After the storm (33 page)

"I'm sure you will," Yemi said, laughing. Her eyes moved over
his broad shoulders and denim-clad long legs.
Nah, taffeta would not do him justice at all.

Yemi
said good-bye to them and walked off with her trolley. She knew
Deji was curious about her. It was there in the way he looked at
her face searchingly, as if there were many questions he would have
liked to ask her. She had caught it during the charity event and
today as well. Well, his questions would have to go unanswered. She
had no intention of getting close enough for him to have that
liberty.

∞∞∞

She
received the invitation but delayed a response until the day before
the party, when she sent gifts for Tolu and Tope by special
delivery to Deji's address.

She received a text message from Deji the evening of the
party that said,
"Thanks a lot for the
presents. The twins loved them. I was really looking forward to
seeing you, though."

She
texted her apologies again and left it at that. About a week later,
she was in her office reception area when he dropped by with party
packs in his hands.

"I
thought I'd stop by and give this to you," he said, handing them
over to her.

"Thanks,
that's kind of you. Aleena is going to love them," she said, taking
the packs from him. "I hope the twins had a good time?"

"They
did. They are still talking about all the fun they had with their
friends." He glanced around her reception area where some customers
were waiting to collect or place orders. "I don't want to hold you
up. I can see you're busy."

Yemi
walked him to his car. He unlocked his car but made no attempt to
get in.

"Are you
free for dinner any day this week?" he asked, leaning slightly
against the car and turning towards her.

"I don't
think so. I'm trying to get back to meeting my deadlines, so I'm a
little busy this week."

"What
about next week? Saturday evening, maybe?"

She was
happy she had a ready excuse. "I'm seeing my parents that
day."

He
smiled slightly. "My timing is a little off, then. Probably we can
do dinner some other time soon?"

"We'll
see," Yemi said noncommittally. "Thanks once again for the party
packs."

He did
not look too put out by her refusal and gave her a small wave as he
got into his car. He was probably just trying to be nice anyway,
Yemi thought to herself. She waited for him to drive off before
going back into her office.

∞∞∞

Two
weeks later, Lola and her friends treated her to a "thank you
dinner" at Da-livio, a restaurant in Victoria Island. She had told
them not to bother, but they brushed her protests aside.

"You
took us on when nobody else was willing to give us the time of
day," Dammy said to her. "They didn't even believe that Cerys was
really coming."

"It's
their loss," Lara said gleefully. "Now that Yemi is being
celebrated by the media, I'm sure some of them must be wishing that
they had not been so dismissive."

Yemi
enjoyed her time with them. She liked the way they related amongst
themselves. They were obviously very close.

"We've
been like this since secondary school," Lola said when Yemi voiced
her thoughts. "Believe me, I've tried to lose them along the way,
but they just keep sticking on."

"We know
you'll be lost without us guiding you in life," Dammy
teased.

"At
least until we safely deliver you over to Nifemi next year," Lara
added, referring to Lola's fiancé "You've kept the guy waiting long
enough."

"I
know…" Lola sighed. "Well, the twins are older now, so I guess I
can leave them with Deji with a freer heart."

"But
Deji has done very well," Lara said. "And I've got a feeling the
guy himself will be moving on soon. I mean, from the comments he's
been dropping recently, I won't be surprised."

Dammy
giggled. "Yeah, heard about that too. Glad our Deji has finally
opened his eyes again. Can't wait to see how it unfolds…" She
suddenly stopped and grimaced. "Ouch, why did you kick me?" she
asked, glaring at Lola.

"Did I?"
Lola asked innocently. "Pardon me, you know what long legs I
have."

"I
wonder why you were not one of the models for the charity event,"
Dammy muttered sarcastically. "Then we wouldn't have needed
Cerys."

Lola
made a face at her. "You guys don't appreciate my beauty." She
turned to Yemi. "How did you get into fashion designing? I know you
studied accountancy."

"I've
always liked fashion, I guess. Not in a crazy 'Have to have all the
latest trends' manner, but I believe everything a lady puts on
should make her more beautiful, and that in itself is an art." She
smiled as she saw the rapt attention on their faces. "So to me, it
does not matter whether the clothes are picked up at a bargain or
at a top designer shop. The important thing is that it should flow
with your body lines. Your clothes should tell a story about you.
It's you in essence."

Dammy
looked down at her dress. "I hope this flows with my body lines?"
she asked teasingly.

Lara
shook her head solemnly. "I don't think so, but at least there's
hope for you now that Yemi is our friend."

Yemi
enjoyed her time with the girls. She had never been someone who
could have more than one girlfriend at a time, but these three
girls could actually be mistaken for blood sisters in the way they
related.

∞∞∞

When
Deji sent her another "How're you doing?" text message the next
day, Yemi didn't respond. She wasn't dumb and knew she was the one
that Lola and her friends had been referring to. There was no point
encouraging him. She was not interested in him in that
way.

She was
in her office a few days later when he dropped by.

"Surprise," she said a little coolly as he was shown into her
office.

"I hope
it's a good one," he replied, smiling at her. "New hairdo. Very
nice, it suits you," he said as he gave her long tresses an
admiring look. "How have you been?"

"Fine,
just trying to keep on top of my work. And you?"

"I'm
good too, and work is fine as well." He sat in the chair she
offered him. He complimented her office decor and Yemi thanked him.
She remembered he had only stopped at her reception the other
time.

"I
learnt you went out with the girls the other day. I hope you had a
good time?"

