Tseju's Bayo

Chapter Twenty Four - Almost, again.

"He woke up milliseconds after you walked out of the room. We wanted to come get you, but dad said to let you finish with your mom." Yemisi said, motioning to the door behind them.

"Come on!!! We know you wanna see him. Don't be shy, come in." Aka laughed.

Tseju coudda screamed for joy!

"Well." MJ began as Tseju walked into the room, "I'm gonna pull a stunt sooo un Nigerian father like, it's gonna leave y'all dazed!" He announced, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Everyone looked at him expectantly, the expressions on their face clearly saying, "Okay???"

"We," he motioned between himself and his two daughters, "are gonna leave this two," he motions to Bayo and Tseju, "to talk. You can call us when the lovey stuff is out of the way." He smiled, winking at his son.

Yemisi and Aka rolled their eyes, shaking their heads and laughing as they exited the room, their dad in tow.

As soon as the door closed behind Tseju, "You're alright." They both chorused in Unison, deep voice mixing with light voice the way sardine mixes with butter to make sandwich batter.

They laugh, a nervous "I'm so relieved" laugh.

Although everything in her screamed that she move, Tseju still doesn't leave the door. Her eyes drank in the sight of her Chocolate Man speaking, seating upright. Internally, she screamed words of gratitude.

"What's on your mind? Your eyes are dancing. You're contemplating something" Bayo stated.

"I want to hug you so bad! But I'm scared of breaking something. Or re breaking something that the accident forgot to broke." She replied.

"Well, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

"Orrrrr it makes you weaker for the next thing to kill you."

Bayo laughed! "Oh I've missed you!"

"Tah!" She smiled. "We spoke less than 4 days ago."

"That's not what i mean tho. My eyes are feeding. My ears too. I just need a hug so my starved skin gets fed too."

Tseju chuckled, her shoulders dancing slightly. She began a comical tiptoe, Tom and Jerry style towards the bed, stopping just close enough so it was the edge of the bed standing between her and her Chocolate Man.

"You smell like sweat and tears." He said.

"Liar." She accused. "Tears don't have a smell."

"They do. They smell salty."

"Salty is not a smell, it's a taste." She reached and placed her hand on his head. "I think the doctors missed a concussion." She made to withdraw her hand, but he caught it captive, placed it on his face and pressed it into his cheek with his palm.

Tseju places her second palm to cup his face, leaning over just close enough to inhale the air he was exhaling. They stay that way for all of 30 seconds, eyes closed, just breathing each other in, the other content and grateful that the other was okay.

Tseju's eyes opened nanoseconds after Bayo's. The contact causing the atmosphere in the room to skyrocket. Relief, happiness, joy and gratitude stood on the tip of their tongues. Although ready to express these emotions verbally, the atmosphere now demanded a new means of expression. That their tongues find their joined mouths a platform for an intense salsa and dance wild and free and passionately to the beat of their now synchronizing heartbeats.

Tseju's eyes found Bayo's lips. Bayo's eyes found Tseju's lips. Their already close heads drew even closer. Bayo's right arm pressed Tseju in with an urgency.

A light knock traveled faster than the speed of light from the hospital door to their ears.

Startled by the sudden intrusion, they broke out of each others embrace, both heads swerving sharply towards the door.

Aka's small hairy head poked in through the crack of the opened door. "Errmmm... is the lovey stuff over now? I kinda wanna spend time with my brother." She smiled a white smile. "Plus, the boys are here and i think if we leave Mako and Yemisi unchaperoned for too long, there might be a third world war."

"Sureeee." Tseju said, flashing Aka a bright smile that didn't reach her belly. She was upset that the universe could not wait five more seconds before sending Aka in. SHE ALMOST KISSED HIM!!!

Bayo was amused by Aka's funny statement about Yemisi and Mako. Those two went at each other like dogs and cats! It was always a hilarious sight to see the great Mako cowering to Yemisi's jabs.

He was also amused by Tseju's reaction to the knock. He was close enough to see the look on her face indicating that she was less than pleased with the interruption.

He smiled and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck then raised his head to his Aka. "Where's dad?"

"He went back to the hotel. Said he has a conference meeting in an hour."

"Oh... yea. The meeting with Whiterson's Corps."

"Errrr... I would know." She deadpanned. "Sooo can we come in????"

"If i said no?" Bayo asked, drawing his eyes to comical slits to enhance his mock serious look.

"Do you want news to hit the media that the heir to the throne of Ark-y-Tech was found sexing up his girlfriend on hospital bed while his younger sister and friends waited outside praying for his speedy recovery?" She replied in one breath, sarcasm dripping from the lethal smile that adorned her face.

Bayo and Tseju burst out laughing, both shaking their heads.

"By all means y'all can come in."

"Great!" She pushed the door open then turned back to yell into the corridor. "Yemisi your brother says to beg you to not kill his friend for him. Mako, this is the part where you run for your life." She giggled, walking into the room.

Tseju made an attempt to put some space between herself and her Chocolate Man as Yemisi walked into the room, the boys nanoseconds behind her.

Bayo was not having that. His hand gripped hers just before she could move further and pulled her gently, motioning that she seat on the bed beside him.

It was nearly an hour later when the doctor came back to check on Bayo before she got up from beside him.

For the next two hours while Bayo slept and witty banter kept the room insulated with voices, Tseju sat beside Mako, her head on his shoulder deep in slumber.

When Tseju woke up, she noticed two things, one before the other. One, Yemisi, Aka and the boys were no longer in the room. Two, It was now just her, the sleeping Bayo, Mako and her mother in the room. "Jesus! Mom!!" She screamed whispered, flying into her mothers arms. "When did you get here???"