The morning was coming soon, and history was going to repeat itself.

Dele rose once the cold breeze hit his chest. A cold breeze rushed in through the small window. He stood up and shut the window with its wooden panes. Darkness covered the room, but Dele could manage to draw Tiwa's silhouette as she laid in bed.

Dele sighed as he returned to lie beside Tiwa. She laid with her back to him, giving him space so they did not touch.

Upon laying back, his eyes remained open, seeing nothing but darkness. He looked to the side and saw the curves of her side as she faced away from him.

Was it going to happen again?

Every day had been the same since Tiwa checked his farm for the first time; a tiring repetition of him watching her draw close to another.

He closed his eyes. He saw darkness too, but his imagination ran free. In his mind's eye, he saw Tiwa as she jumped for the joy of trashing him at the ayo olopon game.

A smile broke across his lips.

Another scene appeared in his mind's eye. He saw Tiwa as she ranted about how bad he was at basket weaving. He saw as she Tiwa looked at him with bright brown eyes.

The window burst open from another breeze. Dele did not bother to move, even though he felt the chills across his skin. He opened his eyes as he turned to Tiwa.

She has squeezed herself like a baby in the womb.

It must be the cold.

Dele stood up to close the window again. This time, he looked outside and saw the horizon. The sky was growing fairer. It would soon be time for work. Dele scouted for the oil lamp in the darkness and set it aflame.

He went outside and did his morning routine. He armed himself with his cutlass, hoe, and satchel, ready to leave.

Only his buba remained for him to be complete, so he went inside to get it. Dele made his steps as silent as could be even in the dim light of the lantern. Waking Tiwa was not an option. She would only follow him to the farm and continue this cycle of boring days.

With the little light from the lantern, he saw Tiwa, not her silhouette.

She was still in bed and facing the other side of the room. Her wrapper exposed her arms and shoulders, allowing him the sight of his wife's fair skin.

The search for the buba began.

I brought it out!

Frustration echoed within him. The sky was brighter and time was of the essence. Besides, he had to leave before Tiwa would notice.

His eyes roamed the room as he stood there bare-chested and akimbo.

There it was; on the bed beside Tiwa. Dele let out a small hiss of frustration as he bent forward to pick it up.

He could have not made any worse mistake.

The satchel he had dropped by the bed had set a trap for him as his right foot caught in the long leather handle of the bag. Once he saw this, he raised his foot from the handle just for the other caught in it too.

The frustration from the time wasted and the annoying satchel clouded his judgment. He was tumbling down within moments--down towards his wife who laid asleep on the bed.

Bam!

He landed on her.

His long body dangled from the side of the bed, but his chest and hands had managed to cage Tiwa's upper body.

'Hmm!' Tiwa rolled to face him as her eyes split open.

'I'm sorry,' Dele said as he pivoted his weight with his hands that were on either side of Tiwa's head.

Dele looked at her as her eyes softened from his apology.

'What is it?' He heard her soft sleep-infused voice. Somehow, Tiwa had trapped his eyes with hers.

'I was coming back to bed,' Dele would not get away with this.' then I slipped.'

'Sorry,' Tiwa scooted to give him room. 'Come.'

Dele did not hesitate.

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Tiwa's jumpiness resembled that of a happy chicken.

Her bright smile accompanied her excitement.

She was going to the farm again. She had even dedicated one of her pairs of buba and wrapper for the farm. It was deep brown and was bound to withstand the ferocity of the soil color.

She stood by the bed. They had overslept. Now the sun was out to get them.

This is my life now.

Tiwa smiled as she thought about going to the farm beside Dele.

As she adjusted her buba her smile widened. Her thoughts were on the images of her husband as he worked hard. Her adoration for him has grown since she first saw him at work. He was not lazy.

Her thoughts wandered until Dele's shadow from the door blocked the light from the door that she was using.

'Oko mi!' Tiwa turned to him in surprise.

