To Live Again by Unoma Nwankwor

Author:Unoma Nwankwor [Nwankwor, Unoma]
Format: epub
Publisher: KevStel Productions and Publications

***

“I feel so silly and stupid,” Itohan said.

“Don’t say that about yourself.” Osaro glanced over at her. They had left the gallery about an hour ago. Itohan was so excited that she told him she’d take a raincheck on dinner. If he had known she would be so full on emotions, he would’ve fed her first. She pleaded that she was fine and he didn’t want to come off as bossy, so he let her have her way. But he couldn’t let her starve so he took her to a Suya Joint he recently found out about. He bought several sticks of the spicy, skewered, lean meat and something for them to drink. It was now a quarter to midnight and they’d been in his car with their seats reclined, talking. They discussed light topics that made them laugh and tease each other. Everything was good until she asked and he told her exactly how his parents died.

“I’m so sorry. That’s horrible. Them being taken away like that, and from you at such a young age. Meanwhile silly me, here I am, I have parents, but I dodge them any chance I get,” Itohan said.

“Why do you?”

“I haven’t always lived up to the expectation or standards they set for me and they never let me forget it. So instead of dealing with it, I just let them be.”

“Take it from me; don’t let the distance go on too long. I love my auntie, but you only get one set of parents. Talk to them. It might not be that bad.”

“Hmm…I’ll try again,” she said.

Osaro turned his body to look at her. He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ears. “You’re so beautiful.”

She lowered her eyes. “Thank you.”

“My own Chocomilo.” Osaro caressed her cheek.

Itohan laughed. “What do you know about Chocomilo?”

Her dark skin reminded Osaro of the cube-sized confectionary made from the Milo energy drink. He was introduced to the treat during his stay back home.

“A lot, smarty.” Osaro paused.

“You’re easy on the eyes as well. Very easy as a matter of fact. I see myself in serious trouble.”

“We’ll be in trouble together.” A beat of silence passed between them. “You sure there’s no man I should be worried about?”

She studied him for a few seconds. “No, there’s no man. But you’ve asked me that before.”

“Yeah, and you never gave me a straight no. You gave me the ‘I don’t have time for men’ line,” he said. “That tells me you’re hurting or recently been hurt; like you still have feelings for this person.”

Osaro studied her face for a confirmation of his suspicion. Her expression was blank.

“I have been hurt. No, I don’t have feelings for this person. I did. But I’m not ready to talk about it.”

“When you’re ready to talk about it, I’m all ears. As long as I’m not competing with a ghost.” Osaro ran his hand through his hair. On Itohan’s insistence, he’d let his hair down earlier. She claimed she wanted to touch it. Her hand in his hair felt so good, but he had to stop her before they got carried away.

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