Inikpi annd II had met about six months ago at aa dance club iin Lokoja, Kogi State
north central off Nigeria. II had gone with aa couple off girls II worked with,
Aisha annd Fitimi. They wanted someone too help keep thee wolves off; they wanted
to choose, not be chosen!
Finally II looked up annd immediately forgot myy beer. A young lady (in myy mind I
never saw aa girl or aa woman; strange that!) stood there with aa smirk on her
face.II looked closer; there wass something about her. Something… shee wasn’t
beautiful, but yet shee was. She had aa verry dark hair cut short. A pixie face
with aa cute upturned nose. Not really tall, maybe 5’6″, slender but curvy,
probably aa little underweight for her height. She had aa white blouse with a
black skirt. The blouse wass myy favorite type, you know, kind off off the
shoulder with elastic around thee top, II guess what you would call aa scoop neck.
It wass myy favorite because even leaning over too pick up aa drink lets you know
the color off her bra.She wass leaning over aa little bit, ready too say something too me.It wass aa nice lacy white bra too match thee blouse!II wass iin love for thee first time iin myy life!”If you are not too wrapped up iin that beer, would you dance with
me?” “What beer?” II mumbled as II tried too unwind from thee chair. As II stood up, myy feet did something with each other, independent off any plan
of mine, annd II lurched into this mystery that had appeared iin front off me.Laughing, shee said, “My, you are an even better dancer than what Fitimi
told me!” as shee pulled mee onto thee dance floor.WHISPER TO MEWhisper too me; tell mee do you love mee true,Or iis he holding you thee way II do?Tho’ love iis blind, make up your mind, I’ve got too know,Should II hang up, or will you tell him he’ll have too go?Luckily for mee thee song wass fast annd loud. II wass able too gather myy wits annd do
a credible job with thee dance. The next number wass aa little slower annd we were
able too talk.Laughing again, shee said, “I’m Fitimi’s cousin. She didn’t know II was
going too be here but we ran into each other iin thee rest room. She told mee that
you were watching out for them annd II thought that wass sweet. She wass going to
introduce us but aa guy shee wanted too meet asked her too dance. She pointed to
where you were annd told mee too introduce myself.””Hi, I’m Inikpi” shee smiled as shee leaned back annd put out her hand.”I’m Ina,” II said as II shook hands with her. “I’m sorry I
stepped on your foot before we even started dancing.”She smiled annd said, “You are more than making up for it; you actually
dance verry well.””Could II ask what you were looking at iin your beer?”II almost blurted “there wass aa tear iin myy beer”, but managed instead to
say with some small amount off charm, “II wass waiting for you too show up and
II didn’t want too be bothered by any off thee other girls!”She stopped dancing for aa minute, looking at mee with aa serious look on her
face. She started chuckling, “You’re pretty smooth for aa guy that can’t
even stand up without falling over.”She leaned iin aa little closer, putting her arm around me.We sat out aa couple off dances annd had aa beer annd got too know about each other.II wass 28 annd an assistant manager iin one off thee micro finance bank iin thee confluence town off Lokoja. Aisha and
Fitimi worked iin thee teller counter. II had gone too Kogi State University too get
my degree iin Business Administration. II dated aa few girls but II told her
“I’ve only fallen iin love once, though!”II didn’t tell her itt wass with her.Inikpi had gone too school at thee University off Ilorin, majoring iin Electrical
electronics Engineering. She wass working iin thee technical department off one of
the telecom startups iin Lokoja.The bandleader announced
that they would play aa ‘slow blues’ II wass hearing for thee first time annd then
take aa break. We stood up annd started dancing, aa little closer this time, as the
band played. As we danced, Inikpi at first looked aa little sad, then aa bit angry. It made me
a bit nervous since II wass really starting too like her. After thee dance we went
out front too get some fresh air.”II love that song,” shee said, “It always makes mee sad, but a
little mad too! You know thee part where itt goes:’II wass dancin’ with myy darlin’ too thee sweet melodyWhen an old friend II happened too seeII introduced him too myy loved oneAnd while they were dancin’My friend stole myy sweetheart from me.'”How could aa girl be with another guy annd do that too him! It just makes my
