"Good evening ma",Miriam said,as did the girls. "Good-evening girls. Welcome to Chez Rouge",she said again. "Thank-you",they said. "Orisha,i've got a lovely table for you. No 2",she said and beckoned a waiter. "Please take him to table No. 2",she said. "Yes ma'am",the waiter replied and took them there. It was a very nice table as Orisha's aunt had said it was,and it was a table for two. There were a few empty tables next to the No 2. Miriam's heart sank as she realized her sisters would be right next to them,and then;"No reason why we can't chaperone from all the way over there",Eghosa said,pointing to a table on the other side of the room,across the dance floor. "Thanks,guys",Miriam said softly with a grateful smile. "You're welcome",Claire said and then they all went to their respective seats.
***
About 45 minutes later,Claire and Eghosa had just finished eating dinner,and they were watching Orisha and Miriam. "Young love,is such a beauty to behold",Eghosa said with a theatric sigh. "What are we,90?",Claire asked with a chuckle. "They look so happy together. Even you can't deny that",Eghosa said. "You're right. I can't",Claire replied. Miriam and Orisha really did look happy together-they laughed,talked,they were so absorbed in each other they didn't notice much else-they were pretty much in a world of their own. Miriam looked . . . radiant. Claire shook her head sadly. Eghosa noticed this,and asked;"What is it?". "They're not gonna work out",Claire replied sadly. "How can you know that?",asked Eghosa. "Because,Eghe. This isn't a fantasy,it's real life. And in real life,the pretty princess doesn't end up with Prince Charming. She gets her heart broken-dashed into a million little pieces". "Just because you don't believe it doesn't mean love doesn't exist. Quit being such a cynic". "Ok,Eghosa,just for the record,i do believe in love. It may be incredibly rare,but i truly believe it exists. I have to. I have to believe that there's something more than the selfishness,petty squabbles,bitterness and hate this worl

Date night. . . .
Miriam and her sisters had just arrived at Chez Rouge. Miriam wore a light red gown,black peep-toe heels and carried a matching black purse. She walked to the door,looking around nervously. Orisha was supposed to meet them outside. A few minutes later,she spotted him. He was resting against the wall,cleaning his glasses. "Hey",she called out. He put on his glasses,blinked,and then smiled. "Hey",he replied and walked to her. "Gd'evenin",she said. "Evenin' ",he replied,dipped his head and kissed her on the cheek. "The corporate look really works for you",she said. He was wearing a black striped suit,white dress shirt,bold red tie and a matching pocketsquare. "Thanks. You look beautiful",he said,running an appreciative eye over her outfit. "Uhm. . I got you this",he said,bringing out some flowers that were arranged as a brooch. "I didn't know the colour of the dress you'd be wearing,so i figured white would go with anything",he said,gesturing to the white flower brooch thing. "Thanks",she said and put it on. "And. . These are my sisters",she continued,turning to introduce them. "Claire,Eghosa,meet Orisha. Orisha,my sisters". "It's nice to meet you",he said,not sure if he should shake them or not. He ended up stuffing his hands in his pockets. "It's nice to meet you too",Eghosa said. "Shall we?",he asked,gesturing to the front door. "Sure",Claire replied. He took Miriam's arm in his and they all went in. "Welcome to Chez Rouge",said a beautiful woman somewhere between her early to late 30's,and then as she saw Orisha,her face brightened noticeably. "Good evening aunt Chidinma",he said. "Good evening dear",she said with a smile as he kissed both her cheeks.

Hurt-that he has such a low opinion of me",she said,getting angry all over again just thinking about it. "Mimi,calm down. Alright? Calm down",he said,his words like a soothing balm. "He just made it seem like having dinner with you was such a bad thing. He wants my sisters to chaperone us because he doesn't trust me to do the right thing",she said and continued with a sigh;"Orisha,i don't wanna burden you with my issues". "Burden? You're not burdening me with anything. What on earth makes you think talking to me about your feelings is a burden? You can talk to me about anything,Miriam,anything. You've gotta know that",he said,enunciating every word of the last two sentences clearly. "Miriam,this Friday night,we're gonna have dinner together. You're gonna wear a beautiful gown that'll blow me away when i see it. We'll. . We'll order the most exotic thing on the menu. We'll dance. We're gonna have a great time,and nobody'll ruin it. Nobody. It'll just you and me. We'll have a wonderful first date,chaperones or not". He paused and then continued;"I wish i could say something to make it all better". "You just did",she replied softly with a small smile,and continued;"Thank-you Orisha". "Anytime,Mims",he replied. "I'm looking forward to Friday night",she added. "So am i. Everything is gonna be fine. Don't forget that",he said. "I won't". "Bye",he said. "Bye",she replied. "No goodbye kiss?",he asked. She chuckled. "Kiss-kiss",he prompted. "Muuahh",she kissed into the phone with a laugh. "See you Friday",he said. "Kay",she replied and ended the call.

