Thirty - Chapter 8

Read Chapter 7 here and Chapter 9 here

“Hi” I greeted with a small wave, as Omololu opened the door. He was surprised to see me, that much was evident in his slightly opened mouth and raised brows. And despite the unresolved issue between us, and the seriousness of my mission in his home, I chuckled.

“You may close your mouth now Lolu, drooling is not a good look on you,” I said with a small smile.

“How are you here? Weren’t you supposed to be leaving your Parent’s around this time?” Omololu asked, glancing at his wristwatch.

I had texted him during the week that I was travelling home for the weekend, and would be back late on Sunday. But with the constant talk about husband and marriage that I endured all through the weekend, I left for the motor park at the first sign of the morning light.

“I just got back, I dropped my bag at home and came straight here,” I shrugged.

"I think it’s high time we had our talk. Although that won’t happen if you keep me here at the door” I said, raising my brows.

“Oh sorry,” Lolu said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Come in please,” he ushered me in.

“Were you on your way out? Because you are a little too dressed for just a day indoors,” I asked, eyeing his buttoned-up shirt tucked into a black trouser.

“No, I just came in.” he chuckled. “Church ran a bit late, and then I quickly stopped by the office to pick up a few documents,”

“Hmmm, you can’t even take Sunday off Mr. CEO.” I rolled my eyes, as I took a seat. “Don’t work yourself to the bones,”

“Well, I just wanted to have something to do, but now that you are here, I don’t have to” he grinned.

Mr. Smooth, I thought, smiling.

“Let me get you a drink,” he said walking off to the kitchen.

“I hope you still have my wine o,” I called after him, earning a chuckle. I loved the wine he served the first time I visited him, and he has since started to refer to it as my wine.

He soon returned with two glasses of wine and handed one to me with a smile. “Yes, I still have your wine,” he winked and sat at the other end of the sofa I was sitting on.

“I’m really sorry Teni,” Omololu suddenly said, sighing. “I hope you know how important you are to me, and I know I messed up, no question. But please… just forgive me…”

I stared at him as he spoke, taking in the seriousness of his voice, but also the little crease of his brows, that always shows that he is worried. I wanted to reach out and smoothen the crease, and tell him that I had forgiven him. The weekend away gave me a bit of time to think. Anytime my mother was not leading me into another session of prayers, I was thinking about him. I like him, maybe more than I should, and that’s a fact that I’ve accepted. It was the only plausible reason why I was that upset with him and since I knew what he wanted, I figured it was time to talk and define what we are. But I couldn’t tell him yet, the remorseful side of him is as fun to watch as the cocky one. He was always so put together, and seeing this side of him did wonders to my ego, so I waited, determined to enjoy the moment for a little while.

“Teni, are you listening?” He asked sounding unsure. He must have stopped talking at some point, waiting for my comment, but since my mind has been elsewhere, I had no idea what else he had said.

Taking my silence for anger, he moved swiftly from his side of the sofa and crouched in front of me.

“Teni! Teniola, please look at me,” He pleaded, placing his hand on my chin to lift my face to his.

“I’m sorry, okay? I got carried away with work, and I know that sounds like I’m putting work ahead of you, but I promise you I’m not. I get carried away with work sometimes, I’ll admit that, but it’s a flaw I’m working on. I understand if you need more time to forgive me, and all, but please don’t doubt how I feel about you…”

“Omololu…” I started, trying to interrupt, but he was on a roll.

“See, Teni, I get it okay. I spoke to Bola while you were gone, she told me I embarrassed you and all the nasty things some of your colleagues said. I know all that’s my fault and all, but I will make it up to you, okay? I just need you to forgive me, or maybe just give me a second chance. Maybe I can come to see you at work, take you to lunch? I suppose that should shut their mouths, but if you don’t want that, we can figure something out…”

I didn’t know how else to stop him from talking a mile a minute, so I kissed him, or perhaps a little peck on the lips.

“At least that got you to shut up,” I said, laughing at his shocked expression. “Who knew you could talk that much? Gosh Lolu, you need to be calming down” I grinned.

“Wait, you just wasted our first kiss to shut me up? I had plans for our first kiss Teni, big plans and you just ruined it” he groaned, standing up and settling beside me.

He recovers fast, I thought, laughing.

“I forgive you, okay? I was disappointed but it’s not like you’ve ever disappointed me before,” I shrugged. “But this standing me up thing is not going to be a habit, right?” I asked.

“Of course not,” Omololu answered.

“Good, because I’m not the type of girlfriend that forgives being stood up,”

“Wait! What? Did you say, boyfriend?” Omololu asked, grinning at me.

“Huh, I did?” I asked, feigning shock. “Did you think I go around kissing boys that are not my boyfriend?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You are something Teni,”

“But you have no romantic bone in your body. You couldn’t have accepted to be my girlfriend in a more romantic way?”

“Where is the fun in that?” I shrugged, grinning cheekily. “I got to shock you, and still claim you as mine. Not a bad deal if you ask me,” I winked at him.

“Not at all” He agreed, holding my hands. “Thank you Teni.” He sighed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I’m just thinking of how to reclaim that first kiss and make it more into the one from my fantasy”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Well, if it makes you feel better, we can agree that was the first peck, so, we are still due for a first kiss,”

“A woman after my own heart,” Lolu said, staring at me as he leaned in.

*Originally published 3 November 2020