Sunday morning turned out to be more busier than the previous day. The caterers had already arrived by ten and started their set up after some apologies on their part and a ringing rebuke from her mother who later ran her check on the coolers to confirm if the food prepared was worth all the money they spent.
Winifred found herself helping the decorators hang the remaining wall decorations. The ones they didn't finish up with the previous day. Their so- called finishing touches. Helping them hang up their designed fabrics and ribbons, which was what she was gladly doing now. The head decorator, a rather petite young girl who was about her age, Yvonne had gladly allowed her do it. After all, she was clearly the braver one at ladder climbing.
Her father was in the sitting room upstairs, talking on his phone. Her mother as usual was somewhere in the house doing what she knew best. Yelling out her lungs at the unfortunate victim of the moment.
By noon, the big palour looked like a ballroom complete with food, furnitures and music from the DJ, who had just arrived.
" Thank you", Yvonne said startling her. Her lips had were stretched into a smile. Her hands clasped. She looked like a nervous student.
" You're welcome.. I guess", Winifred replied.
" Ok", the girl replied. An awkward silence stood in between them.
" So are you staying for the party?", Winifred asked more out of politeness than wanting to ask. She already knew the answer. She had asked to keep out the silence. Break the ice.
" No", she replied.
" How about I invite you?", She pressed on.
" Still no", the girl smiled. " Our bus will soon be here in ten minutes", she added, dismissing her politely.
" Oh..ok", Winifred replied. She didn't see any reason to go further. She was being polite too.
At two in the afternoon. Two hours to the get-together, Winifred had decided to go upstairs to rest and possibly prepare for the event. Her phone buzzed out Sia's "Milky way", her ringing tone, the moment she closed her door. Silvers name lay scrawled on her screen. He was calling her. Her heart skipped a beat but she inhaled deeply and breathed out to relax her nerves before swipping on the green button floating on the lower part of her screen. She couldn't let Silver hear the guilt in her heart.
" You finally decided to call", she stated calmly before sitting on her bed.
" Sorry about that. Basil got into a fight at the party and the police got involved. We had to bail him", he explained.
" And here I was bearing the thought that you guys were having fun", she said.
" You should have called", Silver replied.
" I didn't want to bother you guys. Thought you were neck deep in your fun", she explained. It was her turn to do so.
" Sorry about that dearie" ,she added trying to sound a bit cheerful.
" It's ok", he said in an assuring tone. The parent assuring a worried child tone. " How about Debbie?", he asked.
" Debbie?!", She almost piped.
" Yes, how is she?",
" The last time I saw her, she was fine", she replied half heatedly.
" The last time you saw her.." , Silver mused. He sounded thoughtful. " Are you even in campus?",
" No, I'm at home. Something came up", she replied.
"Ok. I hope it isn't serious",
" No it's just my old folks, they are having a weird party", she replied. The sarcasm obvious in her voice. Silver laughed at the other end. A hearty laugh.
" You know you sound like a bitch sometimes", he said. He sounded bright eyed.
" Silver!",
" You just sounded like..., the short sharp creak of the door interrupted her listening. Only one person could barge in like that without knocking.
" Silver, we'll talk later. My mum", she added. He understood immediately.
" Ok, enjoy your party", he replied before the line went dead.
" Who was that?", her mother asked, when she came in.
" A friend from school", she replied looking at her phone screen at, her recents.
" A boyfriend?",
" Mum !", She piped looking up from her phone.
" It's my course mate Silver. You met him last time you came",
" Really?",
" Yes mum, you did", she pressed on. " The tall yellow boy that introduced himself. The one you said was from a rich home", she added hoping her mother remembered and she did.
" Eziokwu?, the professor's son?",
" Yes mum", she replied with her eyes narrowed in suprise.
" Oh, how is he?", She asked looking concerned.
" He's fine mum", she replied. " He said he was extending his regards to you. I told him that you were here", she added with the intent of getting him on her mother's good books.
" Ezigbo nwa. A good boy, you should have given him the phone to speak to me ", her mother said with some affection laced in her voice. Winifred could hear it .
Her eyes widened on their own accord.
More out of suprise but her mother hadn't even started.
"He had to go. His mother called him", she blurted. It was a blunt lie but good enough.
" He went home too?",
" Yes he said he was missing his parents", she lied more. Silver never went home. For him , home was a cage. It destroyed his out side boy movements. Made him an introvert. He only went home on holidays.
" Such a homely boy, he even remembers his parents. You rarely come home unless you're forced", her mother said looking at her.
Winifred looked shocked this time. Her mother was being dramatic. That was what she was when she wasn't screaming her lungs out. When she was with her friends.
" But I have school to focus on", she replied. Because I don't miss you. You give me blood pressure, she thought.
" Your friend makes out time", she replied sitting on the bed." You simply don't make out time", she added looking thoughtful.