Look at the way he was going on and on about dating,like i was gonna commit fornication on the first date or something. And him insisting on chaperones? It all boils down to this simple fact-he doesn't trust me,period". "Your dad's just trying to protect you. The chaperone thing is not such a bad idea. . " "Really? Is that what you think of me mom? You think i won't be able to keep my legs closed when i'm with a boy? Is that why you think i need chaperones? Dad doesn't trust me,and the fact that we're having this conversation shows that you don't either",she said. "Miriam,this isn't about whether we trust you or not. You're a teenager;the bible talks about desires incidental to youth. You're in the bloom of youth and . . " "Mom",cut in Miriam and continued,speaking slowly through clenched teeth;"I really don't want to talk about the bible at this point in time,so can we please not do this now?" "Miriam,i'm just trying to. . " "Please,mom. I can't do this now",she said. Efe looked at her daughter and sighed in frustration,knowing it was no good trying to reason with her when she was in that mood. "Fine then. But later,later we are going to have this talk",her mother said and left the room.
***
Miriam had gone out for a walk immediately her mom left the room. Now,she had cooled down but she was still in a bad mood. Her phone rang and she checked caller ID. It was Orisha. She picked up the call on the fourth ring. "Hey",he replied. "Orisha,i'm not in a very good mood right now. Can you call me back later?",she asked. "Whoa,whoa,whoa. . What's wrong?" "Nothing",she replied. "Come on Mims,i know there's something wrong. I can hear it in your voice. What is it?",he asked. "My dad said the only way i could go to dinner with you is if my sisters come with me as chaperones". "Chaperones?",he repeated. "Yeah. He just. .y'know what? I don't wanna talk about this",she said. "Okay. Then let's talk about how you feel right now". "Angry. Frustrated-because i can't get through to him and i'm tired of trying.

"First you wanted to go see a movie with a friend of yours. Then you went to a reunion party with him. Now it's a lovely little dinner you want to go on with the same boy. Do you think i'm dense,Miriam? Or are you going to say it's just a friendly dinner? Are you? Answer me!",he demanded in anger,voice raised. She turned away,silent. "You can't answer me,can you? You can't,because you know as well as i do that this is not just dinner between friends. It's a date. A date! Do you even understand the concept behind dating? It's a way for a man and a woman to get to know each other better with the intention of finding out whether they're compatible and possibly getting married. That's what dating is for. Do you plan to get married anytime soon? No? I didn't think so. Trust! You're dating a boy,and you talk to me about trusting you?",he asked. He took a deep breath and then continued;"I'm trying. . . I'm trying very hard to be reasonable here Miriam. You will go to dinner with your sisters as chaperones,or you will not go at all". "Dad. . .",she began. "It's your decision Miriam",her father cut in. "Then i guess i have no choice. Looks like me and the girls'll be having dinner with my friend",she said and stormed off.
***
Miriam entered her room and slammed the door behind her. She was angry. A few minutes later,her mother knocked on the door. "Miriam? Miriam,open the door". Miriam didn't answer her. Miriam hadn't locked the door,so when her mother turned the handle,the door opened. She went inside and saw Miriam sitting on the ground next to her bed. "Miriam. . Baby? I want to talk to you". "Well i don't",she replied. Her mom sat down on a chair opposite her and began;"Miriam,your father is just trying to do what's best for you". "Oh don't give me that crap mom. Dad isn't trying to do what's best for me. This isn't about me. I don't even come into the equation,never mind the fact that it's my life. This is about dad;his ideas,his perceptions-how he sees me. It's about what he wants.

Sorry about that. I'l soon finish this scene. And about Miriam being different from girls of these days,that's the message i want to send across. She's essentially a good girl,and she truly believes she deserves some freedom.

