April 27th, 2018
Friday, 7:25pm

“You should have seen the way she ignored me. I mean, have some common courtesy, for heaven’s sake! But nooo, sister girl was acting boujee on me, like I was the one who was intruding on her personal space,” Jessica hissed her teeth for the third time that evening and huffed in annoyance. “Like, you’re the one invading the personal space of a person who belongs to me. I should be the one acting proud! The stupid girl is still pissing me off, I don’t even know why I’m letting it bother me.”

She was sitting on the floor of her bedroom, between the legs of a very quiet but clearly listening woman who was removing the weave from her hair.

“Ella! You’re not saying anything,” she pouted at the mirror that was opposite them so that her expression could be seen. “If you’re even listening to me.”

“I’m listening to your rant, rants don’t need replies. Tilt your head a bit,” Ella managed to hold her wild, natural hair with a rubber band and dropped the last of the Brazilian weave on the bed beside her. “All done.”

“You’re right, as always. It’s just really getting to me,” she stood up and patted the top of Ella’s braids and walked closer to the mirror. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I can make a list, if you want. There’s a lot you can do without me,” her voice was soft and calm, but from the smile that lighted up her face as she fell back on the white sheets that was fitted across the queen sized bed, Jessica knew that she was playing around.

“Very funny. Another classic Ella joke. The person who told you that you are funny, lied to you.” Seconds later, something hit her boxer clad butt and hit the floor with a soft thump. She gasped dramatically and started cooing at the brown and white teddy bear. “Aunty Ella threw you, didn’t she? I know. She’s mad, we just have to manage her.”

“I will burn that bear,” Ella rolled her eyes and sat up, folding her legs beneath her.

Jessica clutched the bear to her chest protectively and stare at her in the mirror. “It’s comfortable to sleep with. Besides, Amin gave it to me so please don’t touch. Tell Lee to get you your own.”

“He wouldn’t dare. Ice cream is so much better,” Ella watched her stare back at her reflection in the mirror in thought and joined her a few moments later. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, please don’t psycho-analyze me.”

“Too late.”

Jessica sighed and went to sit at the foot of her bed, staring down at the bear. “I’m fighting attachment yet…trying not to. Does that make sense?”

Ella let out a short laugh. “Fighting? Sorry to be the one to break it to you, but you’re already hooked on this guy. He belongs to you, remember? That’s why this secretary is bothering you so much. You like him a lot.”

She grimaced at the mention of the word secretary and thought about her day once more. “Fine. I guess I like him.”

“A lot. Don’t forget to add that.”

“You’re annoying, you know that right?” She swatted her friend’s butt but Ella moved out of the way in time, laughing. “I don’t want to think about it again sef, what’s up with you?”

Ella just shrugged and Jessica narrowed her eyes at her. “Do I have to beat it out like last time? Because I will. Talk.  You’ve been offline and away from the rest of the world for one whole week.”

“Oh. You noticed that?” Ella smiled weakly.

“We’re best friends, fool. I know I suck at it but I still notice some things. What’s going on?”

“Stuff. Nothing really, I just needed some time off,” she shrugged and leapt off the bed and walked out of the room, barefooted. Her yellow summer dress swished this way and that as she walked, beckoning at Jessica.

“Emmanuella. You’re ‘stuffing’ me? What is it? Writing stuff? Ideas stuff?” She followed her out with questions bubbling out of her throat. “Is it the anxiety thingy again? Talk to me. Was Lee with you at least?”

Ella acknowledged the last question while getting a bottle of water from the fridge. “Yes, he was.”

“Oh. Okay, I guess.” Jessica knew that once her friend wasn’t ready to talk, there was nothing she could do. She just had to wait. “How’s the new book coming?”

“It’s coming,” she nodded more at herself than at Jessica. “Yep.”

“How many chapters?” Jessica pushed, trying to get her talking.

She stared at her with her eyebrows creased, then said, “In my head or on my laptop?”

“Both. How’s the planning process?” They walked into her sitting room and sat side by side on her black sofa.

“Um… in my head, the book is done, sold a lot of copies and made the biggest bestsellers list in the world. On my laptop, my cursor is probably still blinking under the title of the book, waiting for me.” She checked her phone when it vibrated in her hand, ignoring Jessica’s gaze.

