The Irony of Life (9) 😔😔

THE IRONY OF LIFE (9)😔😔

Duration: 4mins

“Jam!” “No, ” she said, shook her head and left hurriedly.

“Fatima!” In a rush, Jamani pulled down the T-shirt that was already halfway off him and went after Fatima. She had gotten to the end of the narrow passage that led to the kitchen when Jamani caught her by the wrist.

“Wait!” 

“Fatima, it’s not what you think.”

“Then what?” she asked through her cracked voice, with two tear-washed eyes set on him.

Jamani’s narration of what took place before she arrived coupled with the evident big stain on his T-shirt didn’t suffice. He had to go get Oreoluwa to mediate.

“Ore, you needed to see the way they were staring into each other's eyes. Anything could have happened if I didn’t walk in.”

“That's not true. Cece was just helping to get the shirt off me so the stain won’t spread.”

_‘Get the shirt off me’_ stood out, reverberating in Oreoluwa’s ears. Plain as it was, he didn’t know what to make of it.

“Maybe you should know, Ore is head over heels in love with Cece, ” Jamani broke the news.

Oreoluwa didn’t see that coming. There was a moment's pause. All he could do was nod.

Fatima could breath freely again.

“Great. Cece and I get along well, I could chip in some words for you if you don’t mind.”

“I would appreciate that.”

“Now you are happy, you didn’t believe me when I said there is nothing between Cece and I. If everyone won’t trust me, not my girl.”

“I'm sorry, Jam.”

“It’s alright, Bread, ” said Jamani, “what man would have a sweet cutie like you and still look around? I must have woken under a lucky star on the day I met you.”

Oreoluwa stood watching as Jamani's mouth dripped honey, smiled at the thought of the half-caste back in the house whom he had been on her tail lately.

“Aww Jam…you are gonna make me cry again, ” cooed Fatima, hugged him tight with head rested over his broad chest.

“Jam?”

“Yes?”

“You need a clean up,” she said as she pulled away from him.

“Ore, can I steal away your friend for an hour even though I would have loved to have my man to myself all night?”

Oreoluwa watched Fatima pull Jamani, led him back the way they got there till they were out of sight. He felt Jealous and lonely. His mind strayed off to Cece, pictured them arm-in-arm glued side-by-side on a lovers' stroll. How he was bent on baring his mind come what may. But with the turn out of events, it wasn't a good time. Tomorrow was another. 

He was heading back to Front of House when Fatima's voice came haunting,

You needed to see the way they were staring into each other’s eyes

As much as he didn’t want to believe this, deep down, he hoped he wouldn’t have to compete with Jamani for Cecilia.

That night, during break at the factory, Ore laid on an elevated plank with interlocked hands cradling his head while he stared into space. He didn’t notice Jamani walked into their usual spot.

“Hey Homie, ” he said with a tap that almost got Ore falling off.

“Easy man, the building ain’t burning,” said Jamani as he took the space beside him, gulping from a free bottle of beer. “A penny for your thought.”

“Nothing much.”

“Nah. C'mon man, it's me, Jamani. “Only two things can make a man get lost in thought, _dough and dem chics_. The white woman has been paying, so it could only be the other. Is it Cece who has filled my friend's mind?”

Oreoluwa hated to be so opened like a book on the shelf. 

“Has she turned you down?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“I haven’t yet spoken with her.”

“Like seriously? Wat you waiting for? Get it done already so you can move on.”

Oreoluwa wondered if Jamani and Cece had had something similar in the past. The certainty in his words, his voice tone was like a déjà vu.

“Ore, I can’t leave you looking like someone just died. You know what?”

“What?”

“Let’s hit Mame by noon tomorrow and get the whole thing done with. I will like to see you take your best shot. I might be wrong after all,” said Jamani, grinning from ear to ear as he downed the bottle of beer.

And that was it. Like one tutored by Shakespeare himself, Ore began preparing his lines. The words came gushing he could write a book on the spot.

Time traveled at a bullet train speed. Ore closed his eyes, opened and found himself at a table at Mame African Cuisine. Seated across him was Jamani with straw sucking up from a cup of Smoothie. Food or drink was the least on Ore's mind at that moment. With two keen eyes, he focused the entrance like a detective. It was quarter of twelve, Cece would walk in any minute. He was all set. He had rehearsed his lines countless times they buzzed through his mind to no end. Those words wouldn’t just bait any girl, but get her hooked. Cece wasn’t going to be an exception. 

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To be continued same time, next week. Hope you enjoyed the read? Please leave a comment. Thank you.🙏🏻