***
That evening,her parents and Jacob had just finished eating. The girls didn't cook anything;Eghosa and Claire ate golden morn while Miriam ate a gala and drank a pack of Hollandia yoghurt. Jacob had just finished clearing the plates when Miriam came to talk to her dad. "Dad?",she began tentatively and then continued;"I need to ask you for something". "Seems like that's the only time you talk to me. When you need something",he mused aloud. He took a sip of his glass of water and then continued;"What is it?" "I'd like another extension of my curfew". "Why?",her dad asked. "I wanna have dinner with a friend of mine",she said. "This. . Friend,is he the same person you went with to the party last week?",her father asked. "Daddy. . ",she began. "Answer the question",he cut in. "He's the same person",she replied. Her dad nodded his head but didn't say anything at first. After a few seconds of tense silence,he said;"I'll let you go. But on one condition. Your sisters will go with you as chaperones". "Chaperones? What for? You didn't insist on Chaperones last week",she said in protest. "That's because they weren't around last week. They are now",he said. "Daddy,i don't need chaperones. I'm gonna do anything wrong. I don't need them",she repeated. "If you know you're not going to do anything wrong,the idea of having a chaperone shouldn't bother you",her father said. "This isn't about me. It isn't about whether or not i'll do something wrong. This is about you,dad. You don't trust me". "Trust? You're talking about trust? Trust is not demanded,it's earned",her father said. "So i haven't earned your trust? That's what you're saying?",she asked in mock astonishment. "I've been a model student,good grades,never done anything untoward. You gave me permission to go out to a party,and i returned home at the time we agreed on,sober! What more do you want dad? What more must i do to 'earn' your trust?",she asked in anger.

Patience,scofield,patience. You'll find out in due time.

''I know,i know",he said. "What're you going to have for dinner?",she asked a few minutes later. "Unripe plantain and vegetables",he replied. "Okay",she said,not bothering to ask which vegetable-she knew it was spinach. Her husband was into healthy food,and the iron-filled unripe plantain and spinach was a staple in his diet. She stood up and went into the kitchen to cook for herself,her husband and Jacob. The girls had told her they'd take care of themselves-they could only eat ripe plantains and maybe manage the spinach,but it had to be stewed,not steamed,and steamed was the way their father liked it,so that night,they were on their own.
***

***
Miriam walked into the parlor,heading for the door. "Miriam",her dad called. "Yes dad?",she answered and turned to him. He was seated on the two-seater. "You up for a game of chess?",he asked. "Chess?",she asked,looking at her father like he was speaking Latin. "Yes,Chess",he repeated. "Uhm. . . I was actually going out to buy something,but i guess we could play a game",she said and walked to him. She sat down opposite him and her dad arranged the pieces. The game lasted for about an hour. Mimi's dad always talked when he was playing chess;he'd crack jokes or tell one of those when-i-was-your-age/In-those-days stories. Mimi had learned a long time ago that that was a strategy-the objective was that you'd be so engrossed in the stories,you wouldn't pay attention to your game,and before you knew it-checkmate. That time,her dad was talking about how when he'd married her mom a crate of minerals was #2.50k and a goat was #150. Miriam was a naturally competitive person,but that was the first time she'd so thoroughly enjoyed being beaten. "You've gotten better",her dad remarked after the game. "I guess so",she replied. "I wanna go buy the stuff",she said,and added as an afterthought;"Is that okay?" "Yes. Sure",her father replied,a bit disappointed-he'd wanted them to watch a game together. She left,and then he sighed deeply. Efe,her mother walked in. "So?",she asked. "We played chess",he said,gesturing towards the chessboard on the table. "How did it go?",she asked softly. "It went",he replied. "That bad,hunh?",she said in question. "I don't know,Efe",he said with another sigh and continued;"She couldn't wait to leave. I don't get it. Miriam and i used to be so close. We used to play chess everyday,watch football,tennis together,talk,and now it's like i'm a stranger to her. You should've seen the look on her face when i asked her to play chess with me. It was like;'who are you and what've you done with my father?' ". "Mo. . . Things between you and Miriam aren't going to change overnight",she said.

I finally get what all the fuss is about. It was so amazing i ge goosebumps just thinking about it",Miriam continued just as dreamilyoblivious of Claire's interruption. "I finally got my first kiss at the ripe old age of 16,but it was definitely worth the wait",she said with a grin,and continued;"So now,we're kinda together. What about you Claire? What's tp with you and Owen?",Miriam asked,referring to Claire's on-again,off-again boyfriend. "He's there",she replied with a non-commital shrug. "They're off again",Eghosa whispered to Mimi,but just loud enough for Claire to hear. The three of them continued talking,disagreements forgotten,resentments buried;they were just sisters again,huddling together over the serious priority of boys.

