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16

_Modupeolu_ Thanks so much for your support and all your comments, I love you ❤️

Naomiolanrewaju thanks for reading this book and the beautiful conversation we had about it. I love you 💖

"Nosa"

"Yeah?"

"I need to pee."

"The door by your left on the dinning is the visitor's toilet."

Yimika stood up from the sofa and quickly walked to the toilet.

What started off as a beautiful moment has turned into an awkward situation.

We have been going out for three months and it has been amazing.

I invited him over for lunch and prepared Egusi soup and semo so he would taste my food. He liked it and complimented the food over and over again.

After the meal, we sat down in the sitting room and watched TV while having light conversations. We were sitting so close to each other and we continued to converse until he said, "Nosa, you're an amazing person. Let's turn this thing between us into an amazing Relationship." There was no use of saying the usual "I'll think about it" because we have been seeing ourselves for the past three months with the intention of dating so I said yes and we kissed.

His lips were so soft and plum and it explored my mouth as he caressed my face with his rough palm. I welcomed him as I enjoyed the tingling feeling his breathe on my skin brought. In between kisses, he called my name, "Nosa."

I answered, "Hmm." Without breaking the kiss.

"What's your genotype?" He asked when we broke off to catch our breathe.

"AS" I said nonchalantly as I reached out to feel his lips with my thumb.

He held my hand to stop me and said, "Are you serious?" His gaze fixed on me like he was looking into my soul.

"Yeah! But the good thing is I have never dated an AS before. It's always AA." I said smiling.

"Shit!" He cursed.

"What?" I asked smiling. "Are you one of those people who are AA and only want to marry AA?" I laughed. "Stingy set of people."

"I'm AS too." He answered quietly.

It dawned on me.

"What?! I can't believe this." I had a burning feeling at the pit of my stomach. "No."

He didn't say anything as we both sat down on the sofa quietly for what feels like forever until he broke the silence.

When he came back, he picked up his phone and wallet from the table. "I need to go." He said quietly.

"It's alright." I stood up to walk him to the door. I needed to clear my head too.

When we got to the door, he turned to face me and said, "I really do care about you Nosa, but we can't take chances."

"No, we can't" I replied. Deep inside, I wished I could tell him to give us a try because there are chances that we could give birth to AA and AS children. But then, I can't be stupid.

He hugged me tight and I reciprocated by wrapping my arms around his waist. "We can always be friends. Besides I don't think I can get over that Egusi soup any time soon" he scoffed "I'll also refer you I promise."

"Thank you." We pulled out of the hug and he opened the door and left. I didn't have any power in me to escort him to his car. I needed time to process everything that had ensued between us.

I walked weakly to the sofa and slouched on it.

"It ended as soon as it started" I said quietly. "Why?" I asked. "He was everything I wanted in a man and more! More!!!" I shouted when I said the last words.

"He's handsome, has the fear of God, Intellectually sound, caring, listens and he's rich!" A tear escape from my eyes. "Why does he have to be AS? WHY?!"

I have to start afresh again, try to meet someone else. I picked up my phone to call Ronke and inform her of what had happened. But what can she do?

"Baby girl! Wassup!" She said as she answered the call.

"It's all over." I said quietly.

"Nosa? Are you okay? What's all over?" She answered worriedly.

"We can't be together. Yimika and I."

"Ah! What happened?" She asked in shock, making her Yoruba tongue more obvious. "Did he hurt you? What happened answer me"

"Our genotypes. We're both AS."

"Ayemi o!" She exclaimed.

"Ronke what do I do?" This hit me more than I thought it would. I kept on saying to myself that if this didn't work out, I wouldn't kill myself, I would move on, I would accept that he is not mine and move one. I never told myself that it would hurt like hell before the healing process would begin.

"Calm down babe. Just be calm." She tried to soothe me. "I'm around your vicinity, I'll breeze in. In the mean time, be a good girl. I love you."

"Thanks" I thanked her quietly and ended the call. My phone began to ring almost immediately I dropped the call with Ronke. I picked it up to see who the caller was, Sister Itohan.

Not now. I don't feel like talking to anyone right now, I silenced the call. But the phone began to ring as soon as the first call ended.

I picked up the phone and swiped the screen to answer the call.

"Hello Sister. Good evening." It was past four already.

"Nosa!" She called my name in a high pitched voice. I sat up immediately. "I've made up my mind, I'm leaving him. He almost killed me today."

"What happened?" I asked agitated. "What did he do to you?"

"He called me when he closed from work that I should prepare food for him before he comes back because he was so hungry. I quickly went to the kitchen to start preparing something but unfortunately when he got back the food was not yet ready. He started to call me all sorts of names including lazy and good for nothing in the presence of my children. I got mad because he has been trying to get on my nerves lately and talked back to him." She paused.

"Ehen? And what happened?" I stood up from the sofa. All the hair on my neck had stood. I was mad, boiling with rage. I had completely forgotten about everything that had happened to me earlier.

"He gave me a dirty slap that landed me on the floor. As I fell, I hit my head on the wall and passed out."

"Iye me oooo!" I put my other hand on my head.

"I'm in the hospital as we speak. I'm not going back to that house. I want out. Today I saw my whole life flash before my eyes. I need to leave before I die. It's better for my children to have a divorced mother than no mother at all."

Glossary:

Semo - A type of Nigerian food (Swallow) that is eaten with soup.

Iye me ooo - My mother ooo (Exclamation in Bini Language).

Everything happened so fast! 😩

How long do you wait to ask your prospective partner/ partner about their genotype???

Who else feels so sorry for Nosa?

What advise would you give to Itohan?

What do you think about this chapter?

Don't forget to vote, comment and share 💖