Unclutter, page 29
“Are you absolutely sure about inviting me over?”
I nodded. “Positive. It’s not safe to go elsewhere.”
Back in my apartment, I took Ekon’s jacket and hung it up. “Make yourself at home. Would you like to change into something more comfortable?”
Ekon looked surprised. “I don’t think you’d have something that would fit me.”
I laughed. “I just might.”
I went to my room while Ekon sat on our couch. From my closet, I picked up my baggiest set of pants and a t-shirt. They were fluorescent orange. I had bought them to cheer myself up when I was feeling blue during my period. They were at least two sizes above my standard fit but the most comfortable clothes I owned. I giggled at the thought of Ekon wearing this color.
I changed into the shorts and t-shirt that I wore at home. For a moment, I contemplated wearing pants and wondered if the shorts would make me feel exposed. I decided I looked fine and smiled confidently at my reflection in the mirror.
I handed Ekon a towel and the clothes. “The restroom is over there. Let me know if you need anything.”
Ekon examined the set of clothes I gave him. “Er, Tia, you have, um, unique home wear.”
I laughed. “No one will see you. I won’t take pictures, I promise. If I do, I will get your permission and not show it to anyone. I don’t want anyone else looking at my cute boyfriend in fluorescent clothes.”
Ekon blushed but laughed with me. “You’re crazy. I will be right back.”
“Do you want more tea?” I asked.
“Yes, please. Your tea is addictive,” Ekon answered.
Ekon changed into my fluorescent orange clothes in the restroom. They fit him well other than the fact that the t-shirt was a little short, and his taut abdomen showed. I tried not to check him out from the corner of my eye, so I wouldn’t make him uncomfortable. When he looked at me with a “How do I look?” expression, I whistled at him. “Only you can wear a washrag and still look great.”
Ekon blushed. “And you look beautiful. All the time. Whatever you do and wherever you are.”
I beamed at him. “Aww. Thanks.” I picked up the box I had brought from my room when we sat on the couch. “Do you want to play Monopoly? Or should I say, do you want to lose against me?”
Ekon scoffed. “We shall see.”
“R and I play this all the time. And he has never won even once,” I gloated.
“That guy is not as smart as I am,” Ekon said, making a face.
“Have you met R?” I asked him.
Ekon nodded. “Yes, and he seems to have a problem with me. He asked me not to rub my ‘crap’ on you the last time he came to Recharge Café.”
“And Nate said something similar to me. He said that I should not dare hurt you since he is a hacker,” I replied, giggling at the memory.
Ekon laughed. “Our friends are overprotective of us. It feels nice though.”
I nodded. “Exactly. We are lucky.”
“Hey, aren’t you worried about the ‘crap’ your friend was referring to?”
I shook my head. “I’m sure you’ll tell me when you want to.”
Ekon scooted closer. “Can I hug you?” He held me in his arms. “I will share everything with you when I’m ready, Tia. I promise.”
I smiled and embraced him back. When we pulled away, I smirked at him. “Now, get ready to lose against the best Monopoly player in the world.”
I was forced to eat my words when I realized that Ekon was fantastic at the game, and Lady Luck was on his side. He kept getting money from the bank, while I landed in jail more than three times. Ekon was rolling on the floor, laughing. “The jail loves you.”
I glared at him. “You jinxed the dice. There was no way I could go there each time, otherwise.”
“Alright, alright, let’s play something else if you want,” Ekon said, still trying to catch his breath from his laughter.
I shoved him playfully. “It’s alright. I will let you win today.”
Ekon raised his eyebrows and straddled me. “Oh, so you’re deliberately letting me win, huh?”
I laughed again, trying to stop Ekon from tickling me. “Of course. The game belongs to me, after all. I told it, ‘Eko is here for the first time, so we should let him win.’ That’s why you’re winning.”
When we stopped laughing, we realized how close our faces were. I lay on my back on the floor, and Ekon kneeled with his legs on either side of me. He was still holding my hands lightly. I could feel his heart pounding in sync with my own. Ekon tried to release his hands from mine and get up, but I intertwined my fingers with his. He leaned closer, and I noticed how handsome he was. He had long eyelashes and a cute pointy nose. His gaze was intense, and it made me feel warm and fuzzy within. I felt my face getting hot as I thought of how his perfect, kissable lips felt on mine.
Just when I thought we were going to kiss, Ekon lovingly held my face and pecked me on my forehead. He immediately got up and walked to the dining table to drink water. I winced when I realized that my body was trembling from our recent proximity.
Had Ekon noticed my nervousness?
“It’s almost lunchtime. What should we make? Can I take a look at your refrigerator to decide?” Ekon asked me.
I walked with him to our refrigerator, feeling like an idiot for showing my boyfriend my fear. “Sure.”
He stood in front of our fridge with his hands crossed. “What are you in the mood for? Something simple or elaborate?”
“How about just one dish, which is a one-pot meal,” I suggested. “We would just need to wash one pan, two plates, and two spoons.”
Ekon chuckled. “Sounds good. I’m going to make jollof, a traditional West African dish. We make it at home all the time.” He added shyly, “It’s a special delicacy I haven’t made for anyone else other than my family before.”
