THE FOREVER KIND OF LOVE – a novel (15)
by : Pastor Taiwo Iredele Odubiyi
Cont’d.
“Sociology. By the way, I sell men’s shirts and stuff.” Mercy told Dayo.
“Shirts?” He asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yes. So, aside being a Christian and a staff of Jones Cosmetics, I’m also a business lady – privately.” She informed him and giggled.
Wow! I like the way she smiles. He wondered if she was aware of the way she glowed when she smiled. She had a great smile.
“Interesting.” He said with a smile.
“The shirts are very nice. I have different ones, with different colours. And they are affordable. What size do you wear?”
He told her and then asked, “How much do you sell them?”
“The prices vary but they are reasonable and affordable, don’t worry.” She said and they laughed.
She spoke again. “Quality matters to me. I don’t want a situation where people will return the stuff or complain that they’re not good.”
“I agree with you. Quality matters.”
One of Joy’s sisters brought some used plates into the kitchen.
When she left, Dayo spoke again, “Do you travel out to get them?”
“No, not yet but I intend to do so, with time.”
“To buy things to sell?”
“Yes. I have passion for business – buying and selling.” She told him and laughed.
He smiled. “That’s interesting.”
“And of course, Jones Cosmetics products are there if you’re interested. We have shower gels, toothpaste, lotions, body creams, and hair care products among other things. Pastor Femi uses them personally. They are very good.”
“I use them too. Pastor Ibie gave me some hair care products recently. They are good, I like them. I told some of my friends about them.” He said.
“Where is your office?” She asked.
He told her and brought out a card from his shirt pocket. “This is my call card.”
“Er … my hands are wet. Put it on my handbag over there please. I’ll pick it when I finish.”
He looked and saw the bag on top of the refrigerator. He walked over and placed the card on the bag.
She spoke again. “I can get the shirts across to you tomorrow if I know when exactly you’ll be in the office. Someone can bring them to you and you can pick your choice.”
“Okay. Give the person my phone number, let him or her call me.” He said.
“Alright.”
Going back to lean against the wall, he asked, “So how do you get the shirts?”
“I get them from people and sell. I get most of them from my Aunt who travels out a lot.”
“Wow! That’s good business.”
They laughed.
“I also have ladies’ wears in case you wish to buy something for your sweetheart.” Mercy told him.
“I don’t need that now. Thanks.” He said and laughed.
She chuckled. “You don’t want to buy something for her?” She asked with raised eyebrows. “Why?”
“It’s because there is no ‘her’ yet.” He revealed.
“There is no her?” She glanced at him and smiled. “That’s a surprise.”
“I’m surprised myself.”
They laughed.
“I’m not complaining though.” He added. “What about you? Is there a ‘him’?”
She chuckled and shook her head.
“No? That’s a surprise.” He said, using her words. “Why not?”
She smiled. “It’s -” She stopped. She didn’t have to give him any reason. It wasn’t as if she knew him before. Deciding to use his words also, she said, “I’m surprised myself.”
They both laughed again.
When she did not say more than that, he changed the line of discussion. “I will have to leave soon.” He checked his watch and asked, “What’s your plan? Are you going home?”
“Yes.”
“Are you leaving anytime soon so I can drop you off?”
“Yes, I have to. There’s work tomorrow. What’s the time?”
“It’s nine.” He said.
“I’m almost through with what I’m doing. But if you have to leave now, you can. I’m sure I’ll be able to get one of the people in the living room to drop me off when I’m ready. Thanks.”
He asked, “About what time do you think you’ll be ready?”
“Maybe around nine-forty.”
“Okay. I’ll wait for you.” He said and finished his drink.
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“My pleasure.” He said.
“I’ll try to be as fast as possible.” She added.
“Where do you live?”
She told him.
“Oh, okay.” He said and threw the empty can in his hand in the trash bag.
One of Joy’s sisters came into the kitchen with some empty cans of juice. Dayo took the cans from her and put them in the trash bag.
At nine-forty three, Mercy was ready to leave.
Some of the visitors had left but Grace and Albert were still seated.
When Femi saw Dayo standing beside Mercy, he asked Dayo, “Will you drop her off at her house?”
“Yes sir.”
“Oh good. Thanks.”
Femi’s father also announced that he had to leave and Daniel got up. It was obvious that the two grandmothers would sleep there.
Ibie and Femi appreciated them, they said their goodbyes and left.
Outside, Dayo unlocked the car and opened the front passenger door for Mercy, and she thanked him.
He went to his side and entered. Starting the car, he switched on the headlights.
As he pulled away, she said, “You’re a complete gentleman.”
He glanced briefly at her and smiled. “I will take that as a complement. Why did you say so?”
“You opened the door for me.”
“Oh, that!” He laughed.
“You did at the hospital, you did it again now and I’m like … do men still open car doors for women?”
He laughed again. “Well, I still do … when I can.”
“That’s why I said you’re a gentleman. That’s so sweet.” She said.
He chuckled.
She spoke again. “That is not common in this part of the world.”
He smiled. “Some men still do it.”
“Maybe for their girlfriends or wives. But I doubt if they will open a car door for a lady they hardly know.”
He smiled.
“And for those who are married or are in relationships, very few of them open car doors. And if they do, it may not be for a long time. You have to admit that quite a number of African men don’t know how to treat their women with courtesy or … do so to women generally.”
“Yes, you have a point.” He said. “I think it’s because there is a lack of good role models. Many males don’t have men who can teach or influence them in how to act rightly.”
Mercy nodded.
Dayo spoke again. “There are some men though who know that it’s good to hold doors and other similar courtesies but just don’t want to do it and that is because some ladies don’t know how to say thank you or appreciate such courtesies.”
Mercy smiled.
“I’ve held doors of buildings for some ladies who gave me looks that said ‘who asked you to? You must be jobless’.”
She laughed.
(To be continued )
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