Episode 23
By: Faith Lucky.
Audrey’s Pov:
I dropped the two plates of slurpy pasta on the table and took my seat, opposite Rodney.
Rodney took one of the plates while I took the other and we got ready to eat. “How am I sure this will be as tasty as it looks?” Rodney asked, staring keenly at the food.
“Well, just give it a try” I replied and watched him put a little quantity on the fork.
“Why is it too long?” He asked and put it into his mouth, cutting it into two.
“No, no, no, Mr Rodney; don’t eat it that way. It isn’t fun, not at all.” I said
immediately and he flinched.
“What do you mean?”
“Look Mr Rodney; when I was in North America, my friends and I enjoyed our pasta this way: we’d make our pasta this long and eat it without cutting it into two. That way, your life span will be long. But if you end up cutting it into two, your life span will be short” I enthused.
“Huh? That’s ridiculous. I thought that was something practiced by the Asians or something?” he asked.
“Yes. But we also enjoy it and decided to practice it. It’s more like a game Mr
Rodney. So, are you in?”
“I…”
“You can’t say no, Mr Rodney.”
“Oh, really? Is it a covenant or something?” He asked and I laughed.
I took some pasta in and he watched as I successfully took all the pasta without cutting it into two.
“Whatever” he mouthed and tried doing it
He took some pasta in but couldn’t do what I said. He had to cut it into two. I laughed and hit his hand with my fork and he looked at me with surprise. “Oh! Didn’t I tell you? My friends and I created a little rule of our own. We decided if someone failed to eat all the pasta completely, he or she will get spanked on the hand” I explained, trying to clear the surprise on his face. “Oh!” Rodney exclaimed.
“So, I’m the one who gets to live a short life and I’m still the one who gets punished?”
“Well, yes. That’s just how it goes”.
He hesitated for a while before eating it again. He tired doing it but couldn’t. It cut into two.
I spanked him on the hand again and he laughed.
Wow! Watching him laugh again.
“But how come you don’t cut yours into two?” He asked with a playful frustrated look.
“Well, I’m an expert at it” I replied.
“Hm. So, you want to live older than Methuselat, huh?”
“How did you know Methuselat?”
“What are you trying to say? Don’t I go to church?”
We continued eating and this time around, Rodney was able to take in the pasta without cutting it. He gulped down water after it and clapped for himself and I laughed.
He tried doing It again but failed and I spanked his hand. He looked at me painfully and I could tell he was wishing I’d fail, even if it was just once.
“Mr Rodney; um…I want to ask you a question” I said and took in some water.
“What is it?” He asked.
Am I doing the right thing?
I felt this way the right time to ask him about our friendship. I wanted to know if he saw me as a friend.
“Um…Mr Rodney; what am I to you? Are we friends?” I asked nervously and
Rodney looked a little surprised.
“Why asking?” He inquired.
“I um…just wanted to know”.
He didn’t say anything immediately but only took in some pasta and it cut into two. He grinned and expected me to hit his hand as usual; but I didn’t. I just kept staring at him.
“Well, of course we’re friends” he replied and played with my hair.
I smiled.
We continued eating and he cut the pasta into two again and this time around, I didn’t hesitate to spank his hand.
“Arrgh! When will this ever stop?” He grouse and I laughed at him.
At a point, he stopped eating and just watched me eat, hoping I’d make a mistake.
Just a mistake.
After watching me for some minutes, he felt it was hopeless and just continued eating.
“By the way, Mr Rodney” I said and paused to spank his hand.
“I’m sorry if you’re a little bored over here. The TV got burnt not long ago and my
aunty has plans of fixing it next month”.
“Next month?” He asked and laughed.
“Well, there’s no need to apologise. I’m about leaving anyway”.
I was trying to take in pasta and immediately, It cut into two.
“Yes!” Rodney jumped up and shouted as if he had won the lottery.
He returned to his seat and laughed so hard while I smiled shyly.
“Kindly stretch out your palm miss” he said with jest and I stretched out the back of my palm
He kissed the fork before using it to hit me and we both ended up laughing.
“Wow! This feels real good” he said and took in a deep breath.
“Come on Mr Rodney. You just got lucky” I said and continued eating but mistakenly cut it again and he laughed and didn’t hesitate to spank my hand. But why am I suddenly losing it? Is it because I heard he was about leaving? He took in his pasta successfully but the next one he took cut.
He awaited me to spank him as well, but I didn’t. I was just staring at my food.
“Audrey?” He called and touched my hand and I shrugged out of my thoughts.
“Oh! I’m fine” I replied hastily the continued eating.
“By the way, your food is delicious” he said and I smiled.
“Well, I told you didn’t I? I’m a good cook” .
“Yeah. Whatever” he said and shook his head.
*
After a while, we were done eating and Rodney left to stay outside.
I cleared the table and took the plates to the kitchen. I held the kitchen table and bent my head In sombre. That was when I noticed a tear streaming down my cheek.
Another followed immediately and I wiped it off. Why was I even crying? Immediately I heard Rodney was about leaving, I suddenly felt bittered. I was kind of enjoying his company and had forgotten it wouldn’t last forever.
That was the first time I had been so close to a guy and maybe that was why it felt special. I’ve never been in a relationship before and being with Rodney for the last few days, made me have a taste of what it felt like. Somehow, I wanted to be with him forever, even if it was just as friends.
And there was something else I was scared of. I was scared our friendship might end the moment he leaves.
In here, we were friends, but out there, he’s a moody wealthy guy who’s approaching his precious Jocelyn, while I’m just a hotel attendant.
I’m scared he might be go back to being grumpy and disregard me like he used .
But that wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want our friendship to end.
TBC.
DEAR
JOCELYN