" You know that boy would make a good boyfriend, a professor's son and...,
" Mum he has a girlfriend",
" Oh", her mum clasped her hands together. She still looked thoughtful.
" Well you never know, he could still leave her for you", she said finally looking at her.
Winifred did another eye roll this time in suprise and disgust. Being with Silver would be like marrying her cousin or any of her two brothers. Like marrying her blood. It sometimes disgusted her, when people in campus match made them or thought they were together. She liked girls. She loved Jalade and she couldn't wait to see her.
" I still have my books mum, I'm focusing on them for now", she replied. At least that would put her at ease for now. The woman was starting to become something else.
" Anyways I brought you party wear", and that was when Winifred really looked at her, noticing the shopping bag at her feet.
" Why?", Winifred blurted. It was a stupid question but she didn't mean to say it. It was like her brain farted the word out.
" What does why mean?", her mother asked unveiling the nylon wrapped outfit.
At a first glance Winifred knew she was never going to allow her body get into that dress. It embodied everything she stood against in her code of dressing. A big contrast to her personality, just like the room. Pink with frilly designs and a big bow in front, it looked like something made for a very girlish birthday celeb and not her. It would have looked beautiful to any other girl but not to her. She would prefer turning into a winged bat than to get into that dress talk more of wearing it for her parents long durationed get together or even to see Jalade. She would be so embarrassed if she saw her like that.
" I don't like it mum", she voiced her dislike in one sentence. " And I can't wear it",
" What?",
" Mum it's simply not my style", her mum looked taken aback when she looked up. She was suprised that someone could ever challenged her ruling. That she challenged her ruling. Winifred knew what was coming next.
A ringing rebuke.
Her mum was about to roll and thunder.
" What do you mean, Winifred is this how you want to challenge my ruling. Ruin my efforts?", She bellowed angrily.
Winifred's heart skipped a beat. She kept quiet, knowing better than talking , interrupting or any attempt to justify herself. It was already a known rule that interrupting an african parent was disrespectful to them. That it didn't stop the issues. It deepened them more. Made them more worse like pouring kerosene in a burning fire. Doing that with her mum was worse. The fowl wouldn't stop scratching the earth. It would now scratch out soil, the size of her grave. Her mother would literally run beserk and bury her alive. So she kept quiet instead. All she knew was that she wasn't going to wear that dress. Her mother's anger would burn out and she'll do what she liked.
" You're under my roof Winifred, you will do as I say", her mother spurted. Winifred momentarily wished she was independent, so she could do what she wanted. She wouldn't have come to this party.
" Mum", she intoned, drawing out her peaceful approach formula. It backfired. A bad sign, her mother usually fell for it.
" Shut up!", her mother barked in reply.
Winifred badly wanted to scream. She wished she hadn't come
" Clarice, allow the girl to wear whatever she wants. She's an adult", her father implored from the door.
Her mum looked suprised.
" Emeka, you're supporting this?",
" She's an adult now, give her some peace. She has the right to appear in rags if she wants", he replied. This was the longest she had seen him talk in a long time.
" She's still under my roof", her mother fought on.
" I built that roof Clarice. I brought you into it", her father retorted.
Her mother stormed off sighing. That did it. She stopped at the door to look at Winfred.
" Your father is supporting you, who knows. Maybe one day you both will conspire against me", she said.
" Wear what you want anyways ,appear like a wheel barrow pusher in the market if you want", she sighed before leaving the room.
Winifred looked on in awe. Her mother had sounded like the slave woman in Buchi Emecheta's book. When she told Nnuego that she could have all the dirty babies she wanted.
Her mother just told her that she could wear all the dirty clothes she ever wanted to wear. The outfits that didn't contrast her persona. Winifred wanted to laugh at how dramatic her mother had been. At how she could be so dramatic without any effort but she couldn't. Her father was still there. He was still watching her. She couldn't laugh at his wife in front of him, no matter how much he support he had recently shown.
" Thank you daddy",
He nodded curtly before leaving. It was her cue to start preparing.
The guests had begin to arrive at four thirty instead of four o'clock, the scheduled time for the event, courtesy of african time. By five thirty, the sitting room had become a fair cluster of rich people in expensive frocks and jewelry.
Tempers had also cooled down or perhaps were still held in check, waiting for the right victim and at the right time.
Winifred's parents, Chief and Mrs Okiyi stood at the entrance of the palour receiving and welcoming every important guest with a slight hug and little exchange of pleasantries. They were dressed in matching black and red tailored lace. Again, totally her mother's idea that she and her husband appeared in uniform and in such expensive lace, as usual her father obliged for his peace of mind.
