Nadir

The weekend goes by quickly. Jackie and I haven’t had a chance to talk. I have tried calling her from yesterday but her phone keeps going unanswered and I wish I could say I was worried about her but her status updates are saying otherwise.

Mondays for me are always crazy, we have a meeting every Monday morning at 8am and sometimes it goes on for hours and takes us through lunch. Today is one of the few days where we get done just before lunch. I have been avoiding the headache the entire morning but now I can nurse it with some pain killers. I have made myself a promise to never drink that much again because up to now, I can’t remember what really happened on Saturday night.

‘Ma’am there is someone waiting for you.’ The receptionist says just before I can go into my office.

‘Someone?’

‘Yes ma’am, a Mr. Jacobs. He has been waiting for close to an hour.’

I am not expecting anyone with that name and I don’t think I know anyone who bears that name.

‘Did he say what he wants?’

‘No ma’am.’

‘Let him in.’ I say and walk into the office.

I put my diary on the table and the rest of the things I was with in the meeting and I am just about to settle down when there is a knock at the door.

‘Come in.’ I say wearing my professional smile but it fades away immediately I see who it is that has come to see me.

‘You were not expecting me.’

‘Joshua what do you want here?’

‘At least you still remember my name, that should count for something.’

I shake my head.

‘I only remembered your name because I woke up in a place where I wasn’t supposed to wake up in. That’s not a good thing to remember you by.’

‘Can I at least sit and plead my case?’

‘We are not friends, I don’t care what happened Saturday night or do I want to know. Just leave me alone.’

There is another knock at the door and in walks my secretary with a tray of food.

‘Thank you Sibo.’ Joshua says taking the tray from her.

‘Sibo.’ I eye her.

She walks out quickly and closes the door behind her.

He puts the tray on the table and makes himself comfortable on the visitor’s chair.

‘I brought lunch.’

‘Joshua I don’t want your food.’

‘Then you will watch me eat.’

He opens the plates and starts to eat. I watch him bewildered. Where in God’s name did he come from? A place with no proper bringing, because I don’t see how you go to someone’s office and make yourself this comfortable that you start eating.

‘I called Jackie and she gave me your number.’

‘That makes sense.’

‘What makes sense?’

‘I have been calling her and she hasn’t been picking any of my calls, I guess this is the reason.’

‘Well she did mention that you wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me and you would be mad at her for giving me your number but I convinced her that I was not so bad and I just wanted to have lunch.’

I breathe out deeply. I didn’t get to eat anything last night and I was running late this morning so I didn’t eat anything so seeing this food before me and smelling it makes me realize how hungry I am but my pride can’t allow me to eat with him.

‘Honestly it’s just food Nandy, we have a meal together and I will leave you alone.’

‘Just food.’

‘Yes.’ He responds exposing those perfect white teeth again.

He unwraps cutlery for me from a serviette and hands it to me. I must confess Joshua is a good looking man, no scratch that, he is a very handsome man and I would love to get to know him but the circumstances in which we met have me reserved. He is dark in complexion, that rich clean dark color. He is slightly taller than me and the way the clothes fit on his body you can tell that he works out. The perfume he wears is not just rich but has an elegant fragrance.

‘Are you staring at me?’

I quickly look away. I didn’t realize I was.

I sanitize my hands and pick up the cutlery then dig into the food. I close my eyes for a few seconds and allow it to make love to my taste buds. The egg rice is nicely spiced and the chicken is so tender it’s falling off its bones.

‘Amazing right?’

‘I must confess I haven’t had egg rice that tastes this nice in a while. Please hook me up with the restaurant where you bought it.’

‘I cooked.’

‘What? No way.’

‘Well I only had one meeting at the office and after that I drove home to prepare lunch and had enough time to bring it over. I wasn’t going to impress you with take away food.’

‘Wow.’ I say putting the cutlery down, he has done a number on me.

‘Taste this.’ He says bringing his fork to my mouth.

I open up and eat the salad.

‘I think I am having an orgasm.’

‘You are beautiful Nandy.’

‘Thank you so much.’

I put myself together, there is no reason to be blushing. Anyone could have done the same.

‘How about I take you out for dinner after work?’

‘I might be busy, I always carry work with me when I knock off during the week.’

‘Let me come and cook for you then.’

‘Joshua I barely know you, I can’t let you into my house.’

‘Well you slept in mine. And in my bed for that matter.’

‘That’s different, I was drunk.’

‘Well to make us even, how about I cook for you every night of this week.’

‘Joshua.’

‘I will bring my own ingredients, cooker if I have to and power too.’

I sigh deeply.

‘You are not giving up are you?’

‘I am not the type of man that does.’

‘Let us get to the point already, I am twenty eight I don’t do games. Why don’t you tell me what you want?’

‘To cook for you. I thought I said that already.’

‘No man comes into a woman’s life just to cook for her.’

‘I want to cook for you. I mean it. And next week Monday we are even and I will stay away from you.’

‘Fine.’

‘Yes.’ He says throwing his hands in the air as a sign of victory

‘I bet Jackie already gave you my address.’

‘Yes she did.’

‘I am home by 6pm, I will meet you there.’

‘Sure.’

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏽‍♀️