Fortitude

12-Flustered

Moyo ukitamani utashawishika
(If the heart desires it will entice)

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Raziya

"Did I actually agree to this?" I asked my reflection on that Saturday morning. It had been about two weeks since Taji asked me out. He had slipped it in so casually and I was honestly impressed. I'd hesitated to say yes. But after pondering on the pros and cons, I took up the offer on condition that I'd pay, so that it wouldn't feel like an actual date.

We'd planned to meet up the previous week but I got assigned to a bigger house and it took me all week long to get things done. This week got busy for him since the festive season was in two months and people had started early preparations for holiday travel. He had also travelled to Dubai to meet up with some investors.

Despite everything, we somehow still had the energy to talk every night. For the first time in a long while, I was enjoying being in the company of another male who wasn't Jabari. I also found it really interesting how much Taji didn't like phone calls so I'd made it my personal duty to piss him off by randomly calling him just to hear him complain.

Our lunch date finally found a convenient day and to be honest I was getting a little too giddy about it. I was drying out my hair with a towel as I heard Lily call out from my room.

"RAAAZZZ! I know you want to smell like heaven for your prince but Nairobi water doesn't give you that much pleasure to stay in the shower all day!"

"Blue Bird!" I hissed as I barged into my room. "My mother is here."

"I'm just showing her that I'm a good friend by expressing my concern for her water bill," she said raising her head and shutting her eyes dramatically.

"I think you should be an actor instead of a designer, it suits you better,"

"Actress," she continued with the same pose. I threw her a pillow to snap her out of it and it hit her a bit harder than I expected causing her to fall back on my bed. She picked it up, got up and threw it back at me, nearly dropping my towel.

"Blue Bird!" I exclaimed as I tightly grasped the unraveling knot to maintain some level of decency.

"Sorry, I don't want to get ahead of the one who should see you in that state," she said winking at me.

"Elizabeth Marie Tesfaye if I had actual clothes on, my face would be the last thing you'd see before I knock you out!" She laughed at my expression then got up to spread a some dresses on my bed. I went over to look at them as I asked,"What's all this for?"

"Uhm hello... you called me here to help you get ready for your date remember,"

"It's not a date,"

"Yet here you are ripping apart the ozone layer with your perfume, " she went on as I doused myself in the strawberry and jasmine scented perfume.

"It's not like he asked me out so that he can propose to me, we're just meeting up as friends, "

"Yet here I am, at 10 am, on a Saturday morning, helping you get ready, " stressing out the 'Saturday'.

"He just needs some help with his walk, that's it."

"Lemme take that statement down for future reference on your wedding day, "

"Lily!"

"Come on girl, open your eyes. That's basically christianese for 'I dig you',"

"I dig you? What century do you live in?"