“Ella…”

“That’s why I need time. I need to think about a lot of things,” she paused then pointed at her, “and you should too.”

“I don’t have anything to think about, I mean, out-outside of the norm,” Jessica started but Ella shook her head at her. “What?”

“You do. You’re just avoiding the facts of the matter, and choosing to focus on what you want to see.”

“Please enlighten me on these facts, I seem to have forgotten about them,” she rolled her eyes in response.  Jessica’s annoyance was beginning to show and Ella took it as her cue to leave. It had always been a touchy subject for her.

“I’m going to tell you the truth, whether you like it or not Jess. Just…think about it a little more. Is your relationship with him worth it?”

“Worth what?”

“You know what. Everything. Your pride, your dignity, your mom being constantly annoyed with you. And I’m guessing that things aren’t so rosy from his side either. Think about it. You know all these things, you know how these people feel about us and vice versa. I personally have nothing against them but, it’s still my duty to put you on your guard.”

She was ready to leave and she stood in front of Jessica, beaming as if she didn’t just send her mind running ahead in fear.

“Thanks… I’ll keep that in mind. Please tell Lee hi for me.”

“Will do. Night, text me if anything comes up.” She exited her apartment in the next second, leaving Jessica alone with her thoughts. She went back into her room and got her silver HP laptop out of its black case, before plopping down on her bed.

It came on swiftly and she checked her mail for anything work related. They’d been quiet the whole day but she knew that it was a scam. Sometimes she felt like the entire Front Page newspaper wouldn’t be able to run without her. They depend on her for everything, even things that wasn’t specified in her job description. Almost as if she was waiting for something, she hit refresh one last time.

The mail subject caught her attention before the sender. She pressed her lips together in a thin line and looked at it without opening. The words, Articles to sort through for next week stood out on the laptop monitor like it was the only thing there.

Her phone rang a minute later and she answered right away. “Mr. Martins.”

“I’m really sorry that this is last minute, Jessica. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t need the help urgently,” he pleaded through her speakers, and she imagined him on his knees—the thought almost had her smiling. Almost.

“I’m listening.”

“I have to stay another week here. Mr. Cummings called another meeting and he’s coming here for it. Please, please Jessica. Please fill in for me this week. I’ll be available if you have any questions. Please.”

She almost laughed out loud that the words that he used. Fill in for him, fill in for the editor of one of the biggest newspapers in the country. Yet he said it like it was no big deal.

“Why me? Lisa is more familiar with your work since she works closely with you—”

“Lisa isn’t competent enough. You are. I know you don’t like hearing it but you’re one of the best that we have. I’m begging here, Jess. Please.”

“Fine. What’s in it for me?”

He laughed gently, almost as if he expected her question. “Don’t fret, I got you. The meeting is going to touch on a lot of things, a lot. If things take the turn that I think it will, then we’ll discuss the promotion you’ve been asking for. That’s a promise.”

She smiled and closed her eyes, relief flooding her system. “That’s good enough for me. Thank you, Fred. Really, I appreciate it.”

“It’s well deserved. And if things take an unfortunate turn, would a raise appease the goddess of journalism?”

“Let’s hope so,” she said, laughing at his obvious flirtatious comment. “Goodnight, Mr. Martins.”

“Goodnight, Jessica. Thanks again.”

“Always welcome.”

She hung up and fell back on her bed with a wide smile. Finally. The promotion would make her work hours and her bank account more stable. It would be more hours but she was ready for it. She’d been working with Front Page for three years, after interning with them for two and she needed her big break. Fred Martins, her immediate boss had been working with her since she was a lowly intern and over the years, he’d develop a thing for her. He never mustered up the courage to say anything but the hints and flirty comments were enough to make her see that something was up.

He was a good man, an honest one. His looks were slightly above average and his sense of humor was spot on. But no matter how good his qualities were, she didn’t make a habit of having anything other than a working relationship in the workplace. And with Amin in the picture now, there were no chances of it ever happening.

Her phone rang beside her head and she lazily rolled over on her side and answered it, placing it beneath her ear on the bed. “Hey.”

“Babe. Are you okay?” Amin's voice came through the speakers.

