In The World Of 3 Women – Episode 11

In The World Of 3 Women – Episode 11
© Kayode Odusanya

After a little chit chat on other subjects, they decided to leave the eatery. On the way to her car, after they had said the goodbyes, Dupe turned around and walked back towards Dapo. He was just about getting into his car when she got to him. “You know what? Maybe I’ll drive behind you to know where you live, since we stay in the same neighborhood.”

“No problem. So where is your car? I don’t see it anywhere.” She just raised her eye brows and walked off.

“Just drive out and I’ll be behind you.” She said.

He drove out his Camry and parked on the side of the road, waiting for her. He saw through the rear view mirror as she got into a silver colored Range Rover. She flashed her headlights at him when she got behind his car; signaling that she was ready.

They drove at a low speed, even though there was little traffic on the road. His mind kept going back to what his life had turned into, and he was more or less driving on auto-pilot. He sped up after a while, when Dupe flashed her head lights at him again, this time trying to tell him to move faster, as they had been causing a wh0le lot of cars behind them to hunk their horns.

His mind came back to the present, and he looked into his rear-view mirror again and wondered how the girl had enough money to buy a Range Rover. ‘Hmm! No wonder none of her peers wanted to date her.’ He thought.

He parked right in front of the gate when they got to his house, and she drove pass him, signaling to him through wound up glass that she was driving down the street to make a turn. She came around and parked right behind him. He got out from his car and walked over to hers.

“So that’s my apartment; the first flat downstairs.” Dapo said, pointing in the direction of his yellow colored building.

“Okay.”

“Nice ride, by the way.”

“Thank you.” She said, sounding a bit embarrassed. “So…I wish your wife was around so I could go in; and probably make her cook for me.” Dapo got a good look at the ride, and confirmed it was a Land Rover 3 and not a Range Rover. He looked up, and remembered her saying something; he reversed his memory, and got what she said.

“Are you that hungry? I can fix you something.”

“You cook?”

“I can make you Amala and Ewedu soup in a flash.”

“You’re kidding, right?” She said and laughed.

“Yeah, I’m kidding.” He said and laughed lightly. “But I know where you can get freshly prepared and hygienic Amala and Ewedu soup.”

“Where?”

“The place is very nice; it’s just around the corner. But you would have to let me drive.” Dapo said and it made Dupe laugh.

“I have a feeling you’ve developed feelings for my new car.”

“You guessed right.”

“Of course you can drive it, but you know I don’t like public places; I might be recognized.” She said and Dapo looked at what she was wearing; jeans; a white t-shirt concealed by a leather jacket and converse snickers. He asked her to give him a second and he disappeared into his house. He re-emerged with a Yankee cap in hand.

“Wear this; it would cover your face.”

“Very funny.” She said and laughed.

“Seriously; just put it real low, like this.” He said as he demonstrated what he meant with the cap on his own head.

“It would mess up my hair.”

“Come on…why are you being difficult? It wouldn’t do that much damage.”

She kept quiet for a while, like she was considering the offer, then she collected the cap from Dapo and tried it on. “That’s my girl.” He said and it made her smile.

She got out of the car and walked over to the passenger’s side. He had a grin on his face as he got into the car. It was like he left all his worries outside on the streets, and the moment he stepped into the car, he was a new man. He didn’t even care what the nosey neighbors would say about him having a female visitor while his wife was out of town. He would definitely have to introduce her to Lola sooner than later.

“Are you going to drive it or what?” Dupe asked, staring at Dapo as he was trying to get accustomed to all the buttons that were all over the dashboard.

“Sorry, it’s like an airplane’s c*ckpit in here.” He said and they both laughed.

He started the car and drove off. He felt really good driving the SUV, and he still couldn’t believe that the girl actually owned it. He must have underestimated her capabilities. He remembered what Kike said in the shopping mall ‘Dapo, that aint no little girl.’ He was thinking maybe Kike was right after all.

“So how come your wife isn’t home?” She asked him as she reached into the glove compartment for something.

“She went to spend some time with her parents.”

“She left you all alone? I think you need to tackle that issue…” She was saying and Dapo caught her off by raising a hand.

“I don’t want to remember any of that for now.”

“Okay.” She said and slipped in the “Tuface” CD she had gotten from the glove compartment. “This feels funny.”

“What?”

“Me being on this side of the car; I am usually the one driving.”

“You’re not comfortable?”

“No! No! It’s just that I can’t remember being on this side of the car…it just feels weird, that’s all.”

“Oh!”

“You know…like you have to be in another person’s car to be on this side.” She said and noticed that Dapo wasn’t paying any attention to what she was saying. The newer the car, the more complex it is. Dapo was trying to get used to all the car functions. “Or…you have to give your friend the car to drive to be at the passenger’s side, and I don’t think I have any friends.”

“You don’t have any friends? You really need…” Dapo stopped himself from saying what would have been a bit offensive. “What about the people you said you were waiting for at the cinema the other day?”

