INBETWEEN

Inbetween 3

It was Mid January when work started to come. It was a time I needed to get my mind off things. Clothes and needles came to the rescue so I gathered a lot of work till my legs started to hurt. I did not mind but the urgency they always stated was maddening! Though I knew I could meet up. Most days, I worked until midnight like I'm conducting a clothing vigil.

Aku mostly sold the clothes on display and she was good with the customers, especially the ones that wanted to eat off my profit and cost price. She was good with all of them. She was a beautiful girl, cheerful and easy going. She was always patient. I think most of the customers even amused her because of the way she twitched up her lips when they were negotiating. When we had no customers she would sit on a white plastic seat reading an old newspaper or revising her books for JAMB.

It was already noon by the time I completed the third dress. Coming out from the office, Aku was sleeping in a chair. I ignored her and went downstairs. I only saw Tunde in the mornings when I was passing his office to my shop or when I was leaving in the evening. Our greetings were always neighbourly, 'Good morning', 'Have a nice day', 'Drive safely'.

He had not come to my office after the 'introduction day' and that was a visit that was well explained but this one, what was my explanation?

"Hello, I came to give you a neighbourly visit." That did not sound alright. I tried again:

"I came to re introduce myself to you." That one sounded better. Maybe he would laugh and think I am funny.

I saw him standing outside with De Pascal, the man that sold plastics in one of the shops downstairs.

Right. The other neighbors were back, unlike that day when it was just two of us in the whole building. We were both jobless and easily passed as companions that day.

He turned his head then turned again sharply like he saw me only briefly at first. He waved his hand signalling me to come closer. Seeing me at the rail close to his office, he must have known I came looking for him.

"My lady," Tunde said, bowing. The other man laughed and I laughed along with him.

"Forgive me, my lady," De Pascal said

I laughed again before saying, "You people are playing with me, abi? "

Tunde held my hand as he continued talking with De Pascal then suddenly he squeezed my hands. " Is it not a nice idea?"

"Umm _" I began then I shook my head hoping Tunde would narrate the subject of discussion again. I did not want to ask because all the time while they talked I had debated with myself for reasons why my hand should be in his hands building up heat.

"Yes, it is indeed a nice idea," I said knowing Tunde was a smart man; whatever seemed nice to him was definitely nice. As I said that, he nodded with a smile.

De pascal hit our arms. "Ngwanu, Later, " he said before hurrying back to his shop.

I freed my hand from Tunde as I followed him back to his office. Displayed in his office were frames of landscape drawing. "Do you draw? " I asked stupidly when I could remember he said it in my office .

"Yes," he replied.

I allowed my eyes to travel around his office which was larger than mine. His table and seat were at the wall then he had a wooden stool and a bench that was padded with a brown suede. They were at the other side of the room, very close to the door. He used the place that I called my shop as an office and I wondered what was going on in the cubicle that was an office to me.

"I planned to come greet you before the week runs out," he said, half sitting on the table.

"Well, I beat you to it," I replied, shifting to my left leg, trying to find a stronger leg to balance my weight on.