ARÍRE (We Have Seen Goodness)

I met an angel on earth

Ikenna

The door closed behind me with a soft click, and I leaned against it, closing my eyes. I had seen the hurt in her eyes, the silent plea for connection, but I just couldn't bring myself to bridge the widening gap between us. Her plump face had become more sunken, and the heavy bags under her eyes told a story of sleepless nights and endless worries.

As I walked to my car, the morning sun was just beginning to rise, the morning air was cool, a slight breeze rustling the leaves of the cashew trees lining the street. I took a deep breath, trying to steady the irritation and frustration inside me.

The drive to work was a blur, my mind trapped in the past, replaying that night over and over. I remember every detail with painful clarity: the way that bastard groaned as he emptied himself in her, the way he smacked her butt loudly, sharing laughter with his gang about how tight she was. The helplessness I felt, the brutality of those men - it all haunted me, gnawing at my soul and mocking me.

I needed a break, a moment to breathe. The air inside the car was thick with the scent of the Swiss air freshener dangling from the rearview mirror. It did little to mask the underlying smell of my own anxiety.

I pulled over to the side of the road and rested my head against the steering wheel. The silence was deafening, my thoughts a chaotic storm. How did we end up here? You, God, had sat up there in the sky and watched as those bastards molested my wife. I clenched the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white as I tried to suppress the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus on something else, anything else. My thoughts drifted back to the first time I met Arire. It was a hot afternoon, and I was on my way to meet a client. My car had broken down, steam hissing from the hood. I cursed under my breath, frustrated and sweaty.

Desperate, I looked around and saw a small tailor shop across the street. A mannequin stood in front of the shop, adorned with a long bubu gown. Crystal blue beads decorated the neckline of the cloth. I walked in, hoping to find some water for my car's radiator. The shop smelled of fabric and hot charcoal from an old metal iron. A young girl with large, curious eyes greeted me cheerfully.

"Oga, you wan sew clothe?" she asked.

"No, ehm, I need water for my car," I replied, wiping sweat from my forehead.

That's when I saw her - Arire. She stood at the back, working on a dress, marking it with chalk. She looked up, and our eyes met. There was something about her, a spark, a warmth that drew me in. For a moment, I felt like I was transported to another planet where it was just me and her alone.

"Let me get you some water," she said, her voice soft yet confident. She walked to a small corner of the room and fetched some water from a blue drum into a small black bucket. She walked towards me, her movements graceful. She handed me the bucket of water and smiled. "I hope this helps, Oga."

"Thank you," I said, taking the bucket of water from her. Our fingers brushed, and I felt a jolt of electricity. Who was this woman who had ignited these feelings in me? I was mesmerized by her beauty. Her eyes adorned with black kajal suited her face perfectly. She wore a simple Ankara top over black jeans. The simplicity of her was a big turn-on for me. She looked so angelic, like she was created on a Friday morning.

"Kemi, help this Oga carry the water to his car," she instructed the girl I had met earlier.

The girl rushed to my side to collect the bucket, but I insisted there was no need. After that day, it became a routine for me to visit her shop. I just couldn't get her out of my mind.

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