Vagrants

Chapter 13

Damba and I left home in the afternoon with the eyes of the neighbors peering at us. I don't know whether they were admiring Damba, jealous of me or feeling pity for me for agreeing to go somewhere as far as Abuja with someone I barely knew. Uncle Jide agreed to drive us to the airport and Abisola tagged along while Aunty Kemi stayed home with Mother and Bayo.

"So Damba abi what's your name?" Uncle Jide looked at him from the rearview mirror.

"Sir?"

I love that he was so polite. No matter how body built and handsome he seemed, he was still polite.

"What do you plan to do with my niece in Abuja?"

Damba passed me a loving look. We were both sitted in the back seat of the car.

"I'm going to introduce her to my family."

"And?"

"Get them to love her."

"And?"

"I'll get her to spend more time and know my family especially my mother."

"And?"

Damba took my hand in his. "Get married to her."

"You'd do all that in Abuja?" Abisola turned to look back at us and observed our hands. "Sorry." She then turned to face the road.

Uncle Jide turned to look back briefly and smiled.

"Sorry for what?" Damba asked. "It's not like we were kissing or..."

I dragged my hands away from his, sharply and he raised a brow at me. Looking into my eyes, he seemed to understand and he smiled.

"So are you getting married in Abuja?" Abisola asked.

"Of course not." Damba laughed. "We're only meeting my family and then we would come back for the grand wedding."

I stared at Damba and smiled to myself.

"How much do you love Adeola exactly?" Uncle Jide asked.

"We barely know eachother..." Damba started to say.

He doesn't have feelings for me.

"But I like her enough for me to want to get married to her." Damba said and my heart thumped.

"And you, Adeola?" Abisola asked.

Can someone shut this girl up for me?

"I think that's already obvious." Uncle Jide grinned. "Love is written over her."

They all laughed and I felt uneasy as Damba was even staring at me so I looked out of the window.

*

We arrived at Murtala Muhammed airport in Lagos. Uncle Jide and Adeola helped us to get our luggage inside and waited till we got checked in before they hugged and bade us goodbye.

After they left, Damba and I were sitted at the waiting area of the airport. Our flight was due in 30 minutes.

"So Adeola,"

"Hmm?"

"I – Wait, Why are you always acting shy around me?"

"I'm not acting. I'm actually shy." I clasped my mouth with my hands. I wish I didn't say that.

Damba laughed. "It is okay to feel shy."

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because you're shy to admit that you're shy."

I smiled and looked down at my legs.

"Thank you."

"Hmm?" I turned to face him.

"For agreeing to come with me to Abuja."

"No, it's nothing."

"Yes, it is."

"If that's the case, thank you for coming home with me." I smiled.

"Hmm," He sighed. "You this girl."

Attention! Passengers boarding Arik airlines to Abuja...

"That's our flight."

We both got up and left for the departures gate.

*

Dear Passengers, Welcome to Arik airlines. Thank you for choosing to fly with us. Please fasten...

"How do you feel flying with me?"

"Splendid."

He smiled. "One day. We'll be flying like this and I'll take you to see the world."

I blushed. "Don't kid me with those lines."

"If only you knew," He sighed. "These are not lines, they're coming from my heart and I mean it. I want to travel the world with you."

Preparing for take-off. Preparing for take-off. Dear passengers, ensure your seatbelts are...

"Is your seatbelt in place?" Damba bent over to check me.

"Yes, thank you." I nodded.

"Okay." He held my hands.

"What are you doing?"

"This is your first flight, the take-off might be..."

"Ahh!"

"I told you." Damba said when we were on air.