A nightcap did not sound bad at all. I call Will. Unfortunately, they left and called it a night. Walking down the less crowded streets in the evening lights on seemed like a good idea. It wasn't long before I got back to the house; nothing was interesting.
TV on I settle down on the seat. Alone time. A text chimes in and I get excited, did she arrive safely and now she wants us to talk? Then I remembered that she had a long day tomorrow; though, why is she texting? She is not the kind who you get intimate with and then reminisce later with via text and make promises for the next entanglement.
Checking the message, it came from Bev. Bev. B. Lately, we hardly talk, like in the earlier days when we were getting to know each other; this was the honeymoon phase, and now we are like an old married couple who sometimes forget the other partner exists.
It read; "We missed you tonight and a sad emoji."
Was she the reason why Will was inclining me to join them? There was a previous message from Isa I hadn't opened, and it was a series of emojis and question marks.
"Hey! a series of emojis.
Your girlfriend is here. A bunch of ridiculous emojis and a smile that leads to laughter until she dies. And that drew a smile from me, she was clearly tipsy.
Are you coming back? Did you invite her?
Where are you?
Why did you leave?
Was it Ell?
Is it serious?
Are you tired of us?"
Well, she was spiraling; leaving her a text. I have to make her a hangover cure or else she will be cranky the whole day and I might get caught in her whip-lash. Bev; should I reply to this, should I call her? That didn't strike me as a good idea, I had come to accept she was the friend of the group, not me and I should crucify her over trivial matters
I text her back; "I had an emergency I had to attend to."
"Everything okay? With a worried emoji", that came in a few seconds later
"Yeah, everything is positive I added a plus sign and a thumbs-up."
"Next time, you will join us."
"For sure."
"We did have a good time."
"That is wonderful."
The three dots indicating she was texting disappeared. Good riddance, opening Twitter app, it is X nowadays. X sounds very weird on my tongue, I stick with the cute little bird; Twitter. Checking what is up in the world; she calls. That wasn't long. I had to pick it up. We were texting, why was she calling?
"I have got good news," she said, sounding excited. "I want to share, I don't know if the others have said anything, but we are going for a road trip on Friday afternoon, out of the city."
"Where are you guys going?"
"You are included. I have a shoot on Saturday in Nyeri and there is a concert after, I have tickets for all of us."
"That sounds like a plan."
"Are you excited?"
"Yeah!"
"We will be spending some quality time together."
"Sure."
"I will meet up with you guys tomorrow evening after work and finalize everything."
"Okay."
"Will you be there?"
"Definitely."
"I will see you then."
"For sure."
"How has your day been?"
"The normal,.. running a company."
"Sound boring."
"It is."
"Okay! I will leave you. Have a wonderful night."
"Goodnight."
We were going on a trip, something to take me out of the city. That was doable. Isa didn't reply, and I knew she was dead asleep. As much as I wanted to text Ell, I couldn't; it didn't fit; she is not the type of girl who likes nagging. I give her time, we will talk tomorrow.
These feelings that are developing are overwhelming, and I am trying to ignore them as much as I can. When I am with her, at least they are at a bay; she is their master after all. I do like her, but the way she operates is crazy. She pulls me close and then dangles me at arm's length.
I am looking forward to the day we will sit down and have a proper conversation about what she wants. Now, if she wants to use my body for her pleasures, I am good. These feelings have to be tucked away. I am going to be patient.
Getting a grip on her is difficult, neither of us has come clean concerning who they are, not that we aren't who we are I mean, our identities to each other. And that keeps festering in me, why hasn't she told me anything? The nudge that there was someone else in the picture is nagging me. The good thing is that she likes me enough to plan a surprise supper for me. She came with groceries, I had forgotten about those.
I go to the kitchen, emptying the bags of their contents. She was down to cook, or did she expect me to, because can't I cook? I would like her to cook for me, as they say, a way to a man's heart is through the stomach, though she is already in mine; only she doesn't know that.
After putting everything aside where it belongs, I decide to have supper. I reheated some leftovers and sat down to eat. We have to cook together, which would be romantic. See her skills with the knife and how we interact with each other in such proximity.
When are we doing this? Apparently, I am going on a road trip. That is one of my major weaknesses. I couldn't pass, being on the road and having a good time. It looked like I was in another life; I was in a band, a tourist consultant, or something that involved traveling.
Sightseeing, a concert, and who turns a good photo shoot. I always make it a purpose to look good, no matter what I wear. "Make sure you wear the clothes; do not let the clothes wear you, or fashion loses its meaning," my mother says. My dad says, "Clothes distinguish a man."
My parents had been running Maridadi before my siblings and I were born. It was their first child together. It is a whole thing, from textiles, to complete designs on the runway walks; they know what they are saying. I find myself looking forward to the trip.
We have to reschedule this cooking thing with Ell, next week sounds ideal, a day like today; a Wednesday, I will have to ask her. It will be nice hanging out with the guys, these days we have been more than busy. We hardly let loose, we only see each other but don't talk, this will do us some good.