The owner of the house opened the door, she thought maybe it was her neighbour again coming to remind her if she was interested in church the next day which was sunday, she guess right because there stood her neighbour again with all smiles telling her that she was most welcomed to tag along with her. She also brought some home baked cake with her which was obviously for Jake.
"And give this tiny cake to my boy, i have not being seeing him around lately" Mrs Bankole said practically forcing the cake into her hands and giving her no choice than to take the offering.
"Thanks I will deliver"She closed the door, her neighbour was always acting nice towards her, although they don't really talk, she seems like a nice woman to have a conversation with, her husband who was the landlord was not always around, she ought to be lonely but she has this aura that makes her want to trust this sweet neighbour of hers. She was like Juliet in a way, always respecting her distance and at the same time, caring.
She heard another knock again,
Wow now is not the right time for another conversation she told herself. The knock stopped for a while and she thought maybe she heard it all wrong, she went to the door and checked the eye hole on her door. She truly had a visitor.
But this visitor was so unexpected. Opening the door to face her visitor
"Good afternoon" they said at the same time one party looking confused and the other looking lost.
"Can I come in?" Ed said trying to find his words.
" yes you can " making a way for him to enter into the house. The house was not in the best position there were books lying every where.
" I see you are a bit busy, I...... , did u see my calls?" Ed asked probably thinking maybe the had the wrong number all this while. He sat without trying to take note of the cushion chair.
"Yes, am sorry I have not being picking it up, I have being busy for a while now" Bright said defending herself.
" what happened? You didn't come for your session last week and today also? I can't help but feel maybe I have offended you, or done something that scared you away"
"No not at all, I have just being very busy with Jake that I had to scrap off the appointment, my son and I are having some difficult time and also I need extra money so I decided to end the counselling session altogether, I really appreciate all what you did for me Mr Makinde am very thankful" she said. Her eyes trying to convey all the appreciation.
okay I didn't see these coming at all, so she has decided to scrap off the counselling session. Edward did not know what to say again. What is happening, first she came for the counselling and they were not even through yet and she is ending the whole thing. Wow!!he did not know what to do or how to react. He always pride himself of always thinking before he talks, he wasn't much of a talker but right now he wanted to say a lot without knowing how to convey what he wanted to say.
" difficult times? What is wrong with Jake? Is he sick or what?" Ed said trying to keep his emotions in check, even though he was not really close to the boy, he couldn't help but feel an attachment to the boy.
"No he is not, in fact he is in his room reading, he has not being doing well in school and also he is on suspension, he got involved in a fight in school" She said briefly not going into the full detail.
You can come and see him if you want, pointing towards the door.
"No, its okay I won't disturb him from is studies I can see why books are loitering everywhere". Ed wondered what he boy had done to earn suspension as such a young age.
"You know I was just bordered that it is unusual of you to skip your counselling day, but not coming for two weeks made me worry that something is not alright.
I can see right through it, I can't place my hand on it that you are not as okay as you presume, just know that I will be there if you need a friend, am willing to be that as long as you want and I will keep praying for you" wow where on earth did that even come from. He was beginning to hear his emotions talk and he wasn't ready to allow it to do the talking.
He stood up from the chair, "extend my greetings to ........."
"Mummy,mummy, I got number....... Good after noon sir" Jake interrupted the poor counselor, she saw that he interrupted a discussion and the disapproving look giving to him by his mom, said it all. He quickly kept his textbook at his back trying to hide it and turned his back to leave.
"Hello, lil master, common get over here, and give me an hi five!!" That was all Jake needed to hear and he ran and give Ed the hi five and was laughing...
Bright could not help notice how his son was so carefree with her counsellor as if they where long time friends or something.
She has always known her son to always shy from people, mainly because he didn't like to socialise, apart from when he wants to play football, yet Ed has just met Jake once and they already formed a connection.
She couldn't help but smile.
"So, tell me what are you reading" ed said trying to see what the boy hid behind his back.
I re doing all my assignments especially those in the verbal reasoning textbook. The boy showed Ed with pride.
Ed looked through the textbook and noticed that a lot of red inks were on the books and different comments, he didn't even try to read then, but what caught his attention was how Jake spelt the word "Christmas"
which was written as "krwismas" he took his pencil and re wrote the correct spelling for him and looked up him.
"Now, this is a correct way of spelling "Christmas" not the other way, you get ?" Ed said with a smile as he handed over the pencil back to Jake and gave him his textbook also.
Jake took the book and stared at it in awe.
