SEUN

Monday came with a lot of excitement. I was whistling while doing my morning chores that no one helps with in this house. Usually, I am grumpy or simply annoyed. Today is different. Even the in-laws are looking at me like being happy is weird. Well, courtesy to them, showing that sort of emotion around them became foreign to me. 

Nobody would spoil my mood. I proceed to prepare breakfast for only myself. Lance traveled to God knows where. They have hands, they'll prepare their food themselves.

"Where's my breakfast?" His mom asks me. I don't respond. I simply smile, motion to her daughters, and leave. Their curses follow behind me but I pay no heed to their rinse-and-repeat behaviours.

Excited me hops into the car and the driver zooms off. I did not feel like driving, so I booked a ride. This time, I ensure to have extra back up. I can't have myself going to ask him for another interview again.

It was not his house, this time. A popular highly rated restaurant owned by his family. Although a very busy place, I am glad our meeting was in a more private part of the building.

"Mr. Jeje will be with you shortly." The staff informs me with a smile, bows and takes his leave.

"Thank you." I say, even though he is gone already. Almost immediately, the door opens. Mr. Jeje enters and the space suddenly feels congested.

"Good afternoon, Sir." I greet.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Gomez." He answers and takes his seat.

"Sorry for the inconvenience, Sir and thank you for reconsidering." I quickly state and he nods. Unlike the previous time, there were not too much side conversations. We sat there, awkwardly while the servers brought in the food trolley. They are dismissed and he clears his throat before he begins speaking.

"Look, Dr. Gomez, I don't think it's appropriate for us to commence this without addressing the elephant in the room." His statement surprises me, honestly. I just nod.

"For how long have you been married?" The next question throws me off guard.

"Three years." I answer, wondering what he is up to.

"That's not so much of a long time. I wish I had met you earlier." He states and I keep mute. This man should not start this, please. 

"Well, I respect the fact that you were open about that and I'm honestly sorry about snapping at you."  I don't think I would feel some sort of way too if someone I like suddenly reveals they are married to me. So, he has no excuse, even though his emotions are valid.

"It's okay, Sir." I simply respond to him.

"But we can be friends, right? You're married, so nothing can happen, but we could at least be friends, if your husband would have no issues with it." He shrugs. There is no way I am letting Lance in on me being friends with a man like him. He gets easily jealous and the outcome is not always pleasant. 

"Sure." He smiles. Honestly, the conversation helped lighten the atmosphere. I am honestly surprised and at the same time, impressed. He owned up to his mess up, which is a good thing. Most people in his situation wouldn't.

He seems pretty chill and if it were maybe four years ago, one would think I'd still opt for him, but I wouldn't have. Lancelot was my all and he was the love of my life. A girl was in love, you know. He deceived me and I thought it was all love between us. These days, I find myself wishing I had yielded to my mom's warnings.

The interview went on smoothly, thankfully. 

"Did you drive?" He asks me.

"No, I took a ride here." I answer him.

"Can I drop you off? At least a safe distance from your house." He asks me.

"No, please. Thank you " I laugh.

"Why not?" He asks me. He leans on the table and rests his jaw on one hand, staring at me with earnest attention.

"Nothing." I shrug.

"Come on. I thought we agreed to be friends." He states and I roll my eyes.

"You can roll your eyes all you want. Why don't you want me to drop you off?" He asks.

"Mr. Jeje..." I begin.

"Friends don't call themselves 'Mr.' or use the word 'Sir'." He interrupts and I sigh.

"What do you want, then?"

"Just call me Damola. It's not hard." He shrugs.

"As you wish. So, Damola, you and I know you are a Jeje. Your family is pretty popular, you know. There would most likely be someone somewhere with a camera waiting to have a shot of you. Imagine the ruckus seeing both of us together would cause. An unknown face with you. They will dig up everything about me."

"Now you make me feel bad for being popular." He states.

"It is what it is." I shrug and he laughs.

"Now imagine them finding out that I'm married. Double wahala. The Internet will drag me, without even knowing what we came here for. Plus, my husband won't be happy about that. Thanks, but no, thanks." I don't know where all these my plenty words are coming from, though.

"I understand your plight." He states.

"Nah, you don't. You're used to being in the spotlight." I counter him and he just smiles.

"I'm serious. The aspect of the media creating a false narrative about you. So trust me when I say I understand your plight." You still don't. You are not married to a psycho.

"Ohh... alright." I answer.

"Notwithstanding, I'll create a way, don't worry. You will not be photographed, I promise."

"How do you intend to do that?" I ask him.

"Seriously? I do that most of the time." 

