Cold At Dusk

Chapter Twenty Two

As days passed, it became a routine for Kamsi to stay with Michelle after work. Somedays, Michelle came and picked her from the office, especially on days Joesph was at home and babysitting. The thought of Joseph with sand on his lips still made Kamsi laugh as she thought of him alone with his little kids.

Kamsi had started talking with her husband. She listens to him while he talks about the ill society, the bad road he had to gallop through and the exploiters on the road selling things at exorbitant prices. There was always a limit to the things he said. The only thing he said about work was regarding a suitcase that contained important documents.

"Nobody should tamper with it" he said.

Nobody was Kamsi yet she did not understand the purpose of the warning. She never went to his suitcases.

Michelle had taken her to one of the popular eating centers known for large quantity of food and rich taste. It was one of the days, Joseph was babysitting .

" let me pay for our food " Kamsi said.

"I brought you here. Another time you pay" Michelle said.

Kamsi could not eat the chicken that was brought to her, it was too oily and the taste was different from the chicken she used to love in the past. She ordered for fish pepper soup which she devoured without further introductions.

"Is that not your Oga? " Michelle asked, using her head to nod in the direction of the person.

Kamsi turned her whole body to see the person immediately . Her eyes collided with Mr Ndu who was sitting on a table with a young boy in school uniform. She nodded in greeting and the man smiled in response.

"You just had to embarrass your village people " Michelle said.

"I had it under control " Kamsi replied, continuing her job on her catfish pepper soup.

They stepped outside thesame time, Mr Ndu stepped out with the boy he was with.

"Is that not Joseph's wife?" he asked loudly coming towards them, it was a preamble to a long greeting.

"It's Mary" Michelle said in a very low undertone.

"How are you doing, dear. Last time I saw you, you were like this " he said, putting his hands infront of his stomach to demonstrate a big belly. He laughed loudly at his own joke

The two women had to join him to relieve the awkwardness.

"That is my son." he said, pointing to the boy who was already inside the car. "He is in the boarding school. I just picked him up on the basis of ill health"

The pleasantries stretched longer and longer with Mr Ndu telling stories about his son's outstanding performance in school. It all ended with him offering to drop Kamsi at home.

"My junction is just after their own " he said when Michelle started to protest.

Till that day, she did not know that his junction was even close to theirs.

She got into the back seat of his black 'Range Rover ' then the tales contimued till the got to her junction. He was kind of enough to also reach her gate.

" Did you go out with your watch? "

She had just stepped into the parlour. She had seen all the cars complete outside and the front door was open but she did not expect him to be in a dark parlor. She ran her hand on the wall then put on the light switch.

"Good evening " She greeted, going to sit on a cushion.

"So work closes by this time " he replied.