Tunmise
I step out of the bathroom wrapping the towel tight around me. I was sure Lota was home because I heard the door open and close while I was in the bathroom. I'm about to put some clothes on when my eye catches something placed on the bed. It's a shopping bag and when I look inside, I see a gown and a note. I take out the note, there's something neatly written on it:
Be ready in thirty minutes. I'll be waiting for you in the car
Lota.
A smile appears on my face. I had thought he had forgotten about the dinner since he didn't come back home after leaving in the morning and wasn't picking up. But this shows he's no longer upset, right?.
I slip on the maroon dress, it's my exact size, the top dips so low exposing the sides of my breasts. It's a bit revealing with thin straps that exposes majority of my back, the dress falls shorter at the front exposing my knees and the skin just above. I'm happy that I shaved just yesterday if not, it would have been a total disaster.
Picture of Tunmise's dress❤️
I quickly put on light make-up before packing my hair up in a ponytail and doing my edges. I slip on my gold heels and grab my purse before heading downstairs.
Lota is sitted in the driver's seat when I slip into the car.
"Hey."
"Hey." He says back.
"I thought you were upset."
"I was upset." He emphasizes the 'was'.
I open my mouth to say something but he turns the key starting up the engine cutting me off.
An uncomfortable silence exists between us throughout the drive to the restaurant. When he finally stops the car in the restaurant's parking lot. I scramble to get down not wanting to spend another minute in the car.
He locks up before placing his hand on the small of my exposed back leading me inside. The woman at the counter who looks in her mid-twenties greets us with a smile on her face.
"Reservation for Mr Atuegbu." Lota says.
She leads us to a table at a corner secluded from everyone. Lota pulls out the chair for me and I thank him before sitting down. A waitress comes and we make our order, the food arrives in a few minutes and we dig in. I stare at Lota throughout the meal trying to figure out what's wrong with him. He's never this quiet.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?." I ask him gently.
He takes a sip of his wine before opening his mouth to speak. "Have you and Niyi ever been involved romantically?."
My eyes widen. I'm at a loss of words. I open my mouth then close it back, the words refuse to come out.
"Go on, answer." He urges.
"We've not."
"Oh, so you've never kissed him?."
"I have. But that was in Secondary School, at a party, it was nothing."
"Has he ever had feelings for you?."
"What's with the questions, Lota?."
"Don't question me, I'm the one asking the questions here." He growls.
I suck in a sharp breath clamping my mouth shut.
"Has he ever had feelings for you?." He repeats.
"Yes, but that was when we were in the University."
"Oh, so you two dated?."
"Obviously not." I deadpan, "I didn't like him that way and he understood."
"Who do you love most?."
"Huh?."
"Who do you love most between Niyi and I?."
"How can you ask that kind of question?."
"Answer it, Tunmise. Unless you have anything you're hiding."
"What?."
"Answer." He urges.
"I don't love you the way I love Niyi, it's different. I love Niyi as a brother, as a friend, that's how I've seen him my whole life. But it's different with you."
He doesn't look satisfied by my answer but chooses not to say anything.
He opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted by my phone ringing.
We both look down at the caller ID.
Niyi.
"Go on, answer it."
"I should answer the call?."
"Yes, but put it on speaker."
I press the receive button before increasing the call volume to the highest.
"How is my favorite best friend doing?." He asks just like this morning.
I roll my eyes ignoring the fact that Lota is listening to our conversation. "Again, I'm your only best friend."
"Hey, I'm at one mall like this."
"Why?."
"I need to get something for mum."
I already know he's talking about mine.
"Why?."
"Her birthday, don't tell me you've forgotten, that's the only thing she's been talking about."
I facepalm myself, it totally escaped my mind.
"It's in two weeks right?, I still have time."
"Okay and don't forget about the family gathering."
"Just keep reminding me, please." I plead.
He lets out a low chuckle. "Now to the real reason I called you, do you know anything she's been dying to have?."
"I don't know, you can just buy her a lace fabric or something, you know mum loves stuff like that."
"Okay, I think I just figured out the perfect gift."
"What?."
"You'll know on that day."
I roll my eyes.
"Hey, T."
"Yeah?."
"You love the colour maroon, right?."
"Yeah, why?."
"I just saw this jumpsuit, you think you'll like it?."
"I don't know Niyi, I haven't seen the Jumpsuit."
"Okay, I'll get it anyway, see you later. Love you."
"Love you too." I hang up.
Lota let's out a small laugh opposite me. "Wait, so he buys you clothes too?."
"We're friends, he's allowed to buy me clothes."
"And you tell him you love him?. What the hell?." His voice raises by a slight octave and I'm grateful that we're in a secluded area.
"Again, friends tell themselves they love each other." My food is long forgotten by now and I'm sure it's already cold.
"Oh, so tell me, if we were dying and you had the opportunity to save one of us, who would you pick?."
I don't need to ask for who the 'we' are.
"You can't be serious." I spit out, "I'm not answering that question."
He hits the table hard making me flinch. "Why can't you answer, huh?."
"Why would I?. That's a stupid question."
"You know what's stupid?, It's the fact that I can't get any time with my own girlfriend, it's Niyi this, Niyi that, every single time."
"It's not like you've ever told me. Why are you reacting like this?."
"You always choose him over me, Tunmise, I'm meant to be your number one, not him."
"But you're my number one." I say and I mean it.
"Bullshit." He stands up from the table pacing around, "How am I sure that you're not lying to me?, How am I sure you've not been seeing him and fucking him all this time we've been dating."
The tears are out before I can stop them. "Don't you dare say that to me." I warn, "I would never cheat on you and you know that, I've never slept with anyone in my entire life."
"Then prove it, Tunmise, I need prove that the woman I'm in love with is not a fucking prostitute."
My phone falls on the floor shattering into pieces.
He did not just...
He called me a prostitute...
How dare he?...
"You-I-you-" I stammer helplessly unable to form normal words.
Lota's eyes widen in realization like he just realized what he just said.
"I didn't mean it like that." He begins to say walking towards me. I stand up walking backwards slowly.
"Don't you dare touch me." I choke out
I'm out of the restaurant before I know it. My mind is no longer in control of my body as I run down the street ignoring the stares from people, I look mad, I'm so sure of it.
I don't know for how long I run but I finally collapse on the cold pavement sobbing into my hands. It's already late and cars are driving on the road, each person trying to find their way home but I don't care. It's like my whole world is crashing around me.
"Tunmise?." A familiar voice calls making me look up.
Niyi is standing there, shopping bags in hand, he crouchs down to my level immediately.
"Hey, are you okay?...Don't answer that, it's a stupid question."
"What happened?."
I don't say anything instead I cry harder.
"Okay, remain here, don't go anywhere." He says and he's gone immediately. Minutes later, a car stops in front of me, Niyi steps out, his hands now void of shopping bags.
He opens the back door and before I know it I'm off the ground, he places me gently on the leather seat covering me with the blanket he always keeps in his cars for reasons I still don't understand. I hear the door close as I close my eyes.
My head is banging badly and I'm sure I'll need some paracetamol. It's not long before I drift off too sleep.
•••••
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