He lets out a small laugh. I feel a pinch in my chest. Does this most of the time? Which? Escape the media? Or hide women from the media? I shouldn't be thinking of the latter, honestly. It is completely not my business, but why am I still thinking about it?

"Besides, my family owns this restaurant. I know my way around here." He adds and I nod.

"Alright, then." I say to him. What sort of blind trust did I just give out? We continue eating. Sometimes in silence, some few moments, he would bring up something random that we laugh over.

We eventually round up and he jokingly tells me to guard the files and all the devices used in dubbing the discussion this time because he won't grant a third interview.

True to his word, we took a private elevator that connected us to a private underground parking lot.

We walk to where his car but before we could get in, another car drives into the space. Another man steps out of the car. A mischievous spark glinted in his eyes upon seeing us.

"Big bro." He smiles and takes a second to look at me. He exchange hand shakes with his brother who in turn hugs him. I see him whisper something and Damola slaps him at the back of his head.

"Sorry." He chuckles. These men have good genes, though. No wonder the ladies flock around him.

"Hello, beautiful. The name is Femi." He introduces himself with a huge grin. Obviously. Who doesn't know Femi Jeje? Lagos ladies sweetheart.

"Hello. I'm Seun Gomez."

"And that's all. Bye, Femi." Damola was the one to interrupt. I chuckle and shake my head. What's with his brothers hitting on me? Crazy lots. It's funny, though.

"Pay no heed to him, please." He states and guides me to the car. He waits for me to get in before following.

"Good afternoon, Sir, ma'am." The driver greets and we both respond.

"Where to, Sir?" He asks.

I eventually give him Gillian's address, seeing as we finished early and I did not want to go back to that house of crazy people.

⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️

DAMOLA

"So, basically, she is married." He says for the second time.

"Yes, she is." He is the first person I'm letting in on this.

"So that's your cue to leave her." He shrugs. Honestly, that should be the case.

"I have left her alone. We're just friends." He snickers. 

"You have not 'left her lone'. There is nothing such as 'just friends' between a man and a woman, bro. I can relate first hand."

"Not when the woman is married." I protest. Sani shakes his head repeatedly.

"Whatever you do, please stay clean." He warns.

"Nothing will happen." I grunt in annoyance. He's warning me like I'm some child.

"Honestly, if I were the husband and any man as influential as yourself comes to play 'friend' with my wife, I would get mad." He further states. His point is valid, though.

"Uncle Dam." Samira, their 3 years old daughter runs into the house. She has just closed from school and following behind her is her mom.

"Salam alaykum, Daddy." She greets her father who gives her a peck on her forehead.

"Wa alaykum salam, my dear flower."

"How was school today?" He asks her.

"Amazing, daddy." That's her best word 'amazing'.

"Salam alaykum, husband."

"Wa alaykum salam. Welcome, wifey." They both exchange teasing glances and I cough to remind them that there's a third party here.

"Ah, Damola. I didn't see you here." Aliyah chuckles.

"Welcome. Has this man offered you anything?" She asks me with a smile.

"This one? He's not kind like that." I chuckle and my friend's head snaps to look at me in surprise.

"Someone that I offered pepper soup and he refused. I even told them to prepare fresh one for him. Fear God, bro." We all laugh it out.

"Samira, time for a shower and for you to rest, from disturbing your Uncle Dam." She nods her head and mutter a little 'bye' before heading out with her.

"Back to our topic." Sani says once they are out of sight.

"You know how we both started." Yeah, he and his wife grew up as family friends. They were good friends but school kept then apart till they coincidentally met again at October 1st University in Egypt. Sani was visiting his girlfriend there, and Aliyah was a student in her penultimate year. They caught up as old friends until my dear friend started catching feelings. One thing led to another and voila, they are married today and have started a family of their own.

"Yeah, I know. You were first of all just friends." I do air quotes.

"And it's always the man that catches feelings first. In your case, it's not an exception." He points out. 

"That's where you get it wrong, dude. It's not always the man. Also, there's a difference in this situation. She is married."

"Just don't do anything that you will end up regretting."

That evening, whilst on my way home, Sani's words kept echoing in my head. To be honest, there's an over ninety percent accuracy in his statement. However, her marital status has ruled out any chances of that happening. 

Maybe I would meet with the lady my Aunty was suggesting. Thing is, what I am trying to evade is a lady that will be with me due to my financial stance in the society. That again is quite difficult to achieve seeing as the tabloids make it their business to publish about my family and the money hungry ones would get themselves updated on what big fish to catch.

Either ways, Dr. Gomez has to remain a friend and nothing more. Time to kick off the feelings. 

AN:
I AM BACK.