The Moment I Met You (Chapter 369)

 By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘They are Andrews, aren’t they?’ Michael laughed. ‘And they are not childish, they are matured.’                             

 ‘Andrew’s of course…’                                                                             

‘Women don’t get tired of blues, pinks and silly pastel colours…They rarely wear black.’As he spoke, he spotted a shoe rack by the wall a bit close to the wall in living room.                                                                     

‘Black is for mourning or for widows...’                                                  

Michael laughed. ‘I see. You don’t want to lose me.’                            

‘I will never lose my handsome Michael,’she blurted, turning away her face.                                                                                                                             

‘I will never lose you too,’Michael muffled. Then, he sat down on the sofa and took off his suit jacket to reveal a snow white dress shirt, which fit perfectly well in his graceful body. ‘I am hungry; don’t you know how to treat your man? Maybe, I should teach you instead,’Michael teased her as he stood up from the sofa, heading for the kitchen. He already treated himself as a part of this family by putting on Andrew’s slippers, and now he was heading for the kitchen to find something to eat.                                                                                                

  ‘I didn’t know you were coming over now…I should have cooked something for you.’Chioma looked confused. ‘I thought you would be coming over to Star Restaurant.’ She didn’t know he was coming to her house. She was utterly unprepared for his visit here at her house. The food in the pot was the jollof rice Louisa had cooked last night. It was remaining just a little, not enough for a baby.                                        

‘Do you have any ingredients?’                                                                        

‘Um…’Chioma stood up from the sofa. Was he going to cook?                                                                                                                                       ‘Change into your home dress,’Michael glanced at her and said in a voice that didn’t require her objection.                                                                   

Chioma went into her bedroom, and in a few short minutes, she came back to the living room, clothed in a printed dress. Michael glanced at her, beaming at the sight of her simple dress. Sometimes, wearing simple dresses were much more attractive than brand clothes, Michael thought. He would admit that the clothes fit Chioma well.  It was clearly a cheap outfit, bought in a street market, but on her it looked chic, not tawdry.

              

Chioma shyly walked to the shoe rack, selected a pink Nike slippers, before going to the fridge which had beverage, milk. She took out some milk from the fridge, then went to the cupboard by the wall, took out some biscuits and snacks. ‘Sir…Michael, there is milk…’

                

Michael took the milk from her, downing half of the milk, he proceeded to eat the snack, as he leaned his extraordinary elegant figure on the counter, then, he said, ‘I didn’t ask you to bring me food made in kindergartens, I am going to cook.’ Finishing the milk and snack, he pulled out the apron hanging on the kitchen wall, wearing it; he rolled up his sleeves to avoid stain.                                                                          

Chioma checked the cupboard by the window, gathering a bunch of stuff; she placed them on the kitchen counter.                                 

‘You may leave to the living room and watch television,’Michael said to Chioma. ‘I need to make a few dishes or else my stomach will growl from my girlfriend’s stinginess.’Turning he saw her smiling. ‘Stop smiling otherwise I would only cook for me and not include you,’Michael joked.                                                  

Chioma’s cheeks blushed. She didn’t turn on the television in the living room. Instead she stood at the entrance of the kitchen and looked at Michael while he cooked. She had only dreamed of such a scene before but didn’t know that it would turn into reality today.                           

‘You don’t need my help?’                                                                                

‘You will finish it before the food is ready, and it’s not like you know how to cook better than me. Forget about offering me help today. Go and watch television,’Michael said.

                   

In shock, Michael finished preparing the first dish. He turned around and handed it to her. ‘Take this to the dining, I will make another.’                                                                                                                                                 

At this moment, Chioma felt that she was in a dreamland as she brought the plate of omelette rolls and fried plantain to the dining table. How many miles was this dreamland?  Was she truly dreaming or was it real. The man in her kitchen was a man that everyone treated with respect, the god-like man, the man with an outstanding aura, extraordinary elegant features. This was luxury seeing him here. It was something she never thought would happen.                                                               

Chioma couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Michael, whose breathtaking figure busied about in the kitchen.                                                              

  Fifteen minutes later, Michael brought out another dish; spaghetti and fish stew. Then, he went back into the kitchen and came out with a bowl of butter garlic potatoes and carrots.

‘We will go shopping later, so you will fill up the kitchen with enough condiments. I don’t want to come here next time with just a few dishes to eat.’                                                                             

Chioma blushed at the thought of him coming next time to cook in her kitchen. ‘There…there will be a next time?’                                                

‘Many times.’Michael’s words carried a deeper meaning, causing Chioma to blush even more.                                                                          

As they sat down on the dining to eat, Chioma glanced down at the spaghetti and fish stew, feeling warmth and happy inside of her.                           

 ‘Go on, finish everything…then, we will rest before going to the mall.’                                                                                                   

Pouting her mouth, Chioma began to dig in, as if she was eating with Andrew, Louisa or Chisom. She didn’t feel the reason to pretend. As the two of them ate, Michael kept on refilling Chioma’s plate.   

Chioma had tasted food prepared by different people and found Michael’s food okay, but because it was Michael who made the food with great love, Chioma felt surges of happiness and love with each bite she took. To her, his food was the best because it had come from the the man she truly loves.                                                 

‘Do you like the food that I cooked?’Michael asked, glancing at her.                                                                                                                     

‘Mmm,’Chioma smiled.                                                                                     

‘I know you are Miss Foodie, foodie. I’m glad you are not a picky eater, I bet I won’t waste money on food in the future.

 Upon hearing him, Chioma rolled her eyes at him.                               

