"What do you do?" I ask when I can't hold it in anymore. Pavillion pays its staff well but it doesn't explain how he can afford this decor without leaving a huge dent in his salary. The change in his house feels like an episode of flip it, a show where houses are renovated. Everything looks brand new.
Our staff work long hours which will leave most of them, especially Paul, the head chef, too exhausted to take on another job but here he is, in a house suited for royalty. The only thing missing is a fancy car and I have a strong suspicion it has more to with his need to be low-key than a lack of funds.
For God's sake, he said he didn't need the money that would be won from the cooking show and that's a lot of money to refuse for someone with his pay. What if he's a Yahoo boy, an internet fraudster? I shake my head, I have never seen him with a laptop and he never stays on his phone. He is more a people's person unlike me who spends long hours on her iPhone, exploring the pages of Instagram and posting sunkissed selfies.
Or, is that a ploy? What if the conversations are practise for his female victims? To help him pick his best lines since most of us are easily moved by praises and compliments.
Ifunaya, breathe.
"Do you have a laptop?" He nods and I try not to think too much about his reply. I have a laptop too but it doesn't mean I'm involved in cybercrimes. "Do you have another job?"
The tiles are cold against my palm as I turn on my side to get a better view of his face when he answers. With my head propped on one of the pillows Paul brought out, I eye his still form mimicking my position. He pushes himself up till his back is resting on the couch and stretches his hand to me.
"What's with all the questions?" he starts when I am sitting cross-legged in front of him. "I work for you, remember?" He pulls me in for a brief kiss. "There's barely any time left at the end of the day for me to get proper rest and you are talking about another job." His mirthless mocks me, I make a mental note to review their work hours. "No, I don't have another job. Why?"
"No reason. What about your laptop?"
"It's bad, someone is fixing it." The distance between us vanishes as he lifts me into his laps. My legs go on each side of his waist, I offer him a small smile. "What do you want us to do? Do you want us to see a movie?"
"No. Yes. I don't know." His lips reaching for mine stops, he palms my cheek to stare into my eyes and I let out a deep breath. "Okay. I'm just wondering how you can afford this," I point to the painting on the ceiling, that thing spells money, "on your salary."
Overthinking is one thing I am good at and maybe I am doing it right now but another glance at the ceiling increases my doubts. I forgot his explanation the moment they left his lips but the beautiful cherubs adorning his ceiling make every penny worth it and raises more questions. Why rent a three bedroom apartment if he lives alone? There are two empty rooms. I know my house has the same style but at least, I own the place.
"Is that it?" he asks and I nod. He chuckles, his fingers start trailing my lower lip, I frown and he chuckles again but I don't share in his humour. "I happen to know a lot of people with big money; my friends."
"Okay?"
"They helped out." His hand finds its way under my jaw, my lips part open when a finger migrates to my upper lip and I moan when he inserts it into my mouth. I suck on his thumb, eyes set on his as my tongue circles the tip of his finger. "My savings covered the rest. Any other question?"
Lacing our fingers, I place our hands above his head and grind my pelvis against his crotch. "No, but you need to introduce me to those your friends," I murmur. "I'm ready for an upgrade." I wink and we both laugh. "My friends won't do nothing for me."
I won't trade Jennipher and Leeleeian, my best friends once upon a time, for anything in this world even if social media is now our only means of contact. They tied the knot before we got posted for Youth service like we didn't have a long list of things we wanted to achieve before settling down. I pepper kisses all over Paul's face when he flicks a finger over my nose and allow myself dream of a future with beautiful, brown-eyed, mini replicas of us. My chest tightens as the images fade to the back of my mind and I try not to let it bother me, I thought I would start a family with Edwin too.
If Jenny, Lee and I are still close, our three member WhatsApp group will be filled with pictures and conspiracy theories on Paul. Since Lee is good at graphic design, she will Photoshop me and Paul in countries of my choice striking sexy poses. I will constantly be bombarded with tips on how to get my man and demands for updates on every single date. As much as I want to share my new relationship status with them, our lives now are different, I don't want to bother them with my single girl lifestyle when they have a family to look after. But I miss them.