Mrs Okiyi's neck was a huge configuration of jewellery. Rolls and rolls of bead and a single long chain that sat comfortably at the last fold of her neck. When she had seen her mother's neck earlier, she knew that all that jewellery was unattractive and un necessary. It was as if she had just decided to show case how expensive she was and it wasn't nice but then she thought better of it and bit her tongue instead. Kept quiet for the sake of another episode erupting and that must have been her father's reason too.
Winifred herself stood by the stairs, holding a half filled wine flute, she had finally settled on the cloth of her choice. The one that best suited her persona, a white thunder streak patterned tee-shirt and black ripped jeans. Her eyes were partially covered by the black face cap she wore. She had decided to stand by the stairs, observing all the mingling but not wanting to be part of it. She hoped not to be approached by anyone.
" Hi", someone called. A rather chirpy voice.
" Hi", Winifred replied facing the honey coloured girl in yellow sungown and heels, standing in front of her.
" You must be Winifred", the girl intoned with a soft pitch.
" Yes. You are.."
" Vanilla, the girl interrupted, smiling widely. A rather flirty look stood in her eye.
" Your mum told me a lot about you", she beeped. Her eye was sparkling, this time.
" Oh right", Winifred replied awkwardly, looking at the entrance towards her mother, wondering how many things she had told people about her. She sighted Jalade instead.
Her heart did a ripple.
Jalade was standing with her parents, the Adeniyi's. She watched her smile as Mrs Okiyi talked. Winifred knew her mother was either praising her for passing her masters in banking and finance abroad and landing such a big job there and so quickly. Her mother had said this before, over and over since she returned to the house that Saturday evening, so it had to be that or nothing else. She inhaled deeply as she watched her mother hug Jalade. She even inhaled more deeply, feeling more out of breath when Jalade looked in her direction, at her. For a full moment, it felt like she had forgotten to breathe.
" Hey", the honey coloured girl tried again.
" I'm all ears", Winifred answered bluntly.
" No you aren't, you just zoned off", she countered calmly. It sounded like a whine instead.
Winifred looked at her with her left eyebrow slightly raised. The look she gave when she was starting to get irritated with someone. She hated it when people felt too free to tell her things she didn't like to hear. To order her around because she was nice to them at first. She needed to get rid of the girl.
" Oh, sorry about that?", Winifred apologized, the girl smiled. Probably happy she was getting the attention she wanted. Only if she knew what was coming next.
"Could you please excuse me?. Like we'll talk later", she asked with a soft smile.
The girl looked completely off balance but she mustered herself . Willed herself to give a reply. Two short phrases.
" Oh..ok", she replied. Her voice a little weak with disappointment. " I'll see you later then", she managed before venturing to the other side. To the group she had come from.
If the girl was sad or disappointed, Winifred didn't notice. All she could ever really notice right now was Jalade. At how different she looked as she watched her maneuver through the crowd to where she stood by the stairs railing. How beautiful she looked standing in front of her with a little more flesh, her curves that now looked more defined, more prominent in the purple sleeveless, body hug gown she wore. Her skin glistened with oil. It was the colour of lipton tea with little milk added.
" Hey you", Jalade said bringing her back to the present.
" Hey ", she replied a little more awkwardly. She was still lost, taking in the view in front of her. Taking in Jalade.
" Do I look dumb or something?", Jalade asked.
" What!",
" I mean you're looking at me, like I'm wearing my cloth back or that there's some invisible idiot sign written in my head", she replied looking more serious.
" What .. no, it isn't that", Winifred retorted.
" Then what?, She asked. " You didn't expect me to come back?",
" Jesus, no.. you look stunning", Winifred defended. Her impulses seemed to shoot up like the lines of a price inflation graph.
Jalade laughed. Winifred frowned slightly in suprise.
" You're still as hilarious as you were back then", she replied. Winifred looked up above her the honey coloured girl was staring. A glint of sadness sat in her eye.
" You look handsome as usual", Jalade admitted before going silent. Her voice was lower now, more seductive. Winifred felt her hormones start to rush now, the old feelings had started to return.
" I missed you", Winifred blurted.
" You stopped contacting me", Jalade frowned in reply.
" I'm sorry. I lost your contact", Winifred apologized.
" That's ok. I missed you too", Jalade shrugged. " Let's go to your room",
"What?",
" You heard me", Jalade smiled now, she reached out to hold her hand and like that they went upstairs with Winifred leading he way.
As usual, upstairs was quiet and empty. It Still gave the feeling of being afloat a sea of noises. Jalade's grip tightened as they entered the room, she had even turned the keys in the lock . Made sure the door was locked before coming to sit on the bed, Winifred sat on the dressing stool facing her. The sexual tension was already evident between them, it was even more unbearable with the silence. It was Jalade who first spoke, her eyes were still fixed on Winifred when she did.
" What!",
" What are we even doing here, like what if our parents come up or they suspect something?", Winifred asked.
Jalade smiled.