Thanks semidi. I didnt want it to be one dimensional,just orisha and miriam,because then the story'd end very quickly. With the underlying resentment she feels for her sisters and the issues she has with her dad,and with things between her and Orisha getting serious,i felt this would be the right time to introduce her sisters.

,Eghosa cut in. "I didn't say nothing's happened,i just said nothing much",she said,trying to be blasé about it. "Well. . ?",Eghosa prompted. 'Ah,screw it',Miriam thought to herself and asked aloud,her eyes beaming with enthusiasm;"Remember Orisha?" "Yeah",said Claire. "Which Orisha? I don't remember any Orisha",Eghosa said. "The one from her class in pry. School that she found on facebook?",Claire said,trying to jog her sister's memory. Eghosa's face remained blank. "The one she kissed,that all those small kids in her class came to report her to us? Cute little guy in glasses?" "Oh. . . That Orisha",said Eghosa,recognition dawning. "Well why didn't you just say it was him?",she added. Claird rolled her eyes and smiled. "What about him?",Eghosa asked Mimi. "Well he's back in the country. He's been back for over a month now,and we've been hanging out. He's grown up into an amazing guy;he's sweet,he's funny,he has this rare ability to laugh at himself and his own foibles,he's kind-a perfect gentleman,he's just. . . . Wow",she said. "And you've got the hots for him",Claire said intuitively. "Yes",Miriam replied without hesitation. "Ooooh. . . . She's got it bad! She didn't even bother to deny it",Eghosa said to Claire. They all laughed. "So,anyway",Miriam continued;"Last week Friday,we went to this reunion thing,of our primary school set,and there was this other guy from way back-Mike. He's hot,and we were talking and laughing-and Orisha got into a rotten mood. When we were driving back home,he said a few things,pissed me off. . . ",she said and paused to lick her lips. "And. . ?",said Claire. "And i blew up,and he apologized,and. . . " "And what?",asked Eghosa this time around. "He kissed me". "How was it? Details,details",Eghosa said,all but squealing in excitement. "It was amazing. He's the best kisser i've ever kissed",Miriam said dreamily. "He's the only guy you've ever kissed",Claire noted wryly. "It was so romantic. I've been reading about kisses and romance for years,but now,i finally get it,

"Now could you go get us the drinks?". "Sure",he replied. "Oh and bring us cold ones,as in ice-block cold",added Claire. "There are no 'ice-block cold' ones. Mommy moved them from the freezer to the fridge this morning",he replied. "Just get us the coldest ones you can find",she said. "Kay",he said and left. Eghosa and Claire loved Smirnoff ice. They didn't mind alcohol,but they were very picky. Stout was too bitter-"Why would anyone deliberately torture himself by drinking that stuff?",Eghosa had once asked in reference to Stout. They didn't like Star or Gulder or Crystal. There wasn't any particular reason;they just didn't like them. Then whiskey,vodka,gin,rum etc were too strong-a few shots and they'd be down for the count,and they definitely didn't like being drunk. It was gross-puking,being so conked out you could do some pretty crazy stuff that'd leave you mortified when you regained your senses,not to mention the massive hangovers you'd have the morning after. Smirnoff ice,on the other hand,was sweet(Praise God!),they loved the bottle and it wasn't too alcoholic. It was love at first taste! Miriam was pretty much the same,except she could handle the occasional shot/s of Johnny Walker,St Remy etc. Given how strict their father was,it was a wonder he didn't mind them drinking-as long as they didn't get drunk(or more accurately,as long as he didn't see them drunk). It wasn't like they went on drinking binges everyday,though. They were pretty level-headed about the whole thing. None of them ever drank alcohol outside the house(even when the girls went off to school and attended the occasional party,they never drank anything alcoholic),and they all had personal limits. The girls never drank more than two bottles of Smirnoff a day,and Miriam was preuy much the same. "So what's been going on here?",Claire asked a few minutes later after Jake had brought their drinks and left. "Nothing much. . . ",Miriam began. "Don't even go there,Mims. We've been gone for months. There's gotta be something that's happened"

