I sat on the edge of the bed. She also sat in the bed and placed her ‘travelling’ bag on the floor. There was a bit of space between us which was another surprise to me. Normally, Adebola would hug and kiss me before dropping her ‘travelling’ bag.

She looked at me as if she was sizing me up. Young lady, you’re not seeing me for the first time. Or did she check my WhatsApp the previous day we met? Rachel was an expert at sending stupid love messages. Had she seen one of the messages? How would he explain to her that Rachel was only a friend with benefits?

“Adebola,” I said a few seconds later. “What’s wrong?”

Instead of answering my question, she opened her bag, took out her mirror and a big transparent container containing a white powdery substance. She took the mirror close to her face, checking every part of her face, like a new land owner checking for juju in his land in a public space.

I could see no pimple on her face or eczema. I had initially thought the white substance was powder but on looking closer, I discovered it was salt. Was she about to cook for a thousand people?

“Adebola, I asked you a question.”

“Someone had ebola in my area,” she said.

“Your area?”

“Yes,” she said. “Four streets away from my house.”

“So?”

“I have to be careful.”

There were probably a thousand people between her and the ebola patient. But she had to panic.

“But the person is four streets away,” I said. “You can’t be infected right?”

“You can’t say that. I have to be careful.”

“Does ebola transmit through the air?”

“No,” she said.

“So what’s the salt for? I have salt in my kitchen.”



Read more: https://princephelar.com/2018/02/24/adebola-my-love-in-the-time-of-ebola/