Chapter 30 MIND WONDERINGS

EVE

I've been staring at the diminutive female for the past few minutes, wondering what it is about her that Tomide likes -- okay, loves.

Although I don't have to wander what she see's in him, because he is literally every girls dream, and I mean that on every front.

She looks to be about 5'3 - yes - she's that short. Her body is tiny, almost frail. Wearing blue jeans and a plain tee shirt, ending with white, plain looking sneakers, she looks like a twelve year old, not the twenty one year old Tomide claims she is. With her hair packed into a strict bun on top of her head, she's just like every other girl you'd pass on the street -- ordinary.

I wonder what she see's when she looks at me. I'd left the house hurriedly when Tomide told me to meet them across the street in the small restaurant we are currently sitting in, so I didn't have time to even pimp myself. I threw on the first thing that my hands touched which as I look down at, wasn't probably the wisest choice.

The dark blue cotton shorts I have on comes in different colours. I bought them at Lagos island when I escorted Ebere to do some shopping. It was love at first sight when I saw them displayed on a rack in different shades and so I decided to buy twelve of them on a whim.

I never regretted my decision, thanks to how comfy I feel in them.

I take in the tattered edge of the faded tee shirt I'm wearing and grimace when my eyes land on a stain in the middle of it, which suspiciously looks like tomato sauce.

I raise wary eyes back to the waif - like girl sitted opposite me.

We covertly look at each other, me wondering if she lied to Tom about her age and she --- well I honestly don't know what is filtering through her mind. It makes me wonder, not for the first time though, why we females feel the need to look at other fellow female's body parts, dissecting them apart for their physical flaws.

It's an unspoken rule that's always left me feeling hollow and angry.

I silently sigh to myself. I'd been doing that for the better part of thirty minutes and it always came out unknowingly.

"Broken heart?" Her eyes study me like I'm some strange specimen she needs to figure out and I flinch under her scrutiny.

My eyes widen as she breaks into a smile. It's the most breathtaking one I've ever witnessed. Her whole face radiates happiness from the inside, transforming an otherwise nondescript looking face into something spectacular, and I finally understand the pull she has on Tomide.

Her small eyes light up, suffusing them with an inner warm glow, making them appear big and innocent at the same time, while her mouth stretches into a wide grin that's both welcoming and assuring, pulling me in with its warmth.

I find myself relaxing against my will as I smile back at her.

"I know we've not been officially introduced yet. My name is Ronke and I know you're Eve. You're very beautiful." She sticks out a tiny hand and I take it, gasping at the strength that spills into mine as we shake.

I like that she doesn't feel intimidated. Other females would have felt it necessary to stake their claim, by adding 'I'm Tomide's girlfriend,' and not pay any compliment -- instead -- she's totally relaxed and not in the least bit shy. She exudes a quiet strength that is exceedingly attractive.

I already know I'm going to like her.

I thank her for her kind words as we lapse into a companionable silence.

The smile still lingers on our lips when Tomide comes back, sliding a gaze first at her, then at me, as he throws a hand around her shoulders before addressing us. I watch as she leans into him. It's subtle -- just a slight shift of her body, but it's enough for me to take notice of. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing much, we were just getting to know each other better, seeing as you didn't make any introductions." I smile up at him, my chiding not lost on him.

"I'm terribly sorry, coz. I just needed to get our orders across before doing so." He sits down beside her, threading his fingers in between her's as he toys with her digits. For a moment, they're lost in their own world as they gaze at each other, communicating silently with smiles filled with awe and wonder.

My heartbeat picks up as I gaze at them. I'd always wanted a simple relationship filled with love, but life has been throwing me terrible choices all this while and I'm just about ready to give up.

He breaks away from her, putting space in between them and she pouts, but he rubs her shoulders and she becomes appeased by his gesture, as that brilliant smile reappears on her face once again.

"So how have things been, coz?"

A waitress appears with our food on a silver tray, thankfully stopping me from replying. She puts down on the table, a large bowl of salad with two plates of rice loaded with chicken and gravy to top it off. The smell wafts into my nostrils and my stomach growls in appreciation and hunger on sighting the spread.

The waiter smiles pleasantly and disappears, coming back shortly with another tray from which she removes bottled water and wine, placing them on the table. I lift a brow in question on seeing the wine.

Are we celebrating something, perhaps? I silently wonder.

I'm yet to answer the question Tom asked me and truth be told, I don't plan on replying. He catches on to this and decides to try asking a different question instead.

"I hope you don't mind, but I told Ronke about your ... um... accident and I -we- decided to go back to the police to continue the search for the person or persons that perpetrated the act on you."

I stiffen on hearing his words.

I'm trying - I'm really trying not to look at both of them, because I don't want to see the pity in Ronke's eyes, neither do I want to be the recipient of such pity either, so instead of saying something -- anything, I keep mum, as my eyes bounce across the suddenly busy restaurant.

I take in a couple who are snuggling against each other and my chest literally aches as I watch them.

Damn you, Batman!

I blink back the tears prickling against my lids and continue swinging my gaze around the room. Three girls idle two tables away, chattering and intermittently taking videos of the food in front of them as they swing their phone cameras back to their faces, sticking out their tongues in the process.

