Binary Hearts

63| At the Door of Longing 🫂

Adaora sat on her couch, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone while the news about Spark Technologies played in the background. Her mind kept drifting back to Tunde. She couldn't shake the feeling of concern she had for him, despite everything that had happened between them. Her heart tugged as she imagined him dealing with the intense media scrutiny, the business pressure, and the strain that came with being the chairman of Spark Technologies. She sighed deeply, her fingers hovering over his contact on her phone.

“Should I call?” she thought to herself. But no, she couldn’t. Not after their break. Not after everything that had happened. As she stood up to head to the kitchen, a knock echoed from her door. It startled her, pulling her out of her thoughts. For a moment, she wondered if it was Chidi again, coming to check up on her as he had done a few times since her break with Tunde.

“Chidi, it’s late,” she muttered under her breath as she moved to open the door.

But when she swung the door open, it wasn’t Chidi standing there—it was Tunde. Her eyes widened in shock, her breath caught in her throat. There he was, looking as dapper as ever despite the storm brewing around him. Without thinking, she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Tunde, in turn, wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her shoulder. In that moment, everything felt still. The noise, the chaos, the break—they all faded away.

Her chest felt like home to him, a place of solace in the midst of the overwhelming storm. He held onto her for what seemed like eternity, neither of them speaking, just soaking in the comfort they had missed.

“I missed you,” Tunde finally whispered, his voice soft but heavy with emotion.

Adaora pulled back slightly, just enough to look him in the eyes. “What are you doing here, Tunde?”

“I came to see you. To talk,” he said, his gaze intense.

She hesitated. “Talk about what?”

He sighed, stepping further into the room and closing the door behind him. “I’ve been hearing some things…about you and Chidi,” he began, his tone careful.

Adaora’s expression shifted, her brows furrowing. “Oh, so you’re here because of Chidi? You’ve heard something, and now you’re here to believe it?”

Tunde shook his head quickly. “No, I’m not here to believe anything. I’m here to hear it from you.”

She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “Well, I’m not surprised. Especially since Adeola is now practically glued to your side. It’s only natural you’d start believing whatever you hear from strangers.”

“Adaora, that’s not true. I’m not here because I believe it. I just wanted to confirm things. To know the truth.”

“Well,” Tunde said, his voice tight, “that’s not the point, is it? The point is…what about us? What about our break?” His words seemed to hang in the air, and she could see the vulnerability in his eyes.

He took a step closer to her, his voice low. “I can’t do this anymore, Adaora. I can’t keep pretending I’m fine with this break. I’ve missed you too much. It’s driving me crazy.”

Adaora looked away, her voice quiet but filled with hurt. “Maybe the break was good for us. It’s shown me who you really are. How quickly you can move on. You didn’t even wait, Tunde. You went straight to…to Adeola.”

Tunde frowned, his confusion evident. “Adeola? You think…you think there’s something going on between me and her?”

Adaora’s hurt turned into frustration. “I saw it, Tunde! I saw her with you, she humiliated me when I was just looking for a job. And now…now she’s with you? It’s hard to believe there’s nothing.”

Tunde stepped closer, his hands reaching for hers, but she pulled away. “Adaora, listen to me. I barely know Adeola. I employed her because of Paul. That’s it.”

She blinked, her curiosity piqued. “Paul? What does her brother have to do with this?”

Tunde hesitated, his eyes shifting slightly. “It’s…complicated. I promised Paul I wouldn’t say anything.”

Adaora’s expression softened slightly, though the tension between them still lingered. “So there’s more to this?”

Tunde nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. “But that’s not what matters right now. What matters is us. I can’t stand being away from you any longer.”

The tension melted as Adaora finally admitted what she had been feeling. “I miss you too,” she whispered, stepping closer. The words felt like a release, a confession of everything she had been holding inside.

Without another word, Tunde leaned in, capturing her lips in a deep, longing kiss. The kiss was slow, filled with all the unsaid emotions they had kept buried for too long. As they pulled apart, both of them breathless, Tunde felt a sense of relief wash over him.

“Stay,” Adaora said softly.

Tunde nodded, his body already relaxing in her presence. Adaora smiled faintly and turned towards the kitchen. “Let me make you something to eat. You look like you need it.”

He followed her into the kitchen, watching as she moved with ease. “What are you going to make?”

“Gbegiri soup and amala,” she said, a small smile on her lips.

Tunde grinned, his stomach already rumbling at the thought. “That sounds perfect.”

As she set the pot on the gas, she explained each step in detail. First, she soaked the beans, then peeled off the skins, making sure they were clean. She placed them into a pot of boiling water, adding some seasoning to give the soup its rich flavor. While the beans cooked, she prepared the roundabout meat, simmering it slowly in its own broth until it was tender.

Tunde wrapped his arms around her waist from behind as she worked, pressing his chest against her back. He watched as she stirred the pot, her movements precise. “You make this look so easy,” he murmured.

She smiled, enjoying the warmth of his body against hers. “It’s all in the practice,” she said playfully. “The beans have to be blended smoothly, then I’ll add some spices, stock cubes, and the ponmo.”

Tunde chuckled, pressing a kiss to her neck. “You spoil me.”

By the time the soup was ready, and the amala had been carefully prepared, Tunde was starving. They sat together, eating the meal in comfortable silence. The tension from earlier had dissolved, replaced by a peaceful sense of reconnection. After the meal, Tunde stayed, falling asleep in Adaora’s arms, feeling more at home than he had in weeks.

Meanwhile, back at Tunde’s home, Adeola was restless. She had been pacing the living room all night, her eyes darting towards the clock. He hadn’t come back. Her thoughts raced between jealousy and concern, wondering if Tunde was at a bar or…at Adaora’s. She tried watching TV to distract herself, but the gnawing uncertainty wouldn’t let her rest.

As the night dragged on, she sat there, waiting, hoping for an answer that wouldn’t come.