The Lives We Lived

53: Red with Passion

"You're back. How was Italy?" Zainab was the first person to greet her when she returned home.

"It was fine."

The trip had remained sour after the accidental kiss with Jude. He had kept his distance and she had not tried to interact with him anymore than necessary. Unlike how they left, he had someone else pick him from the airport and the company car dropped her off at her house.

"Take my bags upstairs." She ordered Buba.

He did as he was told, leaving the living room for her and Zainab. The living room smelled like  apples, the same sweet smell that engrossed Zainab lilac dress and Hijab.

"I want to hear all the details."

Kemi put up a false smile. "I promise to tell you everything but I'm a little tired right now."

"Oh. That's true. Would you like to eat anything?"

Hearing the word 'eat' rose Kemi's anger again.  Osa cared more about a snack than he did about her.

"What's available?"

"There's some Banga soup in the fridge. And some Starch but I don't know how to prepare it."

"So, who made the soup?"

"Osa. Your husband can cook oh. You're very lucky."

Kemi only nodded as she turned towards the staircase. Luck had nothing to do with it. They were specific things she had looked out for when she wanted a man. Osa did not have some of those things so she made sure he worked on them but, cooking was something that came naturally to him. Maybe because he had to take care of Efe and Sandra while they were younger.

"Thank you, Zee. I hope your baby is fine."

"He's doing okay."

Kemi alighted the staircase. then paused as Buba came downstairs. She looked down at her friend, squeezing herself to the railings so Buba could pass. "Is Osa around?"

"No. But recently, he's been home at this time." Zainab peered at her. "I hope there is no problem."

Kemi shook her head, widening her smile. "No. We're good."

She hurried to her room and slammed the door. Osa knew she was coming today and she had wanted him to be by the door when she came in. He had seen her message and had left her on read.. He had ignored all her calls.

She bit her nails. There had to be another way to reach this blockhead. She snapped her fingers when an idea came to mind. She went to the closet and knelt down, pulling out an old shoe box. Inside the shoe box was a mix of devices like a spoiled mouse, some earbuds that no longer worked, an old phone part and others. At the bottom of the box, she saw her old sim card. Well, it was her sister's old sim card that she had used for Jamb, then dumped when she got into the university because Adesuwa was being nosy about who called and who she was friends with. Osa didn't have this number.

She picked it out and switched out the sim on her phone, then she dialled his number by memory.

He picked on the first ring. "Hello."

"So nothing is wrong with your phone."

"I guess you're back." He spoke like he was simply talking about the weather.

"I'm back. You didn't even come to pick me up at the airport."

"We didn't have that agreement, Kemi. I'm busy right now."

"You're too busy for me? It is well oh." There was no way Osa would give her the drama that she wanted right now.

"Would you rather I call you back? I'm about to go into a meeting."