Forbidden Passion: 11

The class had dragged longer than he wanted. It seemed to go on without an end in sight but he couldn’t complain. He was the reason why they started late in the first place. And if anyone was to complain it would be Jare or even the students but that didn’t stop him from glancing at his watch at short intervals and his friend noticed it.

When the lessons finally ended and all the students were gone. Jare brought it up. He was about to leave too.

“Guy, are you okay? You’ve been glancing at your watch since you came. Is it another commitment?"

"Yes, a very important one. I’m afraid, I'm already running late." 

Jare nodded in understanding and added just before he turned to leave. 

“We should hang out, with the rest of the guys next weekend. It’s been a while. We have a lot to catch up on.”

“Definitely.” 

Damola nodded. 

“See you next week.” 

Once Damola was alone, he brought out a laptop from his bag, one specially reserved for what he was working on and a small stack of papers and set them aside on a small table in the recording room. He looked at his watch. 2:25 

He should be there in ten to fifteen minutes if there was no heavy traffic because the restaurant was close by.

In ten minutes he arrived at the eatery, just as he had calculated. He had only been here once since the accident. He usually sent his students to buy his meals from here or the other eateries that had the type of food he wanted at that particular time and when at home he made just made his meals.

The place looks deserted. He noted as he made his way for the entrance. Maybe business is bad. Happen always, especially in the most competitive line. But then, the food business is a lucrative one, especially in Lagos because of the huge population.

“Welcome, sir.” 

The very friendly waiter greeted him. He had just finished serving another customer. He usually played the host and assigned waiters to customers but today it seemed he was the one doing everything. Damola looked around the room, there were three other customers aside from him. He racked his memory for the server’s name and came up with it just before the man asked him what he would like to order. 

“Ben, please, where’s that lady that usually waited on me?” 

The server half smiled as he answered him. He guessed he must have been getting the same question from other customers too.

“Chisom no longer works here sir. She be corper and she don serve finish. This was just a part-time thing for her.”

Damola nodded his head. He understood the need for extra income. Surviving in a City like Lagos with just a monthly allowance of N19,800 was almost impossible for anyone. During his service year, he also had friends who did extra jobs, just for the additional income. He didn’t have such an issue, he had served in one of his father's friends' company, and the pay was great for Corp members and he also had his monthly allowance from his father coming in.

“What about the other lady, the one that served me in her stead one time? Is she back?” 

The one I took to the hospital. He added in his mind. The waiter’s smile widened. 

“Sir, you mean Yasmin?” 

It wasn’t a question because before Damola could answer, Ben had continued talking.

“She’s fine sir. She just resumed today.” 

Hmmm, great news. He thought because just a few seconds he had thought the possibility of she, still being away. It had been a while since he visited the eatery. A memory flashed through his mind and he quickly shut it off.

“What should I get you, sir?”

“Jollof rice and fried rice with chicken.”

“Okay, sir. What about the drink?”

“Just water.”

“Okay. Coming right up sir.”

Thirty minutes later, he had already eaten half the food. There was just him and another man at the other end of the room left. He heard a low chatter. Initially, it was hard to distinguish the voices because they spoke in a hushed tone but then as they got closer, he identified three voices. One belonged to Ben, the second was a feminine voice but he didn’t know who owned it. The third, he knew who it belonged to. He could always tell her voice apart from a thousand others just like he could identify her. The rich buttery smoothness of her voice was like none he had ever heard. That was why when he heard the same voice on Golden voices, he knew it must be her! It has to be her. But he needed to be sure and the only way to find out was to talk to her.

They were now in clear sight, right in front of the doorway that he guessed led to the remaining part of the restaurant. She wore a dark flowery gown that made her a shade lighter than he remembered to be. They were still trying to keep their voices as low as possible. The other lady whom he assumed only worked in the kitchen because he never saw her wait on anyone said something that made the others laugh. He wondered what they were discussing. Just then she looked up, straight at him and then quickly looked away. He saw Ben whisper something at her. And then she looked up again but this time, she didn’t look away, instead, she walked up straight to him.

“Good afternoon sir” 

She said when she reached him. A coy smile played on her lips.

He felt old. Her sir, made him feel older than he was. He knew she still recalled their first meeting. A bad first impression he must have made on her.

...to be continued.