Love, flicker, burn: Entry 4

‎‎Lanre hung on tightly to the worn overhead grab handles on the bus, as the driver took a sharp turn.

 ‘Excuse me’, he said to the woman next to him, he had leaned his weight a little too much in her direction. She acknowledged his apology by moving further away and muttering to herself. 

Most passengers tried to dispel the humid heat with some version of a fan, folded paper, hand bills, some twirled around their handkerchiefs in desperation, most had plastic hand fans. Lagos was hot and you had to be prepared. Its residents had learnt to outsmart inconvenience and woke up everyday with a new strategy that probably made divinity smile.

Lanre looked at his phone expecting a reply from his car mechanic. His car was towed off from Mandilas earlier that day on his way to a client, thanks to the alternator of his car. 

His phone began to vibrate. The screen read: “IreOluwatemiTiide Calling”, the green arrow gliding seductively across the screen. His mind went momentarily blank, then suddenly into chaos. He hadn't spoken to her for about three weeks now! He had waited for this minute. He had gone a little crazy and back, looking for her. They were caught in limbo, true, but that didn't excuse her disappearance and disregard for his emotions. As far as he was concerned, they were in a relationship. 

He had called her that night but she had told him, she'd call back. She never did. He didn't know how she was or where she was. Dara eventually told him that she was in Barcelona on a business trip. He had every reason to be mad at her.

'Hello'. There was a pause on the line.

'Hey, Lanre. How have you been?'

Lanre strained to hear her above the rumbling engine of the bus. How dare she sound so casual?

'I’m ok. How was your trip? Dara told me you were away.' 

The bus door swung open and more passengers flooded in. He inched further into the bus to create some space for the new travelers, his forefinger on his other ear to block out the sounds.

'Yeah, I’m sorry I fell of the radar. I had a couple of stuff I had to deal with….work related'.

'EHHHHH! THAT IS MY SEAT O!' shouted one of the passengers.

'Is your name printed on the seat?', retorted his contender. Fellow travelers intervened and in seconds it was a full-blown racket. Heat-induced agitation. Lanre turned his back on them and  tried to continue his conversation. Why hadn’t she called him all this time?

'Where are you? There’s a lot of noise in the background.'

'We need to talk, Tiide. It would be great to see you later', Lanre answered, ignoring her question. He had thought his walls were up and he’d be a little less fluid with affection. Hearing her voice stirred things inside him, it was like coming home, albeit, full of uncertainty and confusion. He missed being home.

 'I don’t think I can, Lanre, I need to deal with some things….. still.' Lanre felt like half of himself remained. She didn't want to see him. They dealt with issues together. When she had issues with her old boss, they dealt with it together and got Omicron together. The first time he flew by air, she had bought a ticket as well to Port Harcourt because she knew he hated the idea of being off the ground. 

'You can tell me, babe.' Should he have said babe? 

'Don't worry about it, Lanre. I have to go' she sounded aloof. He was on speaker, he could tell. She was probably reading messages as she spoke to him. Right on that bus, that hot afternoon, he knew he needed Tiide more than she’d ever need him. He felt completely torn apart by the intensity of his emotions; anger, desperation....fear. 

'Ok.Ok..wait, I know I sprang up on you that night with the proposal.' Lanre glanced up to see an eavesdropping passenger staring at him. The man quickly averted his gaze, pretending to stare at some phantom object behind Lanre’s head, frowning for effect. Lanre continued slightly hushed,'We really need to talk, can I call you tonight?'

Tiide hesitated on the other end. Finally, she sighed, 'I might be out with Dara till late. I’ll call you when we get home,ok?'

Lanre smiled. 'Ok'. He replied.

 He knew she wouldn't call.

To be continued...

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