Warm Bodies

Allaprima Blue woman

Joseph found himself for the umpteenth time at Nnodebe’s house naked on her bed. At each visit, he resolved within himself that it would be the last time but the ‘last time’ was too good to be the last time so he gave up on leaving. He knew she was not his. Her heart belonged to Zade, his friend who was studying medicine in Russia. He remembered the first time he met her – the sheer excitement on Zade’s face when he introduced her. At the sight of the silkiness of her face, he knew he was entranced by her but he tried to keep his distance cos she was after all not his.

Months after they became conversant, Zade travelled to study while he and Nnodebe spent more time together. In the moments that came and went, they found out they had collective interests and these interests led to an attraction that led to clothes being ripped off at every meetup. Joseph tried to delete the thought lurking in his memory that she was just passing the time with him cos Zade was not available. If she was not going to be his, He was ready to get anything he could from her including pleasure. The only time he was unable to see her was during the summer, when Zade was around. When he was out of the way by September, he would receive a text the next day saying,

I want you. Come over when you are done with work.

To which he would show no reluctance and head over instantaneously when the clock at work hit five.

Years passed and this continued. What also came with their exploits was her melancholic bouts appearing when Zade did not answer his call and when she felt he was not as obsessed with her as he was at the outset of their relationship. She would complain about a host of other things to which Joseph would offer guidance in dealing with each grievance. Once they were done, she would ask him to take off his clothes and the slippery love making would begin. Such strange energy, the sexual pleasure. It was never lacking fragrance. If anything, the smoothness at which their bodies met like rivers slipping into the path of the ocean was unlike any other and there were a lot of other women he shared a bed with yet none was like Nnodebe. He was lost in this. He was lost in her.

One day at work, he received a mail from her.

Hey Joseph.

I am sorry we cannot continue this any longer. Zade is through with school plus he is returning back. He has also asked me to marry him to which I have said yes. I am sorry if this hurts but you know this was temporal. I do hope we can still be friends. We would be expecting you at his graduation party next week.

Take care.

Love,

Nnodebe.

He had hoped to feel something – anger, pain, despair. Despair? His only regret was he not stopping as early as he could. He had become invested and now everything felt thorny. His sister had warned him many times when she found out what was happening.

‘She is going to leave you brother. Open your eyes.’

He knew he was enchanted. Only a man enchanted by beauty will loiter around a place where there is nothing for him. A place where he still holds notions that he would get the whole meal and not the crumbs. Nonetheless, he made up his mind to show up at the party. He tried to persuade himself he was attending for Zade when what he truly wanted was to see if Nnodebe really meant what she said.

The day came. He ordered an uber to the hotel where the party was scheduled to hold. The place was overflowing with well-wishers, family, old friends from high school. Joseph was not particularly eager with engaging in conversations so he searched for Zade, or Nnodebe. Soon he found them, receiving congratulatory messages from the guests at the party. Approaching them, he prepared his mind that there was a chance Zade already knew about what happened in his absence. He primed himself as well as concluded that a broken nose was not the worst punishment in the world. But as he moved towards them, Zade saw him and his eyes lit up with exhilaration with his arms swaying in elevation, aping Zulu dancers.

‘Joseph! My wonderful friend! It has been too long.’

Z. I……

‘Come here man. I have missed making fun of you.’

As Zade gave him a vigorous hug, he thought he was going to be crushed to death. He deserved to be punished to some degree but not like this. He hugged back. After a few minutes, they let go.

‘Thank you for inviting me.’

‘It is nothing bro. Thank you for coming to celebrate with me. You remember Nnodebe right?’

‘Yes. Yes.’ Turning to Nnodebe, ‘Congratulations to you and Zade. I pray the union become a blessed one.’ He prayed that the twitch in his voice would be paid no attention to by Zade.

‘Thank you. Thank you too for coming. , said Nnodebe with a grin. There was no evident sign of strain on her face or her body. She had the aura of silk that made her so alluring. Why couldn’t he rip off her clothes right now and lose himself in her odyssey? Such a shame. He was going to lose her and her honeyed body was no longer going to be bare to him. He yearned within that the memories they made would at best keep him contented.

‘Enjoy yourself my man. We would talk soon. Let me say hello to a couple others.’ As Zade left, he breathed a sigh of relief. He did not know after all.

After the party had to a certain degree dissolved, Joseph found himself at the balcony of the hotel floor. The night skies were pacific today. With the night he had, he needed this. He had come to make peace within himself that Nnodebe was without a doubt choosing Zade. He was not sure if it happened.

‘The heart and the body are two diverse entities’, his sister said. ‘Her heart is with Zade in Russia. Her body is with you. When the one holding the heart returns, the body has no choice at that moment but to follow the heart.’

She was right of course but he never listened to her. He never listened to anyone.

After half an hour of brooding, Zade came to join him on the balcony. Seeing his movement was somewhat weakly, Joseph assumed he was drunk.

‘I hope you enjoyed the party my friend.’

‘Yes I did. And congratulations to you again.’

‘Thank you. It is good to back home yunno. I missed quite a lot and I did not realised it was this much.’

‘I know. Well now you are back. You have a lot to explore’

‘No. I don’t have a lot of time. I will be going back to Russia next week. I received a job offer, very lucrative. I accepted it and I will begin on my return.’

‘Oh. Nnodebe isn’t going with you?’

‘Nah. The plan is to work there for a year or two then she can come join me.’

‘I see.’

‘Yeah.’

Quietness followed for a while as they both revelled in the beauty of the moon and the architectural aesthetics of the city

‘I know you slept with her. Many times.’

‘What? I....’

‘She told me. Many times. Her descriptions were how should I say this? Comprehensive perhaps? When I asked how it transpired. She was hesitant of course but she did tell me nonetheless. She also said you were very good at it.’

‘Zade I am….’

Zade waved his hand to silence his speech. ‘No need to apologise. I am fine with it. I sleep with a lot of other women too when I am over there. She does not know this of course. If she did, she would go ballistic. Besides, I prefer you do it other than any other scoundrel in this city. In any case, I will be going back again. She will need the company. Please do carry on.’

Joseph was left dumbfounded. He had no reply to any of this. What the fuck?

Zade sensing his perplexity, chuckled out loud.

‘We should hang out soon. Not tomorrow though. I would be going to war against this imminent hangover. Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight.’

Zade patted his back and walked back to the entrance of the balcony. Without giving Joseph ample time to recover, He spun back quickly to speak again.

‘I know you loved her from the first time you met her.’

‘You did?’

‘The way you looked at her at that moment. I don’t recall you looking at any other woman like that.’

‘Right. Fuck.’

‘Well. You have her body for now. That should keep you happy.’

With that, Zade departed the balcony leaving Joseph to contemplate this tight spot he found himself in. A few minutes passed, a text came in. The contact was nameless but he knew the number. It was stuck in his memory even though he had deleted it numerous times.

Hey. Zade already knows about us. Let’s meet. Your place tomorrow by 4?

Notwithstanding his answer, he knew there was no turning back. His enchantment had picked up right where it left off.

4 is fine. See you then.