Head or tail, Soyinka remains an icon.

Nice work.

I went through some of the dailies We were already stacked on the center table.

‘Breakfast is ready, sir,’ the maid came to announce.

I nodded. ‘Thank you.’

Just then, Lizzy came in. In the presence of the maid, she behaved conventionally.

‘Good morning, uncle,’ she greeted.

I grinned. ‘Good morning, Lizzy. How was your night?’

‘It was wonderful,’ she replied, emphasizing the word, ‘wonderful.’  

A good actress she was, I thought.

A bloody actor I was, she decided.

The maid left the room. I smiled and winked at her. We had our breakfast. After the breakfast, We sat in the sitting-room and got engrossed in reading the newspapers. I digested the contents as if I was studying them. Lizzy excused herself and left for her room. Later I spoke to Fransisca and my children on the phone.

‘Daddy, are you not feeling bored over there?’ Tomi, my first child asked.

‘Well, daddy is coping,’ I answered.

‘We want to come there, daddy. We want to come to Abuja.’

I grinned to myself. ‘Don’t worry, very soon, you’ll all come and know this place.’

After I had finished talking to them, I called Lizzy out of her room. ‘I’ll be going to town, but I won’t stay long,’ I said. ‘Is there anything you’ll want me to get for you?’

She smiled briefly. ‘Anything.’

‘Okay.’

I drove myself to town and went to a shopping plaza. Now, what could I buy for Lizzy? I had not got any salary from my new job yet and was still very mindful of the way I spent money.

I picked three fanciful t-shirts for her. I also went to a drug store to get some items. Within two hours, I was back in the house.
I met Lizzy in the sitting-room watching television.

‘Hello, there.’

‘Welcome,’ she replied. I made straight for my bedroom. After a minute, Lizzy stood up and went to join me there. I showed her the three designer t-shirts.

‘Many thanks,’ she said and gave me a peck.
‘I hope you like them.’

‘Sure. They’re beautiful.’

‘Don’t worry, by the time I start earning money, you’ll get better things.’

‘I know.’ She examined the wears and nodded appreciatively. ‘Let me see how it looks on me.’

She changed from the shirt she was wearing to try one of the t-shirts.

‘How do I look?’ she asked, turning around.

I smiled. ‘It fits you perfectly well. It’s as if it is customized. You look beautiful.’

She was delighted to hear that. ‘Thank you. What did you buy for yourself?’

I shook my head. ‘Nothing for now.’

‘Oh, you’re a man of noble heart,’ she said and came to hug me.

‘Thank you.’

Hours later, We had our lunch. Minutes after the meal, I stood up from the sofa in the sitting-room. ‘I think I’ll take a nap.’

I went to my bedroom. Just as I suspected, she soon came to join me. I was lying on the bed but was wide awake.

‘What name do I call you when we’re together like this?’ she asked.

‘What name do you want to call me?’

‘Can I call you A.Y?’

I chuckled and shook my head.

‘I’m sorry,’ I said.

‘For what?’

My grin was rueful. ‘I’m sorry for touching it.’

She didn’t say anything.

I lay on my back by her side. It was embarrassing, but there was a bulge between my groin. No, no, don’t go further, my mind told me. In fact, get up from that bed and tell her to leave. Do that right now!
I could not. I remained on my back, my heart beat racing. I looked at her briefly and our eyes locked.

There was something magnetic about that. my right hand went to the boob again. It stayed much longer, this time, and there was no protest from her. I robbed and squeezed it. my hand moved to the second boob and did the same.

There was no going back now. I removed her sky blue top and the white brassiere. She allowed me to do so. The child’s play had become full adult game.
 
Hours later, specks of light peeped through the room. It was dawn. We were naked under the bedspread, and I held her the exact way I used to hold Fransisca, my wife – Lizzy’s senior sister.

Lizzy snuggled to my side. I opened my eyes and studied her. my mind was filled with guilt. How could you do this to her?  What came over you? How could you be so morally lax like this?

But another mind dismissed all the recriminations.

It was a good opportunity and I had made the best of it. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. No one had acted under duress. She wasn’t an under-age, so it was not rape. It was a case of kiss-me-I-kiss-you.

She moved gently and put her right her on my chest. I held the hand and stroked it gently.

She finally opened her eyes and looked at me dreamily. A smile played on her lips and she looked blissful.

‘Good morning, baby girl,’ I greeted.

‘Good morning, big boy,’ she replied, still smiling.

‘What a naughty girl you are,’ I said under my breath.

‘What a naughty man you are,’ she replied.

He sighed and closed my eyes. Her hand cuddled my chest.

‘Oh Lizzy, what have you done to me?’

‘I should ask you that question.’

Still under the wrap of the bedspread, she climbed on me. Our lips met and We kissed deeply.

I cuddled her all over again and We went on another trip to Eros land. Thereafter, she lay exhausted on my hand. We slipped into a short nap until the house maid came to knock on my bedroom door.

‘Good morning, sir,’ she greeted from outside. ‘I want to know what to prepare this morning for you, sir.’

‘Make beverages and toast bread,’ I said instinctively.

‘Yes, sir.’

I yawned and got up from the bed. I wore my boxer short and went to the bedroom. There, I brushed my teeth and had a bath. Lizzy too awoke to have her bath.

Then she left for her room to change her clothes. I wore a t-shirt and jeans and moved to the sitting-room. I went through some of the dailies We were already stacked on the center table.