Chapter 06

(USA)

"Hey love! How's your sister? I haven't been seeing her around lately." I hollered at him.

I was lying on the soft white, 3-seater - couch in the living room, and with my knees joined together like a yogi, busy chatting away my time on my phone.

"Loveth has become a very busy make-up-artist, always moving on and on to parties, occasions and stuff." Arnold headed towards me from the kitchen, with a white flat dish in his hand which contains different kinds of diced fruits.

"Oh wow, that is cool," he placed the dish on the edge of the small table at the corner of the chair. "This looks delicious." I got up from the couch and dropped my phone beside me, reaching for the toothpick on the plate as I tried to pinch a dice of fruit with it, but he dragged it away from my reach. "And why is that?" I made a face.

"I was in the kitchen alone, dicing this," He pointed his finger towards the kitchen direction, "and now? You wanna eat some? how rude!" He picked a dice and chewed it. "If you wanna eat, then get your ass up and go to that damn kitchen to prepare yours." He directed with the toothpick in his hand, like I don't know where that was.

"Like seriously!?" I raised my eyebrows with my mouth wide agape for some while. I stood angrily from where I sat. I flipped my foot into my lemon palm, to prepare some for myself. 

My eyes darted around the dining room arranged at the corner of the living room, and a black and white image of a lady trapped in a Wildwood, in the wallpaper pasted on the wall. Just then, I felt a sudden grip on my hand. I turned back to see Arnold still on the couch. He stood up and swirled me around so as to face him. He pulled me to himself and it felt so warm in his broad hard chest, gripping his shirt as I parted my lips.

He wrapped his arms around my frame and whispered. "I am sorry love." He let his hands drop down to my waist. I tilted my head to the side as he tugged my hair to my ear. My eyes shut closed to feel his warm hand on my neck, then he whispered to my ear. "I was only joking." His whisper caused a weakness on my knees. His closeness overwhelmed my being.

I nudged him. "Don't try to blackmail me with sweet words please. Just eat that to yourself, I will go make mine." I stepped forward, and later turned back to face him. "In fact, I'm gonna prepare fruit parfait."

"Hmm! See the blackmailer. Come on, I missed you," he dragged me back to his chest again, grabbing me on the waist seductively. "a lot!" He rubbed my hair to the back and bruised his lips on my forehead. I closed my eyes, savoring every moment. He ran his lips down to my nose, then he carefully brushed his lips on mine. My lips parted, then he lifted my jaw, kissing me softly and passionately. He stuck out his tongue into my mouth, and sucked my lower lips with his. He moved his lips down to my right neck, then tilted my neck to the left while licking it. I moaned. "hmm, I got you." He grinned amidst the passion we shared .

"What was that? Stop teasing me." He giggled, and brushed his lips on mine again. This time he carried me in bridal style, and carefully laid me on the couch. He stayed over me, made his way through my top and smooched my boobs. He fumbled with my boobs and navel, and then squeezed my ass. I found myself moaning excitedly. He was panting softly under his breath, then I watched him lose my buttons. It  took the last ounce of strength in me to stop him.

"No- I- I can't."

"Why?" He said softly, now licking my nipples.

I moaned. "I can't Arnold. I- I am sorry. I can't do this." I turned my neck to the right in order to avoid his gaze.

He leaned his palm on my cheek, waved my head to him, letting my gaze meet with his directly. "You are not ready for this?"

"Yes, I am not ready for it. I am so-" he placed his index finger on my lips to shut me up.

"You don't need to apologize. I promise to wait for you until you are ready to give me. Just never keep anything from me. Huh?"He pulled me up, and hugged me tight. "I love you, a lot!" Tears welled up in my eyes at how much affection Arnold displayed.

PRESENT – USA.

ARNOLD'S.

"Hey bro! You are lost in thought." Loveth widened the expression on her face. She pulled the black, plastic chair to herself and sat on it, crossing her legs.

I exhaled, facing her and cupped my forehead in my palm. I watched a distant tree dance to the music of the breeze. I fed my vision with the different kinds of trees at the orchard behind my balcony. I could also hear little voices ranting downstairs. "I am sorry. I guess you have called my name severally."

