Mike was sitting in a corner, pushing deeper into the Punch Newspaper. Reading the perfect, politically correct prose had become a Zen-like exercise. The words flow softly and without meaning through his brain, an unending stream of nonsense syllables that eventually metamorphosed into a cosmic hum, and allowed other ideas to bubble up. He was sure he had not less than thirty more minutes to spend at the car wash.
He was on page fifty-six, reading through the opinion column, when she picked her seat across him. Mike did not look up immediately and when he did eventually, nothing about her was striking to suggest they had met anywhere. She smiled at him when their eyes locked. A gesture Mike was not too willing to reciprocate.
“You don’t seem to remember me,” She said, more of a question than a statement.
“No, I’m sorry,” returned Mike. “Can you please help me out?” He continued turning on his boyish smile.
“That shouldn’t be a problem. My name’s Ngozi. Harriet and I work at the same firm. I remember she introduced us one of those afternoon you paid her a visit at work.”
“Oh I see. I’m sorry though for not mastering your face.” Mike did not fall for the lie. He was certain Harriet had never introduced him to anyone. But he would play along. He would let her believe her own lie.
“It’s okay. We all fall victims of that once in a while.”
“Hmm.”
“Harriet told me a whole lot about you.”Mike’s heart skipped a beat. But he managed to keep his cool.
“Something like what, I’m curious?” trying hard to keep his smile.
“Nothing bad though. So, you don't have to worry about anything. She seems to have all the sweet words for you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. She said you were out of the country, when did you return?” asked Ngozi.
“Hmm… a couple of days back.” A lie Mike had to come up with. It was obvious Harriet had not told her the truth about them, so Mike would let it be that way.
“You care for something? A drink?” Mike asked trying to steer the conversation away from Harriet.
“No, thanks. I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m cool. Now tell me, how come I’ve never run into you here. I come here virtually every weekend to wash my car.”
“I don’t come here much often though. I only do when I need steam wash. That could be the reason. And besides, maybe our ways were not meant to cross here until now.”
“And that’s you going philosophical about it, I guess.”
“Maybe.”Just then, one of the car wash attendants walked up to them and informed Ngozi her car was ready. But before she rose to leave, she asked Mike for his phone contact. A request Mike reluctantly obliged. But as she walked away from his side, Mike could not help but notice Ngozi deliberate attempt at wriggling her behind. And then, Mike was thankful that he had given her his phone number. He might have use of her someday. He had no doubt that she would reach him soon.
* * *
Mike woke up to some sweet aroma. He was feeling some tiredness in his limbs but managed to drag his feet and crossed to the kitchen. There was Ifeoma going about the breakfast unawares of his presence. She looked more beautiful in his pyjamas she was wearing. He could feel he was getting a boner. But he tried to look away. He had some workout and thinking to do.
But when Mike got to the treadmill, his whole will told him he didn’t want to be there. He returned to the room and back to his bed. He sat up in bed propped up on the pillow. There was something about Ifeoma he had found different. Something he did not want to think about. A niggling feeling that had crept in surreptitiously and would not bulge irrespective of all his willpower to push it out. He had done more thinking about Ifeoma than he wanted. He had had to question himself a couple of times trying to know if he was not losing it.
"A penny for your thoughts,” came the sweet voice jostling Mike from his thoughts.
"You sure a penny would be enough for my thoughts?”
"If it’s coming from me, I guess it’ll just be enough,” said Ifeoma as she handed Mike a cup of coffee. "Thought you would still be deep in sleep, I was hoping to wake you up with a kiss.”
“I woke up over fifteen minutes ago,” said Mike as he dropped the cup of coffee on the bedside stool, rising to his feet and pulling Ifeoma into his arms. "Now, I want that kiss.”It was a warm and passionate kiss that took Ifeoma all her willpower to break away from. She excused herself to get on with what she was cooking for breakfast. Mike felt drained already from the bouts of lovemaking that had characterised the night but he could not prevent himself from wanting more, as he watched Ifeoma leave the room. He had always loved sex. But he appeared to love it more since Ifeoma came into the picture. Lovemaking with her was not just about gratifying his sexual urge. There was more to it, it was more of emotional bond. Mike could not believe what he felt was happening to him. There had to be another way about this. He picked up his cup of coffee and went after her.
