JEALOUSY IN DEATH

31.

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31. Desiree

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Bobo was done with a term at school and was at home with Desiree until school resumed again. If looking after a child after school had been stressful, looking after a child all through the day was more challenging. Desiree had to constantly come up with activities and lessons to keep Bobo busy. He'd finished his puzzle a while ago and redone it. They'd played video games till their eyes hurt and TV shows had been streamed non-stop. She needed to come up with more creative ways to occupy Bobo.

Desiree decided to call Juls from the farm. She could take Bobo round the farm and learn tidbits about farming or irrigation, anything at all to keep the boy busy. Juls told her she could come in the evening so she let Bobo nap a little longer and repositioned his legs that had been carelessly placed on her laps. She changed the TV from the cartoon that was showing to a cooking competition.

When Bobo woke up, she got him into his Keds and they left the house for the farm. Bobo got tired halfway through their trek so she had to put him on her back.

"Dee, I can see better from up here."

"Don't get used to it."

Bobo tucked her bouncing dreads behind her ears and rested his head on her shoulder. Desiree helped him down when they got to the farm. Juls was smiling as he spotted them and he crouched to Bobo's height to introduce himself.

"We'll go to the corn isle then we'll see other crops on our way back here," he said after having a quick chat with Bobo.

Desiree nodded and smiled when he high-fived Bobo. They walked around the farm and he explained in layman's term how they got the seeds into the soil, then the nurturing process that took place before germination.

"Dee, can I plant mine?"

"You want a corn farm?"

"Yep."

"I'll talk to your dad."

"You don't need a big farm per say, you only need a small piece of good land," Juls added.

"Like a backyard?"

He smiled at her. "Exactly. We can go to the fish farm now."

"No. Let's see more plants."

The electric fishes had died few days after she bought them and she didn't want Bobo remembering about them when he saw the fishes they had at the farm. He hadn't cried or shown any sign of distress the morning she told him about the fishes' demise but she'd made a show of burying them just to give him closure.

They went to the vegetable side and when Juls showed Bobo the carrot plants, he asked why the carrots weren't in plain sight like the corns. Desiree looked around as he answered Bobo. When they were done, they circled back to the entrance of the farm and Desiree sat with Bobo as Juls packed some of the produce she asked for.

He got back and gave Desiree a bag before turning to Bobo. "Does this make you want to become a farmer in future?"

"I don't know yet."

"There's no rush, buddy."

"Thanks a lot, Juls. We had lots of fun."

"You're welcome. I could drop you off if you don't mind."

Desiree looked at the grey sky and declined. Lucas could be uncomfortable with the arrangement if she agreed so Bobo got on her back again and they made their way home.

"Dee, do you know how many times the baby eats?" he started.

"No."

"Like ten times. Mariah said she sleeps a lot also."

"Wow."

Bobo hadn't stopped talking about the baby since her arrival and Mariah wasn't helping because she was giving him ammunition.

"Where's the pin I gave you?" He touched the front of her hair looking for the loved shaped pin that she'd forced into few of her matted strings.

"I lost it."

"I'll get you a new one, okay?"

"Thanks, you're too kind."

Bobo chuckled and started humming with the birds as she walked home. Desiree was making dinner when she heard Lucas drive in. Bobo jumped down from the stool and went outside. When she heard a female voice, she went to the living room window to see who it was. Desiree saw a well-dressed lady smiling down at Bobo. She hugged Lucas and walked out of the gate.

Desiree rushed back to the kitchen when she saw Lucas coming towards the house. Lucas didn't come straight to the kitchen but went to his room as he'd done in more than a week now. It was slowly killing her inside that they rarely saw each other anymore. She'd been meaning to tell him in a subtle but obvious way that she didn't mind his freaking 'I don't like being touched' rule.

Desiree fed Bobo and watched a movie with him while waiting for Lucas to come down the stairs. As she noticed Bobo getting sleepy on the couch, she took him to his room. She knocked on Lucas' door when she was done with Bobo, when he didn't answer, she turned the knob and opened the door. The room was dark and she made out his sleeping form on the bed when she walked in. She let out a sigh. He wasn't avoiding her, he was only tired from work. Desiree tiptoed out of the room and went to the guesthouse.


"Look, Dee." Bobo pointed at the mark Lucas made on the wall. "I grew taller."

"Yes, you did. Who knows you might just be as tall as Dee soon."

"Not on my watch," she said.

Lucas laughed. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll stop feeding him vegetables. He'll only eat ice cream from now on."

Bobo looked at her. "Ice cream will stop me from growing?"

"If I feed you too much."

"Dad?"

Lucas smiled and hugged his son. "She's only joking."

Lucas was at home for the weekend and he'd asked Desiree to stay also. She didn't need to be coaxed before agreeing, she rarely saw Lucas during the past weeks and she was excited to be with him again. Desiree wasn't a fool, she acknowledged she liked to play house with Lucas and pretend Bobo was her son or stepson. It was a harmless fantasy, nothing more.

"I need to go for a quick run before the sun comes out."

"Can I go with you?" Bobo asked.

"Not today, I'll be back soon," Lucas said and went for his run.

Bobo asked for cereal and Desiree went with him to the kitchen. Lucas came back from his jog with a big smile and loads of ideas, he wanted them to go to the beach then the plaza but Desiree convinced him to go to the children's carnival Bobo told her some of his school mates would be attending.

She went to get dressed after Bobo declined her help. He told her plainly that he wanted to pick his own clothes. Desiree changed into one of her baggy clothes but tucked the long tail of the multicolored shirt into the large pants. It wasn't as fitted as she liked but it wasn't too baggy either. Bobo came to the guest house to get her and he was dressed in red shorts and blue collared shirt.

"You look cute."

He smiled. "I got you something, Dee."

"What?" Bobo reached into his pocket and gave her a note. She was about to open it when she heard Lucas honking repeatedly. "Dad is in a hurry so I'll read it later. Is that okay?"

"Yep."

She left the note on the center table then got her bag. Lucas helped Bobo into the backseat and Desiree sat by his side.

"Are we forgetting anything?"

"I don't think so."

"Dad, let's go," Bobo said in enthusiasm.

Lucas smiled at her and drove out of the house. They picked Mariah on their way and Desiree tried to tune out the baby conversation that was going on between the kids.

"I took a week leave at work so I can spend time with you and the kid."

Desiree tried not to seem too excited. "That's good, we've been by ourselves for almost two weeks now. You get back from work and just head to bed."

"I had something to finish and now it's all done, hence the break."

"Who was the lady that came home with you the other day?"

"My mother's friend's daughter. My mom asked me to help her with a position at my firm but there isn't any opening right now so I referred her to my friend."

"That's nice."

"It was no big deal. I had to help her home because her husband couldn't get her."

Desiree refused to acknowledge how satisfying it was to know that the lady was married.