Episode 9

"That's true" I had to agree to avoid bringing another problem unto myself. It's only her that knows everything.

"Ah, Nancy! You should have woken me up, why must you disturb your aunty?" My aunt's voice came from behind.

Traces of sleep and signs of fatigue were visible on her face when I looked at her. Nancy is a handful, what if she has two more of her kind, she might vow never to give birth again.

"Aunty, don't worry, I will take care of this..." I urged her to go inside and rest while I flush the toilet when she's done.

"Okay. Thanks, sweetie! And Nancy? Make sure you come inside right away after your aunt cleans you up" she said pointing at the little girl.

"Yes, mummy!" 

*Few minutes later*

"Goodnight, love" I smiled at her and she returned the smile before closing the door.

Ah! What a relief, she's a pain in the ass!

How much longer will I condone her nosing around without a big scold.

I heard my uncle's voice as I walked back to Chris's room and I noticed he was right, her noise had woken them both.

Chris was already sleeping when I got inside, I knew he was exhausted from the very beginning and am glad he decided to get a good sleep.

His legs are on the floor while his upper body is on the bed, which means he was waiting for me before sleep finally took him to Dreamland, I laid him properly on the bed and covered him with the sheet.

I watched him sleep peacefully for a while before I kissed him goodnight and went inside my room. I would have loved to be right beside him when he awakes but who knows who will come wake me up?

The next morning, I was the first person to wake up from sleep. I didn't know where the happiness came from but I am in my best mood this morning.

I swept the whole compound, cleaned inside the house and was making breakfast when my aunt joined me.

"Good morning, auntie!" I greeted her cheerfully.

"Wow! How's your night, Jenny?" She replied, touching my cheek fondly.

"Fabulous!" I said stirring the tea.

"I see... you're quite jubilant this morning, any good news?" She wants to know why my cheeks are so high this morning.

"No news o, am just happy" I said curtly.

"Oh! I should have known, you have a new phone and I am sure you stayed awake half of the night checking it out!!" She concluded and I just laughed with her.

Only my heart knows where the joy emanates from, and the funny thing is when I heard his voice as he greeted his father at the sitting room, the joy escalated quickly.

"I think I should better go and get Nancy ready for school, you don't need help here, do you?" She's already out of the kitchen.

"I don't need help here at all! I only need help with that girl" I snorted laughing.

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" 

Oh my God! Here comes my source of joy, my lollipop and my sweetheart, "good morning, I always need your help, especially down here" I began nastily.

"Stop being nasty this morning, we have to leave early because this is the beginning of a new week" he said when I kissed him.

"Don't be such a joy killer, I was only being nice" I said in a very low voice, we don't need an alarm to tell us that his parents are a few miles away and the walls have ears.

"I got loads of surprises for you, babe, just wait till we get outta here" he whispered and gave me a peck.

"I can imagine," I said quietly as we carried the breakfast into the dining room.

*Hours later* 

He offered me a hand and I took it, he helped me down the stairs of the massively built plaza.

He said we are going somewhere and when I asked him where, he said it's a surprise and I didn't pester him.

We had spent a lot of time with his friends and he had practically dragged me out, if not, his friends aren't ready to let me go.

"Today is Monday, you should stay back and make sales" I said thoughtfully as he guided me into his car.

"Is it your business? I am my own boss, so don't worry babe, I'm not complaining!" He said and gave me a quick kiss before he closed the car door and went over to the driver's side.

"What just happened in broad daylight?" I asked when he sat down and fumbled to fix the seat belt.

"What?" He asked, smiling, he bent over and did my seat belt as well, he didn't forget to drop a kiss on my cheek.

"You kiss me like that, don't you think someone might see us" I grimaced.

"What do I care about?! I made a promise to you last night, that's exactly what's on my mind now, just save your strength for the long walk ahead!" He grinned as the car raced onto the road.

"Who knows what you are up to?" I wondered.

"Just...be a good girl, wait and see"

He repeated the exact words I said yesterday. I'm enjoying this.

"Wow!" I exclaimed when the car pulled up at a man-made forest, "is that a river there?!" I asked as I jumped out of the car.

"Oh yeah! Come here!" He replied when he came over to stand beside me, he threw his arm possessively round the small of my waist.

"Are there other people here?" I asked curiously because we seemed to be the only presence here apart from the birds chirping joyfully around the trees.

Could they be man-made birds? Does something like that even exist? 

"Not today, just a few people know this place exists and they come here on weekends, so, as far as today is concerned, we own this place by ourselves" he beamed.

That's kinda true because it's so quiet and during the drive here, when the car left the main road, we didn't see anyone or hear any noise, just a broken car a few feets away. The owners probably abandoned it when it gave them a tough time.

"Have you been here before, I mean...how did you discover this place?" I asked, looking at his face.

"I love getaways! Caleb's brother is a sort of human being that moves around quite a lot, so he brought us here last year, then I came here alone around March and here today!" He explained curtly.

"Wow, I love this place, Chris. And I love it more because you are here with me" I said, hugging him.

"We are... going to explore this place...till I hear you cry and beg! Come here!!" He lifted me up to his shoulder and ran towards the river side.

"I love you!!!" I shouted laughing in the loudest voice I have, I'm not afraid of anyone hearing us, it's not going to be aunt or uncle.