Their dad protested at first(it was the accountant in him,he couldn't help it),but when they threatened to spend the three week holiday at the house in Benin,he sent the money to their accounts the next day. Eghosa was a year older than Claire,yet they were both in their second year,studying the same course. What happened was this;When Eghosa finished school,she wrote her Jamb with Unilag as her first choice-that was her dad's wish(he originally wanted all his children to go to school from home). Anyway,she passed the Jamb,scored 237 actually,wrote the post-ume and scored 61. She was going for Economics;her dad's master plan was that she'd finish her first course,go abroad for her Masters' and then come back home to lecture so that by the age of 40 or thereabout,she'd become a proffessor and thus be assured of a fixed salary for the rest of her teaching years,and even when she retired. It was a good plan-except things didn't work out that way. The hard truth was that Eghosa's dad didn't have connections,or more appropriately,he did,he just wasn't willing to use them to get his kid into school-it'd be morally wrong,he'd say. So Eghosa spent one year at home. The next year,she persuaded him to let her do things her way. She and Claire put Uniben as their first choice(Benin was their state of origin),and both of them got in. They were now 2nd year Economics and Statistics students,they'd both gotten in without any 'mago-mago',they were doing wonderfully well,and their father was immensely proud of them. Back to the present,Miriam and her sisters lay on the bed in Mimi's room,gisting. They'd started right after Eghe and Claire got in,and they hadn't let up since. "Ja. .cob!",yelled Eghosa. "Coming!",he replied. About half a minute later,he poked his head in. "Be a darling and get us three bottles of smirnoff,Jacob",Eghosa said. "It's Jake now. Y'know,the Jakester,J-man?",he said. "Really?",Eghosa asked,eyebrow raised as her lips twitched in amusement. "My bad,Jakester",she said,deciding to humor him,and continued;

***
The next day,Miria was in her room,her earpieces plugged in. She was listening to Kelly Clarkson's 'My life would suck without you',a song on her rock playlist and she tried to imagine how her life would be if Orisha wasn't in it. She couldn't-and that scared her. She realized then that her feelings for Orisha made her vulnerable,and that-being vulnerable-was something she was terrified of. 'I can't change what i feel for him-even if i want to',she thought to herself when the song ended. She truly didnt want to change what she felt for Orisha;he was a wonderful guy,and when she was with him,he made her feel so good it was almost surreal. At that point,her younger brother rushed in. "Can't you knock?",she yelled at him. "Sorry. . . ",he said,out of breath,and continued;"I just wanted to tell you that they've come". Then he ran back out. She removed her earpieces and heard the familiar revving of her dad's engine. Her sisters were returning from school that day,and he'd gone to pick them up from the airport. Now he was home,which meant they were home as well. She went outside to greet them. "Mimi!",Eghosa shrieked and went to hug her. "I missed you",she continued. "I missed you too",Mimi replied,and she really had missed her. "What about me?",asked Mimi's other sister,Claire. They hugged and Claire said;"You have no idea how much i've missed my crazy sister". "I've missed pissing you off too",Miriam replied with a smile. "So,how was your flight?",Miriam asked as they went inside. She carried one of their bags,their dad carried another,and Jacob,their 10-year-old brother carried the last(and smallest)one. "It was fine",replied Eghosa. They were both in the university of Benin. They usually drove themselves to Lagos when they were coming home for the holidays,but that time was different. The Benin-Ore road had advanced from bad to worse,so they told their father that they had no intention of driving from Benin to Lag-the road was a bloody deathtrap and they couldn't spend 8 hours on the road.

@all,thanks! Here comes the next scene.

You're constantly weighing options,making choices;give or take,buy or sell,live or die. I learnt that that day.

with a thud. His pupils were dilated and he was shaking uncontrollably. He was having an epileptic seizure. I half-expected people to run away from him like he had some contagious disease,so i was pleasantly surprised when a couple of people went to him and helped him up,while someond wedged something in his mouth-presumably to stop him from biting his tongue off. Two women freely offered advice;one of them,a woman of average height,fair in complexion and in native attire suggested that they pour water on him while the other said they should bring garlic and put it in his mouth. After a few minutes,he regained consciousness and was led away by two Hausa dudes. The whole market was a very interesting experience,different shapes and sizes of human beings,rich and poor,young and old, all reduced to the same state,haggling ferociously with the sellers,everyone trying to get a better(by which i mean cheaper)deal,vast throngs of humanity all gathered for a common purpose;buy or sell,the stink of rotting vegetables and the stench of humans drenched in their own sweat,pungent odors of unwashed bodies wafting upwards and offending my delicate sensibilities(haha,yeah right! The only thing offended was my nose),people saturated with the smells emanating from their means of livelihood and slime-slicked skins. Then there werd the various men who pushed wheel barrows full of various food items and others who carried huge sacks of foodstuffs on their shoulders,all yelling;"Kuro!",and if you didn't kuro,well,you'd more than likely be knocked down,and they probably wouldn't even stop to say sorry,afterall,they did shout;"Kuro!",and besides,who had the time to stop? It was a quagmire of humanity,and yet,you just had to appreciate these simple people who chose to work,however menial some might consider their work to be,but their beauty lay in the simple yet elegant dignity of their labour. It was truly a sight to behold. The whole thing made me feel kinda philosophical. Life is pretty much like a market,y'know?

