Romance stuff? Mills and Boon?”
They laughed. African, fast paced suspense thriller and mystery books, historical and westerns were his best genres. He mentioned authors. She knew them too and liked them.
“Joel hasn’t returned. You fooled me, never indicated you knew you’d beat him. Why didn’t you let me know?”
“Had to let him think I was scared. It’s a weapon of war. His weakness was over-confidence. He underestimated the opponent. How do you know that Joel, anyway?”
Rose and Joel had had been classmates at primary. His was one dysfunctional family. An older brother in prison. A father who ran around with women and got killed when caught by an enraged husband in bed with his wife. Joel’s mother drank and died when he was eight. Strangled by a jealous boyfriend. An aunt who peddled drugs raised him. He fell out of school in year six and been in prison because of drugs.
“Real sad. Had no idea. What he called you didn’t sink well with me, and he was lucky I didn’t break that arm.”
A sound erupted. She pulled her mobile phone from her bag.
“Hi, Dad. Yeah, I’m still in town at the boot-fare. You’d have wanted to come too? Sorry, you were fast asleep when I left. You missed out. I struck great bargains. No, I won’t tell you what I bought. See you soon. Love you too, Dad." The call ended. She smiled at Godfrey. “By the way, I forgot to tell you my parents and Loyce really enjoyed the food you bought. It was unfair, wished I could tell them who had provided it. I got the hugs which should have gone to you. Felt a cheat. Sorry, got to take another call. Don’t leave.”
Holding his arm, she retrieved her phone again.
“Hi, sis. Having a great time at the boot-fare. Met someone yet?” Rose glanced at Godfree and winked. “Just like you to ask if I met another guy. I have this guy sitting in my car. He is a real hunk. You’ll swoon when you meet him. It’s no joke. No, you can’t talk to him. I’m not sharing him. See you later, sis.” She glanced at him, entwined her fingers in his. “My sister Loyce. She’s always teasing me for not having another boyfriend and wanted a word. Couldn’t let her talk with you because she’d ask your country.”
“My accent will give me away.”
“I’m going to let everyone at home know how you helped me with Joel today. That’ll make my dad change his attitude.”
“Does he need to know?”
“Why not? Wouldn’t you say thanks to a guy who helped your daughter?”
“You think that’ll change him?”
“It should. He must know.”
“Do you tell your dad everything?”
“No.”
“What can I do to stop you?”
“You can’t, so forget it.” She waved. “We got company. Check your window, smile and wave.”
He glanced sideways, smiled back. The married couple from the food caravan was smiling and waving, walked to their car, got inside and then drove away.
“I call them the pinching couple. They seemed to like us.”
He raised his eyebrows. “The pinching couple?”
“They pinched each other, didn’t they? But it’s good for a husband and wife to be friends and have fun. Only for some it lasts a few weeks after the wedding night. After that you have a negative graph that reveals boredom, quarrels, fighting, and finally divorce. A husband and wife must be best friends.”
“You want several children?”
“Yes.”
“Why aren’t you married? No one’s good enough?”
Her previous boyfriend was a fellow doctorate student. He was tall, broad-shouldered and blonde and wanted to move in with her. She refused. He said he would wait for marriage, proved a liar and cheat. Was having something on the side. Rose dumped him. That happened two years ago. What was Godfree’s story?
He could have married back home. But his girlfriend met a married businessman who promised her a package that included leaving his wife for her. Soon he got her pregnant and refused paternity. She ran back to Godfree, begged he take her back
They laughed. African, fast paced suspense thriller and mystery books, historical and westerns were his best genres. He mentioned authors. She knew them too and liked them.
“Joel hasn’t returned. You fooled me, never indicated you knew you’d beat him. Why didn’t you let me know?”
“Had to let him think I was scared. It’s a weapon of war. His weakness was over-confidence. He underestimated the opponent. How do you know that Joel, anyway?”
Rose and Joel had had been classmates at primary. His was one dysfunctional family. An older brother in prison. A father who ran around with women and got killed when caught by an enraged husband in bed with his wife. Joel’s mother drank and died when he was eight. Strangled by a jealous boyfriend. An aunt who peddled drugs raised him. He fell out of school in year six and been in prison because of drugs.
“Real sad. Had no idea. What he called you didn’t sink well with me, and he was lucky I didn’t break that arm.”
A sound erupted. She pulled her mobile phone from her bag.
“Hi, Dad. Yeah, I’m still in town at the boot-fare. You’d have wanted to come too? Sorry, you were fast asleep when I left. You missed out. I struck great bargains. No, I won’t tell you what I bought. See you soon. Love you too, Dad." The call ended. She smiled at Godfrey. “By the way, I forgot to tell you my parents and Loyce really enjoyed the food you bought. It was unfair, wished I could tell them who had provided it. I got the hugs which should have gone to you. Felt a cheat. Sorry, got to take another call. Don’t leave.”
Holding his arm, she retrieved her phone again.
“Hi, sis. Having a great time at the boot-fare. Met someone yet?” Rose glanced at Godfree and winked. “Just like you to ask if I met another guy. I have this guy sitting in my car. He is a real hunk. You’ll swoon when you meet him. It’s no joke. No, you can’t talk to him. I’m not sharing him. See you later, sis.” She glanced at him, entwined her fingers in his. “My sister Loyce. She’s always teasing me for not having another boyfriend and wanted a word. Couldn’t let her talk with you because she’d ask your country.”
“My accent will give me away.”
“I’m going to let everyone at home know how you helped me with Joel today. That’ll make my dad change his attitude.”
“Does he need to know?”
“Why not? Wouldn’t you say thanks to a guy who helped your daughter?”
“You think that’ll change him?”
“It should. He must know.”
“Do you tell your dad everything?”
“No.”
“What can I do to stop you?”
“You can’t, so forget it.” She waved. “We got company. Check your window, smile and wave.”
He glanced sideways, smiled back. The married couple from the food caravan was smiling and waving, walked to their car, got inside and then drove away.
“I call them the pinching couple. They seemed to like us.”
He raised his eyebrows. “The pinching couple?”
“They pinched each other, didn’t they? But it’s good for a husband and wife to be friends and have fun. Only for some it lasts a few weeks after the wedding night. After that you have a negative graph that reveals boredom, quarrels, fighting, and finally divorce. A husband and wife must be best friends.”
“You want several children?”
“Yes.”
“Why aren’t you married? No one’s good enough?”
Her previous boyfriend was a fellow doctorate student. He was tall, broad-shouldered and blonde and wanted to move in with her. She refused. He said he would wait for marriage, proved a liar and cheat. Was having something on the side. Rose dumped him. That happened two years ago. What was Godfree’s story?
He could have married back home. But his girlfriend met a married businessman who promised her a package that included leaving his wife for her. Soon he got her pregnant and refused paternity. She ran back to Godfree, begged he take her back
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