“I'm good, just tired. Where are you?”

“About to leave my dad's house. Want me to come over?” She could hear the car start up faintly in the background.

“Yes please. And bring food, I'm hungry.”

“What is food? Am I supposed to magically know what you want?”

“Yes,” she said matter-of-factly. “It's one of the very first things on the list.”

“What list?”

“The things you're supposed to know about your girlfriend list.” She sat up and put the phone on speaker, before going into the bathroom.

“I think I know what you want then.”

“If you bring anything here that I don't want, you won't be allowed entry into my domicile,” she said then burst out laughing at her own joke.

“All comments reserved,” he chuckled under his breath. “I'll see you soon.”

“Okay boo. Oh! Please knock before you come barging into my room. I'm going to take a shower and wash my hair. Don't think I'll be done before you get here.”

There was silence in his end and then he sighed. “Thanks for the image. Thank you so much.”

“What image?” Her tone was innocent but the expression that she made in the mirror spoke volumes.

“The one of you naked. I swear, just kill me already.”

“Bye baby,” she said in a singsong voice and hung up before cackling like a mad woman. She knew that he tried his best to respect her celibacy, which she admired. But it was fun to tease him sometimes.

The rubber band got removed and her hair fell over her face, halfway blinding her. It hung in thick, coily strands over her forehead and on her neck.

“Ugh. Where do I even start?” She muttered and smoothed it back while tilting her head to the side. The action caused her to see the stack of her hair products on the bathroom shelf. They seemed to be calling out to her, but she ignored them.

“Tomorrow, ah. I don't have an hour and thirty minutes to donate to washing this bush.”

Grabbing her ol’ faithful shampoo bottle, she closed the bathroom door and proceeded with her bath.

****

Two hours and a lot of four seasons pizza later, she laid back against him and swiped from one page to another on her phone, reading a book. They were sitting on the white rug at the foot of her bed and Amin was paying keen attention to her slightly damp hair that was left open for his touching pleasure. Her stereo played soft, love songs from her playlist in a low volume, but not too low for it not to be heard. The only light in the room came from the bathroom, the door was slightly open.

“Oww! Please take time with my head,” she winced and he stopped pulling; his fingers had gotten stuck in her coils.

“This is what I call laziness. This right here. You didn't do anything to this hair, did you?”

“Free me. I'm tired, I'll do it tomorrow. Besides, if you care so much about my hair, maybe you should wash and detangle it.”

He whispered into her neck. “If I knew how, I would.”

“Yeah you've mentioned once or twice. Or thrice. You're the reason I removed my hair.”

He scoffed and pulled her closer. “Stop lying, you were tired of it. You don't like the way it feels, but yet you keep putting it on your—”

“We've had this conversation. I have to. This...mop that you so admire on my head is hard to deal with. There's so many things that I'll have to do if I leave it open and I'm not good with the styles,” she turned around and sat facing him. “Why do you like it so much anyway?”

“It’s the purest black I've ever seen, it's wild yet soft, it's long and full. It's yours, it's on your head.”

“Are you sure you don't want straight, thin and long?” She laughed when he narrowed his eyes at her.

“Nope. Just yours. And you,” he leaned forward and kissed her lightly on her lips. “Ant tajealni farhana jiddaan.”

She sighed and leaned her forehead against his. “Amen to whatever you just said.”

He pulled her closer and laid his head on her shoulder, chuckling to himself. “Are you ever going to learn?”

“Will you learn my native language?”

“If you teach me, sure.”

The thought of him speaking grebo made her laugh tremendously. “Deal. Just let me film it, y'know, for evidence later.”

“You think you'll do good at Arabic on your first try? Okay. I cannot wait to laugh at you.”

He tilted her face slightly upwards with the crook of his finger and pressed a kiss to her lips. She opened up to him and he delved into the heat of her mouth, tasting her, just being there in the moment with her.

She pulled back and hugged him, hiding her face in his neck. “Sorry, too tempting.”

“I don't mind. This is what matters,” he whispered back and rubbed her back gently in a soothing manner as they sat in the dark, in a comfortable silence, each thinking about the other.

———

Glossary

ant tajealni farhana jiddaan—you make me very happy

•Something about her makes me happy•