‘Behave well when you are with your husband.  May I be your feeder today,’ he said, lacing his voice deliberately with a sexy huskiness.                                                                                                           

Staring at her adoring dimples, he had to admit that this girl was the best thing that has ever happened to him. She meant everything to him and wouldn’t mind cooking for her for the rest of their lives. Even though she was not as breathtaking as most women, he was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.                        

   Chioma blushed as she smiled, her blushing was adorably exquisite to behold. ‘Michael, are you trying to turn me into a baby?’

  ‘Uh-huh, so what if I feed you like a two year old?’ Michael teased her purposely. She was cuter when teased. After putting an omellete roll on Chioma’s plate, Michael suddenly said, ‘I saw the viral news of me proposing to Jessica… you don’t have to worry about it because it isn’t true.’           

 ‘Felix told me everything.’Chioma didn’t care about the news when Felix explained everything to her, but the thought of people liking Jessica for him, made her slightly uneasy.                                           

Seeing Chioma’s head lower, Michael couldn’t help but smile as he spoke, 

‘Are you jealous?’                                                                            

‘Uh huh, a little bit,’Chioma admitted as she nodded her head.                                                                                                            

‘Did you think apart from you, there would be someone else in this world that is qualified? Only you, Chioma…no one else is qualified to be my heart’s better half…’Michael reached for her hand from across the table and kissed it gently. ‘I could have taken down the news but I let it be because I want to give all of them a big slapping-blow…I am willing to suffer a million grievances just to protect you from getting hurt,’Michael said, and tears stole into Chioma’s eyes. ‘You are my only weakness…I love you so much,’Michael muttered as he raised the glass of watermelon juice and smiled, ‘Go ahead and eat…’He took a sip.                                                      When they were done with eaten, they both cleared the dishes together, and did the washing together as well. After they finished washing, Michael took off his apron and stretched his body lazily before lowering his head and kissing Chioma on the lips.                           

‘Let me go and buy tiger-nut drink from a store nearby,’Chioma said to Michael as they sat down on the living room sofa, eating walnuts.                                      

  ‘What’s special about the drink?’Michael asked, standing up and headed for the dining table to pour himself a glass of water. He was completely at ease.        

Chioma followed him. ‘Because, it is delicious and nutritious.’     

Michael put down the glass of water on the table, and turned towards Chioma, wrapping his arm around her.                               

Chioma saw how tired he was, and she squeezed his tired cheeks and planted a kiss on his lips, ‘You will like it, I promise.’               

Michael touched her hair and admired her bravery to kiss his lips as he smiled, ‘Do this more often…’                                                   

Chioma laughed, releasing herself from his embrace, she ran off to buy two bottles of tiger-nut drink.                                                   

Returning home with the drinks, she had expected Michael to rush over and grab them, but she was shocked to see him lying on the sofa, motionless. Furrowing her brows, she took large strides towards the sofa.  When she got near the sofa, she touched his forehead. He wasn’t burning, his temperature was normal except that he was tired. He seemed to be sound asleep, Chioma sighed in relief.                                                                                

Carefully, she tucked him in with her blanket before kneeling beside the sofa, happily watching him sleep. Even his breathing was mesmerising, she thought with a smile as she looked tenderly at his face. She couldn’t help getting lost in Michael’s breathtaking face.                                                                                                                                    Just as she watched Michael sleep, her eyes caught sight of her phone. She quietly reached for it, opening the camera app; she took a photo of him. She was in cloud nine as she looked at his cute sleeping photo. With this photo, she could relish the moment anytime she missed him. She saved the photo, and gently put the phone aside. Even in his sleep, he was breathtaking.  She couldn’t help but caress his face.                                                

Chioma was staring at him with a smile. Then, suddenly, she remembered the book she once read about when a woman was in love with a man she would know how many hairs are on his brows very clearly. Since she might not have this opportunity again, Chioma decided to seize the opportunity.                                                   

Smiling shyly, Chioma began counting the hairs on Michael’s left brow quietly not to wake him up. Midway through the counting, Michael opened his eyes to hear her excitedly counting, ’91, 92…’                                                                                                                   

‘Why are you behaving like a naive girl that had chocolate…91, 92,’Michael teased her.                                                                    

‘I was counting the hairs on your brows…’Chioma said shyly

 ‘You are counting them because you are in love with me, right?’                        

Chioma nodded. ‘I wanted to know how many they are,’she said with a smile. ‘But since you are awake, I’ll bring you the tiger-nut drink.’ Chioma wanted to get off the sofa, but got pulled back onto the sofa by Michael.        

‘Eh, what are you trying to do?’Chioma tried not to look at his mesmerising face, which was staring sweetly at her.                  

  ‘Wouldn’t it be a waste to give up a dessert that is delivered right to me?’                                                                                                          

Chioma understood what he was trying to do, and tried to break free, but it was impossible for her.                                               

  ‘For counting my brows without my permission you will have to kiss me or you let me count yours, what do you think?’                             

The aromatic fragrance of Michael entered her nostrils, causing her to yearn for his kiss as well. But no, she should try and control herself.                                                                                                            

‘I’ll ignore you and not talk to you anymore,’Chioma mumbled in reply.                                                                                                         

‘Just that?’ Michael laughed and he lifted his hand, pinched her cheek lovingly.                                                                                           

Chioma’s eyes met his enchanting eyes, which looked like they were sparkling with stars, and they emitted an irresistible charm when he spoke. Their mesmerising look could cause traffic jam. Chioma couldn’t help but stare at them. She believed that GOD really spent a bit more time when creating Michael. Honestly, Chioma treasured this time she was alone with Michael, because she was afraid that each time could be the last. He was a man of high social status, and she, a lowly woman with the lowest social status. There was still the possibility that Jessica might win him over, since she was from a rich and powerful home. Chioma wished today wouldn’t be the last, she wished for a happy-ever after with him.