Ps: If you love listening to music while reading, these are some of the songs that you could listen to while doing so that matches the mood of this chapter. Mind you, they are all Nigerian jam.

* Odo (Cough) by Kizz Daniel and Empire

* Infinity by Omahlay

* Pronto by Ajebo Hustlers ft Omahlay

...13...

Taiye visited her about five days later with his promise of something nice. It was a Thursday evening. She was usually early to her home on Thursdays. She was in the kitchen frying Dodo for a light dinner when the knock came. She washed her slime stained hands and moved on to turn off the gas cooker. She wiped her hands dry with a napkin and went to get the door. She found him at the door, smiling broadly the moment she opened it. Her heart did a silly thing. It skipped a beat -No, two beats!- the moment her eyes met his. His smile must have been infectious for she found herself returning the heartfelt gesture.

'Sei,' he said to her on greeting. She scoffed at him.

'You forgot all about me,' she began to complain instantly. 'You did not even call and check up on me like you used to, you know?' she told him.

'I am sorry Sei. I was rather busy at work. Our project was at stake because the lead designer had a sudden appendix rupture. Oh, it was so hectic!' he said.

'She did? No way, what bad timing! But will the fashion show be able to hold?' she inquired.

'Thankfully yes,' was his reply. 'Her daughter took over her work.'

'Will she be alright? The seamstress I mean?' She asked. Taiye nodded with a smile.

'Yes, she is alright. She is just recuperating at the hospital.' Seiyafa sighed in relief.

'Oh I forget my manners. Do come in,' she invited. 'I have kept you at the door too long,' she said.

'Well, after you,' he said to her. She went in and he followed suit, shutting the door behind him. He laughed as he did so.

'Make yourself at home,' she encouraged, turning to him. She noticed then the grocery bags in his hands. Her eyes lit. Ohh, Taiye had gone shopping for her.

'Wetyn you carry com?' she asked, staring curiously at the polythene bags. He smiled and dropped them on her center table.

'I will tell you after I have made myself comfortable like you said to me just now,' he promised.

'Sharp sharp sidon oo,' she rushed him with a smile, 'make you for balance wella.' He obliged, laughing, totally aware of why she was treating him that way. Seiyafa really liked gifts. It was an unarguable fact.

'Wetyn I dey smell for here?' he asked, sniffling the air. 'Wetyn dey on top fire? What do I smell cooking? Ah, it suddenly makes me feel hungry,' he disclosed to her.

'Hungry kor, tired ni,' she said sarcastically. 'E go better make you hold that your belle oo!'

'Ah ah, Seiyafa!' he said in a tiny whiny voice. 'Relax now, no be fight now.' She said nothing. 'But it will not hurt you to just give me small, abi?' he pushed gently.

'Me just dey here dey fry small dodo oo, small dodo for only me. It is only one serving. I no put anybody mouth join for inside this belle matter, make you for know.'

'It's alright,' he said with a mock disappointed expression on his handsome face. 'I have heard you and your information is well appreciated, thank you,' he said.

'Thank God oo,' was her satisfied reply. Then, they looked at each other and went into fits of laughter.

'I am very sure that you do not mean that Seiyafa,' he said when he was able to stop laughing.

'I'll save you some, don't worry,' she assured him. 'Let's me go and finish up in the kitchen while you stay put okay?' she requested.

'Take as long as you want. I don't mind,' he said to her. She shook her head in amusement.

'Okay.' She turned and went to the kitchen to finish up with the frying of the dodo while Taiye kept himself busy in the living room with a jar of Chin Chin that he had found in her refrigerator, watching super sport at the same time.

When she was done in the kitchen, she served the fried dodo with scrambled eggs and oatmeal in which she had added plenty of milk. She placed the silver cutlery and ceramic crockery on the dining table. She quickly made tea and poured two mugs. Then, only then did she invite Taiye to the table.

'Taiye come to the dining,' she called out to him.

'Shey the food don set so?' he asked her as he stood up and went to join her at the dining.

'Come sit here,' she said pulling out a chair for him.

'Is it me that have it? Abi na me get am?' he asked her, wanting an affirmation. She nodded.

'Sit down.'

'Abi you said that it is only one serving?' he accused her taking a seat. 'Everytime you will just be wyning my nipple. But no lele. I will forgive you because I am hungry,' he stated.

'Forgive me my arse,' she said with a laugh taking the seat beside his. 'Just shut up and eat you moron.'

'It's true.'

'Stop saying nonsense,' she warned him jocosely. 'If you are not hungry I am. So let me eat in peace.' He laughed, holding his fork impatiently as Seiyafa prayed for the meal.

'Amen,' he ended the prayer abruptly and dug into the food like a starved wolf. She realized then that he was really hungry.

'Easy Taiye.' She watched him for a while with a giggle before she helped herself to the food.

'Good, good. This is delicious Sei,' he complimented her. She nodded in agreement. She abandoned her food after a few slices of the dodo. She felt full just by watching him. She smiled. What was this feeling?

'You are not eating,' he noticed then after he was able to look up from his bowl of milky oatmeal. She nodded, sipping her tea. He raised a puzzled brow at her response.

'I'm fine. You go on,' she smiled. 'You can even have mine,' she encouraged him, pushing her plate of plantain and bowl of milk bathed oatmeal to him. He was only bothered for a split second before he quickly accepted the food with out a second thought.

'Thank Sei. You are too kind, you know?' He fell into the rest of his food in an eye's blink.

'Yes I do.'

'Wait,' he suddenly said looking up at her as if he had just realized something -which he did. 'This is not fair,' he added, dropping his spoon in the bowl. 'You are making me into the villain who is eating up all of the lunch,' he stated.

'No, really I'm fine,' she protested going to the living room and abandoning him at the dining. He stared between her leaving figure and the meal on the table, debating on which to abandon. He finally chose Seiyafa and went after her.

GLOSSARY

#Nigerian Creole

* Dodo : Fried plantain.

* Sharp sharp sidon : Quickly take a seat.

* Make you for balance wella : So that you can relax properly

* Wetyn I dey smell for here : What is this smell that I perceive?

*Wetyn dey on top fire : What are you cooking?

* Hungry kor, Tired ni : You are not only hungry, you are tired too (It is a sarcastic remark that emphasizes that Taiye is lying through his teeth).

* E for better make you hold that your belle : It will be better if you keep your stomach in check.

* Relax Na, no be fight : Calm down, we are not fighting?

* Abi: an additional word for only emphasis.

* Me just dey here dey fry small dodo oo : I am just here frying a little portion of plantains.

* I no put anybody mouth join for inside this belle matter, make you for know : I made just enough for me and me alone for your information.

* Shey the food don set so? : Hope the meal is ready?

* Everytime you will just be wyning my nipple : You keep pulling my legs all the time.

* But no lele : But there is no problem.