My mother came to visit me earlier that week. It was really nice to have her around,brought back a lot of memories. Anyway,while she was there,she insisted we go to the market,the one at mile 12. See,i'm a very uncomplicated person. I don't haggle-not because i have an inflated ego, but because,quite simply,it's a waste of time. This is how i shop:I go to the first stall i see,and say,for example;"I wanna buy this yam". "350",the seller says. I bring out my wallet,pay,and collect my yam. I move to the next stall and say;"I wanna buy 250 naira's worth of spinach". The seller wraps it up,i pay,and move to the next stall. They sell tomatoes,and lucky for me,fish. "How much is this fish?",i'd ask,pointing to a pile i like. "450,oga",she replies. I pay her,buy some tomatoes,collect my stuff and go to my car. In under 15 minutes,i've shopped for dinner,and maybe tommorow's lunch. Great,isn't it? My mom was talking about how buying things in bulk was cheaper. That's when she said we should go to mile 12. "I'm not going to the market",i said in protest. "Fair enough. Just drive me there",she said. So i did,gave her money,and when i was about to drive off,she stopped me. "How do you expect me to get back home? Do you want me to start hopping buses with all the load i'll have?". So i stayed. "I might be shopping for a while. You can't just sit in the car all day. It'll be hot and very uncomfortable. Just come with me and help your mother carry some of the foodstuffs",she cajoled. Shopping with my mother was a nightmare. It always is. Two hours later,we were still walking around,thanks to my mom's rather annoying habit of pricing the same thing in like a hundred different places(ok so maybe i'm exaggerating,but not by much). My feet were starting to hurt,my shoes were so soaked(not really soaked,but almost there)with liquid mud, dirty water and other unknown substances that i knew they were gonna be condemned. I sat down for a bit in the onions section. I hadn't been there long when some Hausa dude fell of his high stool

About two and a half hours later,the movie ended. "Some movie",she sahd. It was a suspense-filled thriller,and she'd enjoyed every minute of it-when she wasn't surreptitiously glancing at her boyeridnd. "Yeah. It was",he said in reply. They talked for about half an hour or so,and then she said she had to go. "Awww. . Come on. Can't you stay a little bit longer?",he asked with a mock pout. "I'd love to,but i've been here for 3 hours,Orisha. There's some stuff i've gotta do at home". "Alright. Hey,remember how i said i'm make it up to you-having to cancel today's date?" "Yeah . . ?" "I just thought of something. I'm gonna give you a first date to remember",he said. "Really?" "Yeah. We'lk go out for dinner. I'll take you to this really nice restaurant-Chez Rouge". "Chez Rouge? Sounds classy",she said. "Yeah. The dress code's pretty formal-suit and tie,evening gown". "It also sounds expensive",she added. "It is. . But",he hurried to add before she made any objections;"My aunt,Bj's mom? She manages the place,so i'll get a discount". "Oh",she said and continued;"Well,in that case. . . " "We're on. Friday night?" "Sounds great. All i have to do is get another extension of my curfew,and then we're home free". She stood up and went to the door,and he followed. "I'd love to escort you. . . " "But you've gotta keep an eye,or more appropriately,an ear on Bj?",she said. "Yeah",he said with a smile,grateful she'd understood,and then continued;"There's no reason why i can't do this,though". He leaned in,dipped his head and gave her one helluva kiss. Slightly disoriented,she said when they were done:"I don't think i'll ever get over how amazing that is". He grinned. She opened the door and went out. "Bye",she said. "Bye. See you Friday",he replied.

