VILE

Chapter 28: The Present

"Tomi! Am I not talking to you? I said what are you going to do now?" Ivie snapped Tomike out of her thoughts.

Tomike was driving, the windows were down and the breeze blew through her long, thick, black natural hair hanging loose on her neck.

"I don't know Ivie, I don't know"

It was a Sunday, a week after Iya Bose's burial and Tomike was getting ready to return to Boston. Ivie had insisted they had a girl's day out, so they were headed for the beach. In Tomike's opinion Ivie was only looking for an opportunity to run away from home, leaving her husband with their eighteen month old son who Ivie said was a hand full.

"What exactly is Aunty Bose saying?"

"See Ivie, just leave Aunty Bose and what she is saying alone. I don't want to think about it please, let me concentrate on my driving"

"But is it such a bad idea to take him with you? Afterall there is no one to take care of him here since Iya Bose is dead, it's only fair you take him with you abi?"

Tomike grumble inwardly, she couldn't express it because Ivie was no match for her.
I thought I told her to shut the hell up already!

She increased the volume of the radio pretending not to have heard her. Burna Boy's On The Low was now blasting through the speakers.

"I'm just saying, it seems like what is best for him"

"And me! What is best for me in this situation?" Tomike shouted at her friend, suprising even herself.

"Abegi abegi Tomike, don't shout at me. Which one is that now? We are having a civil conversation and you start shouting. Don't try that one for me or I will change it for you here and now. Have your many years in the US dulled your memory of me!"

"I'm sorry" Tomike whispered and then there was silence between them. Now it was Johnny Drill's Romeo and Juliet playing, cooling the tense atmosphere.

"I know this is a sensitive issue for you, but I mean no harm really. I'm sorry if I passed my boundaries. But to answer your question, Tomike all this time we did what was best for you, even when it was to Dayo's detriment. Don't you think it's time to stop thinking of yourself for a minute and think of him? In my opinion you have gotten so used to begin selfish, now it's hard for you to be otherwise."

Tomike shot Ivie a look that would slice her throat if it could. Typical Ivie, apologising for something, then going straight ahead to do it anyways.

"Don't look at me like that. You know I always say the truth as it is."

"Whatever"

"Don't whatever me, talk to me"

Ivie and Tomike had know each other for a little over a decade. They attended the same high school and university. Their friendship was not always perfect but they loved each other dearly, so much so even distance couldn't seperate them.

Ivie was Tomike's only true friend in her opinion. Whenever she wanted to hear the truth or genuinely good advice she knew who to go to. And even now she knew her friend was telling her the truth, but that wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"What do you want me to say? Look Ivie we came out here to have a good time, can we just do that and leave the rest for later"

"You like avoiding things you this girl, like you were avoiding Mr King at Iya Bose's burial" Ivie pronounced 'Mr King' slowly as she winked at Tomike.

"Ivie please why won't I? What was he even doing there?" Tomike was now speeding down the third mainland bridge.

"To pay his last respect to a woman he admired and cared for. Let's not forget, to see you!" She laughed and Tomike couldn't help but join in.

"See me for what now? He is a married man, he should leave me alone. I know I'm messed up, but to be with a married man? Naaa"

"Even when that married man is King" Ivie poked Tomike on the shoulder while giggling like a toddler.

"Even when that married man is King" Tomike firmly stated, not sure if she meant it.

"The guy is still hung up on you. Whatever happened to you guys sef? I never got the full gist of the story"

"My dear leave the past where it lies. Allow that sleeping dog to stay where it is, so it doesn't wake up and bite"

"Ok oo. 'Whatever' like you say. I sha want to have fun today, so let's go!"

"The party beast is back"

"Girl, you know she is" Ivie replied with an almost genuine American accent.

"Let's party!"