He still had the face cap on, she
had advised him to put it on if he really wanted to enjoy watching football on
the street. The match was over and even
the analysis, he signalled that they should leave; she took a cue and stood
from her seat. Walking towards the car with John Smith behind her, she felt a
bit awkward. He didn’t get her door, so she settled in the passenger’s side as
fast as she could immediately he got the doors unlocked like it was going to
ease her somehow.
“So…” He broke the silence “I
guess you…where are you headed now?”
Her brows furrowed. I don’t know, I came out here because of you
“Home I guess?” She shrugged
“Okay, where’s home?”
“Not too far from the dry cleaner’s,
it’s off Dipeolu street.”
“Oh…”
“You don’t have to drop me, I can
actually take a cab or something.” Her face was straight
“No? Like after I enjoyed a day I
envisioned would be totally boring? I think I owe you that at least”
“Thanks”
“Thanks”
They both chuckled.
Soon they were in traffic, stuck
in it in fact. The traffic lights and wardens weren’t so friendly this hour of
the day and in this part of the city. With almost every car around occupied
with party returnees looking tired, ladies with worn out make up, middle aged
women with hair pressed by the geles
that had been removed from their heads, also loose ribbons tied to cars and
swaying to the direction of the coming evening breeze. Obviously most of them
were having conversation and gossip feed on the details of the event they just
retired from.
Watching them was more relief
from the awkwardness in the vehicle. They were really strangers, it kind of
dawned on Lara, and everything felt surreal. She somehow expected camera men to
pop out of their hiding places confirming that this was some show, but it didn’t
happen soon. They were strangers and it felt really strange, celebrity or not.
No matter how she wanted to feel familiar with him because she was used to
seeing his face on TV, he was still a stranger and she thought he felt the
same.
They finally got out of the hold
up. They were now on Obafemi Awolowo Way, the only thing that made up for the
silence between them was the stereo.
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Yeah I did, it is not every day
you get to make a celeb stranger an acquaintance” She watched him smile “I’m
not sure I envy you”
He chuckled “I understand, the
attention comes with its perks and disadvantages.”
“Yes it does. Take the left
turning”
“If I could trade, I’d be doing
what you do instead”
“Really?! You think you can cope
with what I face?”
“Yeah?”
“Here comes the ‘my father’s farm
is the biggest’ syndrome again”
“What?” He laughed “What was
that?”
“Yes naw, that egocentric perspective of using your yardstick to judge
others”
“Okay, okay easy on the terms” He
said his eyes fixed ahead.
Lara chuckled, as she pointed
ahead directing John again
“Client Relationship Management
is not easy o”
“The egocentric thing plagues us
both right now dear”
“Yes, haha!” a subdued belch
coincided with her laughter “That grey gate, that’s where I live”
“Really! You live in the gate?
How?”
Her brows furrowed “Don’t be
naughty, I live in the house behind the gate” She replied with a blank face.
“Ooh, that’s wonderful”
Lara shook her head ignoring the
banter, as she unlocked the seat belt and putting her phone in her bag.
“Oh! Can I have your number? Very
silly me”
Yaay! I thought you’d never ask. She did her victory dance in her
head.
“Sure! I’d type it in your phone”
“Can I get a selfie with you too?” He asked again as the phone keyboard beeped
“Sure?” She said with a puzzled
excitement.
“Yeah! I’m cool like that.”
Clicks and flashes, they were done with a few selfies.
He had really lightened up in the
course of their encounter. They alighted.
“So we’d talk, thanks for the
company. It’s actually brighter outside the car for another selfie”
“Are you serious? Ok, with my
phone this time”
Lara was grateful there were
really few passers-by since they parked in front of her gate and they were
afar.
“Yeah!”
“No wonder, they rumoured selfies to be a psychological disorder
because of John Smith”
“Very funny”
“Thanks all the same”
“You welcome. Bye”
She eased into her compound
quickly, she didn’t want to watch him go; she could do away with that
awkwardness for once. Iyke’s car was the last to be parked in the compound.
“They’re back.” I’m back too, to reality. She
crosschecked the bags with her to be sure nothing was missing especially Sayo’s
laundry. The front door was a bit stiff; she applied a bit of force and saw the
way Sayo flinched startled on the sofa parallel to the front door.
“Why won’t you knock the door?!”
She attacked
“You know you should not leave
the front door unlocked”
Sayo didn’t look like she was in
for an exchange,
“You won’t believe what happened
to me today!” Lara was ready to give Sayo the full gist easing the laundry onto
the sofa closest to her, and then she noticed Sayo’s countenance, she was a bit
shaky.
“Sayo?!”
“Did you see Iyke on your way?”
“What happened?! Did he hit you?”
pensive, she sat beside Sayo, searching her face and arms.
“No!” Sayo pulled away from Lara’s
fussy embrace
“Why is there always something
wrong every time you come back from any weekend at his place, ehn?”
“We just had a con…”
The front door forced open startling them both
as they jerked, eyes on the door.
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