chapter twenty five

Jasmine rarely saw stanely after their little tiff. She dropped her children earlier and picked them later when she was sure that he would have left. She didn't want to see him and didn't understand why.

"You're kind of late today. Anything happened?" Her mother who noticed that she brought in the kids late asked

"That's because I  picked them up late"

"And why is that?"

"I'm trying to avoid that stanely guy. I don't want to see him"

"And you still want me to believe that you don't give a hoot about this man?"

"Of course I don't. I'm just avoiding trouble"

"Trouble that you started by not minding your business?"

"Trouble that he started by complimenting me without first clarifying his status"

"Well you chose to assume"

"And he chose not to clarify if he was married or not"

"That's not how I remember it" Her mother said. She really loved dragging issues that pertain to her and stanely.

"I have to go back to the bakery mum, take care of yourself and the girls. Love you" She said bolting out of the house before her mum would say anything else.

She couldn't understand why her mum wanted her to be in another relationship so bad when she herself never dated after her husband abandoned them.

She would surely ask her one of these days.

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After two weeks of avoiding stanely, fate seemed to be against her when one sunny morning, her car refused to start. She berated herself because it was actually her fault.

The car has been giving signals which she intentionally ignored because of her lazy and nonchalant ass. Now she was stuck here.

She went into the car to start it for hundredth time. She sighted stanely parking his car opposite hers. Her heartbeat increased which angered her.

Why was she being silly around this guy. Can't she just ignore him without feeling a certain way?

He stepped out of the car with his son in a white T-shirt with Jean pants and white sneakers which made him look cute in a boyish way.

He looked towards her direction but she quickly averted her gaze till he went into the school premises. She wanted to leave badly before he comes out.

She hit the steering in frustration. Why wasn't this car cooperating with her? She stepped out and opened the bonnet staring cluelessly at it's compartment. The only thing she knew about cars was how to drive and fuel them.

"Having issues with your car?"

She almost jumped in shock at the sound of the now familiar voice.

"Y-yeah" She stuttered nervously as she stepped aside for him to take a look.

He checked her oil, her battery and some other things she had no clue about.

"Can you go start it one more time, let me check something"

"Sure" After another failed attempt to start the car, he closed the bonnet.

"I'm not sure what the problem is but I suspect an engine problem. You should call your mechanic"

"Actually I don't have one at the moment. The one I had stays far away. I need a mechanic that's based in this area"

"That's okay, I'll just call mine to come check it out" He brought out his phone from his pocket and made a call

"My mechanic said he's quite busy at the moment but will come check it by noon"

"But that's too far, I have to go to work"

"That's not an issue, you can go to work and come back at noon when he's here, I'll give him your number to call him. You can also have his"

"Thanks a lot. I really do appreciate." She said after collecting the number.

"You're welcome, where's your place of business, let me drop you off"

"Thanks a lot but I think I can manage. I'll just book an Uber"

"I insist, please"

"Why do you even want to help me, you're not supposed to even be talking to me, remember?"

"Well concerning that, I would like to talk about that while I drive you to work"

Jasmine heaved a sigh. She was trying to avoid this man but at the same time, there was this beguiling geunuinity in his eyes that she couldn't resist.

"Okay" I found myself saying.

There was surprisingly a peaceful silence in the car for the first three minutes of the ride. She caught him several times stealing glances  which made her stomach flutter.

"I'm sorry about how I spoke to you the other day" He started.

"No, I over stepped my boundaries. I'm sorry"

"It's okay, but why do I feel like you've been avoiding me. I haven't seen you since that day"

"Avoiding you? Of course not" 

"Hmmm! Why do I feel like you're lying?" He said playfully raising a brow.

She couldn't help laughing.

"What's your problem. How do you know I am lying?"

"Trust me, my super powers is detecting lies from a million mile away"

"You're not serious"

"So you're avoiding me, aren't you?

"Well kind of. I realized I crossed a line and decided it's best if I avoid you completely"

"Gottacha!" He smirked at her. "Wait, you really believed I had super powers, didn't you?"

"Of course not. Don't be silly" It was then she realized she was becoming comfortable and letting herself down. She immediately locked up. She couldn't let that happen. Never.

"There's really no need to avoid each other, as a matter of fact we can't really avoid each other as far as our kids are going to the same school. What happened that day was just a little misunderstanding. It's nothing serious so forget about it"

"Okay" She simply said.

"I didn't even know you could laugh. It's so good to see this side of you"

"Well there are many things you don't know about me" She brought her serious face back. She wanted to raise her guard up but sensed it was a bit late

"That's true, how about I try to get to know you. Are you free this weekend?"

"I'm sorry but I don't I'll be unavailable"

Stanely looked at her, he knew she was lying. Her smile has disappeared and the old her seemed to reappear. What exactly is the matter with her? He wondered.