“I lied.”

“You lied? You just met me and you were already lying?”

“I didn’t want to look like a looser. I didn’t want to look like I was all by myself.”

Who says money solves all problems? I believe ‘more money more problems’, Dapo thought. “Trust me, you’re not a loser.” Dapo said as he came to a halt on a street that had a lot of cars parked on both sides of the road.

As dupe was getting out of the car, a butterfly flew in her face, and she tried to wave it off and the face cap got accidentally knocked off her head. She quickly picked it up and put it back in place. She looked around as Dapo got to her side, and it seemed the people looking in their direction were more interested in the car than them.

Dupe and Dapo had a local meal of Amala and Ewedu soup. They didn’t talk at all during the meal, and anybody that didn’t know better wouldn’t have guessed that they came together.

They spent about 20 minutes at the local food joint, and they were back in the car.

“Wow! That’s the best meal I have had in a long while.” She said and threw the face cap at the back seat. Realizing she wasn’t the owner, she stretched back and got it and placed it on Dapo’s head. He pulled it down before talking.

“I’m happy you feel it was good.” Dapo’s phone started to ring and it startled him. It was almost like if he picked it up, the person would know what he was doing. He picked up, and the conversation lasted for about a minute. “I’m sorry; I got to go see one of my clients.” He said to Dupe after getting off the phone.

Dupe took a quick look at her wrist watch before saying “This late?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you do anyway?”

“That’s a long story; definitely not for today.” He said and switched off the engine. He focused like he was thinking. “I’ll just take a cab from here.” He said and was getting out of the car. She pulled him back by the arm.

“Are you trying to set me up? I don’t know my way around this neighborhood.” She said and smiled. “I’m just kidding, but I can drop you off if you want me to.”

“We are meant to meet at The Paradise; it is just around the corner.”

“The paradise? That’s a bar, right?”

“Yeah, it is not like a formal meeting. We just want to have a discussion over a couple of bottles.”

“That sounds like fun; can I come?”

“Very funny; and I thought you didn’t like public places?”

“Well, I’ll just wear this.” She said as she took the cap off Dapo’s head and wore it on hers’. Dapo got out the car and walked over to the passenger’s side.

“You can drop me off, and then call it a day.” He said, handing her the car keys.

“Please, let me stay. I won’t intrude, I promise.” She said and came down from the car. She wasn’t wearing high hills today and Dapo’s 6ft2 frame towered over her. He looked at her, begging him, and she looked so much like a kid.

“Why don’t you go home; go and cook for your brother or something.”

The expression on her face changed, and Dapo knew he had struck a nerve. He just didn’t want her around longer than she had already stayed; he was beginning to feel guilty. “I’m just thinking you would get bored.”

“Please let me stay, I won’t find it boring. I will chat with my friends on my Black Berry.”

“Friends? I thought you said you didn’t have friends.” Dapo said.

She smiled before saying. “Okay, you caught me there; I guess I will just update my fans on twitter or something.” He looked at her, and didn’t know what to say. “My brother travelled to the states for the holidays, and I am all alone at home.”

“Okay. You can stay.” He said and she raised her eyebrows twice at him, before walking over to the driver’s seat.

“You know the directions?”

“Yeah, I think I know that place. I have been there a couple of times.”

Celebrities always lived the wild life, so whatever time they left the bar wouldn’t be new to her, he thought to himself.

The in,side of the bar was dark with a little illumination from lights on a stage. A local band was playing the tunes of an old Bob Marley song, “No Woman No Cry” as they walked in.

The man Dapo came to see stood up to greet them even though he looked like he could father them both. Dapo introduced dupe as his friend, and the man paid little attention to her after the initial greeting. He had a half empty bottle of beer in front of him, and he placed an order when Dapo and Dupe were making theirs.

Dupe crossed her arms to warm herself; the room temperature was really cold, sort of like the air conditioner was set for when the bar housed its capacity of customers, and right now, there were just few people in the bar.

An hour had gone by and the man had not brought her into any conversation; she understood what Dapo was talking about. He probably couldn’t remember she was beside him, as he was on his third bottle of Guinness stout. She just focused on the band, determined not to get bored. She watched as the lead singer of the band threw his dread-lock here and there; he had switched from mellow reggae to raggae.

Another thirty minutes passed before it looked like Dapo was rounding up, and getting ready to live.

“You guys should stay. The night is young and the music is good.”

“I think…” Dapo was saying then he leaned over to where Dupe was and she nodded her head before he even asked. Dapo walked the man to the door and Dupe felt a relief. He returned after about 5 minutes and he turned his seat around to face Hers’.

“I think we should get chicken or Suya, I’m hungry again.”

“That’s a good idea.” She replied and Dapo waved the closest waiter over to their table. Another round of drinks came in a flash, but the fried chicken came after about 20 minutes.

To be continued

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