THIS VAL: SUNDAY AFTERNOON LOVE (SHORT STORY)

Sunday afternoon as usual, it's time to play at William's. The last I heard were the tires of his mother's car crush the gravel in our block's drive way and the door to their apartment slam shut. So, they must be well settled now, must have had lunch after that long service at church. Mum, Henry and I have not been going to church lately, for whatever reasons I have not bothered to ask.

"Mummy I want to go and play at William's house!" I distracted her from her trying to change Henry's diaper. Purposely. I repeat myself this time with a demanding tone.

"Laide! Don't disturb me, go if you want to." She said interrupting me



"Can I take my cartoon?" The DVD already in my hand as I turned towards the main door of our two bedroom flat. Shutting the door properly behind me, I make my trip down the stairs to the stairway leading to William's flat, jumping through I'm at the door in no time and I give my unrelenting knock on their door,he knows my style of knocking  I'm sure he's racing to the door right now as I hear his mum tell him to get the door.

"Mum, it's Laide" He said trying to hide the excitement in his voice. He opens the door and tries to say something I really do not care about as I have prepared my act of snobbery as the introductory part of every play episode at his place. I know I'm special.

"What cartoon is that?" He pleaded

"Don't touch it!" Shouldering it away from him I'd rather have him burn with curiosity. "Good afternoon ma" I greeted William's mum doing the last of her dishes in the kitchen.

"How are you dear? How's your mum?"

"She's fine ma, I brought this cartoon to watch" I said stretching out the dvd to her.

"Ehnhen...what happened to the player in your own house, if you want to watch cartoon watch in your house naw" Sometimes she spoke like she didn't like me, but she used to like me a lot, I wonder what happened. Slotting the dvd in the player, as William and I settled beside each other to watch, she went to the kitchen, then as she made way to her room she gave me a correctional glance with the corner of her eye. I thought to be cautious this afternoon.

"Ah! NEPA has taken the light."

William's statement made me realize all the colors and images on the screen had disappeared. NEPA just had this custom on Sunday afternoons. William's got up from beside me to switch the TV off. His mum should be out anytime soon, as we kind of waited for a few seconds, William's got distracted and started fiddling with the rubber figurine on the centre piece.

"Let's play with your toys" I suggested a quick solution to our boredom, since his mum wasn't coming out.
"Okay" I shook my head amused as he skipped along in his beautiful checked combat shorts.
Soon he was back, unpacking the toys from the box container "If I was a boy I would have said you should give me your shorts I want to wear them, but I'm not a boy"
"Hehehe! That was what Bobola said when he came before before, me too, if i was a girl I would say you should give me your beautiful skirt"
"This one skirt has the leggings I always wear with it o!"
"And the leggings too" We made dumb conversation as always.

We played, the cars and building blocks were our children, that couch was his house, this couch was mine, we went to church, took the children to school, William always drove the school bus. I was always giggling with so much glee, I always loved Sunday afternoon with William, always a delight.

I wanted to be closer, to have that feeling again, to be out of this world, to feel his against mine. I ran to his couch, his house, encroached on his personal space.
"Go to your house, the police are coming to arrest the bad children"
"Nooo" I answered with this glee that anticipated.
"Go to your house" He repeated softly as I guessed he knew it was time this would happen again.
"Go to your house" I mimicked with half amusement and half anticipation as I shook my shoulders moving my face closer to his.
"Which house?!" The deep third voice jolted the both of us to reality, his mum was now standing in the doorway of the living room, we didn't even hear her door open or close.
"No, this is my house and that is her house" William pointed to the couch opposite trying to explain
"Okay, Laide go to your house"
I quietly obeyed and moved opposite.
She moved around the living room and soon she asked.
"William, why did you kiss Laide?"
I saw the fear rise in William's eyes as he was dumbfounded, I felt the same in my heart, Ah! We are finished!

...To be continued

Photo credit