MAY

19: NAIJA JOLLOF RICE.

“Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed. I think food is, actually, beautiful in itself.”
—Delia smith.

Turning off the gas cooker, Iby took the kettle and poured some boiled water into a small bowl.
He turned on the tap, totally forgetting that his landlord hadn't pumped water yet. When no water rushed out, he fetched water with a cup from his black water drum that was at the side of the kitchen close to his chest freezer.

He mixed the cold water with the hot one. He dipped a finger into the bowl to be sure it was now tepid, took a towel from on top of his chest freezer, and, with the water bowl in hand, he walked to his room.

May sat on his medium-sized muoka foam, looking around like it was the first time she'd visited
him. "I still can't believe you got rid of the drawings," she said.

His room looked different from the first time she was here. The lewd drawings were gone,
replaced by a newly painted creamy wall designed with blue stripes.

Iby shrugged, placing the bowl on the floor beside the chair before sitting down. "I reasoned
that, since you're a lady, it would make you feel uncomfortable whenever you come around. So,
when I had the time, I repainted the room."

She shook her head and spoke slowly and carefully. "That's so thoughtful of you."

He dragged a stool to his front, and patted it, non-verbally telling her to sit down.

She stood up, smiling. "As I said earlier, you really don't have to do this," she complained.

He gave her a blank look. "And like I said earlier, I’m going to anyway. Since you don't want to
do it yourself."

She opened her mouth like she was going to argue but then changed her mind. She sat down in front of him, licking her lips.

His eyes fell on her lips at their own accord and he felt tempted to press his against hers. To kiss away the pain for her. A woman shouldn't suffer like this.

She snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Back to earth."

A minute of silence followed by them smiling at each other.

He dipped a part of the towel into the water and then used the soaked portion to gently touch the swollen and red blotch on her face.

She would wince when it hurt and he would mutter a sorry.

"What about your husband and his mistress?" he asked.

"They are fine, I guess," she said. "Bella has left."

Iby stopped at her reply, his hand still on her cheek. His eyes bore into hers as they held a silent
stare off for a minute. It felt odd.

Then she broke it with a low chuckle. "What?"

He dropped the towel inside the bowl. "How long is she going to be away?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I am not her boyfriend. You should ask Edric." She laughed but Iby didn't. His look was serious.

"So now that she is gone, what's on your mind?" he asked.

May was silent for a while before shaking whatever thoughts she had out of her mind. "I haven't
thought of any."