Good Riddance... (8)

"You know I was thinking I should make you feel bad more often so that you could apologize like this all the time..." I laughed. He raised his head from his plate and laughed too.

 "Hmmnn. I see what you're doing. So you've been acting up intentionally all along"

"Of course now. What sort of friend will I be if I don't make you feel bad for what you should normally feel bad about? I mean, your friend was hospitalized and you didn't show up... Your best friend o." I paused on the food and waited for his reaction to my last statement. He just smiled on.

"What if I had died? Ehn? Answer me jor, Mr. Smiling face" I used my fork to pick a slice of plantain from his plate. This was not me, but I loved this new me that was easing up on the formal friendship and interaction with Demola.

"Now, that's one thing I don't joke with" His face changed a bit, and the next thing was his fork in my plate to take the slice of plantain back. We both laughed before I got conscious of my supposed tush self.

"Demola, this is a public place. Be a gentle man now. See all those ladies staring at you..." I tried to stop him from going on with his retaliation.

"Ladies, my foot. No one jokes with my plantain" He had succeeded with his mission and the plantain was now sitting comfortably in his mouth. I couldn't help but laugh. This was a first, of all the dates I had been on since Tokunbo. It all felt really good. I wasn't trying too hard and I was now sure Demola couldn't be bothered by whoever was staring at us at the restaurant.

"So, tell me. What else do you take seriously asides plantain?"
I tried to play the know-him-better card. If my thoughts were right about he liking me just as much as I did him, then it wouldn't hurt to stylishly find out more things about him, apart from the fact that he was an IT engineer that worked and lived on the Island and had now began attending my church.

"Well, I'm not sure there is any other thing... Oh, asides from my mum though. You dare not. I don't joke with that woman." He replied.

"Hmmmn, mummy's boy..."
I began weighing the pros and cons of getting married to a mummy's boy. I had read and heard so much about the traits of such men but I encouraged myself that it couldn't be as bad as they painted them in these books and stories. Besides, there was always an exception to the rule.

"Well, if you put it like that. But I'm not a mummy's boy" He cut into my thoughts.
"... It's just that my mum means everything to me and I don't joke with her. Simple."
"What about you? What can you not joke with" He asked.

"No, no, no. I'm the one on the treat. I'm the one that gets to ask the questions. Besides, you know practically everything about me. You don't get to ask me questions on this date..."  I was done talking before I realised what I had said. "Oh my God, Tola, you should pull yourself together, for once." I scolded myself and prayed silently that he would not refer to the last word.

"Yes ma. Just use this power well oh. My own time is coming." He laughed. I heaved a sigh of relief that he didn't take note as usual, or he did and decided to brush it aside.

"There will be a next time, right?" He looked directly into my eyes. I nodded and smiled.
"Just get ready 'cause I'd be more prepared with my list of questions." He continued.

"This has been fun. What time do you get back to work?" I changed the subject. The little I had been able to discover today was just enough. I was also glad that he suggested a next time. It only proved my assumptions right - Demola was into me. I was happy, really happy at the thought.

"Errmmm, bored already?" He responded with a question.
"No, not at all. It's just that I don't want you to get a query because of me." That was the dumbest statement I had made all day. I slapped myself mentally on the face.

"That would be a good cause. Don't you think? Getting a query because of Tola Ajisafe" He laughed, and continued.
"Don't worry your little head. Engineers like me don't get queried." This time, we both laughed. I felt at ease with the way he let my dumbness slide. It wasn't the same with Segun. I had began the comparison, which was bad but didn't bother me in any way.

"Okay, we should get going. I need to drop you off at Jess' place before heading to work. So, now is a good time to leave." We both smiled and got off our seats. It was becoming a regular thing for our smiles and faces to collide. This was a sign - I thought to myself and then laughed out this time at the continuous foolishness of my thoughts as I walked out with Demola to the car park.

He tried to figure out what made me laugh but I wouldn't bulge. We talked on in the car till we got to Jessica's place. After thanking him for lunch and hugging him in the car, I got down and waved him good bye. I was such a sheep, as I ensured he didn't drop directly in front of Jessica's flat.

I made a mental calculation of what I was going to do about my relationship with Segun, how I was going to tell Jess about my feelings for Demola and how I was going to convince my mum that I knew what I was doing.
I felt really optimistic about the future all of a sudden. I began humming as I knocked on Jessica's door.

***

"You seem really happy..." Jessica opened the door and met my smiling face. She smiled back and let me in.

I hugged her for like 20 seconds before proceeding into the flat.

"Oh yes, I'm very happy. How are you though?" I asked.
"Your tone over the phone was unusual." I had gotten myself together now and was ready to listen to everything my friend had to say.

"Not so fast jor. It's been a while now, and we should do some catching up before raising the serious issues." Jessica was back to her usual lively self.

"Oh... okay. There are serious issues." I echoed.
"Jessica, are you alright? Talk to me." I brushed aside the lively disposition Jess was trying to put up.

"Seriously? You should stop that." Jessica went to the bed to take her phone, and came back laughing.

"Stop what?" I was confused.

"Looking serious now; taking everything I say seriously" Jessica kept laughing as she took pictures of me looking all worried for her sake.
I got up from the chair, walked to where her bed was, picked up a pillow and began hitting her with it. We began a pillow fight that lasted for about 10 minutes.

No serious discussion came up. All we did was catch up on events that took place while I was at the hospital and a little after I was discharged.

"You're such a clown. You said that to him in the presence of the girl." I paused to catch my breath.

"Yes o. Men are not worth all the stress jare. So, now I'm very single." Jessica went on with her break-up story. It was the most hilarious break-up story I had ever heard.

"But you're a strong girl o. See how bubbly and lively you are. It's not even up to a month."

At that instant, I tried to think of what I would have done if I had caught my boyfriend in the act with another woman. I'm not sure I would have been as composed as Jess was to rain down abuses that could humiliate a man the way she did. It would tear me apart - just the sight of them both.

"You don't have to worry about me o." Jessica interrupted my thoughts.
"It's all in the past. Thank God it happened the way it did. I'm fine now, trust me." She continued.

"I know you're one strong person. I'm just hoping you don't take it out on the poor children in school, or on any other guy for that matter." I paused to see what her reaction would be. Jessica laughed and threw the pillow at me. I joined in the laughter.

"There is still so much to talk about o. So when are you coming to spend the night?" Jessica continued.

We fixed a day for me to come sleep over. I knew Jessica still had something to say. I could feel it, but I had to go home. I had to take steps on my business and discuss a lot of things with my mum. I couldn't let the excitement I now felt to go down the drain. It was time to take action.
Jessica walked to me to a convenient place where I could take a cab or bike. The sun was too hot for any tushness. I hopped on the next available bike that took me straight home.


*** Good Riddance by Faith Tunde-Yara
***Photo credit: www.gettyimages.com