Entranced 18+

Thirty Eight

Zubby held her arm as he led her to his car. He was quiet, which was a rarity and meant something was wrong. Was this related to his mother? Or was he quiet because he had said he loved her and she'd yet to say anything back. Ijeoma squeezed the strap of her purse as they neared the car. Should she say something?

What was even the acceptable response? Was he expecting her to say she loved him too? Her stomach twisted into painful knots. Should she pretend she hadn't heard him? After all, they'd been in a noisy place and he had whispered. Maybe he had not meant for her to hear it. This seemed more plausible, she thought. It was best to let him bring it up again.

Zubby held the car door open for her, making sure her dress was completely inside the car before he shut it. He jogged around to the other side and got in. Without sparing her a glance, he pulled up his phone and started inputing the address his mother had texted him into the car's GPS.

She fastened her seatbelt but he remained still, his phone tightly in his grip. The key was not even in the ignition yet. She watched him as he stared ahead and Ijeoma turned to search for what it was that caught his attention. There was nothing, just rows and rows of cars in the parking lot, everyone else was probably still at the wedding.

Zubby laid his head on the steering wheel, his phone still tightly in his grip. What was wrong? She was already getting worried.

"Are you okay?" Ijeoma asked but he didn't look like he'd heard her. "Babe?" Still no response so she lightly shook his arm. The phone dropped to the floor and he cursed, bending to pick it.

"What's wrong?" He finally turned to her. Zubby's eyes were bloodshot as if he'd been crying, but that was impossible because they'd been together as they walked here and his face was completely dry, his eyes too.

"I should be asking you that? What's going on? You don't look so good."

He inhaled deeply and exhaled very loudly. "It's been a very long day. I need to call Ahmed."

Ahmed was the guy that had driven them when they'd argued at that restaurant. She still wasn't sure what exactly his job was. Ijeoma nodded and watched him dial Ahmed who picked up almost immediately.

"Good evening sir," he greeted, his voice all around them. Zubby must have connected to the car's Bluetooth.

"Ahmed, good evening. Man, I know it's late but I need you to come pick me up in about an hour."

"I'm actually still at the office. Where do I pick you?"

"I'm on my way to a restaurant, having dinner with my parents. I won't be able to drive home after that, so just come meet me there. I'll text the address."

"Okay. Do you need anything else?"

"No just be there in an hour."

Ahmed hung up and Zubby rested his head against the steering wheel again.

"I can take us there and back," Ijeoma offered. Why hadn't he asked her if she could drive? Why couldn't he drive anyway? "What's wrong? Do you feel ill?"

"Mama, you've been up since four this morning and today has been a lot. Just let Ahmed drive."

"I can at least take us there, I'm not that tired."

He lifted his head and offered her a small smile. "I'll take us there just relax." His smile hadn't even reached his eyes. It was nothing like any of the smiles he'd given her, this one felt forced.

There was something wrong but now was not the time to get into it so she let it go. The rest of the drive was in silence and she must have been more tired than she thought because she'd dozed off. When she opened her eyes, Zubby was turning the car off. She removed her seatbelt and got out before he could come open her door.