Walk With Me

Chapter 7: Third time's the charm

"Anyway..... Thanks." She carried it and walked to the pot. "Can you cook by the way?" She asked randomly.

"I can make food for survival." I said and she laughed and nodded.

"I can tell." She said and chuckled again. I could listen to Ijeoma laugh all day.

"School was nice today by the way." She said and smiled wistfully. She looked lost in her thoughts for a while and her smile widened after that. Something I thought I would never see again.

"It was surprising. When I entered the school gate.... because I didn't get there early enough. So they were just done with the assembly." She stirred the stew gently, covered it back up and then lowered the fire. Then started bringing down plates.

"So when I came in, I didn't even see them first. But a lot of my students just ran to the gate. Like I was swarmed. They were just clamoring we missed you Ms. Ij."

She looked up at me and I could see her eyes misten. I helped her to dish out the food when we finished. Or when she finished rather, and then we carried them to the sitting room. We both sat on the same sofa, just few spaces away from each other.

"Even my most stubborn student, like this girl has stressed me the entire time I've been teaching her. She took my bag from me when I walked to staff room. They were all just.... It really took a lot not to break down in tears in front of them."

No. It took a lot to not go to her. I wanted to kiss her.

But as soon as that thought flashed my mind, the retribution followed. How can you listen to your friend's woman and all you think of is that? What kind of human are you?

The same way I've felt about myself since I realized that my feelings for Ijeoma were not going anywhere. At least not anytime soon.

"Are you listening?" Her voice permeated my thoughts.

"Yeah. You said the girl was stubborn. How so?" I asked and she shrugged.

"Just rich kids stuff. I dealt with it earlier on though."

"Now I want to hear the story."

She did tell the story and I laughed through it. Rich children and their peculiar problems. We ate slowly or she did rather, while we talked about a lot things. Filled up each other on the things that happened over the weekend.

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"You didn't have to do that." Ij said moments later while I wiped my hands on the hand towel.

"You cooked. It's only proper that I wash the dishes." I said and she shook her head.

"If you insist."

"I should get going. It's late already." I said and she nodded again. It was already well past 8. My house wasn't that far from here, so I didn't mind staying here till late at night.

She walked me to the door and stood there with a hand on the door handle. Again. It took all I had not to hug her. Not to kiss her.

"So....I'll see you tomorrow?" I said and she nodded.
She waved and closed the door after me.

I sighed when I got to my car and put on my seatbelt. I can't keep doing this. This feels empty. Somehow it felt worse than looking at her laughing with Ik across the room. That felt unattainable, but him in the story put my emotions in check. Sort of.

Now. Now she sits across me in the room. She's laughing with me. I'm the one she's smiling at. But it feels ever out of reach from me.

This feels empty.