"What's wrong?",she asked in concern. "He just started crying when we left",he replied. "Is he hungry?" "Nah. I've fed him". "Is there something he wants?" "No. If there was,he'd be yelling. Now he's just crying softly;start and stop,start and stop,like he's confused or something",Orisha said,and then added seconds later when he was sitting with Miriam;"I think he wants to sleep",he said to Miriam,and continued;"That's it,isn't it Bj? You wanna sleep? Ok,nappy time",he cooed to Bj. "Y'know,i've always wondered why babies cry when they want to sleep. Why can't they just close their eyes and get on with it?",she asked. "Beats me",he said with a shrug and then stood up. "I'mma go put him to bed",he said. He then walked to the t.v stand and switched it on. "You can watch t.v. I'll be back as soon as i can",he said and left. Fifteen minutes later,he returned witg a baby monitor and dropped it on the table. Then he sat down next to her. "It took us a while,but r finally got him to sleep. What are you watching",he asked. "Nothing in particular. Just trace",she replied. "You mind?",he asked,gesturing to the remote. "No. Here",she said and gave him the remote. He changed the channel and put it in Movie Magic. A movie was about to start-Disturbia. "Cool. Disturbia! I've been wanting to watch this film for a while now. At first it was because of Shia LeBeouf,but then i saw a trailer and i knew i had to watch it". "I guess you're getting your wish",he said and stood up again. He returned with a 1 litre pack of Hollandia yoghurt-plain-which he knew was her favorite,a glass and a bottle of Smirnoff ice for himself. "Thanks",she said. "You're welcome",he replied. And then they settled in to watch the film. He draped an arm around her and she leaned into him slightly.

Back to the story.
"It was with Grant",Orisha said,referring to his younger brother. "I had 11 years on him,so i was very involved in taking care of him. It was a Friday afternoon,i'd just come back from school. My mom was busy in the kitchen,asked me to change him,so i did. There was this cool cartoon that was on;i can't even remember what it was,but i was watching it. I'd changed Grant's diapers so many times i could probably do it with my eyes closed,so i wasn't paying as much attention as i should've been",he said and paused for dramatic effect. "And . . ?",she prompted. "I shall never know. One minute i'm watching my cartoon,the next my face was full of warm urine. It took a few seconds for it to click-Grant had peed on me! So there i was,the stuff was running down my shirt now,and Grant,he started laughing,like he knew what he'd done",continued Orisha,chuckling at the memory. Miriam was laughing too-she could see everything in her mind,and it was hilarious. "What happened next?",she asked,the laugh still in her voice. "I yelled. My mom came running out,took one look and figured out what had happened. I went to my room,showered,changed. There was a bright side to it though. I was off diaper duty for months",he ended. By then he'd finished changing Bj's diapers. "I'll be right back",he said,took Bj and went to dispose of the used diaper. When they returned a few minutes later,Bj was crying.

@semid,thanks.

"So i think it's time we met",she said,talking to the baby. "Mimi,this is my cousin,Bj. Bj,this is my girlfriend,Miriam",he said with a grin. She smiled too-Bj was adorable. "Can i hold him?",she asked. "Sure",he said,handing Bj over to her,and continued;"I've gotta warn you though-He doesn't like strangers". Miriam cooed and made funny faces-at which Bj laughed. "I thinks he likes me",she said with a grin. Bj and Miriam hit it off immediately,Bj was so cute when he laughed(he just had a couple of teeth,and it only made him more adorable),but he was a little mischevious-he'd taken a handful of her hair,pulled it pretty hard and refused to let go. She'd had a hard time loosening his hand from her hair(because he had a pretty strong grip),but eventually she did. She tickled him,made some more funny faces-it was great. "Wow. I've never seen him warm up to anybody so fast",Orisha said a few minutes later,and continued;"You're good with babies". "Thanks. Y'know,if i had a penny for everytime i've babysat,i'd be a millionaire",she replied with a chuckle. "I was about to change his diapers when you came. . ",he said. "Ok",she said and gave Bj back to him. Orisha took Bj to the dining table where all the stuff was,took off his shorts,and started taking off his diaper. "Err. . . Orisha,when you're changing a boy's diapers,you've gotta be . . . " "Extra careful? I know",he finished for her. "Oh. Somebody told you?" "No. Experience is a horrible teacher". "No friggin way!". "Yes way",he replied with a smile. "Oya,start talking",she said.