"Ouch! That hurts. Can I at least give you my number for you to call me in case you change your mind?" He wanted to let it go but couldn't help himself.

"That's okay"

The rest of the ride was quiet till he dropped her off.

"Thank you very much for the ride, I really appreciate"  She said and stepped out quickly before he could say anything.

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"I still don't understand why you turned down his request.

"Because I'm not ready to see anyone yet" She replied to her mum after telling her what happened during the day.

Her mum was now the only friend she has in the world so she tells her everything.

"What do you mean by you're not ready. I thought you were over your past?"

"I am, it's just that---"  She paused looking at her children who were engrossed with their favorite cartoon on TV.

"I don't know. I just don't know if I'll ever be able to trust someone ever again." She said

"Of course you will. Just open your heart"

"You make it sound so easy. Why are you even bent on me dating again when you never dated after dad left"

"That's because I don't want you to make the same mistake I made"

"What mistake, what do you mean?" She asked.

'You see after your father left, I was so heartbroken that it made me see men in a terrible light. I hated them and turned down all the men who approached me including genuine ones who truly loved me"

"And do you regret it?"

"Well I do not regret most of them but there's one I'll always look back at and cry"

"What? Who was it?"

"His name is Jide, He was a perfect gentleman and tried his best possible to win my heart but I was cruel to him, I insulted him and kept telling him to let me be.  This man pursued me for five years"

"What?"

"Yes, he got weary after five years and got married to another woman. They're living happily now while I wallow in regrets. Thank God I have you and the kids in my life, at least I'm not completely alone. All that man wanted was to love me but I allowed my past hinder me"

Her eyes were teary, Jasmine hugged her.

"I'm so sorry mum. I never knew"

"It's okay, I don't just want the same fate to befall you. Femi is a terrible person but there are lots of other good men out there."

By ten pm everyone was fast asleep but she was still awake thinking of what her mum has said.

She never knew her mum actually rejected suitors and regretted it. She thought she was actually happy being alone. She pitied her.

She kept tossing in bed imagining herself at fifty seeing all the men she rejected happily married with their wives while she was alone and lonely. She shuddered at the thought.

She eventually picked up her phone and texted him. Let us meet at domino pizza by four pm on Saturday.

Her hands were shaking as she texted them. She was scared, she couldn't risk another heartbreak again but at the same time she doesn't want to miss out on the opportunity to find true love.

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"Wow! You're so pretty mum" Juliet opened her mouth wide as she complimented her mum which made Jasmine blush because she knew when kids compliment you, it's for real.

She wore a simple red fitted turtle neck gown with a white sandal heels to match and a light makeup. It's been long since she dressed up to go out with someone other than her mum and  kids and she felt a little bit nervous

"Relax, just enjoy yourself and have fun, okay?" Jasmine knew her mother could see the tension.

"Thanks mum, I promise I'll have fun"

She gave her a quick hug and left.

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She got into the restaurant and saw stanely sitting exactly at the same spot she sat the day she told him off.

She couldn't help smiling as she walked up to him.

"Why do I feel you chose to sit there on purpose?" She asked as she sat down on the chair opposite him.

"And why do I feel like you chose this place on purpose?"

"To be honest I didn't. I just chose here because I come here with my girls all the time.

"I see, well I already ordered pizza for both of us, I don't know how to like yours but.."

"It's okay, I'm okay with whatever you order"

"To be honest, when I saw your text, I had to call you immediately because I had to be sure it wasn't a mistake or the kids playing with your phone"

"Are you serious?"

"I'm serious, what made you change your mind?"

"Well I just realized that life isn't that hard and decided to loosened up a bit"  The waitress brought their pizzas and left

"So you're aware that you've been uptight?"

"Of course"

"And why is that?" He asked

Jasmine who was already feeling relaxed began to feel rush of emotions as soon as he asked the question.

"I'll tell you later but definitely not today.  I don't want to dampen the mood."

Stanely noticed the sudden alertness in her eyes when he asked that question. He figured it must have something to do with her ex marriage so he let it be. He wanted her happy and smiling throughout their first date.

"So how about the car. My mechanic said it's your engine"

"Well it turns out you're right. The worst is the the check engine light has been blinking for weeks now but I ignored it till it got worse now I think I'll have to get a new one"

"I'm not surprised, that's just how women are when it comes to cars"

"Not all women though but I'm definitely among the worst"

"Well if you need to change your engine just holla at me, cause that's what I deal in"

"Really? You deal in car spare parts?"

"Yeah, I sell engine and gear box. So if it happens that you have to change that engine, let me be the one to eat your money" She bursted into laughter.

Stanely felt elated, he was happy seeing her laugh genuinely. Though he knew under her pile of laughter was a deep rooted fear and insecurity. He was simply happy that she could put that aside, relax and enjoy his company.