With Him I'm Okay

-11- A start of another love

Thirteen years just came in a twinkle of an eye. Indeed, time and tide did wait for no man, ha! I had maintained my job as a teacher- not to brag but I doing pretty good. And I still went to Mrs Kinkpa's place to clean.

"Why do you still come here Christine? You have a good job now, so why do you still clean?" Mrs Kinkpa asked.

"Now, I don't do it for the money, I just feel as though this is my second home and another place of comfort for me. I have no problem cleaning here, I just like being here"

I smiled.

"Is it because you're dating my grandson?" She chuckled.

"Huh? Dating who? Your grandson? Mark?" I laughed.

"Yes, he told me"

Just then Mark walked into the room, munching on an apple.

"And did you tell Mrs Kinkpa?" I raised a brow at him.

"Me?," With his mouth full, "hey I said nothing, don't give me that look"

"Honey don't talk with your mouth full, you'll spill over the house" Mrs Kinkpa jokingly said to him.

"Mrs Kinkpa, please, I'm not in any sort of relationship with this big head" I frowned.

" Hey! Language." He warned.

"Why did you tell Grandma that?"

"Tell her what?" He shrugged.

"Tell me what? I didn't say Mark told me anything" she lied.

I gaped.

"Grandma are you lying? Y-You said it a few minutes ago"

"You're calling Grandma a liar?" Mark said, trying to make matters worse.

"You, shut up, I'm talking to Grandma" I shot back and he smiled.

"I didn't say he said it" Mrs Kinkpa looked away.

"And besides, it's been 14 years I've known you, can't we just...date already?" He murmured the last part.

"Oh please," I laughed, "I don't date children"

"Huh?"

"You're always at your Grandma's place, eating and being a pain in the neck, don't you work?" I asked.

"FYI, and I'm the boss, so are you expecting me to be at work always? Why do you think I don't come here very early in the morning? Because I go to the company first"

He answered. Making me ashamed.

"Well...I still don't date children" I quickly said and continued with my cleaning.
Mark just kept on explaining and explaining, trying to get me to take back my words. Ha!
Night came very soon and we; Gifty, Mark and I, sat in the couch watching TV.

"Mom, I want to go to bed now" Gifty said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Okay sure, goodnight honey" I kissed her forehead and watched her leave.

"Children, they grow so fast" I smiled at myself.

"Yeah, I remember when we first met. Ha! Gifty was this tiny" he curved his fingers to show the size.

"Haha! Yeah I remember. And goodness, I didn't like your face" I admitted.

"Yeah, you were Missus Mean" he teased.

"Hey, that's rude" I nudged him.

"But it's true, you despised me, and it hurt, it hurt so bad you know" he looked at me, with sad eyes.
I felt bad. I had been bad to this really nice and handsome gentleman. I wish I could go back in time, then I'd be nice to him.
For a few minutes, we just sat there staring at each other. Probably he was recalling all the hurt I've caused him, same as I was.