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I was peeved. My secret was out and everyone was cashing in on it. I was not going to have it. “You should not have brought that up, my dear,” I complained politely to Amara. I told her that all the slots were taken by the time I got there. “I love sleep as much as you do, Amyy, but now, I can’t get my afternoon nap.” “I am very sorry, dear. I did not realize they’d all go for it. What can I do to help you?” “We have to drive them out of that place. I have a plan!” As we rode home on the bus, I revealed my plan to her.

About 11:30AM the next day, Amara walked towards the male bathroom. She looked around to make sure that no one was looking. The guys had all taken their slots, sleeping happily, snoring wildly with incandescent joy. Amara yanked the main door violently open and shouted, “Any trainee sleeping in the bathroom is likely to lose their job. This is preposterous!!!” She shouted as loud as she could, adjusting her voice the best she could. Then, she dashed back into the hallway. She took a quick turn and returned to the auditorium, breathing hard as we wondered if our plan had gone well.

Within minutes, the ‘sleepers’ returned to the auditorium. They all had worried looks on their faces. They looked over their shoulders as they slotted back into their seats. Amara and I looked at each other and smiled. Fifteen minutes later, I was in my executive chair a.k.a toilet seat, basking in the glory of sleep. I returned just in time for lunch. “If you are still going to the bathroom to sleep, you should be careful. The trainers know about it. You could get fired before you even start your career here. This is Zenith, mind you!” Abubakar, another trainee from Sokoto State warned me. “Really? They know about it? I have to stop then,” I replied, holding back the laughter that was rampaging within me. “I don’t want to get fired,” I added.

Amara was fighting back laughter too. I continued my daily nap session until the end of the training session. Anyway, later that day Amara and I rode home on the same bus. She alighted about an hour before my stop. “So, what would you do for me for winning back your sleeping position for you,” she had asked me. The bus galloped along third Mainland Bridge as we headed away from Victoria Island. “I will give you a fabulous kiss,” I answered. She stared at me, her beautiful eyes glowing with life as her face transformed into the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. “Then do it now,” she dared me. I looked across the aisle. There was an older man on the other side of the aisle and a young lady.

“Not today,” I whispered. “I won your spot back today, so what stops you,” she teased. I stared in the opposite direction and her eyes followed mine. “So?” she asked. “Not today, my dear. One of these days, you will ride home with me. We could spend the weekend together, away from prowling eyes. I will plant my lips on yours and never let go!” “I will be waiting, patiently,” she replied, placing her hand on my knee. Gently, she squeezed my knee, sending beautiful waves through my body.

What seemed like a joke earlier grew into a fabulous friendship, and then it went beyond that. I would keep a seat for Amara everywhere – at lunch, in the auditorium and other sessions. She did the same for me too. Soon, tongues were wagging that those two (us) were dating. “Do you realize that Zenith does not allow couples to work for them?” One girl said to us one afternoon at lunch.” “Why do you say that?” Amara asked her. “It is obvious that you two are an item, so I thought I should let you know before you go too far with each other.

“By couples you mean married couples, right?” “Yes, that is what I mean,” she replied eagerly. “Well, I don’t see us being married in a month, as it has not been a month since this training started. In that case, we have nothing to worry about in the immediate future.” “Well, don’t say you were not warned,” she said. “What is her problem? As if we were getting married tomorrow,” Amara remarked when the girl had left. I had opted not to partake in the discussion. I was thinking of Amara’s lips. I could not wait to kiss them.

Two days before the end of the training session, we were posted to various branches. I was posted to the head office on Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. To my greatest disappointment, Amara was posted to Asaba. It was as if a piece of me was sliced away. I began to miss her even before she left for Asaba. On the last day of that bus ride from Victoria Island to Lagos Mainland, I sat beside her with my arms wrapped around her neck. “I want my kiss tonight,” she said, whispering into my ears. “I have been dying for it,” I replied, holding her body firmly to mine.

When we reached her stop, she looked into my eyes and said, “I am riding home with you, Cletus.” “I am pleased, my dear. My home is your home tonight…and in the days to come.” She said nothing more. I could tell that a lot was going on in her mind. She was going to miss me, as I would miss her. When the bus stopped, I got off and she followed behind me. It was dark, and there was no power…as usual. I placed my hand over her shoulder as we walked towards our building. My brother had traveled to London, so I had the entire apartment to myself.

When we got home, I turned on the generator and quickly fixed dinner for us. Amara had a nightgown in her purse. She had made up her mind that she was spending the night with me. After dinner, she sat on the couch watching TV. I walked to her, lifted her in my arms and carried her to my room. I placed her on the bed, gently. Then, I lowered my head and planted my lips on hers. She and I were breathing hard. Our lips were meshed together with inseparable ‘ionic’ energy. My heart was racing with excitement. I could hear the drumming of her heart too. Our lips met with burning passion. We were locked in a moment of pure joy and satisfaction. We kissed as though there was no tomorrow.

Soon, we lay beside each other in our birthday suits. “I don’t know how it happened, I can’t quite explain it, but I am madly in love with you, Amara,” I said in the darkness. “I think I began to think seriously about you just two days after we met. I have never experienced anything like this, but I love every second of it.” “Me too!” We spent the weekend together. We laughed, sometimes at nothing but just the sheer beauty of the connection between us. I would look into her eyes and start laughing, happily. She’d respond with a smile that expanded into a beautiful laughter. “In your eyes, I see a deep, slow-moving sea of life, love, fun and passion. I want to jump in and swim in it…until my dying day,” I said to her. “Jump in…jump in, my dear. It is all yours. Deep within my soul is indescribable love that burns like a fire that will never die…love for you…just you, Cletus.”

STORY CONTINUES…

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