Big Boys Cry

Chapter Seventeen

"So, are you going to tell me where we are going to this time?"

"Why ruin the surprise?" He said with a smug on his face which made her even more curious. Phebe let him keep up the suspense, she got the sense he loved to be in control and she let him be. They had light conversation as he drove her to their secret date location. As Rah babbled on she shuffled through a few radio stations occasionally lifting her head to look at him whenever he said something that made her get a deeper insight into his life.

"If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?" She leaned into the chair as she thought of what to say.

"Honestly...I don't know. I guess it never seemed possible for me to leave Enugu not to talk of Nigeria that I never really thought about it."

"Well you are working now and I am sure you can afford to leave the country if you want to..."

"Wait! How much do you think I earn?"

"I don't know." He said laughing and turned into yet another street. "I guess it's enough for you to leave the country if you wanted to."

"Maybe if I save up."

"And you look like someone who saves."

"Well yeah. It's something my dad taught me." The mention of her dad made her feel said but she had to tell herself to snap out of it. "To answer your question, I think I would say China."

"Wow!! That's nice and we are here." He said turning Phebe's attention to the building before them.

"Where are we?"

"Kress Café. A lot of people don't know about the place and I like that. It's a little quiet café I love to come to at times when I just want to go out but not really go out. I don't know if you understand?"

"I do." She said looking at the quaint little building again then back at him. This was one of those little windows into his soul that left her utterly surprised. She had expected him to take her to some fancy, five-star restaurant which she really wasn't looking forward to but instead he brought her to his special place and she loved it.

"What's wrong? You don't like it? We can go to a fast food or a restaurant if you prefer?"

"No, this.....this is perfect."

"Good, let's go in." He said and just as she was about to open the door he pulled her hand away. "Let me get that." He leaped out of the car and in a manner of seconds he was on her side, helping her out of the car.

She hadn't known him for long but the person he appeared to be didn't seem to be who he really was and she liked this him, all she hoped for as he took her hand and led her into the café was that all of this was not a façade.

^ ^ ^

Rah had ordered a slice of red velvet cake and a cup of black coffee while Phebe nibbled on a chocolate coated doughnut with little sprinkles on top. Rah found it extremely difficult to focus on the cup of coffee in his hand when the most beautiful woman he had ever seen was sitting right in front of him and when she had earlier excused herself to use the restroom, it had given him a chance to admire her in her knee length navy blue dress which she wore with a flat red strap sandals. She looked flawless which made it even harder for him to focus on their conversation when she returned back to their private booth at the far end of the café.