"What is wrong? Can't you at least tell me something about what has been bothering you for quite a while now, you have always been neck deep in your thoughts bro." A touch of concern in her voice as she said to me. The white curtains at the entrance flew over my head, returned back to its shape and did that again, then slowly.

"I miss Monica," I shut my eyes closed, and folded my palms together, placing them on my chest. "All I wanted to do was just to have her by my side, just to make her happy, just to give her the happiness she deserves -"

Loveth hissed out loud. "Come off that pls. If really that is the reason you are this way, then I'm disappointed in you," She pointed her finger to the right direction, as if, that was what she was referring to. "She left you here in the USA , remember? Not just that, she betrayed your love, left her marriage and you are here still missing her? Isn't it obvious she only wanted to use you and run off to other men in Nigeria," she raised her voice. "She is happy with her life bro. Be happy with yours too. There are beautiful girls out there, sexy american ladies, not -" she paused, to screw her face. "I never liked that – what did you call her name, Monica! I never liked her one bit. Please just move on Arnold."

"You will never understand." I stood up, and pushed the chair to the back, then headed to my room. I lowered my travel bag from the wardrobe, onto my bed that was near it.

Loveth barged into my room, staring at me in a curiously suspicious manner. She watched me pull out my clothes from my wardrobe into the travel bag. "What are you doing?"

"I advise you to start doing the same, we are going back to Nigeria."

"What! You must be kidding. Why must we go back to Nigeria all of a sudden? If that is because of that useless girl, then never will I." She concluded without waiting for my response. "She left you, and you won't go back to her." She yelled, as a matter of fact.

"I will also advise you to watch your tongue when talking about her." I pointed a warning finger to her. "Pack our bags silently. I've booked the ticket already."

I'd get back my love at any cost. I thought.

"Like seriously, now you are choosing her over me?" She lifted up her hands to her ears. "What the hell is wrong with you bro? Why must I do everything because of you. I left Nigeria years back because of you and now I have to leave the USA because of you after making this place my home. You are always doing this. I don't wanna go back, I have my business, my boyfriend is here too, my friends are here in the USA. If you lose your love, that doesn't mean I should experience the same, just let me be, go if you want to." She folded her arms around her tummy, and heaved a sigh of frustration.

"Dammit!" I yelped, and crumpled the white shirt in my hand in anger. "I told you, and I warned you to stay away from that crap, do you think he loves you? No! Of course not, he is only in for sex, don't you get? He only wanna -geez!" I lowered my voice down to her. "Loveth! Why can't you just try to understand me. And the friends you are talking about, they are not good for you, you're gonna make better ones in Nigeria, and as for your business, you're not going to just continue in Nigeria, but it's going to flourish as well. I promise to support you in all." I tried to sound as convincing as possible.

"What the heck! Then let him fuck me the way he want, after all you have done the same to your so called wife even before you both settled down in marriage, so what is the big deal in it." She shrugged.

"Loveth!" I didn't know how my hand ended up on her cheek, but I did know that I was furious.

"Argh! Did you just slap me?" Big drops of tears fell down her cheek, "for her?" She pointed out her finger to an object in the room still holding onto her cheek."You –" she pointed her finger back at me and walked out of the room in anger.

"Gosh! What have I done, I am really -" I rushed after her to the living room, and slammed the door behind me.

"It is fine, I will just leave." She said to herself, trying to hold the tears.

"Loveth! I am really sorry, it is not intentional and you know I never raised my hand up to you before. I–" rubbing her hand to mine.

"Exactly Arnold!" She flung her hand away from my grasp. "That is just fucking the point, you never did, but you did because of her?" Fresh tears trickled down her cheek. "What is so special about her that made you raise your hand up to me, it is not fair." Crying profusely.

"I am sorry. I just need you to understand me too, I'm sorry," I embraced her, rubbing down her hair, while she embraced back wrapping her hand around my back, like that of a 'baby'. "I love her and I need you to respect my feelings towards her. Those guys you call your boyfriend –Loveth –Nevertheless, I am sorry," I disengaged myself from her. "The flight is tonight, and I can't leave you all alone here." I placed my palm on her soft cheek. "You know how much I love you. We will surely come back here, I promise."

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