A sigh escapes me, it feels like a lifetime ago when three of us sat down at the Tantalizer in Enugu to plan a Girl's trip that never happened to Calabar. It's the main reason I decided to settle here. Jennipher's wedding came first, I saw the invitation card on her brother's status. She was going to tell me, Lee knew she was so there was no reason to stay upset at her for finding out that way. Besides, as women, we must always support each other. Another sigh escapes me, Paul's hands move over my face and I pout. Good thing I have him in my life now. Him and Chi. I have a partner and a new best friend.
"What about Chi?" Sometimes, words slip out of my mouth before I can register them, this is one of such moments. "Did she help too?" His finger that has been playing with the tips of my double cornrows stills for a few seconds and he mutters a small yes. I close my eyes, willing myself to take a deep breath before opening them again. I asked for it and I got it, so I'll deal with it. "Yeah? I keep forgetting you two are best friends."
"We are more than that," he whispers more to himself than me but I don't call him out on it. For now, I want to live in this bubble of joy. "Chi is my..." he trails off, his mouth opens and closes as if he's having trouble voicing out his next words. "Yeah, you are right. She is my best friend, you are my girlfriend, that's all that matters." He pecks my lips. "Let's focus on the present, on us."
"Yeah," I agree though I want to scream out how much I want to be his best friend too. His eyes twinkle as he smiles and I can't help a small smile of mine. Chi is a constant in our lives I will always have to deal with and it doesn't help that she has a boyfriend or is an old friend of his, my imagination won't stop taunting me with wild scenarios.
Na from clap, dance dey take start.
I shove that thought down, not in this case. A guy with a girlfriend can be best friends with a different female and nothing sexual will happen, right? Right, this is one of such cases. Nobody is catching feelings. Nobody.
"What do you want us to do? See a movie?"
Thankful for the distraction, titles of movies float in my head, I have a lot to catch up on. "Yes. Do you have any movie in mind?"
"No," he murmurs as he pats my butt. I giggle and make no move to stand neither does he encourage me to. "You hungry?"
The amount of shawarma I ate is enough to last me the whole day, I shake my head. If he plans to overfeed me, it won't work.
"Are you?"
His reply has me standing, I stretch out my hands and whine until he agrees to give me a piggyback ride to the kitchen. On getting there, he puts me down to retrieve a Tupperware from the long, white fridge and a bunch of plantain from his store.
"What's that?" I ask when he opens the Tupperware to sniff the strange food inside.
"Couscous," he replies. The plate goes into the microwave, his finger halts on the start button and he turns to me. "Are you sure you are not hungry? I need to know now."
"Yes, I'm sure," I say with a nod. When he asks a third time, I simply roll my eyes in reply. His eyes return to the microwave, the light inside comes on as the bowl starts rolling and I ask, "What's couscous?"
"Food." I glare at him and Paul chuckles. "I don't know much about it, we used to make it at home and I got used to it. It's not bad."
"Thanks but no thanks, I'll pass."
To make myself useful, I help him with a flowery ceramic plate when he starts slicing plantain and the smile he rewards me has me feeling like I did something bigger.
"When did you first decide you wanted to be a chef?" My jaw slacks when he drops the first set of sliced plantain into the pan of hot oil, I scream, "You did not add salt."
The counter gleams with oil spills, Paul's head turns slightly in my direction. "Do you add salt when frying your plantain?" I nod, I have no reason to fry it any other way. "Even your potatoes?" His smile transforms into full-blown laughter when I nod again.
"It's not funny. To each his own." Pointing behind him, I say, "The plantain is burning and you did not answer my question."
"What question?" he asks after emptying the last batch of plantain into the pan. "The one about being a chef?" I nod. "I'm not sure but I have always been the one sneaking into the kitchen to watch the maids." He shrugs. "It used to piss my dad off a lot."
Knowing how our last conversation about his dad almost ruined our date, I choose to ignore his remark. "You guys have maids?"
"Yeah, you don't?" He frowns. "You didn't?"
"Just one," I say and clear my throat at his unintended attack. "Two. To help my mum around the house but only one of them sleeps over." Awkward silence reigns after he nods and I ask, "What of your mum?"
"She's fine. I haven't seen her in a while," he replies after setting the meal on a tray. "But she's good." He winks. "Thanks for asking."
The air grows thicker with awkwardness, maybe I am the only one feeling that way but I clear my throat. "Let's see a movie."
"We should," he seconds. "Are we good?"