If any other person sees or hears us, they'll probably see us as lovers on a get away from home and making out is a common thing for lovers.

We are the only ones here! 

He sat me down on a carved white stone at the river bank, "I heard that any wish carved on this stone, comes to pass, let's make a wish, Jen."

"It's... beautiful, amazing. It's carved in the shape of a heart and I want to write a wish too!" I gushed, touching the stone as if it's a baby.

"Yep! But it's not as beautiful as you. Let me bring a...stone!" He looked around for a stone but he found a nail "this is even better, seems it belongs to the last people that came here to make a wish" 

"How would you know, you and your mother have that habit of concluding things without a second thought" I said recalling my aunt's words this morning in the kitchen.

"Then, let it be the only thing I have in common with my mother, she's my mother after all" he shrugged.

"You chose to have the bad habit" I laughed as he gave me a side look."no vex"

"What is your wish?" He changed the topic, we bent over the stone and he looked at me expectantly.

"It's supposed to be a secret, you don't expect me to tell you my heart wishes, that won't be fair!" I snorted, pushing his face away when he kept bringing it closer.

"But, I will still know, you already know mine" he said and ran his fingers down my arm.

I wore a blue flare gown with one strapless hand, one of the clothes Aunt bought me the day we went out together. She bought me a lot of sexy clothes to my surprise. I had thought she was one of those mothers that likes their children to dress like a village old woman forming saints and always classless.

"I think you know mine too" I was only trying to be cheerful and forget that we have the same wish for a moment "I'm scared"

I sat down on the stone and faced the river, he sat beside me and took my hand, "look at me, Jen" 

"Chris, this feels... strange, the more I think about it, I feel like we are doing the wrong thing but I still can't stop myself" 

"I know, just look at me" I did, I looked at his face "I'm here with you, don't get scared by anything, we are making this wish with believe and it's going to be granted" 

"I wish it will, but..."

"No buts! Let's write down our wish" he grinned and kissed me.

"Chris...you just bit my lip" I said playfully pushing him into the water, he didn't expect that "someone's clothes are ruined" I placed a hand on my chest mocking him.

"That was an insult, babe, I'm going to look for a kissing tutorial to get lessons on how to kiss, but, first... you need to get wet too!" He laughed and drew on my legs.

"Where exactly should I get wet, down there or..." I eyed him as I gave in to his efforts to draw me into the water.

"I think I love the idea of you getting wet all over!" He lifted me into his arms and carried me out of the water.

"Where's that nail?" I asked looking for the nail we are supposed to use as a writing material on the white stone.

"I gave it to...oh, here!" He picked it from the ground and handed it to me again.

"Look away! You are free to take a look when I'm done" I said in a bossy manner.

"Yes ma'am!" He accepted "let me go and get something from the car, you must be done before I come back" he walked off.

I scribbled on the stone, what I so much wish for, what he wishes for...my heart desires, and I also wish this is true. I hope so much that my little wish will be granted.

"Ya done?" He raised a brow when he came to stand beside me, he carried a box and he's only wearing shorts now.

"Americana...ya done? No, I'm gonna be dan!" I teased mimicking his fake accent. He speaks English as if he's not an Ibo at all. 

"Funny you, let me see what she wrote!" He looked at the words I wrote on the stone, "nice, I don't think I will have to write again, you wrote it all"

"What's up with the box you are carrying?" I inquired as he set it down on the stone.

He opened it and I saw for myself, a blanket, fresh fruits, three different kinds of food, snacks and drinks etc.

"Is this..like a picnic?" I helped him spread the blanket and arrange the food on it. "When did you buy all these things?"

"I can smell it coming too. Let me answer that, when you were so engrossed with the chit chat you were having with my friends, didn't you notice me slipping away for a moment?"

"Well... I didn't know you were on a mission to spend money" I jested.

"And I don't mind spending more on you, Jen. That's how much I love you" we sat together on the blanket and he drew me to lay my head on his lap.

"They say you only fall in love with someone once, but that can't be true... Every time I look at you, I fall in love all over again." I mumbled and raised my hand to touch his face.

"I love seeing you laugh, you are the love of my life, I have never felt like this before and watching you smile warms my heart"

"Then, I will keep smiling for you, even at the most critical moment, I will keep your heart warm and safe...I love you so much" 

His head bent slowly and his lips captured mine, I held onto his head and returned his kiss with equal hunger, I matched up to his strength.

The kiss was slow and sweet, "You taste like honey" he said, pausing the kiss.

"You taste like..." I stood up to my feet and got ready to run before I shouted, "bitter leaf"

"What?!" He came after me, I ran farther into the man-made woods and ran around one of the trees like a child being chased by another playmate, I laughed out loud.

I shut my eyes and twirled around the tree and it felt wonderful. I closed myself away from the fear, away from reality and allowed myself to drown in the sweet moment.

"Gotcha!" He caught me and I flew into his arms, my long legs around his waist and my head thrown backwards as I laughed in glory.

How possible is it that one person could bring so much joy into another's life, whatever these feelings are, I want it to last forever, if this ever stops, I will die. I swear.

Falling in love is very similar to jumping off a cliff. Your head tells you 'It is a bad idea, you will get hurt!' but your heart makes you believe that you can fly!