A GIRL'S MIND[CHAPTER NINE]

There were familiar taps on the door.Eddy stirred and broken rays of sunlight penetrating the room from outside told him the new day had advanced far.He separated himself from the cover cloth and walked to the door in his rumpled shorts and vest.1

Opening the door,there was Titi standing  - her bright eyes smiling at him.Her appearance showed she had arrived earlier on.She looked sweet with her hair worn in cornrows with a short and bold zigzag parting at the middle and clad in a pink V-neck vest on top navy-blue track suit bottoms and multi-hued flip-flops.2

'Good morning,'she greeted.'You went on a coven last night?'she teased,smiling - revealing the slit in the upper row of her teeth.3

'I didn't know you were a witch!'Eddy retorted,smiling too.'When did you come back?'4

'An hour or more ago,'Titi said.'It's long past ten and you're still sleeping.What's the matter?'she touched his neck with the back of her hand,checking the temperature.'Are you ill or something?'5

Eddy shook his head,then said:'I went into the jungle with Dave.I was slightly worn out.'6

Titi was perplexed.'Not farms any more!You went into the jungle with Dave?'7

Eddy nodded.8

'What of beasts - wild cats and buffaloes?'Titi asked9

The presence of buffaloes was felt even in the farms - Eddy seeing the dung a couple of times he had gone to the farms with Dave.Villagers every day recounted their tales of woe from rampaging buffaloes ruining crops.Around December,a villager was gored to death in a remote farm by one.10

'I didn't see any,'Eddy said.'I only saw two tortoises clouting themselves and I wrote a verse about them.And I have snails for you too.'11

Titi smiled.'I'm beginning to think it's a problem having a budding writer as a boyfriend!'12

Eddy was completely taken aback.'I don't understand you?'he said.13

'Well,'Titi began,'I think writers need to see to write.Am I right?'14

'Yes,'Eddy answered.15

'So they don't mind taking extreme risks to see?'16

'I understand now!'Eddy said.'To really write well,a first-hand experience is a necessity for any writer and I agree with you.'17

'I didn't say agree with me!I'm saying a writer's penchant for first-hand experience would be putting a young girl's frail heart in jeopardy!'18

Eddy got the gist now.19

'And I'd always thought you were a very strong girl,'he teased,laughing.20

Titi eyed him with mock contempt.'I don't blame you,'she said.21

To run away from her 'anger',Eddy backed into the room and opened the windows as well as folded the curtains.Titi came in and sat on a stool by the X-table.22

'I was expecting you'll be back tomorrow morning,'Eddy said,putting the toothpaste on his toothbrush.'What brought you back so early this morning?'23

'I don't know,'she said and smiled.24

Eddy fetched water,then went out.Minutes later he returned - the glass and brush replaced.25

'Eh en?'he said,picking the pen and jotter on the floor and keeping them on the X-table and sitting on the second stool beside Titi,his hand caressing her back.'I said what brought you back so early?'26

'Didn't know I could miss a nuisance in just a couple of hours!'Titi said.27

Eddy burst out laughing.'Miss me?You?'28

'It's the truth!I just discovered I lost my heart in your kissy-kissy corner!'29

'Only the kiss is still missing!Or am I qualified for it now?'30

'Spare me that horror,please!'Titi said,grimacing and pushing off the hand gripping her rump.31

'What of your mum?'32

'She's fine only she's highly disturbed who's the young man trying to steal her daughter away.She's coming soon to see you...'33

'Hope you told her nothing?'Eddy said,frowning.34

'I told her everything,'Titi was laughing,'and how desperate you are about a kiss...'35

'You wouldn't dare!'36

'But I did!'Titi laughed more and more.'And she's coming over to know whom I'm kissing with...'37

'You wouldn't dare!'Eddy counted the words.38

'Don't worry.She's happy and even sent you a gift,'Titi said and left the room and returned seconds later with a small black box with silver lettering.Inside was a dim-faced quartz watch with a single stone and having black leather straps.39

Eddy shook his head.'You're a bunch of contradictions!With you I just don't know where to actually start from!Thanks for the watch - it's beautiful!But that's a big debt on my thin neck.'40

