Dirty: A Tale Of Akintoye The Wanderer

18 | The Date

‭Song of Songs 2:7
Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right.

SO SATURDAY AFTERNOON came rolling slower than he expected. He'd been antsy like a buzzing bee as the week passed watching the clock's seconds tick in slow motion. Even at work it took a lot for him to focus on his patients. Every dull moment would find him smiling to himself as he thought of Naomi. Her smell, her laugh, her natural hair when she left it in bantu knots, those smile lines and the twinkling of her eyes when they finally rested on his. Her compassionate nature when she attended to patients and the frown that would occasionally form on her face when she was lost in thoughts he had no idea about.

On some days he found himself really yearning to know what went on in her mind. He wanted to pry those thick layers off her to see the beautiful flower bud blooming within. The moment he asked her out he already knew of the perfect place to take her on a date. Why wouldn't he? After all, he'd been envisioning this very day for months.

In his mind on that day he'd pull up on her beautiful street with a flower in one hand, walk to the door, knock, she'd open it looking dazzling and after dropping the flowers in her home he'd seize her by the waist and plant a light peck on her cheek leaving her flustered. However, things weren't playing out exactly the same.

He did pull up with his sleek black Benz but instead of the streets he imagined he was met with a rundown area. It was a bumpy ride there and he feared his car would develop problems later on. Children were running around playing games while some paused to admire his nice automobile because such cars rarely passed by. Their mothers had to drag them back to prevent them from touching his car. Not that he would mind. Ezra just felt a certain sad feeling at the thought that once again he mainly had assumptions about Naomi because of how she carried herself in society.

Women in the street ogled at the tall man dressed in dark blue shorts, a cotton polo, expensive sandals and a silver wristwatch. He stroked his scruffy beard which covered his taut jaws as his eyes roamed the inside of the residence Naomi lived in.

"Good day ma," Ezra bowed slightly to greet the elderly woman seated at the entrance of the rusty old two storey apartment, picking beans and blowing away chaff. Mrs Penelope gave him a once over pretending as if he wasn't standing there. She made him nervous for no reason.

"Who are you looking for?"

"Erm," he cleared his throat. "I'm here to pick up Naomi."

At the mention of her name the old woman perked up, abandoning her white beans. "What business do you have with her? She always has men coming here up and down in expensive cars trying to woo her with gifts and other garb leaving me stuck in the middle trying to chase them away. I keep warning her not to bring those men here." She lied.

Ezra almost gulped. "Seriously?"

Mrs Penelope nodded. "Why would an old woman lie? So I don't know your business with her. Ọ bụghị ọrụ m , but you better treat her well or I'll make sure your story ends like the others that came here."

"Of course. I like her so-"

"Eh eh I'm not interested in your love confession. I'm past my prime. Her room is the first one by your right upstairs." She waved him off and resumed what she was doing.

That was what transpired before he stood in front of the woman who engulfed his whole mind. She looked gorgeous in her cute summer dress, and even though she wore wedges her height couldn't match his.

"Oh no."

"What?" Naomi asked with worry, afraid that she'd not dressed properly or to his liking. She was expecting a compliment from him and got none. The two stood just outside of her door.