Chapter 41🍏

Grace

"What's up?" Monica inquired scooping a spoon of ice cream as I hung up and turned to her.

"She needs my help urgently."

With her face twisted in confusion and her spoon hung halfway she inquired, "Huh?"

"Temi, Kunle cousin's wife who gave birth recently, same reason I travelled to Abuja last week."

"O...k... so remind me what are you going to do in Abuja again?"

"She needs my help. And honestly, I don't know why but she seemed desperate."

"Oh.." She said, stressing the word before raising a finger. "One last question...How will you get to Abuja?"

"Kunle's pilot will take me to Abuja there her driver will pick me," I explained.

"That's cool of him-"

"I'm going to get set. We are leaving tonight," I said cutting all the praises she had packed for him. It still was funny how she got friendly with Kunle and how she never opt to scar him with scissors after all her threats.

"Tonight? Why tonight?" She placed the empty ice cream bowl on the table and reached for my Fanta but I slapped her hands off and adjusted my shirt as I stood

"I will get to know tonight."

***

Fixing my seat belt, I exhaled feeling a sudden wave of loneliness as I stared at the seat before me that was always occupied by Kunle. I missed him more than expected and only wish what we had was real, but of course I knew better.

"Someone like you can't have someone like him," I chanted repeatedly with eyes closed. That was the anthem I recited after his visit to the club.

"Someone like who?"

Pushed the temptation of staring up and only decided I was at the edge of losing my mind as his voice echoed in my head.

"Are you ok?"

He placed his hands on my back, tarnishing my earlier assumption of it being a hallucination as I open my lids to meet his filled with worries.

"What are you doing here?" I inquired as he placed his hands on my forehead which I immediately slapped off.

Taking the seat before me, he stared out the window. "It's my jet Miss." he paused and turned to me. "Are you really ok?"

I narrowed my eyes and sat back while pondering on why he was seated next to me.

"Rolling your eyes means yes."

Just then, the plane started it's movement down the runway and I immediately felt the need to throw up.

"Can I?"

Not giving his offer a second thought, I nodded and felt his hands covered mine.

***

"Grace, wake up." It was an up hall whisper from another dimension which I ignored.

"Wake up baby." The caressing on my cheeks made me slowly open my eyes as Kunle whispered again.

"I am up, take your hands off my cheeks," I grumbled.

He pulled away and slide his hands down his trousers pocket. "Let's go, Khalid is waiting."

I unhooked the seat belt and followed him out the plane but stopped on my tracks when I noticed the strange environment. Though beautiful but still strange for this was not Amadu Bello airport. "Where are we?"

"Welcome to Dubai."

"I am supposed to be in Abuja, not Dubai Kunle, Temi said..." I trailed off as it hits me harder than a boxer's blow. "You planned this? You and her."

He nodded with a boyish grin but I turned around and retreated my steps back to my previous spot. I was impressed and annoyed as I took my seat and hooked back my seat belt.

He walked in a few minutes later, "Just three days, give me a chance."

With crossed legs and my hand on my chin, I gazed out the window feeling the urge to explore the city but I covered it with the will to stand my ground.

"Please Grace you need to hear me out. For our baby."

"Please." He sighed and took the seat before me. "Please."

"We can't stay here I made plans already, please, three days is all I ask."

Playing deaf was hurting my ears and I needed to crawl into a bath or cosy bed, but that would be after suppressing the hunger to see a tiny part of Dubai, a place of great wonders; so I heard.

"Let's go."

***

Kunle

Her face was turned to the side as Khalid drove through the private beach houses that were lit by night lamps, each before a bungalow with a garden by its side.

He pulled before my rented bungalow and I rushed to open her door but was beaten as she stepped down.  "Let me be a gentleman."

"Thank you gentleman, but I can handle myself."

Khalid pulled her bag into the building while she surveyed her environment, moving to the garden.

"Will this be all for the night sir?" He inquired handing the house keys to me.

"Yes, thank you."

"Where are your clothes?" Grace inquired walking back to my said.

"I will be naked the whole three days," I said as we walked into the house

She smiled and shook her head. "Seduction won't work. Where is my room?" She inquired, obviously ready to leave my presence.

"We are sharing a room."

"Why?"

"It has just one room."

"This big house only one room? What about the bathroom?"

"Just one in the room." I pointed to the door which she immediately strolled into and slammed the door while I switched on the Tv set.

Few minutes later, Grace walked out of the room with a pillow in her hands and her hair packed in a net while she was changed into a pink pyjamas. "You are free to go freshen up."

"Is that new?" I inquired pointing at the extra-large PJ but she ignored me and laid on a sofa.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Nothing."

"You want to sleep here?"

"Yep."

"There is a bedroom," I said, picking her from the sofa but she drew the pillow from underneath her head and slammed it continuously on my face.

"Jesus Grace stop."

"Leave me alone Kunle, let me sleep here."

"Ok sleep." Letting her go, I walked out of the leaving room to the shower.

***

She laid on the sofa with eyes focused on the Tv set as I walked out, freshened and changed to a pyjamas that was brought in with all my needed clothes last night.

I picked the remote on the centre table and switched the channel from Nickelodeon to CNN.

"Put it back," She commanded sitting straight.

"No."

She walked to the television set and detached all its wire's.

"You are heartless."

"I know," She said laying down and staring at the ceiling as only the cracking of the woods in the fireplace could be heard.

I shifted on my position while watching her. The plan was to bring her over, but how I was to convince her was still unknown.

She turned in time and caught me staring. "What?"

"You disconnected everything, you are my television tonight."

"For real?"

"Yes."

"I think you are a psychopath." She said making herself comfortable on the cushion and suppressing a yawn with her palm.

"You think so?"

She turned around with her back facing me and said, "Yeah."

Soon enough, I noticed the slow rising and falling of her chest and took it as an indication of a deep slumber. I lifted her off the sofa, took her into the room and laid beside her, ready to cuddle. But the moment I rested my hands on her arms,  she pushed me off the bed.

"Jesus," I yelped pulling myself up.

"Stay away."

***