Flash Fiction by Tiencepay - Ivory Coast

It was my third time in that hotel; it was my best time so far and I doubted I would ever have a better experience in the future of my "not so defined relationship" with Sylvia. I like that girl in a way I did not expect or believe. Sometimes, thinking back to the very first time I saw her, and the weirdness of my meeting her, even Joyce, in her very genius and smart existence, would never believe if I told her it was all subterfuge.

Joyce was my fiancée and we were very close to tying the knot as man and wife, but she was unstable and somehow, what I thought was my curse, turned out to be my blessing. The relationship ended like a thread in a needle that had gone through years of patching up old fabrics from wear and tear.

The day I met Sylvia, Joyce and I were out for lunch. I was not so much of an outdoor person but I had to do many things just because Joyce wanted them. Appetiser was stuffed cheese bread with a baby pack of Oldenburger butter and peppery chicken noodle soup. I laughed with a mouthful of cheese bread as Joyce made her usual jokes. We had very good times... only a coward would not admit that. But what Joyce lacked in certain doses of smartness, Sylvia won in just one single day of being a crazy accomplice to my Sexual rush of adrenaline.

Ok, let me explain.

As I bit into my cheese bread that day, for a moment I was stuck in awe as I fixed my gaze at the figure right in front of me - she had just pulled out a chair and the way her hips dropped on d velvety seat, the hot mozzarella and sauce stuffed into d bread, punished my tongue into a burning pain - absolutely nothing sensational about it. 

I was struck. 

Her beauty was not the muse. Her body... she was heavy in places only a blind man would never  understand. Her kind, you get attracted to them first for what you see before your mind begins a moral compatibility assessment.

Joyce noticed my discomfort and asked if I was enjoying my meal. I said yes. She became worried. She said she could tell when am not telling the truth.

I sneezed.

The girl smiled at her phone and I became jealous. Someone else was enjoying the taste of what my mind was chewing.

Joyce started talking again.

Will you shut up woman? I screamed. In my head though.

She said it was a bad idea to have forced me to that date, she blamed it on herself and said we should go to my flat. That we would probably have a better time at home. Joyce did not just get some things. Being wrong this time, again made me pity her efforts. She was doing this for me.

I couldn't let that girl go.

For whatever it was worth, it was divine. But I have never been one to bother on divine orchestrations. God was not a confused person. Although I had not heard a go ahead voice from God, but he also had not given me a stern warning not to be with Joyce. And Joyce was a great girl. Caught up in my obsession and Joyce going all mummy on me, the girl stood again - she was leaving. 

I was drooling, Joyce was talking - her voice spilled worry and apologies.

Joyce apologises for everything, whether it calls for apologies or not. She was the 'too careful' girl but I liked recklessness - Joyce rode easy.

My mouth was slightly opened as the girl walked towards me, this time, she could see me and Joyce could see her. Awkward to not do nothing, I began to smile like I had run into an old friend.

"It's a lie, it's a lie, I can't believe this."

Was all I could say. I really did not believe it - mixture of a truth and a lie.

The girl smiled also as I stood up. I wasn't looking at Joyce but I could tell she was smiling, finally happy something could cheer up my mood. Little did she know. I held the girls hand and at that moment, sanity was far from me. I was vain.

"Where have you been?" I asked her.

"It's been a long time."I said

I had to do all the talking because I couldn't tell what was going through her mind.

"Pardon my manners", I said as I bowed and took Joyce' hand.

"Meet Joyce, my fiancée". 

That word was hard, but I had to say it ... Like I said, I was not thinking.

"Joyce, this is an old friend."

And again, she came to my rescue.

"My name is Sylvia. God, I am happy for you. She is so beautiful."

"Please give me your number. I can't wait to tell Danny that I saw you. He wouldn't believe it."

"Oh, Dan my guy!" I said, as if I knew who Dan was.

"I will be expecting your call darling." I said as I gave her a hug.

"We should have lunch sometime. I owe you, it's been long coming. And yes, I hope Dan can join us. Please extend my greetings to everyone at home."

I hugged Joyce as she walked away. I had forgotten her name again. And yes, I owed her lunch.

For this alignment, we connected, strangely.

Joyce's voice woke me up. "It must have been really long, you looked so happy!"

"Oh yes." I said. "Her brother and I were friends back then, she is like a kid sister, but they grow too fast. I almost did not recognise her. A part of me was admiring the fine girl in her until I realised who she was."

I laughed as I said that. I grew up to mix lies with truth. That way, it doesn't hut and yu conceal your intents.

Sylvia called me about a week after that incident. She chose a Tuesday to call. Tuesdays were the most tedious days of my life and hardly concentrated outside work. A client had reported poor customer service from one of my staff and it was all over twitter. My phone rang and I was already tired of taking calls from all those hungry bloggers who feed off people's downfall.

The voice on the other end was soft but I could not figure it out.

"I bet you can't even remember my name. Is that how you play games? I played along but I didn't know what else to do. I hate to feel embarrassed. You owe me an explanation, don't you?"

I was smiling at that point. She deserved any chance to spill Venom on me. I started it. And I would finish it.

Sylvia was very mature. I doubt she was ever naive at any point in her life. Much like I thought, she was 9 years younger than I was but she carried her age as if she lived in a futuristic dejavu state of being.

I promised her lunch that day at the restaurant; she deserved a return of the favour, at least for bailing me out.

Sylvia was adventurous and liked to play through life as if she skipped for a living.

Joyce never had a clue as to that day. She only felt happy that something made me feel good.

Sylvia never clashed between us. I promised her i would keep her safe, in thoughts and in being - somewhere that will be known only to me. And I did.

The times were good, Sylvia was better. She showed me life from a perspective I had never considered. Easy and smooth, as if there were no worries. She expected very little and gave so much. I received all and gave what I could. Sometimes, receiving from her was just so awesome that I forgot to give back. Sylvia made me too comfortable with and in her.

*********************************************************************************

The last time I visited her in Lagos, I had a training and when I was told the venue would be outside Abuja, I felt elated and the more elated to find out Lagos was chosen. As I arrived at the hotel, the receptionist smiled and told me they had two rooms that suited my taste. I wondered how they scanned me to discover 'my taste'. I kind of liked how they named their  rooms and how everything was high standard. I landed on the bed as I typed a message to Sylvia. She was expecting me and had offered to pick me from the airport but there was an official car waiting to take me straight to the training centre. I was the first speaker and the driver said they had been expecting me for over an hour. My flight was delayed.

I had told her the name the hotel and she confirmed that she knew her way there. 

As I typed the name of the hotel room, "Ivory Coast" and clicked 'Send", somehow, I knew I was in for a different league of adventure.

Being Tiencepay