19| ℬᎾℳᎯ

  "BUZZY feels close, but isn't a buzz supposed to be an annoying sound?" I ask.

   "See it this way," he smiles, showing off his dimples. "The bee is always busy and up to something, right? It lives its life, buzzing carelessly, unbothered by the fact that it makes everyone else uncomfortable, so far as it achieves its purpose. So just like the Bee, I want you to live your life, free, without restrictions. What do you say?" He wriggles his brows with an almost impossible fluidity.

   "Just call me Bo." I laugh.

   "Do you still make Sua clean your room?" I ask, noticing how in order everything is.

   "She insists. It's not like I can't tidy up." He says. "I'm a full-grown man." 

   I smile too, then start laughing. "You're not eighteen till two months. So don't flatter yourself." I say. 

   Chinny steps out from the shower. I turn to look at her, "My towel?"

   "Don't worry I'm not on my period." She says. I blink repeatedly, folding my lips, just waiting to see if she realizes I'm on the phone. "What? Why are you still looking at me? Did you expect me to walk out naked? I said I'm not on my period so you don't have to worry about a thing. You can look away now. Thank you. "

    "I didn't have to know that Chinny." Ivan says, and I watch her face go from smug-Chinny to flaming-Chinny.  

   "What! He's on the phone and you couldn't tell me?" she scrambles back into the bathroom. 

   I laugh. Ivan laughs.

   "NOT FUNNY!" she yells, but it only makes us laugh harder. Feels like Karma.

   "She isn't getting out of that bathroom until this call is done, and she'll never look at you the same way, knowing you heard those words from her."

   He laughs some more.

   "Chinny, should I get your nightwear?"

   "Yes please." She says, her voice is soberer.

   "Don't worry Bo. I just wanted to see your face before bed tonight, to remind you that I love you, and I'll keep loving you, and I can't wait to see you tomorrow, and maybe find out if you could tell me the colour of your dress?"

   "I'm looking at it right now, but I'm not going to tell you."

   "But please, just so my nerves don't strangle me in my sleep?" He has the perfect pout and I consider giving him a clue.

   "It's heaven. Literally." I say

   "Heaven?" he asks, and I nod. "Noted. I called earlier. Chinny picked, told me you were trying out the dresses. I should have bribed her into giving me a sneak peek. "

   "You did?"

   "She didn't tell you?"

   "Maybe she forgot. The dress is so awesome, probably stole her breath away like it's going to steal yours."

   "If it's any compensation, you already make me so breathless."

   I roll my eyes, "have you been reading poetry lately?"

   "I have a knack for it right?"

   "Yeah. You're spitting words like nothing. "

   "I think I should consider it, poetry and art is like cheese and wine."

   "BOMATE!!!" Chinny screams. I laugh silently, 

   "Before you go get your crazy friend, I got a Tux too, and I'll give you no clues until I steal your breath away tomorrow."

   "Win, win." I say.

   "Night Bo. No Insomnia today in Jesus name."

   "You haven't ever prayed for me."

   "Just say Amen, will you?"

   "BOMA!! YOU HAVE FOREVER TO FLIRT ALL YOU WANT! I CAN'T STAY IN THIS BATHROOM THAT LONG!" Chinny's voice interrupts.

   "With that attitude seems like that's your fate!" I laugh silently.

   "Please now, Buns." she says, her yells now almost reduced to sobs.

    I turn back to Ivan on the phone. Is smile makes me smile. "Amen to your prayers and good night Ivan Adekola Adebayo." I say. His eyes sparkle, and I feel my cheeks flush as I hang up.

   "Chinny! We're done." I announce. She jumps out with such ferocity, I'm scared for a split second. Then she stops in the middle of the room and starts doing the angry worm dance. Like a two-year-old girl throwing tantrums.

   "He heard me talk about my period." She fidgets around.

   "What? So? It's not like he saw you bleeding,"

   "Ewww. Boma. When did you get this gross?"

   "I'm in love, remember?" I say.

   She hisses. "Let me hear word o, it's not as funny as you guys made it seem. My dignity was on the line and you people were just stepping on it, up and down." The way she says it makes me laugh again and she looks like she might cry if I don't stop.

   "Okay, I'm sorry, but it's not like I made you say it,"

   "But you knew he was on the phone."

   "Chin, it doesn't even mean anything. That he heard the word period from your mouth doesn't mean that you should kill yourself." she looks at me. Jaws taut, eyes narrowed, like a spoilt child not getting her way.

   "Next time just let me know your boyfriend is on the line, so I can behave well." She says.

   "I've heard you. Miss. Period. By the way why aren't you even using your own towel?"

   "Mrs. I'm in Love, I forgot to take it into the bathroom." She says. I giggle. "I'm not even talking to you till tomorrow." She grumbles, spreading baby powder lavishly around her boobs.

   Where was I when these accessories were being shared?

   "But Chinny, can you imagine he wanted me to tell him the colour of my dress?"

   She turns around in slow motion, eyebrows raised, a quizzed expression spread across her face. "Don't tell me you fell victim."

   "Me? Tell him what?"

   "Better. Because I know you." She laughs."See me that is supposed to be giving you silent treatment, you won't even allow me to stay angry at you."

   "Well mumu button is not for fancy." I say, she smacks her lips and shakes her head.

   "I'm hungry o, what is available for dinner?"

   "I can cook cocoa pops for you," I say. She looks at me. 

   "Oh, how wonderful. Why don't I cook tea for you." She says and walks out. 

   Her night gown is open at the bottom, she didn't adjust it and she has no idea. Nothing prepares me for the hysteria that follows, it's like seeing Chinny in her oversized uniform again.

   "If you like, stay there and be laughing. When I prepare food for myself, we'll see who knows how to laugh more." She says but it doesn't stop me as my eyes flood. 

   "There's food in the fridge. I'll warm it up so we can eat and discuss about tomorrow." I follow behind her.