“Aww, it’s so sweet of you to make it for me. I feel honored.”
Ekon took the chicken, six tomatoes, some green chili peppers, and tomato paste from the refrigerator. “Alright, can I see what spices you have? Also, are you good with spice?”
I showed Ekon our spice box. “Here, you’ll find all the spices in this. I love spicy food. After all, I’m half Bhutanese, and Madison is from the Caribbean.”
Ekon looked pleased. “This is fantastic. It has everything we need—thyme, nutmeg, and bay leaves.”
I watched in fascination as Ekon expertly sliced onions, chicken, and chilies. Next, using a mortar and pestle, he crushed the ginger and the garlic. After this, he mixed the protein, the onions, and the spices until they turned golden brown. After that, I lost track of what he was doing, because I was too busy admiring Ekon’s expert chef skills and his cute expressions.
“Now, we wait for the rice and the protein to absorb the gravy and the flavors from the spices,” Ekon informed me. “Do you want to stream something while we wait?”
Ekon and I put the Monopoly game back into its box. I switched on the television and opened a streaming platform. “What do you want to watch? A murder mystery series? Why don’t you choose something?”
Ekon selected a forensic thriller named Forensix. “Have you watched this? It looks interesting.”
I shook my head. “No, I haven’t. Let’s watch it together.”
Ekon and I were engrossed in the series, but he got up periodically to check on the rice. When the food was ready, I brought the pan and two plates to the dining table. “Do you want to eat while watching the show?”
“I prefer not to, but I’m okay if you want to,” Ekon answered me.
I placed the plates on the dining table. “I, too, don’t like to eat with distractions. Delicious food and good conversation make the best meal.”
Ekon took a seat next to mine and smiled at me. “Great minds think alike. Itadakimasu. Jal meokkesseumnida. Smaaklike.” Ekon said bon appétit in three languages like the last time.
I put the first bite into my mouth, savoring the burst of flavors. The rice was perfectly cooked, and I noted a variety of tastes—tanginess from the tomatoes, heat from the chilies, and the sweetness from the onions.
“This jollof is amazing. You’re awesome, Eko,” I gushed.
“It would have tasted better if the tomatoes were riper. Also, I should have sautéed the onions a while longer.” Ekon critiqued his own food, as usual.
A sense of déjà vu swept through my mind as I recalled the first time he did that at our picnic in Landfill Hill. I reached out to pinch his cheeks lightly. “Chef cutie.”
After lunch and washing the dishes, Ekon and I sat cuddled on our couch, engrossed in the suspense thriller series. Midway, he dozed off. I wanted to stroke his hair, but I didn’t, because I was dead against touching anyone in their sleep. I sat next to him and read a book on my phone. I nodded off after a few minutes as well.
Suddenly, I felt a hand graze against my shoulder and my nape. Instinctively, I grabbed it and shoved it away. “Hands off, you sick child abuser demon.”
I opened my eyes to see Ekon’s aghast expression.
Oh no.
Chapter 45
“Eko, that was not directed toward you. Please let me explain,” I pleaded with my boyfriend, avoiding his eyes. I couldn’t face him and see his hurt expression. It was heartbreaking.
“You were the one who fell asleep on my arm. I was only trying to free it from your body weight. I didn’t touch you without consent,” Ekon clarified. “I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable.”
I felt terrible when Ekon apologized for something that wasn’t his fault. “Y-You don’t make me feel uncomfortable at all.”
“Tia, your whole body is still trembling. My staying here today was obviously a bad idea,” Ekon said, his tone even but cold. “I’ll leave now, before things get worse.”
I could feel a sharp pain in my chest, but I was unsure if the sting was from his words or the guilt of my actions. “I swear it was not directed toward you,” I repeated my earlier sentence weakly.
Ekon walked toward the bathroom to change back into his damp clothes. “It’s fine, Tia. We can talk tomorrow.”
I have been through a lot and can’t expect my fears to melt away suddenly. There is no need for me to feel ashamed or bash myself. I need to speak up and clear the air.
Listening to my inner voice, I got up from my seat. “Ekon, can you please hear me out first?”
My confident tone worked, and Ekon sat back on the couch. I took a deep breath before speaking. “Look, I’m sorry I shoved you away and called you a child abuser demon. But it was not directed toward you. If I was uncomfortable around you, I wouldn’t have been out with you all night or invited you over. As for my nervousness, I-I am afraid of intimacy because of everything that I have gone through. And I’m working on it.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Ekon said, his voice barely a whisper. “I selfishly thought only about myself. You have nothing to apologize for. I should have been more sensitive, knowing well the trauma you’ve been through.”
“I’m sure you have questions, but—”
Ekon interrupted me gently. “We don’t have to speak another word about this. When you’re ready to share, I’m here.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. You’ve never judged me once, but I did today. I should have realized how deep your wounds were when you called me a child abuser demon. I can’t even begin to fathom for how long and how much you’ve been in pain,” Ekon said in a low tone, keeping his voice from breaking.
