Aeipathy ➳ Normani ✓

twenty-two

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y T W O

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As the days had gone by, summer had dwindled until only ten days remained until Normani and Keith would be returning to the United States. If she was asked to measure the extent of her homesickness, she wouldn't have been able to record it in days but rather in those that she missed. She missed her parents, her best friend and most importantly, her boyfriend.

There was no denying the fact that her relationship with Keith had changed significantly in the time they'd spent in Nigeria and she wasn't entirely sure that it was a good change - things had been a bit off balance since the day he'd came home and made love to her like she was someone else. They'd been in a weird limbo since, not estranged but not as close as they used to be.

Keith still came home and kissed her lovingly, he still spoiled her with breakfast in bed (the kind that Ayoola would prepare for his instruction and bring it up to her since he'd already be at work) and he gave her foot rubs in the evenings. But something had changed, Normani couldn't point out what exactly, but it was unnerving.

She figured if they returned to their natural environment, where they only had to worry about themselves without the added scrutiny of his parents and their demands on him, then things would go back to normal.

She didn't have the energy to dwell on that now as Joseph started playing the instrumentals of his new demo. After spending a few days with him, she could now add "amazing vocalist" to her list of talents.

Joseph had been working on a particular song and he'd struggled to find that one thing that would set it apart as a track that would attract a potential market. Normani had fooled around with some lyrics and the song had ended up being a duet.

Now they were officially recording Love Lies and Joseph would release it onto SoundCloud. Normani was excited for the release and couldn't wait to show her loved ones back home and even Keith. She was sure he'd be so proud of his younger brother and see the potential he possessed, too.

"You ready?" Joseph asked.

Normani nodded and walked over to the sound desk and picked up a mic.

"What time do you need to be there, by the way?" she asked.

"We have three hours to record and finish this then I have to be there."

"We can do this in an hour and twenty minutes tops."

"That's so specific," Joseph replied, "why that time precisely?"

"I just have a feeling it's going to take that long okay? Trust me," Normani replied. Joseph shook his head in amusement and started the instrumental.

Love Lies was a sweet, mellow song about a love that did not hurt. It was easy going and their gorgeous, powerful voices blended together to create a beautiful duet.

Normani had added some of the lyrics of her verse in, crooning the sweet lyrics in her perfect tone: I've been so into your mystery/ Is it because of our history?/ Are you into me?/ When it feels so good but it's bad for you, can't say I don't want it coz I know I do.

As Normani had predicted, it took an hour and twenty minutes to finish recording the song and adding final touches. As soon as they were done, Zechariah was driving them out of the compound ten minutes later to a private party where Joseph had been booked to play a half hour set. It was the first time he was playing his music in public and he was a nervous, excited wreck.

Normani was accompanying him for moral support and also she was eager to see him in his element. It was 16:00 when they left for the party. They were the only ones in the Ikande household: Mrs Ikande was out, Matilda was over at a friend's for the afternoon, Ayoola had (through their persuasion) gone to see her boyfriend and Keith and Mr Ikande were at work. They got to the venue half an hour later.