" Do they still make your room and everything in it pink", she asked ignoring her question. She was laughing too, either that it felt awkward just sitting there and staring or that it was because she had just cracked a joke. A feeble one . The tension in the room did not recognize jokes.
" You've changed in the years, how about your schooling?",she asked.
" Fine",
" We banking and finance economists", Jalade said. Winifred smiled dryly. It was a joke back then. The way they addressed themselves back then.
" So did you date anyone?", Jalade asked looking at her in the eye.
" No",
" Really", she asked. She looked suprised.
" Not even a boy", her eye twinkled further with suprise.
" Yes",
" Why?", She asked. She look clearly thrown off balance.
" Perhaps because I couldn't really get you out of my head", she admitted.
" Oh winnie..", Jalade cooed.
" You look beautiful too, sexy even", Winifred confessed again. Her mouth seemed to have lost it's screw.
Jalade stared at her with a glint of lust.
" I missed us..", Jalade said. " I missed you, your lips.. they do wonders on my body", she went on.
Winifred stared at her. Her raging hormones fully unlocked. She didn't wait. She couldn't wait. She pulled jalade closer and that did it. They were now in each other's arms with their lips locked in moving at the same rhythm just like the old times.
It was jalade's gown that went first , courtesy of Winifred's fast hands. Jalade let out a low moan as Winifred's tongue raced madly on one of her perky nipples and at the same time using her thumb and index finger to play with the other one. Pausing a little while later to pull off her tee-shirt, she went back to work, playing with her nipples before racing her tongue down her stomach while her left fingers still played with the nipples.
Jalade purred softly, then moaned harshly as Winifred worked madness into the thick wetness of her aching core. The way her tongues circled listlessly around it. The way her fingers jerked at the same resonance with her core. The way Jalade writhed with pleasure under her. They were both sweating even with the air conditioner on.
Sweat had already grimed up on Winifred's forehead when Jalade moaned softly.
" I'm cumming", she purred gently as her lower body spasmed, before the thick coat of wet vaginal juice came on Winifred's fingers.
" Fuck", Jalade cursed when Winifred came off her. " I loved it baby", she said facing winifred, she was breathing heavily now.
" We could go on all day", Winifred replied with a smile. Jalade stared back at her with want evident in her eyes.
" I badly want you", she said softly, then harshly she flipped her over. Her eye bore a dirty look. Just how it was back in the old times when she wanted to make love to her.
She had always flipped her over with a kind of masculine strength. A type of energy that never seemed to be present in her feminine body and with such a quickness that she was always left wondering where in such a fine feminine body that kind of masculine energy mustered it self from.
Jalade knelt pulling on Winifred's trouser zip. That was one thing about her. Jalade's love making always started from below and she was so good at that. Winifred was literally groaning in pleasure , raking up jalade's hair as if she was encouraging her to keep charging like that, licking up her insides.
Jalade's right fingers shot up at once as her third finger found its way into Winifred's mouth dipping in and out, as she did her blow job. Winifred faintly opened her eyes, just in time to see the slim diamond ring sitting fittedly on her ring finger. She was suprised to see it because Jalade wasn't even a fan of rings talk more of spending a fortune to acquire one like this. It didn't bother her either because she was too into pleasure to think of it or anything else.
Jalade was currently making her feel like she was in heaven. She was bringing back those old happy feelings, to her soft gay heart. She couldn't wait for both of them to lie closely in bed, snuggling close to each other, so she could stroke her cornrows for her tenderly and tell her what she currently felt, how much she wanted her now. How nonchalant she would be to whatever society or her parents thought.
Jalade was on the bed now, snuggling close to her now with the blanket covering them. She had winifred's head in her chest, patting her locs and saying soft things to her. Although Winifred couldn't really hear what she was saying she held on to her. Her nose lodged between her breasts, jalade's ample big breasts. Perceiving the faint scent of sweat and roses. Sweat, sweet sweat mixed with her perfume. The scent that had now become her favourite scent, that she could give up anything for. The scent she always wanted to perceive after a long day. When they lived together.
Her eyes had started to slip slowly. She was falling asleep. Love making with Jalade always knocked her off. Knocked them off because it was hard core. They both devoted most of their energies to it. She was slipping away and yet she couldn't fight it. She wouldn't even fight it. She was with Jalade, the one she felt at one with. The one that was presently running her hands loving on her locs, loving her, babying her. The one she loved and knew that she loved her back. The one who would still be here by her side when she woke up. She allowed her self to go, the sleep to take her. In jalade's hold. In her arms, snuggling close to her.
YOU ARE READING
Entangled Hearts
RomantikAnd what makes you different from them?", " The fact that I will never hurt you", Passing her examinations, beating carryovers, maintaining her scholarship, avoiding love ,boys and night parties are all Jinna has to worry about in ord...