Dele's arms were crossed over his chest as he rested his back to the rim of the door. His dashiki allowed Tiwa to see his dark and strong arms. Her husband was a masterpiece and she knew it.

She walked to him, smiling, hoping to lift his crazed mood when his words stopped her.

'We are not going to the farm.'

'eh?'

'You can stay home and relax. It's my work.'

He doesn't want me around him. Tiwa's smile dropped as she saw Dele's stern face.

I am overthinking. She looked to the ground before looking up at him.

He only needs some time alone. Her faded smile resurrected. This feeling, the want to be alone, has been her friend since childhood. Maybe this was Dele's turn. Sometimes being alone could work magic.

'It's alright, I'll stay home.' She grinned at him, and he nodded his head.

'Oko mi!' Tiwa called him after he had turned to leave. 'Are you not going to eat?'

Was she selfish for wanting him to stay with her?

'I am fine. Don't worry.' Dele only turned his neck, answered her, and continued to walk away. He left the door and was across the compound quickly. He was walking away when Tiwa ran to him.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against his back. Her hold was effective—Dele froze.

'What is it?' His voice had risen at least an octave higher. Tiwa squeezed her eyes shut as she heard Dele. She had only imagined holding him. When did her impulses consume her to this extent?

She had done it, so she decided to flow with it.

Tiwa was smiling like she was high on wine. She did not remove her clutch from him despite him trying to push her away. She was a child that wanted attention at all cost.

'Tiwa?' Dele was smiling now.

'Wait!' She finally released her grip from him. 'I must go to the stream. I could walk you to the farm.'

Tiwa's words were streaming out of her and her chest heaved with effort. She was grinning like a child. She was proud of herself for getting Dele to break, if not completely but at least a little.

'You want to walk me to my farm?' Dele rose one eyebrow looking at his wife. She was looking up at him too. She was bright like the sun. Her buba had moved to the side, exposing her bare shoulder.

'Tiwa. When did you become stuck to me?' Dele was crossing his arms over his chest again. His voice carried the tone that Tiwa had missed for days.

'I don't know.' She was twisting her fingers and gazing at them. She had not planned to escort him, but it made him smile.

'Wait here.' She turned and sprinted to the house. She grabbed her clay pot and a small cloth from the corner of the pile of clothes.

She returned to find Dele resting his back to the mango tree that stood in the middle of their vast compound.

'Let us go.' Tiwa was walking in front of him. Her steps were as quick as she could make them. She put the pot to her waist and walked before her man.

Dele on the other hand was following behind. The hop in Tiwa's step was infectious. She was skipping when she almost tripped from a fallen branch; her limp was her enemy here.

'Tiwa!' He grabbed her and pulled her to himself. She landed square in the middle of his chest. Her back to his front.

'Tiwa, be careful!'

Tiwa relaxed against Dele's chest with her eyes closed tight. She released a few calming breaths before she looked up at his concerned face.

She grinned wider than she had at any point in the morning.

'I don't need to worry. You are here.'

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It was mid-afternoon now.

Tiwa meticulous as always had swept the compound, swept the house too. She had cleared her kitchen and folded the materials she had spread to dry.

All work was done.

Tiwa was returning the broom to its place, ready to visit Demola when she heard someone call for her.

'Tiwa!' It was Abeo.

Tiwa's eyebrows knitted into a small frown as she wondered what could have brought the man here. Was something wrong with Dele?

Her eyes widened and she jumped into action. Ready to sprint, despite her limp, to her husband.

'Abeo? What is it? Is anything wrong?' She was diving into conclusion, adjusting her head tie, battle-ready.

Abeo only smiled a soft smile. His calm carriage told Tiwa that she was frantic about nothing.

'Tiwa.' Abeo drew her name. 'Nothing is wrong. I just came to see you'

Tiwa's face dropped. What was this one saying now?

'You did not come to the farm, so I thought to come to see you.'

Tiwa was not accustomed to male visitors. During her childhood, the boys avoided her like the plague. When they were not avoiding her, they were following behind her taunting her with their words and mimicry.