"Yes, why not?" He shrugs. "We are good."
On our way back to the parlour, I can't help but think back to the conversation about maids. There are three of us and only two of them yet we didn't have maids, we did all our chores and cooking ourselves. My lips pull into a smile when I catch Paul staring at me, I haven't gotten a hang of this whole boyfriend thing yet. Edwin and I were friends first before we started dating, we moved past this awkwardness which sometimes lingers between me and Paul fast.
"What is it?" He draws me closer to himself after placing the tray down, hooks a finger under my jaw. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing." I pout and palm his cheeks. "Just wondering why you had so many maids when there are only two of you. Why?"
He frowns. "I didn't say they were many."
"You didn't say they were not."
"Alright. My parents were always busy so we had a few maids who stayed during the week, went home on weekends." He begins to litter kisses behind my ear, my breath catches in my throat when he nibbles on my earlobe. "Any other question?" he whispers. "You have been firing me since morning. What's going on?" He steps away from me. "Is there something you need to know?"
No arguments leave me when he takes my lips for a brief kiss. "No." I kiss a corner of his lips and sigh. "Sorry, I didn't know I was coming off that way. I was just curious."
"Don't forget curiosity kills the cat" he murmurs with his breath fanning my face. I stand on my toes and peck his forehead.
"Satisfaction brings it back."
His head falls back as he burst out laughing. "Where did you hear that one?"
"From..." I trail off. "From a friend." He flashes me a grin, takes my hand and I push down the voice in my head shaming me for saying a friend like Chi is a random person.
"We should see our movie." I nod, he makes for the television, halts and returns to stand in front of me. "Next time, if you want to know something, just ask, I'll answer the ones I can. No need beating around the bush." His lips brush mine. "Okay?"
"Okay." My hand tightens on the hem of his grey shirt. "Can I be your best friend too?"
Paul roars with laughter, embarrassment claws at my throat and my hands drop from his waist. He keeps me captive when I make to leave. "You don't have to be jealous of Chi, it's only you." I frown, that's not the answer I want to hear. "Fine," he shrugs, "you can."
The television comes on, I jump back in fear as the characters seem to lunge at me. It earns me a laugh, I stick my tongue and dive for the only cutlery on the tray.
"But you said you're not hungry," he whines when I take the first bite from his plate. My head angles to one side as my teeth grind the food and I nod, the couscous doesn't taste so bad. I take another bite. "Ifunaya."
"I changed my mind. I'm hungry now."
To that, he has no response and continues flipping through channels until he passes a station showing the trailer of Chief Daddy. I scream at him to go back and he chuckles, I haven't gotten a chance to see the movie yet. But the cast shows it's worth the hype.
I don't notice Paul leave until he returns with bowls of popcorn, dumps it on the table and snatches the Tupperware from me. "You can have that. This one is mine."
"Bad boyfriend," I mutter and frown with my arms across my chest when he ignores me. "You are starving your girlfriend." He pauses the station showing the cast, my eyes dart to the second bowl of popcorn he sets aside for himself. "You eat too much."
"I need all the strength I can get."
Rising to pick one of the bowls, my fingers dig into the popcorn and I stuff my mouth with the milky snack. "Strength for what?"
"To handle your attitude."
"Hey," I shout and throw pieces of popcorn at him. The only thing he does is laugh. My eyes narrow, I stand and smoothen the front of my shirt. "I'm going back to my house."
His arms are around my waist before I can take a step forward. "Hey." He presses me flush against himself. "I'm joking. You can have the couscous, I'll eat the popcorn."
I blink and purse my lips while avoiding his gaze, I brought this one on myself, he asked me thrice. "Or we can eat both together?"
"Yes." His lips descend on mine, I zone out as his hands start wandering and my head falls back when he palms my stomach. "Even better," he whispers and my eyes jerk open to the sight of his mischievous smile.
* * *
"Stop," Paul's voice sounds strained. My lips curl into a smile and I continue wiggling my butt on his growing erection. His breath quickens and his hand on my waist stops me from moving as he begins whispering meaningless nothings into my ear. We stay that way until I can't feel the bulge anymore and he murmurs, "Stay the night again."
The credit from the movie is still rolling, I have no idea what the time says but I know it's late. We didn't get started on the movie because my boyfriend thought it better to explore my body with his tongue first. Heat pools between my legs at the reminder, goosebumps cover my skin and I bite my lips, I hope we get to the real deal next time.