I placed my hand on his and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’ve overcome most of my trauma. Some of it is still a work in progress, though.” I added after a pause, “Do you promise not to treat me differently now that you know? I don’t want you to be awkward around me.”
Ekon put his arms around me. “I promise. If anything, I feel closer to you.”
I melted in my boyfriend’s embrace. “Me, too, Eko.”
“Now, should we watch more of the series, or did you have something else in mind?” Ekon asked me, stroking my cheeks.
I leaned close to his ears and whispered, “Do you want to make out on my couch?”
He chuckled in response. “I thought you’d never ask.”
***
Ekon and I binge-watched the thriller series Forensix, huddled together on our couch. The six officers were scientists who used their medical, chemical, and digital knowledge to solve crimes. We paused the show periodically to discuss who we thought the killer was and why. Just when they were about to reveal who the culprit was, the lights went out.
I switched on the flashlight on my phone, relieved that I had charged my battery almost fully. I lit a tea candle and placed it on the coffee table.
It was almost time for supper, and I was beginning to feel hungry. I looked outside and saw that it was still snowing. The visibility was near zero. We hadn’t checked our phones or the news in a while because they were switched off, and I wondered how badly the storm affected the city.
“There’s a citywide power outage,” Ekon informed me, answering my question. “And it’s crazy cold outside.”
I sighed. “Fantastic, now how do we get dinner ready?” I answered my own question, “Oh, I know.”
Ekon got up from the couch. “Let me help.”
I gestured for him to remain seated. “I’ll fix us something you’ll love. I promise.”
A few minutes later, I popped out of the kitchen with two steaming bowls of instant noodles topped with an egg and green onions. I had used my battery-operated electric kettle to fix us dinner.
Ekon took his first bite and squealed like a child. “That’s my favorite brand of ramen. How did you know?”
I laughed. “I found your secret stash in your car the other day and decided to try the brand. Now, I’m addicted.”
Ekon slurped his noodles. “Tell me about it.” He looked at me and smirked. “So you know how to use chopsticks. That day was just an excuse for me to feed you.”
I hit him playfully. “I genuinely can’t pick up rolled ice cream with these.”
Ekon laughed. “If you say so.”
After dinner, we ate strawberries for dessert and washed the dishes. The temperature in my apartment had dropped, and we were beginning to feel cold. I went into my room to get us blankets. “Hey, let’s stay in my room. It’s toastier here,” I said.
Ekon came inside holding a tea candle lantern. “It is cozier. But are you sure you’re okay with this? I can take the couch out in the living room.”
I grinned at him mischievously. “Oh no, we are not sleeping tonight. It’s time for board game wars.”
Ekon and I played games for the next few hours. He won all of them, and I was about to throw a tantrum. Ekon laughed evilly after every victory, provoking me further. Though I was usually sporting, my poor luck made me sulk like a kid. And it didn’t help that my boyfriend made fun of me.
“Someone boasted earlier that they have never lost in any board game,” Ekon taunted me.
I threw the dice at him.
He caught it and laughed. “Did that someone lie through their teeth?”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “You’re just lucky today.”
The lights came back on, and I dragged Ekon and our blankets back to the couch. “I need to know who the murderer is.”
We gasped when they revealed the culprit, because neither of us had expected the protagonist’s father to be the killer. It was unbelievable, but it made sense. After we finished the thriller mini-series, we midnight-snacked on some chips and fruit, watching a comedy show. Midway through, Ekon and I dozed off blissfully, leaning on each other.
***
I woke up first the next morning and made omelets for both of us.
Ekon hugged me from behind. “Good morning. What’s cooking?”
“Non-chef-grade food,” I answered, giggling. “No complaining.”
Ekon smiled. “I would never complain about food made for me with so much care.”
After breakfast, I switched on my phone to check if there were any messages from my parents. I had charged my device last night when the power was back but hadn’t turned it on. My heart stopped when I saw a text from Amanda sent more than four hours ago.
Amanda: Affy’s missing. Please call me ASAP.
Chapter 46
“This is all my fault. I should have checked my messages last night.” I paced back and forth in my living room, refusing to listen to any words of consolation from Ekon and my other friends on the AA Squad. After seeing the message, I had first called Amanda and now we were on a conference call with the squad. “I shouldn’t even have involved Affy in this in the first place.”
“It’s not yet twenty-four hours since they’ve gone missing. We still have a chance to find them,” AA said. “Let’s not give up hope.”
“Has Amanda complained to the police?” Winona asked.
“Yes, but she was told that a person needs to be missing for a longer time to be reported. Two hours is too soon,” Ekon replied.
“Can you tell us what exactly happened?” Jai asked.
“Affy was going to stay at Amanda’s place this weekend before they moved foster homes next week,” Ekon explained. “They had messaged her just before leaving that they would arrive in ten minutes. When there was no sign of Affy, even after two hours, and their phone was switched off, Amanda began to worry and complained to the police.”
“We could have done something immediately if I had checked my phone,” I complained. “How stupid of me to switch it off!”
“There’s no point crying over spilled milk, Tina,” AA said in an annoyed tone. I realized that she hadn’t morphed her voice. “Let’s focus on what we need to do next. Please.”