Yemi
smiled. "I did. They're really nice, and I like the way they relate
with each other."

He
smiled. "They've always been very close. Meet one and you have to
meet the other two."

They
chatted about Lola and her friends. He was obviously as fond of
them as they were of him.

"Have
you had lunch?" he asked after a while, glancing at his
wristwatch.

"No, but
I'm not feeling hungry."

"So
you've had only breakfast, and it's almost two in the afternoon?"
He tutted. "There's this very nice place around here. Their food is
guaranteed to tempt your taste buds."

"Thanks,
but I'm fine for now. I'll probably order a sandwich later." She
knew she was sounding a bit cold, but she felt this was the best
way to go about it.

Deji
looked at her face for a moment and then smiled slowly. "Why do I
get the feeling that you're trying to pass me a
message?"

"Am
I?"

"Aren't
you?" he countered, looking steadily back at her. "Okay, so you're
not hungry right now, but how about dinner any evening you choose
this week?"

"I'm
afraid that's not possible either. I'm not free this
week."

He
nodded slowly. "Confirmed." He put on a hurt look. "A lonely old
widower like me is asking you to have lunch or dinner with him, and
you're refusing? C'mon, girl, have a heart."

She made
a face at him. He was definitely not old. She could tell he was
very likely in his early thirties. "I won't be caught by emotional
blackmail."

He put
his elbows on her desk and leaned forward slightly. "So tell me,
how can I catch you?" he asked softly.

It was time to get straight to the point since he was
refusing to understand what she was trying to say to him. "Have you
forgotten my name?" she said, looking pointedly at him. "I'm
Mrs.
Yemi
Kadiri."

"I know
that you are separated, have been for over a year."

"Separated, yes, but still very much legally
married."

"I'm
aware of that. Look, let's take it slowly," He replied. "I
appreciate the fact that you're still married, but all I'm asking
for is an opportunity to be your friend."

"My
schedule is much too hectic. You'd find me very boring as a
friend."

He
smiled. "Too busy to go out? Remember that you only have one life
to live, and like the saying goes, all work and no
play…"

"Makes
this particular Jill a bright girl," Yemi finished.

He
laughed softly. "Small wonder I'm intrigued by you. C'mon, Yemi.
Just dinner?"

"I'm
afraid that's not possible. I don't play games."

"I don't
either. I'm just asking you to be my friend."

"We're
already friends."

"So
let's have a friendly dinner."

"Maybe
someday soon."

"Maybe
this week?" he asked. She shook her head. "Next week?" he
persisted.

She
sighed and shook her head again. He just kept looking at her.
"Okay, I'll think about dinner some time," she said, hoping that
would get rid of him.

He
didn't look like he believed her. "I like you, Yemi, and I'm
sincerely hoping that you'll give us a chance to be friends, but
I'll leave you for now."

Yemi was
happy to see him go. She was beginning to get her life back—a
career and maybe a chance at fulfilment and true happiness—and no
man was ever going to be allowed to derail her again.

∞∞∞

Two days
later, a delivery package was sent to her office. The package
contained a bottle of Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel. It was from
Deji.

Yemi
remembered admiring Lola's fragrance some time back when she had
come into Yemi's office, and Lola had told her the name of the
perfume. It was just too much of a coincidence that Deji had bought
her the same fragrance. She sent the package back, and a few days
later, Deji sent it back to her again, this time along with a
nice-looking bracelet. She shoved both gifts in her drawer at the
office and ignored them.

Two days
later, Sesan was in her office when a beautiful bouquet of yellow
roses was delivered to her.

"Who is
it from?" Sesan asked curiously.

"Some
guy," Yemi muttered.

"Nice
flowers. I wish I had someone to send me flowers in the office," he
teased.

Yemi
made a face. Thankfully, he had to return to his office and
couldn't probe her any longer. But when yet another package arrived
a couple of days later and her manager gave it to her with a
knowing smile on his face, Yemi knew that she had to stop Deji. She
did not want the office grapevine buzzing about her. She called
him.

"My day
just brightened!" he said when he answered the call. "So how have
you been?"

"I'm
fine, thanks," she said and then got straight to the point. "Deji,
you really have to stop sending things to my office. It's beginning
to attract undue attention." 

"Would
you rather I sent them over to your house?"

"I'd
prefer you don't send any gifts at all."

"To
borrow your words, I'm afraid that's not possible."

Yemi
sighed. "Deji, listen, I'm not ready for any of this. My life has
been pretty simple, and I like it that way."

"Like I
said before, let's go slowly. All I'm asking for right now is just
to have dinner with you."

Yemi
just took a deep breath.

"Why are
you finding this so hard? It's just dinner. It's not like I'm going
to kidnap you or something."

"Let me
think about it and get back to you." 

"Very
well then," Deji replied. "Expect some flowers tomorrow. Roses or
orchids? Both suit you. Roses are pretty, just like you, and
orchids remind me of your cool, detached air."

"I
didn't know that you were a poet too," Yemi said drily.

Deji
chuckled. "It must be you. You're bringing out the inner 'Lord
Byron' in me."

Yemi
could not help smiling. "You're a hard case."

"So what
do you say to dinner on Saturday?"

"I
wonder why I even bothered calling you," Yemi thought out aloud. "I
should have just ignored your gifts."

"Well,
I'm glad you called. C'mon, Yemi, just dinner."

"When?"
Yemi asked wearily.