***
A few days later,Miriam was knocking on Orisha's door. They were supposed to meet there and then go out on a date. Date. Miriam smiled at the thought of the word. Date. She had a boyfriend,and she was actually going out with him on a date,she thought with a grin. On the third knock,Orisha answered from within the house;"I'm coming!". About half a minute later,he opened the door. "Hey",he said with a broad smile. "Hey",she replied,surprised. He was wearing a white polo and black cargos-and he was carrying a baby. "Come in",he said,and she did. "I know we were supposed to to go out for lunch,but things've changed. I'm stuck babysitting",he said apologetically,gesturing to the baby he was carrying. "We could stay in,watch a movie or something",he said hopefully. "Orisha. . . " "Or we could reschedule if you like",he continued. "We can stay in",she said unenthusiastically. "If you don't wanna babysit with me,i totally understand",he began. "No-it's not that. I like babies. Love them,actually. It's just. . . I was really looking forward to our first date",she said in reply. "So was i. . I'm sorry to disappoint. This just came up. My aunt needed help,so i offered. I'll make it up to you,i promise",he said. "It's okay",she replied. "Thanks",he said,leaning in to kiss her softly on her cheek.

Wow-@errybody,thanks. I've never been a serious writer,and it feels really good to have people read and appreciate my work.

I'm still working on the next scene, i'll probably post it today or tommorow.

"Wow",she said seconds later,her eyes still closed,and continued;"I'm speechless". "That's a first",he teased with a smile. She opened her eyes and said,still in his arms;"Y'know,i always wondered what all the fuss about a kisr was for. Now i know". "I'm your . . " "First kiss? Yeah. You are",she finished for him,and continued;"There have been guys. Cute guys . Hot guys. Guys that i've crushed on,but i guess i never really liked them enough to wanna do this with them". "You like me?",he asked in shock. He was still blown away by the fact that he was her first kiss and how it made him feel oddly possesive. "Yeah. I really like you,Orisha",she said in reply. "So do i",he replied and pulled away so he could look into her eyes. "I have feelings for you Miriam. Strong feelings. About tonight,i didn't mean what i said,and i am so sorry that it hurt you,cos the last thing i wanna do is hurt you",he said. "It's okay",she said softly. "I just. . When you came to the party,you were so pretty you took my breath away,and then Mike showed up,and you went off with him,and for the rest of the night,he was hanging around you,talking,laughing. . . . You seemed so into him it was driving me crazy",he said. "Mike,is cool. He's a great guy,but he's not the guy i like. That guy's you",she said,putting a palm on his cheek as she said it. "Besides,it's kinda flattering that you were so jealous",she added. He smiled at her,and then said;"I guess this means we're kinda together now". "Yeah. I guess it does",she replied with a smile of her own. "You know,Orisha,where there's a first,there's always a second. And a third,and a . . ",she said was silenced by his lips on hers as he kissed her a second time. When it was over,she smiled against his lips and then saw her wristwatch glinting as a ray of light was reflected to it. "Ohmigod,Orisha,look at the time",she said with a gasp. "We've gotta get going",she continued and they hurried back to the car and drove home.

Yeah,yeah,lol. Writing this scene was a lot of fun.

I thought ray was gonna rape tiara.

You can't get a bus from here",he said. "I'll find my way home,don't you understand English? Go away!" "I'm not leaving you. It's dark,it's dangerous. I said i'd get you home safely",he said. "You also said you were my friend. Friends don't say what you said to me". "I'm sorry",he said,running a hand through his hair,and continued;"It's just. . . He was all over you tonight. Everywhere i turned,you guys were together;talking,laughing,sharing some secret joke. . . You were all over each other",he said. She stood up and came to face him. "How dare you? How dare you stand here and say that to me? You know how important being noticed is to me. You know! And tonight,for the first time in a long g time,a guy noticed me. How dare you denigrate that? For the first time,someone noticed me!",she said,her hurt and anger clearly on her face and in her voice. "I notice you",he said softly. "Wha. . What did you say?",she asked,not wanting to believe what she'd just heard. "I notice you. All the time. When we're going places,having lunch,hanging out,or when we're just talking. I notice you",he repeated again for emphasis. She didn't say anything,she couldn't,s he just stared at him as she tried to process what he'd just said,telling herself not to read meanings into his words. And then he kissed her,and there was no way in hell she could possibly misunderstand that. There they stood,kissing in the faint light,shadows stealing across the dark sky. They kissed and kissed and kept on kissing until Miriam felt like she would die if he stopped she couldn't think clearly,hell she couldn't think at all,she was completely focused on how good he was making her feel. Her knees went weak,and his arms went around her as he pulled her closer to him. Her hands went to his broad chest and she took fistfuls of his shirt and felt his hard muscles beneath. Finally,the kiss ended.