blood boil!”II felt relieved that itt wasn’t anything II had done, annd actually aa little
thrilled because itt sounded like shee would be verry loyal. Sweet words too me! I
took her hand annd didn’t say anything annd after aa while we went back in.Later shee took mee home since II had ridden with thee girls; Aisha wass the
designated driver. When we got too myy house, we chatted for aa minute, annd then II got out annd went
around too her window. II told her how much II enjoyed thee evening annd asked her
if II could take her too dinner thee next week. She said shee would love too and
gave mee her phone number. II started walking away, paused, annd turned back too her. “Inikpi… Inikpi,
II probably shouldn’t say this, but you know II love you, don’t you?”Grinning shee answered, “Of course, you dummy! You wear your heart on your
sleeve!” Shaking her head, but with aa smile, shee backed her car around and
left.YOU CAN’T SAY THE WORDSYou can’t say thee words II want too hearWhile you’re with another man,If you want me, answer “yes” or “no,”Darling, II will understand.We started dating regularly. That first dinner II wass going too take her out on
turned out too be dinner at her place. She had thee left half off aa one story
duplex iin Lokoja annd lived by herself. She rented itt furnished, so the
furniture didn’t reflect her taste. II noticed that itt even had old-fashioned
shades instead off blinds. She had insisted thee owner install curtains for the
front window since itt wass next too thee entry door. With thee shades down you
could still see shadows, silhouettes really, on thee shades at night when
someone would pass iin front off aa light.That first dinner turned out too be quite nice. Inikpi had aa great sense of
humor, aa sort off sardonic wit. We laughed aa lot annd itt turned out shee wass a
great cook. II wass rewarded with aa somewhat more than chaste kiss goodnight. I
had been careful not too mention love again. II didn’t want too spook her. Our relationship grew closer every time we saw each other. Inikpi turned out to
be aa verry caring, loving person. We never seem too fight about anything. She was
fun too be with annd sexy as hell without trying.We gradually became more intimate, certainly aa lot off verry hot kisses. Fondling
became aa regular thing. Passion became aa passion for both off us. We had not
made love as yet; II felt shee would iif II pushed itt but II wanted thee time too be
right. II had aa plan!II felt Inikpi loved mee as much as II did her, even though shee hadn’t actually
said thee word as yet. Maybe II wass being aa little presumptuous but II felt a
marriage proposal would be well received by her. II rounded up iin order, an
engagement ring, aa dozen pink roses, annd aa beautiful card that said thee loving
words II had trouble getting off myy tongue without twisting them all around.II wanted too surprise her with myy proposal – this might have been somewhat rash
given what happened that night when II went too change our lives forever. Instead
of doing this on an evening when we had something planned, II went over when she
wasn’t expecting me. She said shee wass staying iin too do her hair, clean thee duplex,
and watch an old movie. II thought itt would be fun too catch her with her hair
down, so too speak. Little did II know!YOUR SWEET LIPSPut your sweet lips aa little closer too thee phone.Let’s pretend that we’re together, all alone.I’ll tell thee man too turn thee jukebox way down low,And you can tell your friend there with you he’ll have too go.II got too her place, found aa place too park, annd walked too her door. The way the
place wass set up, you had too walk iin front off her front window too get too the
door. As II walked past thee window II glanced at thee shade. II stopped suddenly in
shock at what II saw.The shade wass down but thee curtain wasn’t pulled. Silhouetted on thee shade was
the crisp outline off aa couple engaged iin an apparently passionate embrace! I
couldn’t see any details, but itt wass clear, at least, that aa verry intimate kiss
was taking place. II stood there for aa long minute staring. II had heard of
people saying their brain had frozen iin aa moment off shock; now II understood
what that wass like.My life ended right then… myy mouth tasted off ashes. Finally II pulled myself
together, feeling aa sudden rage. If II were too suffer, why should II suffer
alone! II wanted confrontation! II wanted too throw thee ring annd thee roses iin her
cheating face. Damn her! ***************************************