'But, I greeted you this morning.' Tiwa answered whim.

'Yes, but...' Abeo did not complete his statement before he remarked, 'won't go let me in?'

'Oh.' Tiwa rushed to get the long wooden bench. She returned from the backyard with the heavy bench. She struggled with the large weight and Abeo moved to help her with her load.

'Thank you.' She looked to Abeo. 'Dele allowed you to take leave?'

'Don't thank me.' Abeo replied, but not to the question.

Tiwa dusted the seat with a rag she had been carrying alongside the bench. She did realize that she was bending 'fore Abeo.

'You can sit down.' She gestured to the seat. Abeo sat down, but Tiwa stood. She stared at him. She had never had to deal with being in the position with only a man. At least, a man that was not Dele.

When they were at the farm, Dele was there. But now, it felt different. An unprecedented fear that she did not know started to rise in her chest.

'Won't you seat?' Tiwa obeyed the rhetorical question and came to sit on the bench beside Abeo. She was careful to keep her distance from him.

Tiwa was staring at the floor again.

'Tiwa? What is it?' She heard Abeo's laugh.

'Sorry.' She tried to remove her gaze from the ground to the man she was talking to. 'I am just not accustomed to visitors.'

Abeo nodded his head as if consuming the explanation that Tiwa gave.

'You must be used to being alone.'

Tiwa looked in front of her. The mangoes on the tree there were ripening too, like the ones at Dele's farm.

'Not exactly.'

'How then?'

'I am better now. I was about to go see one of my friends before you came.'

'Oh, sorry for interrupting you.'

'No. there's no reason for you to apologize.'

'ok then, I'll take my leave.' Abeo stood up.

'You could come again.' Abeo's dull footing guilted her to speak but she felt like slapping herself once the words were out.

'I just came to see if you were fine.' Abeo smiled at her, but it was not calming. Abeo was a kind man. There was no need for her to freak out around him. He had been nice to her from the beginning, unlike her husband who had to grow to even see her as a person.

'I will help you return to the bench.'

Tiwa nodded as she directed Abeo to the backyard. He dropped the chair carefully in the storehouse.

He came, just like that!

'You said that you were visiting a friend?'

Tiwa and Abeo were walking side by side to leave the compound.

'Yes, Demola.'

'Hmm...' He crossed his hands behind his back.

'You must be fond of him.'

'Yes.' Tiwa answered, but laughed when she noticed what Abeo was insinuating. 'No'

'You are not fond of him then.'

'Yes, but no.' Tiwa giggled at her own words. 'It's a she.'

'I see.' Tiwa and Abeo were merely past the compound.

'Tiwa!' Demola's voice was the shrill of the century as she hopped towards Tiwa and Abeo before they could leave the compound. Tiwa hugged her friend, forgetting that Abeo was even there.

'Come here! I have enough to tell you.' Demola dragged Tiwa along towards the house as though she was one of its residents.

'I was about to come to yours.' Tiwa said once she separated the hug.

'Forget it.' Demola winked. 'I am here!'

Demola was gesticulating, about to spew out her gist when she turned to Tiwa. Her frown was clear.

'Who is that one?' Tiwa looked to see Abeo standing, arms at his back. He was looking around the compound as if calculating something. Demola had managed to bring Tiwa to the front of the door, leaving Abeo a good distance behind.

'oh, Abeo. He works for Dele.'

Demola grinned from ear to ear.

'This love is too much o.' Tiwa's cheeks warmed. 'Dele can afford a guard?'

Tiwa opened her mouth to explain too late.

Demola had gone to take siege of Abeo.

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It's out guys! I've created a new schedule since the last one failed me and resulted in very late chapter releases.

So...

See you next Wednesday!

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Remember to keep everything Rosie!🌹🌹🌹

Love you😘🥰

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This chapter is dedicated to pepple456for being the first to vote and Antracia for being the first to comment.

You're so awesome, I can't think of words to describe you even though I consider myself a wordsmith.

Mwah