'Thin neck indeed!I didn't say pay me back - I mean,she didn't say pay her back.'41

They burst out laughing.42

'Look,why do you have to bother yourself buying me a gift with the lean cash you got...'43

'Shush!'Titi hushed Eddy up.'If I don't have I wouldn't give.You even deserve more for making me so happy all this while...'44

'And I'd thought I was such a nuisance!'45

'Only in one area and I just wish you could change for the better - that would make me love you more and more.'46

'And if I don't ...'47

'Simple!'Titi cut in.'I keep you at arm's length!'48

'But let's face the fact,'Eddy said seriously now,'a kiss isn't too much for one's fondest guy,or is it?'49

Titi assessed his face with amusement.'Okay,'she said softly,'you'd kiss me soon!'50

'Ah,I wait for that moment!'Eddy said excitedly.51

'Then you'd kiss me in my mum's presence!'52

Eddy smiled,his almost round face but for the pointed chin breaking out in dimples;his cool,penetrating eyes gazed at her.Thereafter he said coolly:'Don't you think you are going...'he circled a finger over his shaved head and smiled,'don't you think so?'53

'It's you that's going...'Titi said and copied his gesticulation.'It's you that's going nuts!54

'Why are you still attached to your mum's apron strings?'Eddy asked.55

'Don't insult my mother!'56

'I did not.We are talking about you.'57

'You want to kiss me,not so?'58

'Yes.'59

'And I say you'd do it at my mum's presence!'60

'Why?'61

'She said anything a boy says is right and I'm in doubt,let me ask the boy to do it at her presence.'62

'Even if you're married?'63

'My mum has no business in what I do in my marital home with my spouse,unless of course you're trying to murder me!But right now,she pays the bills so she must know.She would not complain.Just kiss me at her front so she'd know who I'm kissing with.'64

What was a gentle breeze outside gathered momentum and the leaves' leisurely wave became branches' frantic shake - the leaves tossed in all directions.The wind whooshed,timbers of the roofs creaked as doors and roofing  sheets banged.Spatter of rain was blown through the rear window into the room as millions of tiny hands tapped on the roof.The gloom thickened and enveloped the entire village.65

Eddy closed the windows and lit the lantern,the wick kept low.He took his seat again,sweet-talked Titi who surprisingly was softening her hard stance with kissing.66

'I want you to take me by my every word and judge me by it.I love and respect you and highly esteem the bond between us.If I say something and later go contrary to it,don't ever respect my views again.What you say you don't want I would not dare do it.You have the final say in everything we do,'Eddy said.67

'And what do you want me to do now?'Titi asked.68

'I want to hold and kiss you as my girl,'Eddy said.69

Titi contemplated long and then said:'Okay,I'm bending my very first principle to prove I love you!But there are limits.You pass them and you're seeing the last of me!'70

'Agreed,'Eddy said in suppressed excitement.71

'Agreed,'Titi mocked.'Just get this right:there are limits and don't dare go beyond them!'she further warned,drawing her ear.72

Eddy nodded in agreement.73

Between the lightning seen through cracks and Eddy,Titi didn't know which was the fastest.She found out they were standing and she was in his arms and he was planting warm kisses on her eyes,cheeks and neck.He nibbled her ears and then came to her lips,his fingers sliding up and down her back.Her heartbeat increased and her body became warmer.74

A cunning hand slipped to her bosom.Titi wondered why ever did the traffic sign show green!She hated yet loved this ride!She only hoped her co-pilot would know when to honourably land!75

Titi's head spinned...never know the rhythm of the rain could be as sweet as this!Oh,the occasional rumbles!Why does the thunder blasts its trumpet funnily out of tune?Oh,how the wind moans soulfully on the rafters!This orchestration is great - I think I'm hearing a loud ovation...76

Eddy's lips came hot on Titi's again and the cunning hand slipped below her belly-button...suddenly Titi saw the red light and all the alarm bells were chiming!It's high time I stop my crazy co-pilot,she thought.77

Titi swiftly and firmly arrested the hand on the nasty plunge.'Please,'she struggled within herself and said,'I left the door open when I brought the watch for you and the things I brought back are scattered all over.Let me lock it and I'd come back.'78

