The sound of her doorbell woke Joan up from her deep sleep. She tried to get up but froze when she realized she was cuddled against someone in a spoon position. She could tell it was a warm and hard male body. She stiffened when her nostrils picked up the familiar scent of Nivea deodorant and Axe body spray. Still unsure whether her mind was playing tricks on her, she looked down at the male hand which was draped over her waist, and her eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the black and brown beaded hand bands on the wrist.
Steve? What was he doing on her bed? When did he get here? She wondered, holding her breath when the doorbell rang again and Steve stirred in his sleep.
"You don't want to check who is at the door?" Steve asked in a husky voice, which sent shivers down her spine. Being a light sleeper, he had heard the sound of the doorbell and had also known the moment she woke up. Now he was wondering why she was getting up to check who was at her door.
Joan didn't know how to face him, or what to say. Although it was her house, and he had climbed into her bed uninvited, she was feeling embarrassed for reasons she didn't quite understand. She rolled away from him and thanked her stars that she had been too tired to take off her clothes earlier. It would have been very awkward for her had she slept naked or in just her undies as she usually did, only to wake up and find Steve on the bed beside her.
Funny how so much had changed between them in a couple of days. In the past, she had no problem with being dressed around him in just her undies or even changing her clothes in front of him. But now everything seemed to have changed. It was true that some lines were not meant to be crossed. Now that they had had sex, it seemed like their friendship would never be the same again.
"Just stay in here, while I see who is at the door," Joan said without looking at him as she walked out of the bedroom. The last thing either of them wanted was for either of their parents to barge in on them here too and misunderstand their relationship again.
Steve said nothing as he watched her walk away. Things were still very much awkward between them, and now he was wondering what had possessed him to lie down on the bed beside her when he knew very well the situation of things.
Once Joan got to the door she opened it, and saw Victoria standing there with a worried frown on her face, "What were you doing that took you so long to open the door? You got me very worried," Victoria said as she walked into the house and took off her low flat shoe.
Seeing Victoria, Joan didn't know whether to tell her Steve was inside, or keep the information to herself. After telling Victoria about what had transpired between her and Steve, she knew Victoria would likely think Steve was in her bedroom because they had been doing something, and she didn't want Victoria to misunderstand her.
Victoria headed straight for the dining section where a tall refrigerator was standing and opened it to take a bottle of water which she gulped down before turning to look at Joan, "What happened? I tried reaching you to find out what's up, but your number wasn't going through. I went to your office and was told you are no longer working there. What is going on?" Victoria asked as she returned to the living room to join Joan. She took off her braided wig and placed it on the couch between them.
Joan sighed as she looked at Victoria, "It's my father. He made my boss fire me."
"What? Why would he do something like that? Don't tell me it's about the arranged marriage! This doesn't make sense! They are going too far!" Victoria hissed angrily when she saw the sadness on Joan's face.
"I don't know what to do anymore. I'm tired," Joan said with a sigh.
"What is Steve saying? I asked you to call me back after talking to him on Sunday, but you didn't," Victoria said with disapproval.
"We agreed that I talk to his parents, and he talks to mine. We did that, but they refused, and now this!" Joan said, lifting and dropping her hand helplessly.
"Is Steve aware that you lost your job? Have you called him? Do you know if maybe he lost his job too?" Victoria asked, making Joan frown. Was that why Steve was in her house? On her bed? Joan wondered as she glanced at the wall clock. She hadn't realized it was past 6 PM already. How long had she slept?
"I haven't spoken with him yet," Joan said after a while.
"Well, you should call him. Call him now so that we can know what to do," Victoria suggested.
"I will call him when I'm more relaxed. I don't think I can talk to him yet," Joan said with a shake of her head. The last thing she wanted was to dial his number and have his phone ring out from the room.
"If you can't talk to him, I can. Where is your phone?" Victoria asked as she stood up and started looking around for the phone, "I guess it's in your bedroom," Victoria said, heading for the room.
"I'm hungry!" Joan blurted out, hurrying to where Victoria was to grab her hand to stop her from going inside the room where Steve was.
"Why don't you prepare that your special noodles? I have not eaten since yesterday. I will freshen up while you prepare it, then we can call him after I've eaten," Joan suggested with a bright smile making Victoria roll her eyes.
"I just sorry for you," Victoria said, shaking her head in disapproval as she dragged Joan to the kitchen with her, "Why you nuh wan tell me say Steve dey your house? Abi una knack again? (Why don't you want to tell me that Steve is in your house? Did you both have sex again?)" Victoria asked suspiciously.
"How did you know he is inside my house?" Joan asked in surprise, making Victoria shake her head as she gave Joan a weird look.
"This issue must be affecting you more than I thought. Is it not his car that is parked outside behind your car? Why would his car be parked there if he wasn't inside your house? I was just waiting for you to say he is inside or for him to come out. You both are making things awkward by hiding around like this," Victoria pointed out, making Joan sigh.
"I returned from the office and slept off immediately my back hit the bed. I woke up when I heard the sound of the doorbell and saw him sleeping on the bed next to me. How do I explain that?" Joan asked, and Victoria rolled her eyes.
"And I am a stranger to you that you have to hide something like that from? I will do as if I'm leaving and go into the other room, you both should talk so that he can leave. We can talk after that," Victoria suggested, and Joan nodded her head.
"I should have known I can count on you to understand me. Thank you," Joan said with a small smile as they both returned to the living room.
Victoria went to her phone's setting, and played her phone's ringing tone, "Hello? You're leaving now? No, please. Just hold on let me rush and pick it up before you go. Sorry, I kept you waiting, I'm coming now," Victoria said, pretending to be busy on the phone.
"Jo, I'm coming back, let me rush and pick something from one sales rep like that," Victoria said rushing towards the door.
"Okay na. I'm waiting for you o, don't just run away because I asked you to cook ordinary indomie o," Joan called after her, playing along.
They both opened the door, and then Joan shut the door as Victoria picked up her shoe, handbag, and wig and rushed into the other bedroom. Once she was inside and shut the door, Joan returned to meet Steve in the bedroom.