl. He was not sure love at first sight existed, and for someone who has been married once, he was not sure what had hit him. He hoped that she felt the same way he felt or would feel the same way eventually.
Most importantly, he prayed for time to mourn Solape before bringing another woman to replace her. He felt guilty that he could have a second chance at love when the love of his life lay cold in the grave.
He lay back and closed his eyes hidden behind a set of Versace dark shades. He was not going to think of Solape now. He would when he got back home. Dunni may even be married or have a fiancé and was just being nice to them. Yes, another voice argued that he could lie to himself for all he wanted. He was going to have a hard time getting her out of his mind.
Dunni thoroughly enjoyed the company of father and daughter. She had so much fun that she was amazed at how quickly the day came to an end.
She was more gutted than Toni when it was time for them to leave. Dunni wished she could hold onto the moment not minding the work that waited for her.
They were not the only ones. Tade lingered as long as he could even helping to clear up but the evening finally came, and they had to bring the visit to an end. He was no nearer, knowing her than he did yesterday. Their talk had centred on his daughter and her antics.
“Would next week Saturday or the next to be good for you to come over and try my cooking?”
Toni, who has leaning on her dad tired and playing with the buttons on her dress, was suddenly alert and looking up at Dunni with hopeful eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips with hands clasped together like she was saying a prayer.
“Say, yes! Say yes! Say yes,” Toni chanted.
Dunni playfully put up an act of thinking so hard before replying Tade. “The week after next will be okay. I have next weekend loaded with work.”
What she did not say was today had cost her one day set back on her work schedule. She’d had to stand in for more executive meetings and briefings than her share with the absence of Ola and Moses although she could not complain.
“Sounds like a plan,” Tade responded while Toni leapt up with glee.
“What’s your address, please?”
“We share the same fence, but you have to drive round to the next street to our access the entrance.”
“Oh! I guessed you lived around the area but did not know you were that close, which makes us neighbours.”
“We rarely use your side to drive in, but last week, construction work was going on along the road to our normal route and diverting traffic to this end.”
That kind of explains why she had never run into him before. Dunni thought to herself.
“How long have you lived here?” Tade asked curiously as to why he had never run into her before not that it would have made any difference.
“I moved about a decade ago.”
“We moved here about seven years ago. Although I am considering moving out of the area and thinking of going somewhere much closer to the island.”
“I know traffic is a nightmare. Do you have anything in mind, build, rent or outright purchase?” Her eyes were lightening up as she spoke the language she lived and breathed in; design, construction and houses.
“Build will have been ideal, but that could take up to a year. I am not fussy about the layout of the house, just something for Buttercup and myself with enough space to run around and a swimming pool.”
“That doesn’t sound much,” Dunni joked which elicited a grin from Tade. She could tell he was loaded with money by the car he drove but a question of where and when?
“I am not into houses; my wife was the one who covered the full details.”
Dunni was confused and did not know her face gave away more than she intended. She thought the wife was dead. Had Amanda not said the girl lost her mum? What had she done? Invited a married man to her house and flirted with him half the time?
“It would be nice to set up a meeting with her. I could help as my work involves designing and building houses. I could link her up with one of our partners who manage estates if she prefers an outright buy.
The brief look of disappointed that flashed on Dunni’s face when Tade mentioned his wife lit a spark of hope that she may feel the same way he did.
“Solape, my wife died nine months ago. I still talk about her in the present. I would be happy to come in for that meeting, but I am not in a hurry, the house is ours and can always sell or rent it out and move to another.
He sighed, shoulders crunching like he was carrying the whole world. From nowhere, Dunni felt like giving him a warm hug.
She knew what it was to lose a father but not a spouse. She could imagine that it must be a lot worse although time they say will heal the pain and she sincerely hoped so for him.
“I’m so sorry to hear of your wife’s. … She could not finish the sentence as she choked the words. She was feeling the sense of loss of her dad all over again.
“Some days are bad, and some days you get by. I am grateful for the time I had with Solape. She was a great woman.”
If ever anything happens between you two, you’ll be competing with a dead woman whose memories are so alive in the hearts of her family. Came the thought came from nowhere.
“We got to get going. Can I please have your number and I will text you the address and possible fix a meeting for the house project?” Tade asked, congratulating himself on how easy that came.
“Sure,” Dunni replied, reeling out her number as he tapped the keys on his phone.
Tade called the number and looked up, expecting her phone to ring.
“My bad! My phone must be somewhere in the house.”
“Are you one of those whose mobile phone functions as a landline?”
“Got me there! My friends have given up, and I keep promising to improve. I do for a little while and fall back to the habit.”
“No worries, I can call you later this evening to be sure you’ve got the right number.”
“Okay, Dunni replied, the thought of speaking to him over the phone left her excited.”
She walked towards the gate to open it for Tade to drive out and waved until they were out of sight.
21stcenturybelle 