'Okay,'Eddy said and acted the gentleman he said he would be,freeing her.'Hope you'd come back?'79

Titi nodded,straightened her rumpled vest and left.80

Children ran outside in the rain,bathing and fetching water.As Titi walked into the veranda,her friends flocked around her asking for empty containers to fill.81

'I came before and knocked and knocked but you didn't answer,'Ekem,Dave's cute twelve-year-old sister said - with a towel tied round her chest.82

'I was at the back,'Titi said.83

'But I didn't see you,'Ekem said.84

'No,you didn't,'Titi answered.What came next took her by surprise.85

'Has he any water?'Ekem asked.86

Titi was a bit hesitant in her reply.'I should think so.He loves fetching water in the night.'87

'I forgot!They went to the stream last night with my brother after returning from the bush.He told you?'88

Titi gazed puzzled at the fair little girl.Then she nodded and went in for the containers.Ekem stretched her arms inside and collected three plastic pails,gave them to her subordinates and ordered them to leave - Titi marvelling at her little friend's sudden bossiness.Then she collected a fifty-litre gallon,funnel and jug.89

'Are these all?'Ekem asked.90

'I have water in the others,'Titi replied.91

'Auntie?'92

'Yes?'93

'Would you marry him?'Ekem asked haltingly.94

'Why do you ask?'Though shocked,Titi was smiling.95

'I think he's quiet and nice and doesn't have too many friends.'96

Titi laughed.'You think those are good credentials for marriage?'97

'Well,everybody seems to like him.'98

'I hope you haven't fallen for him too!'Titi teased,her laughter prolonged.99

'My parents think you two would make a good match!'100

'Okay,'Titi whispered,holding Ekem on the shoulder and gently twisting her around.'Go and fetch the water and don't let anyone hear of our little talk.'101

'Would you?'Ekem repeated her question.102

'If he's ready and asked for my hand in marriage and you say he's a nice guy,then I have no option - I would.For now,we are only reading our books!You know both the man and the woman must bring bread to the home and a good qualification does that.'103

'You're going into the university?'104

'Of course,sweetheart!'105

'That's why mother says we must be as serious as you!'Ekem said.106

'Does she?'Titi was surprised.So she was a role model already,she thought.'Times have changed and every girl who doesn't want to be used as tissue-paper must get serious.Go fetch the water and thanks for the insights.'107

Ekem moved into the rain and Eddy appeared on the veranda.108

'You didn't come back,'he said accusingly.109

'I came,I saw and now I'm running away!The heart is a tricky place to leave your trust!'Titi replied,smiling.110

'I hope I didn't offend you?If there was anything you didn't feel comfortable with,you should have let me know.'111

'That's the problem.I'm running away because it's hard to let you know!'112

'Not because I did what you never liked?'113

'I don't know if I liked it or not.But one thing is clear - there's a thin line drawn between necking and sex and only super humans would not fall over necking and have sex!I'm not qualified for the tag of a superhuman yet and,honey,neither are you!So for now it's my studies first!'Titi stated boldly.114

'Okay,our studies first,'Eddy agreed.'But you're still my girl?'115

'Always.But if you want that thing,there's a way they do it and it's called marriage.Do that and you have it all!'116

'Forgive me if I did the wrong thing,'Eddy said remorsefully.117

'I agreed to it all and there's nothing to forgive.But the future is greater and we must protect it!'118

Ekem brought the first water-filled bucket back and smiled knowingly.'Good morning,brother,'she greeted.119

'Good morning,Ekem,'Eddy answered.'And what of your senior?'he asked.120

Ekem pointed at the corridor.She didn't take notice of the winks and the finger across lips trying to hush her up.The tall Dave,fair as the sister and warmly clad in jeans and sweater leaned near the doorway.Certainly,he heard everything!121

Eddy turned around and they shook hands - the handshake conveying messages mere eyes would not intercept.122

Eddy's hand said:'I told you!'123

Dave's replied:'I believe you now and,man,I envy you.You've got one helluva girl with a fine mind!'124

END>>>Chapter Nine. 125