"Thank you sir, I will take sure I spell better and next time you come to our house I will show you"
"don't worry dear, am looking forward to coming and seeing you spell. How about you get a small jotter and try spelling. You can start with two letter words, then three and so on,am sure your mummy won't mind" Ed said looking at the mother as she sat in silence looking from counselor to her dear son.
"No I think that is a good idea, you know I have being looking for how to help him with his spelling problems I dont even know when it got these bad" she stood up and went to her son's books picking it up and showing her counsellor.
"What about I help?" Ed interrupted what she was doing. " I mean am a lecturer, and most times on saturdays I am always free only if I have a engagement, and we can use your counselling time to help him with his spellings, he needs a teacher and with that I can help "
"No, I don't want to be obligated to you again, you have being so nice to me for while and when people are ......" acting all nice like these it means they want some thing in return and am not ready to give you, what you want because I dont have what you want. She dares not say the rest of what was going on in her mind.
" no, not at all, see it as a guy to guy thing with your son and I. Plus I would love to spend time with him, you know get to know him better. We also live on the same street, so it makes it easy "
" well, how about I ask him first and also think about it? I don't want to be a burden to you more than I have already"
Bright wanted to argue and talk him out of being so nice to her, she doesn't want it especially from him. But he is a lecturer and educated, he can assist Jake and that also means less money and free coaching, how can I resist that. After all Jake is everything to me.
"Thanks a lot, you know what this is the second time you're coming to my house and I didn't even entertain you, sooooo what can I offer you?"
"Anything you have would do, I wouldn't want to impose" the most selfish thing Ed did was to offer to take Jake, a part of him wanted to help the boy in his studies but a more domineering part of him, wanted to make the mother of the boy trust him at least to be free with him and not shy away every time, a part of him wanted to ways be there for these strong woman. A part of him wanted her to give him attention. There is no way even if the hell freezes that the mother is going to do that, so he has to learn to love the child in other to get to the mother and the same time, get to know the boy himself.
Bright came back with a tray containing a glass of orange juice and an appreciable slice of cake from the one her neighbour brought, leaving the rest for her son.
She was about to place the tray on a stool when her hand collided with that of Ed. She wanted to move away but he stared at her in a magnetic way that she couldn't help but stare back.
Ed quickly cleared his throat " let me take that from you" he reached out to get the tray but Bright ignored it and just dropped the tray on a stool beside him, she immediately went to sit down and tried to maintain a distance between the both of them.
"Do you always get time off from your work, or do you always have free time?"
"Yes I do get free at times, especially when am off routine and most times on sunday, I always get a full day off"
"So they dont keep you busy at all times, that's good news. What is the name of the restaurant you work again?"
"Country kitchen, the branch outskirt the campus, you know directly opposite that mall where they sell shoes."
" oh that place? I have being there only once and that about a year ago, they sell the best of african cuisine and best burgers in town, I heard their snacks is not so bad also" Ed was beginning to enjoy the way the conversation was going, for the first time they were actually communicating apart from during their counselling unit. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise.
" well, I can vouch for their snacks and food, but you know you dont expect me to say they cook bad food because that is where I work for almost two years now and bad mouthing means less customer and that means less pay."
"Okay, law abiding citizen, but do they pay you well, am sorry am asking but I can't help but get curious about that place"
" the pay is fair enough but we get extra tips at times even from customers or if the turn up is extremely high, we might be given a little to pactch up,
We also walk in routines and at times they shift us from counter, to serving, to cooking, to cash stand and all. It is not that bad "
Ed smiled as he took the last bite of his cake and drank his juice, he was enjoying the conversation.
" you know am sorry this might sound weird, but this the first time we are having a normal conversation apart from... Well you know, and I must say I really like it "
She gave a small laugh and looked at him, "well I bet you are not that bad to have a conversation with after all, and let me warn you that immediately I start talking I might not be able to close my mouth again, you know am like tap at times especially when am in a good mood like these"
She stood up took the tray in his front and went inside the kitchen.
Ed, sat down and smiled. He definitely like these aspect of Bright he has never seen before. The friendly aspect of her and the accommodating aspects, and that smile he would do anything just to make sure it remains permanent.
Holy spirit, please always give her a reason to keep up that smile, because it is beautiful
AN: okay here we are again, another end of a great chapter, I must say this chapter came easier that the previous ones.
Am happy to see Bright's friendly side, not so bad for the first neutral conversation is it?
Always remember you look so much better when you put up that smile..
Yes!!!!! Dont forget to vote and I really would appreciate your comments......
*smiles*