Playing House

ELEVEN

Within an hour, she was on the express that leads up to the international airport, an hour is a good time to get to the Airport from VI on a Friday afternoon.

She checked her watch it was 3:05pm, His flight will depart by 6:45pm but check in should start by 3:45 There was a long queue of cars on the road that leads to the parking lot. That parking lot is massive but it was always crowded. Getting in, finding a free spot and then trekking back to the terminals would take her at least another 45 minutes.

She didn't want to sleep here today she just wanted to quickly see him and make it back to work before 6pm to shut down.

She laughed at how dumb coming here is and how romantic comedy cliché it looked, but she brushed off that thought because she didn't come to confess love. She just wanted to reach out to him. 'As a friend'.

She noticed that some cars were parked on opposite lane of the road that links up to the MMIA pick up and drop off point so she slowed down. As soon as she saw one of the cars pulling out she made a u-turn and quickly took up its spot.

Thankfully, it was casual Friday so she was wearing sneakers and jeans because despite the fact that her lucky parking spot was closer to the terminal than the official designated parking lot, it was still a little bit far as well so she still had to trek some distance. The scorching sun and humid Lagos atmosphere made her thank God her trekking and danfo hopping days were long over. When she finally stepped into the air conditioned halls she was already sweating profusely.

She searched the halls aimlessly at first but didn't find him. Well what was she expecting? To find him among the thousands of people bustling through the airport just like that? She decided to use her brain and read the flight information display screens. She found his flight, it was KLM so she went straight to their counter.

The Attendant eyed at her suspiciously at first but she claimed 'The passenger forgot something', so she was informed that no passenger with the name had checked in. She walked around for a bit again this time calmly. What if he has changed his mind, what if he lied about leaving to get a kiss. But his frined confirmed it to.

Seriously, at this point she felt like a clown. She decided to just go back and let it be. She had tried her best to confront the coincidences by reaching out to him. Why was she even doing it, she didn't owe him anything. Heck, how was she supposed to know he was going through stuff when he didn't say anything. Mtswww She hissed and started walking towards the departure halls exit.

On her way out she saw a KFC and remembered she was hungry, she only had a cup of coffee this morning because she wanted to save her stomach for lunch with Sofi so she was very hungry. Maybe it's even the hunger that is making her unable to think straight. She decided to eat it first before going back to work before shell faint on the wheels and die. What will she tell God? That she was chasing one Osaze. But she want chasing him, she just wanted to ....apologise? Offer her condolences in arrears? What am I doing? She shook her head in disbelief as entered the fast food then got one of those massive 8-in-1 combos that had everything.

Immediately she sat down and dove into her food her phone rang, it was him. She had texted him earlier asking him to call her back when his off phone was switched off.

She didn't know what to do now that she has decided to sort of abort this her mission. Mission without any clear objective. She dropped the burger she was about to bite into then answered.

"How far, I got your message. Sorry my phone died. just charged it"

"Where are you?" She asked him.

"I just got to the airport, I'm about to check in" There was a little excitement in his voice.

Her brain instructed her mouth to say 'Okay, safe trip' but the same brain started malfunctioning again because what her mouth said was; "Can you meet me in KFC when you're done?"

The excitement in his voice increased "You are here? Where are you going?

"Weekend trip? Big girl!" He teased, "Take me with you naw?"

She was laughing at his teasing then suddenly tears started gathering in her eye so she quickly hung up. It must have been the PMS, her period was due in a week.

He joined her shortly after checking in his luggage. He had only one backpack with him as hand luggage and hung a jacket on his arm. He was wearing jeans and sneakers too. When his eyes found her a smile formed on his lips as he sauntered to her table.

"Where are you going?" He grabbed one of the chicken strips on the tray and dipped in hot sauce.

She had lost her appetite after her crying spell so she couldn't eat much. Luckily the sugar in the coke had spiked up her energy so she wasn't as famished either which left her playing with the food instead. She stared at him quietly.

"why are you looking at me like that" He said as he chewed the tasty crispy chicken.

She still didn't say anything, she genuinely didn't know where to start from. What was she going to say? What did she want him to do? Why did she come? She asked herself internally as she searched eyes.

She felt so sorry for him. She felt bad for judging him all those nights, for assuming he was an NFA when in reality he is a hardworking man who still believed in this crazy country enough to quit his job and move back. She couldn't even bring herself to imagine what will happen to her if she ever quit her job to chase something she believed in only to end up failing and being stuck with a massive debt.

She has her own dreams too. She'd like to quit her job maybe in 10 years and start doing something she is passionate about.

"Toyin?" He bent his head as if trying to read the emotions on her face "Okay now you're scaring me" He laughed nervously.

"Ha! Are you pregnant?" He looked terrified.

She was on the brink of another meltdown before he said that but when he did she bursted out in laughter with tears instead.

"I swear you're crazy Osaze" She laughed harder placing her head on the table.

"Ah, you're not? I am relieved. Almost had a heart attack there, phewww" he picked up a potato chip this time. Then, his expression switched to that evil naughty mode again. "But on a side note I won't mind having one with you" He dipped the tip of the chip in ketchup and bit it slowly looking her in the eye. "Our child will have a rich mummy" He winked "The baby will probably get one of those miniature toddler range rovers to match yours for their fist birthday" he grinned.

She was laughing so hard, the tears were ruining her light make up, and moving her contact lens. She tapped at it lightly with tissue.

"Please make me your baby Daddy naw" He whined like a toddler drumming his fingers on the table. He stopped talking and ate more chips. She thought she had caught a laughter break so she sipped some coke, preparing herself to tell him why she came.

But my guy didn't stop there, he continued his teasing "You know, we can do it right here before my flight in the bathroom" He popped a chip in his mouth and sucking on it seductively and she almost choked on the drink in her mouth.

"Sorry, sorry. Ok I'll stop"

When he saw that she was okay and about to talk he continued. "The baby will have automatic Canadian citizenship O, stop forming." He continued teasing her like that for another minute she knew he wasn't going to stop anytime soon so she just blurted it out.

"I found out about your company?"

Silence. He was quiet. Frozen. His smile disappeared completely. He looked like he just got stabbed in the chest. She could see his rhythm of his breathing changing. The topic is clearly a place he doesn't visit.

He dropped the chip in his hand and looked away. He couldn't hold her gaze anymore. His shoulders slumped slightly; it was as if she had dropped a rock them.

He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. His eyes got glassy, his long lashes were getting damp as he tried to blink tears away. She knew that if he spoke in that moment the tears would win the fight so just placed her right hand over his on the table and nodded reassuringly to letting him know that he didn't have to say anything in that moment.

I didn't proofread this. My God editing suxxx. I will fix the the errors when i wake up tomorrow. Apologies for the 1hr delay.

⬇️⬇️⬇️ Don't forget to vote and comment ;)