Taking Chances – Episode 23

****EPISODE 23****

Jide pushed the food away, he was satisfied already, carried the dishes to the kitchen-something he’d never done-then went to join Daisy in the parlour.

Daisy was surfing through the stations then. Two guesses and you would get where she would land. He thought amused.

And he was right, Daisy stopped at Trace Tv, settled comfortably in her chair and concentrated on the television without as much as a glance his way. Jide wasn’t sure if she’d seen him or was simply pretending.

Whichever, he didn’t care, he was satisfied with his just concluded meal and this luck of seeing Daisy afterall. The quiet company she would share was worth millions at this hour. He would even be willing to allow her usurp his 9:00 news hours just so she could linger more. It would soon be 8pm which meant her time would end in an hours time if

they were to go by their previous ‘agreed’ viewing time, that was

offcourse, before that fateful night. He could swear that, that had changed a lot. Well, he mused he was out to make it right and somehow get Daisy to love him once again, her present countenance spoke volumes that she was done

with and couldn’t care less about him.

***********************

Daisy swam round, lazily in the pool, though today was Saturday, she wasn’t making her weekly trip to the market, that and much more had been covered yesterday. Today was designated to swimming and then off she would go.

Daisy was feeling unusually happy, it wasn’t just because Brenda was arriving today but also because she had finally broken off the senseless fright Jide’s presence created in her. Last night was evidence enough. The Daisy of months ago, wouldn’t have dared come out while Jide was around, much less braved up to watch TV while he was right there in the parlour! She had quickly switched off the television and scurried to her room when she heard the early sound of his arrival. But after much deliberation and chastisement on her weakness, she’d finally decided to take Brenda’s advice to get a life. And that began with shaking off Jide’s hold on her, emotionally, physically and psychologically.

She’d noticed that Jide’s countenance had been different, his face didn’t hold that scowl it always had, infact she’d felt him staring at

her from where he sat across her. He even spoke to her for the first time ever! ‘Its okay, you can leave it here’ he had said when she had picked the remote to switch over to a news station for him since it was his turn to watch the Television.

That had halted her. She’d been stiffened by the fact that he’d actually spoken to her and not because of what he’d said.

‘Nothing new’s happening I guess’ he had added rather calmly and patronizing!

Daisy was all smiles now with the way she had reacted then. For She had changed the channel regardless to CNN, stood up and left the parlor without a word or reply to him.

‘Thumbs up Daisy, you actually have a star in your ‘getting a life gig’ Daisy hailed herself and plunged deeper into the water.

Much as she didn’t understand what had happened or had gotten into Jide, she wasn’t about to turn all jelly and putty on him. Not now anyways when operation ‘get your life back’ was underway’

The sound of a car honk startled Daisy out of her musing, she raised up her head to see a car drive into the compound.

‘Now what’s that’ she said.

The occupants came out amidst loud music from the car that reverberated

the atmosphere, they were three guys and one of them seemed familiar to her. They were now dancing unpreturbed to the music that filtered from the

car. They hadn’t noticed her, but then she was out of view, the ‘Y’

shaped shrub shaded her, so that she alone could see them through the shrub. One of the guys entered back into the car, and soon the ceaseless honk

was heard, piercing further into the already noisy atmosphere, making a disorganized sound. The other two didn’t seem bothered by the sound, instead they intensified their dancing.

‘Jeez!’ Daisy said rolling her eyes. ‘bunch of noise makers’ she added and plunged again into the water.

Minutes later, when she noticed that the sound had died, she went back to her peeping hole through the shrub, She saw that they were at the other side of the pathway, standing at the basketball court. Jide had joined them now, and guess what he had offered them? her juice! What happened to his stock of wines resting undisturbed in the cabinet at the kitchen? Daisy cursed silently.

But then again, that actually was the least of her problem, problem now was how she was going to pass through into the house, dressed in swim wear! She had left the towel hoping to sun-dry after swimming and the big scarf she had opted for wouldn’t suffice.Stories from Topster–stories

To be continued…….

By Oden Green

TAKING CHANCES