"Who's your daddy?" I tease him with a slang gotten from the movie. "If you didn't ask, I would have invited myself over."
His teeth graze my neck, I suck in a breath and his arms wrap around my torso. With Paul's head resting on my shoulder, that warm, strange feeling settles on me again and I sigh in content. I don't mind staying here forever. My body doesn't seem to agree with me and a sharp pain shoot across my legs. They must be tired of my yoga pose.
I nudge him with my elbow when he tries to stop me from standing, he murmurs something about a stubborn girlfriend and I giggle, he's yet to see my real stubborn side. He smacks my butt, I turn back to offer him my hand which he accepts so I can pull him up. Midway up, I let go of his hand but he catches on fast and grabs me, making both of us tumble back onto the couch with me landing on top of him. I let out an exaggerated groan, he sends me a look that shows he sees through my theatrics; I pout.
This time when I make to stand, he helps me up but doesn't accept my hand. I cackle, I will not drop him a second time but he doesn't want to hear it. Blood returns to my legs when I stretch them, I squint as light floods the room and my eyes zero in on the handsome man standing by the switch.
Our eyes meet, I offer him a shy smile and avert my gaze to pick the popcorns strewn across the room. Feeling satisfied with my work, I hand over the bowls to him, making sure he has something in each hand.
My arms wrap around him from behind, I stand on my toes to litter kisses on the nape of his neck. When he groans, I step in front of him and bite down on his lower lip, seeking further entrance which he gives. He tries to deepen the kiss, I withdraw from him, laughing as he scowls at the plates stopping him from exerting his revenge. That's payback for leaving me high and dry after touching me in all the right places.
"Not fair." He pouts and I kiss him again.
"All is fair in love and war," I say as I sashay out of his sight and into his room.
"Out," I shout at Paul who comes in when I am undressing, he chuckles and steps outside. My hands wrap around my chest, a knock sounds on the door. "Yes? Come in."
He returns inside and sees me still standing half-naked, he rests against the wall, folds his legs at the ankles and shakes his head. I stick my tongue at him, the difference is I want him to see me now, he took the power from me by barging in. My subconscious teases me, I sigh, okay, maybe I got shy.
Removing my hands from my chest, I pull off the joggers and shuffle to his wardrobe to get another shirt for the night when I hear him groan. I giggle. If I keep going at this rate, I will wear all his shirts before our relationship is two months old. I spare him a glance but the young man doesn't seem to mind so I scan through his wardrobe like it's a normal day for me at a boutique until one of his shirts catches my eyes.
"You don't want to have your bath?" he asks when I make to pull the shirt over my head.
I start to defend myself, we stayed indoors all day but his pouted lips stop me. Okay. I eye him warily, he's only putting on a short which hangs low on his waist. Then it hits me, what if he wants us to bath together?
The thought sends a wave of dirty images crashing over me, his phone's ringtone cuts through the air before I can confirm my suspicions. A groan escapes him as he sights the caller's name, I trot towards him in only my panties and caress his nipples until he lets out a low hiss. He mouths for me to go, that he will join me and I grudgingly leave for the bathroom with his shirt in hand.
Minutes pass by without Paul making his entrance, I stand in front of the bathroom sink, humming a primary school rhyme that comes to mind as I gawk at my naked self in the mirror. Firm breasts protrude from my chest, flat stomach that will have people believing I spend hours in the gym and round hips to give me the perfect avocado shape stares back at me. Touching my hand to the mirror, I smile and wink.
I am a spec.
Tired of waiting for my dear boyfriend, I pick the toothbrush I used this morning, apply toothpaste and start brushing with the rhyme playing louder in my mind.
This is the way I brush my teeth, brush my teeth, brush my teeth. This is the way I brush my teeth, early in the morning.
**********
Picture: Beverly Naya
Question: Who has seen the movie, "Chief Daddy"? 😂😂😂
That movie though, it was my first time of seeing Gavor and that started my crush on him.
I wanted y'all to have some more P-square moments. 😂😂😂
Longest chapter I have written so far. Please vote, comment. Some of y'all didn't want to vote at all and then did by mistake, I see you😉😉 and you could go back to vote on the chapters you missed 😫😫😫