Simple Happiness

Chapter Twelve

After helping her fasten her seatbelt, he fastened his and started the car. There was some tense and awkward atmosphere between them, and he did not like it at all. It was his fault anyway. He had to help her recover from the embarrassment. Well, there was nothing he wanted more than to have a taste of those luscious lips. However, he wanted it to happen at the right time. He didn't want to appear as someone who was only interested in her body.

"Do you want me to turn on the radio," Ethan asked.

"Yes please," she said. "Oh, you're driving. Let me do it."

"Okay."

They quietly listened to the radio until they got to town.

"Where do you want us to start?" he asked when he stopped at the red light.

"You decide. You are the boss," she said.

Ethan smiled. "Okay. Let's start with the National Museum."

After visiting the National Museum, he took her to different key places in town before going to an amusement park where they played and rode the carousel.

"Did you like it?" he asked.

She smiled. "Mm...It was my first time but I loved the adrenaline rush."

"You did so well for a first-timer," he said, then held his phone before her. "Look at the photos. You look very beautiful."

"Yeah. You too," she said, browsing through the photos. "Forward them to me through WhatsApp later."

"Okay. But now, let us go for lunch," he said. "There is a good barbecue restaurant around this place."

Liz smiled. "Really? How did you know that I'm in the mood for barbecue?"

Ethan winked at her. "It's a secret."

"You're lucky I don't have the energy to make you tell me," Liz said. "Let's go and eat."

"Okay," he said.

After lunch, they went to one of the biggest shopping malls in the city.

"Wow, so cool," Liz said, touching a t-shirt with 'I Heart Nairobi' imprinted on it.

"Do you like it?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah. It is beautiful."

"It is one thousand shillings per piece," the sales lady said. "But since you are a couple, I will sell it to you two at 800 shillings each."

Liz looked at Ethan. "We're not a c..."

He cut her short. "Okay. Give us one medium and one large," he said as he handed her cash.

"Right away," the sales lady said. "There is a fitting room if you would like to try them on."

"That's a good idea," he said. "Liz, let's go change into these t-shirts."

"No. I don't want to wear it now."

"Ma'am, couples wearing couple shirts look cool," the sales lady said.

Ethan winked at her and smiled.

She scoffed. "Where is the fitting room?"

"Over there," the sales lady said, pointing to the direction of fitting rooms.

As Liz, was walking toward the fitting room, Ethan followed her. She turned and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Where are you going?" she asked.
"To the fitting room," he said and paused then continued. "Oh, don't worry. I won't peek at you."

"Why are you pouting your lips?" he asked. "Do you want to kiss me?"

"You wish!" she said and walked into the fitting room.

They both changed into the t-shirts and left the mall.

The sales lady was right. We look spectacular together, Liz thought. She glanced at him. He looks very handsome.

"Why are you blushing?" Ethan asked.

"I'm not blushing," Liz said and made big steps towards the car. Ethan ran after her and gripped her hand.

"I'm all yours," he said. "You are free to look at me anytime. I can even turn into a mannequin just for you if you want." He posed like a mannequin.

Her face flushed. "You..." she slightly punched him and continued to the car. Ethan bit his lip and smiled as he followed closely.

Liz slept during the whole ride back home. She only woke up when she realized that the car wasn't moving anymore.

"Why did you stop?" she asked. She looked through the window and found the place familiar.

"When did we arrive?"

"Ten minutes ago."

Her brows twitched. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Ethan smiled, "I did not want to disturb your sleep."

Liz blushed. She just remembered that she might have drooled. She touched the corners of her lips for a moment then opened the door and got out of the car.

"Hey, why are you running away?" Ethan asked. He got out of the car and rushed after her.

"I'm not running away. I'm already home," she said throwing a minty sweet into her mouth.

"Oh, I see. Thank you for today. It was great."

"I should be the one thanking you. It is you who came up with the idea."

They glanced at each other, and before they knew it, they were held in an eye lock. It was like their eyes had created a magnetic field. None of them wanted to look away. For a moment, it was like nothing else existed but just the two of them. They continued staring at each other until they were brought back to reality by a message notification tune on Liz's phone.

"Oh, I think I should get going," Liz said. "Good night."

"Good night to you too," Ethan said and went back to his car. He waited until she entered the gate to the apartment building before he drove away.

When Liz got to the apartment, she found the door unlocked but it was dark inside. Where is she? Is she sleeping? She pondered. She saw her lying on the couch when she switched the lights on.

"Tamara, why are you in the dark?" she asked. "Oh, you were too lazy to get up and switch on the lights."

" I'm at a dark place in my love life right now," she said, sitting up. "I don't see anything wrong with being in darkness."

"What?" She rushed to her. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah. I said something I was not supposed to say during a conversation with Dylan." She leaned towards Liz and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "He is now giving me the silent treatment. We haven't talked since last evening."

"Is it that serious?"

"Yeah, I thought he would yield and talk to me today but nothing. He hasn't called till now.

"Why don't you call him? Maybe things are not like you think."

"No. I can't give in," she said. "If I call first I will be the guilty one and will be forced to apologize."

"What if something happened to him?"

"I don't think so," she said. "He is active on both Facebook and WhatsApp. I think he is intentionally avoiding me."

"What did you say that caused this strain on your relationship?"

"We were talking about general topics; then we suddenly started arguing. I said some hurtful things in between the argument; then he retreated into his shell. He did not say anything else after that. So I left him alone to cool off. I thought he would be okay today."

***