Scattered around are a sprinkle of men, paying attention to no one else, as they silently gobble up their food hungrily.

If it weren't that I genuinely love Tomide and don't want to be rude, I would have walked out of here without a look back.

Instead I sigh and tense up further, slouching in my seat, wishing I were invisible.

Tiny hands clutch at mine, silently giving me the much needed strength I need. "I'm sorry about Tomide's tactlessness, but his words weren't meant to pity you or make you feel worse than you already feel. I know he said those words because he genuinely loves you, but you have to let go and trust him -- trust that he wants to help you the best way he knows how to."

I nod dumbly, not trusting myself to speak. A rogue tear escapes and slides down my cheek, but I wipe furiously at it, upset with myself for showing such emotion, especially in the presence of Tomide's girlfriend.

"Look, we can pretend we didn't have this conversation. I only want your best int --- "

"It's okay, coz." I cut him off, nodding. As I brave a glance at them, I notice they weren't even looking at me nor pitying me with their eyes in the first place.

Half of the food on their shared plate is gone and Tomide keeps shovelling food into his mouth and feeding Ronke intermittently, but what baffles me is that her attention is solely on a small bowl of salad in front of her -- one that she picks at sparingly.

No wonder she's so tiny. She needs to fatten up.

And suddenly I can't hold back any longer and that's saying a lot for my tactlessness.

"What possessed you to almost commit suicide?" It's out before I can stop myself, but I regret it the minute it slips past my lips, as I watch Tomide stiffen, the spoon mid way to his mouth. I immediately reminisce on the words mum always tells me.

Words are like eggs. Once they fall from your lips, all the King's men won't be able to put the cracked shells back together again.

It's Ronke's turn to sigh. "I never did thank you for coming to my aid while I was in the hospital." Suddenly she looks frail -- too frail and I fear my words may have hurt her, but she keeps talking, pushing through. "I don't regret it, you know. I . . . I just couldn't imagine living a life without him in it." She points towards Tomide, with a lift of her thumb. "I'm just glad we're not brother and sister, as he originally thought, but I'll tell you what I told him," and turning to face him, she says in a soft voice filled with sadness. "I don't want to imagine a life without you in it." And with that, she continues picking at her food, closing the topic with a definite oomph.

The corners of Tom's lips lift up in a dizzying smile as he gazes at her, and I'm blown away at the outpouring of love flowing from him. Sensing his gaze on her, she looks up and I honestly feel like slinking away at the naked adoration on both their faces.

Curiosity burns in my throat as I watch them play lovey dovey .

Yet . . .

I've got so much questions, targeted at Tom this time around.

I ruminate on the questions as I mentally itemize them.

1. Now that he and Ronke are back as a couple, is he still going to take her mum to court over his father's will?

2. Wouldn't that kind of sabotage their being together, making Ronke feel betrayed, somewhat?

3. Wouldn't it be awkward taking your girlfriend's mum to court?

4. Aren't you feeling pressured on the final decision to make, knowing it could either make or break your relationship?

So many more questions flit through my mind, lying in wait at the tip of my tongue, ready to spill out. One wrong move and I could blurt them all out, putting them in an even more uncomfortable position.

Instead, I clamp my lips shut and try to keep my thoughts in check.

Ronke seems like such a determined young woman, albeit a strange one.

Nothing, I mean absolutely nothing, will make me want to take my own life, not even for the fact that I can't give birth again, 'cause I believe in second chances and I'll have mine -- just a matter of research, which I plan to do lots of, because I crave -no- I MUST have my own children.

Tomide draws me away from my reverie. "Listen, Eve, whether you like it or not, Ronke and I are going to the police station from here. We've both made up our minds to get to the root of it all, plus I don't even want you to come, just stay at home and relax. We will handle it, rest assured."

But I'm not assured of anything.

Last thing the police had told my parents, was that there was no lead on the people who perpetrated the dastardly act on me.

I had described as best as I could, the men who had surrounded me that day, especially Baton man, but the Nigerian police, being what it is, weren't able to do anything about it. There were no leads up until this moment, otherwise I'm sure my parents would have been contacted. Besides, I just want to put that era of my life behind me.

I shrug my shoulders. "Be my guest, coz, but I haven't exactly been sitting around twiddling my fingers and doing nothing about ---"

"Except, that's what you're supposed to do, though -- twiddle your fingers and relax, for once." He cuts in. This time, he looks up at me, concern written all over his face. "Please, eat up!" He indicates with an inclination of his head at the untouched plate in front of me.

Needing no further nudge, I dig in, savouring the rich spicy taste of chicken and gravy exploding on my tongue.

Thankfully, my appetite has come back in full force and I've been gaining the weight I'd lost. Still, all my clothes hang on me skeletally, making Ebere vow to take me shopping -- something I hate doing with her.

I mentally groan, as I pour myself a glass of wine. Might as well take advantage of Tom's generosity.

*

Hours later, Tomide and Ronke come back, defeat written all over their faces.

No words are needed as they slump into seats across me.

"I hate to say I told you so, but, I did tell you so." I chuckle slightly.

"We won't give up, we can't give up. Your safety is paramount." Tomide replies heatedly.

"Be my guest, coz, be my guest, see where it leads." And I walk off in the direction of my bedroom to prepare for my date this evening with Mr. Faseun.