Ride Her Shoes

26- Friendship

It was Monday morning and Nmachi was at the store with Akudo who stopped by to help her with their arrivals.

"No, I won't want her to use that side of the store for now," Nmachi informed Akudo as they packed the new goods into the store.

"Okay o, I should be on my way now. I need to be at the hospital before 2 o'clock and it's almost 1:30 pm." Akudo said as she hurried to grab her bag from where she had hung it at the end of the store.

"It's fine, thank you for stopping by," Nmachi appreciated her and just when Akudo turned around with her bag, her gaze was fixed on something behind Nmachi and she stopped walking for some seconds which made Nmachi turn.

"Hello, beautiful," Chibuzor, the man that came to their house yesterday, greeted from right behind her and she seemed surprised and also couldn't hide her surprise.

"Uh Yo-you, Is there something you'd want to buy?" She asked him even when she knew he wasn't there to buy anything at all. He even had nylon bag with him,

Akudo cleared her throat,"I should be on my now," she said and winked at Nmachi who was surprised to see her do that but didn't want to think too much about it smiled at her but instead of working ahead, Akudo came back and hugged her,

"Don't let your past rule you but be very careful." She whispered and patted her on the back before turning around to leave the store.

"I didn't know you were going to come today," Nmachi said to him as they both stood few feet from each other

"I told you I would," he chuckled,"I got you so-"

"Ma-ma?"Nwabugwu called Nmachi who immediately turned to give her son all her attention and lifted him off the floor as he had crawled to her.

"Baby,"she called him,"Are you hungry?" She asked him and smiled while playfully slapping his sandy hands on her cheek.

"Oh, please come this way." She said upon remembering she had someone standing behind her and he followed behind her to the side of the store where a long bench was kept close to the wall in such a way that it was easier to see anyone come in and leave the store.

"Please sit," she urged him after she was seated with Nwabugwu on her thigh. "You own this place?" He asked her while admiring the large supermarket and she nodded,"I do, partly." She explained and he nodded.

"I got you these," he said and raised the bag to give it to her and she collected it. Upon looking into it, she saw diapers and baby food which made her laugh lightly,"I sell these here," she informed him and he nodded,"I know but it's different when I get it from elsewhere for you." He explained

"Don't mind me, I was just joking," she said and smiled,"May I?" He gestured at Nwabugwu who held his mum tight and looked away which was enough reply for Chibuzor to let him be.

"So… I honestly don't know what to ask you about right now." He confessed and Nmachi understood him well,"What do you do and where did you study?" Nmachi asked.

"Well, I studied engineering at Cambridge and I work with a construction company now. What about you?" He asked her.

"I really didn't go further after my son," she said but not with regret anymore as she used to. "

She felt rather happy because she has come to understand that the life she has now wouldn't have come if she hadn't fallen pregnant. It was a blessing in disguise.

"I wrote waec two years ago before I had him," she explained,"Hopefully when he's 6 or 5 I'll go back to school but for now, I want to take care of him."

"Wow!" He exclaimed," at least you still have education at heart which is a good thing." He said in a firm voice.

"Do you have a family here?" She asked him and he nodded.

"My parents live not too far from here, I stay with them whenever I return from the states." He informed her and she smiled but it was a sad smile as it reminded her of her family and more especially what Akudo had asked of her the previous day.

"Your parents live here or you're living with your elder sister?" He asked her and she shook her head,"My parents don't live here." She replied simply and made Nwabugwu lay down in her arms while she parted his arm lightly.

"I see, what would you love to study when you're ready to go back to school?" He asked and her lips curved up,"I've always wanted to defend people, especially when they are not given a chance to defend themselves," she said and an image of herself in a lawyer's regalia flashed across her mind in split seconds after she recalled her ordeal with an almost executed jungle justice.

He smiled at her and remained silent but the more the silence lasted, the more tense their environment was,"Would you like something to eat? I can go home and cook something real quick," he suggested but Nmachi shook her head.

"You're not hungry then, what about him?" He asked, with his gaze directed at Nwabugwu and yet again, Nmachi shook her head.

"Have you tr-"

"What do you want?" Nmachi couldn't resist the urge to ask him any longer. "I honestly want to know." She demanded,"You don't need to pity us, I mean, we don't need your pity." She informed him.

"I didn't say I was pi-"

"You apologized and I accepted your apology," she said,"All these," she began looking from the nylon bag to her son and then back to him,"Are not necessary."

Chibuzor felt misjudged, he felt a misconception about him somewhere but couldn't determine whether it's from the way they first met or his presence today.

"I'm sorry if that's how I make you feel," he said, defending himself but that's not really what my intentions are." He explained softly but Nmachi shook her head. "I just want to be friends that's all," he requested,"but it's okay if you do not want that, I perfectly understand." He said but Nmachi didn't spare him a glance.

After he was done talking, they sat there in silence which wasn't so comfortable and lasted for almost half an hour until Nmachi decided it was time to feed Nwabugwu his 'Akamu' did Chibuzor decide to leave.

"I'll see you around," he said,"No problem," Nmachi replied unknown to either of them that it would be the beginning of a constant visitor turned friend and family.

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