Chapter 17: Freeloader
"This should be enough."
Tejumole said to herself while pushing a shopping cart around. The cart was filled to the brim, and it looked to be on the verge of toppling over.
She pushed the cart down the aisle, passing the shelved items, until she reached a short checkout line.
There were only four people in front of her, and luckily, they didn't purchase as much as she did. Else, she would have to wait for a long time.
A few minutes later, it was her turn to be checked. She responded to the cashier's greeting and watched him arrange her items into shopping bags.
"Miss, your total cost is nineteen thousand, two hundred naira. Will you pay by cash or by transfer?"
"Transfer."
Tejumole replied to the cashier and took out her bank card. She gave the card to him and inputted her pin when he gave her the machine.
"Ding."
"Your transaction was successful. Thank you for shopping with us. Please come again."
Following the notification from her phone was the cashier's voice. Tejumole retrieved the bags and bid him farewell before walking away.
The cashier watched her back and sighed to himself while thinking;
'Ah, what a fine babe. I wish I wasn't on duty. I for toast am(I would have asked her out).'
He daydreamed for a while, but was brought out of his reverie by an impatient customer.
"Mister man! Will you attend to me or not?"
"Ah, sorry ma'am…"
•••
Tejumole walked out of the supermarket, holding a couple of shopping bags, and moved in the direction of her car. She reached her car in no time.
A greyish-sliver Hatchback from a reputable brand. Its colour was unique, glowing under the soft rays of the sun like a beacon.
She placed the large bags down so that she could reach into her pocket for the keys.
It was then that she heard a familiar voice. A voice she thought she had been rid of but somehow, it came back to hunt her.
"Baby face? Baby face!"
Tejumole froze but returned to normal after a second. She pretended not to hear the screaming person and placed her luggage into the car boot. Her movements, however, were quite hurried.
"Baby face! Don't ignore me. Hey!"
The voice was getting closer, but Tejumole remained placid. She closed the boot with a 'bang' and walked hurriedly to the driver's side of the car.
She entered the car and closed the door, but before she could relax, there were knocking sounds coming from her window.
"Baby face. Were you planning to leave without saying hello? I'm so hurt."
Tejumole could no longer pretend, so she turned to her left with her usual expressionless face before saying to the nuisance by her window.
"Hello."
Her voice was flat and emotionless. She fulfilled his wish, but he made gestures for her to lower her window. Since she couldn't escape, might as well face the problem.
The window was lowered, and now the only thing separating the two was the car door.
"Hello, baby face. How have you been?"
Crossing his arms on the car door was a handsome man with his hair in cornrows. He rested his head on his arms and looked at Tejumole with a cheeky smile. He had bright eyes, a moderately sized nose and nicely shaped lips. His jaw was sharp and distinct and when he smiled, there was a small dimple that appeared on his cheeks.
Ikenna was such a good-looking person but even after speaking Tejumole only looked at him quietly with no ripple in her eyes. Her silence caused him to raise a brow, which caused his features to be even more striking.
'Sigh…'
Tejumole sighed to herself and chose to relent. One should not hit a smiling face, was what she chanted in her mind.
"I've been the same."
"Did you miss me?"
"No."
She didn't allow him to close his mouth before responding. It caused Ikenna to purse his lips and stare at her with a grievance.
"I don't believe you."
He pushed his head deeper into the car to get closer to Tejumole, but she pushed his face away.
"What do you want? I'm busy."
"You're so harsh."
Ikenna took his head out of the car and walked around, heading towards the passenger seat. Tejumole watched him open the door and settle himself like he owned the vehicle, and really felt her hands itch.
He turned to face Tejumole and ignored her stare before speaking.
"Well, I was just around. Taking a stroll, and my walk led me here. I was about to get something from the store, but I saw you instead. Don't you think it's fate? I just left my house for the first time since my return, and I ran into you. This must be what they call friends meet on a narrow path."
"It's enemies."
"Huh? Oh, right. Whatever, you get what I mean."
Ikenna waved his hand dismissively, then stretched to drag the seatbelt across his body.
Tejumole watched his actions and questioned him in a cold voice.
"What are you doing?"
Ikenna glanced at her and rolled his eyes. Then, in a voice that seemingly questioned her eyesight, he said.
"I'm putting on my seatbelt. You're never too old to take safety measures."
Tejumole felt her lips twitch.
"Get out."
"No."
They stared at each other in silence. Ikenna with a carefree smile and Tejumole with narrowed eyes. A few seconds later, Tejumole turned away and started the engine without a word, causing Ikenna to smile in triumph.
She drove away from the supermarket and concentrated on the road. Entirely ignoring the freeloader next to her.
'She's still as prickly as before.' Ikenna glanced at Tejumole and thought to himself. He hadn't seen the girl in a year, but she remained the same. It was like time had frozen around her. She looked the same and behaved the same. Even her little tantrums were the same.
'Tsk, silly girl…'
"Where should I drop you off?"
"Oh, I'm going wherever you're going."
"My house?"
"Your house it is."
Tejumole tightened her grip on the steering wheel. She glanced at him with burning eyes, like she couldn't wait to toss him out of the moving car.
"Host, relax. Deep breaths. You can't beat a smiling face, remember?"
"This face is insufferable." Tejumole said through gritted teeth.
"Really? I don't think your fellow women would feel the same. He is pretty handsome."
"Ha! They must be blind. You too."
"Host, I'm really starting to worry about your eyesight. Maybe the junk food is getting to you. If he's not good-looking, who is… wait, forget I asked."
"My child. He's the most beautiful."
Tejumole replied as a matter of fact. Her words caused Ranta to roll his eyes in the system space.
'Yeah, we know. Your child is the most amazing. Tsk.'
Ranta turned quiet, no longer bothering about his host and her biased treatment of Haoyu.
Ikenna noticed her silence and chuckled to himself.
'She's probably itching to beat me up.'
His thoughts were accurate. Tejumole was very close to throwing him out of the car but, not before giving him a beating.
However, she calmed herself down, choosing not to stoop to his level.
"Tejumole. How have you been? Anything I should know?"
Ikenna's voice changed from its cheery tone. He questioned Tejumole while facing forward.
Tejumole was silent for a second before she shook her head in denial.
"I'm the same."
"The same? So, you still have headaches and those dreams?"
"No. I haven't had any in seven months."
"That's good news. How frequently do you take your meds…"
They went on like this.
Ikenna asked Tejumole questions about herself, and she answered in return. This continued until they reached her house and she drove in.
She found the self-opening function Haoyu installed convenient. This way they wouldn't have to open and close the gate manually.
The two stepped out of the car and moved to carry in the groceries. Ikenna looked at the multiple bags and asked Tejumole in wonderment.
"Are you holding a feast or something? Why'd you buy so much?"
Tejumole carried a few bags and locked the car before walking forward. She replied, with him following her into the two-storey house.
"We were out of foodstuffs and I only had time to restock today."
"Oh, that means you haven't eaten? Good. That means I can have a meal with you. Where's Aunty Bisola? Is she inside, or will she join us later? Ah, I haven't tasted her food in ages. I miss the taste of Nigerian food~"
Tejumole glanced at him with disdain. He was such a freeloader that only knew how to eat. How did he even become a doctor?
While dissing him in her mind, Tejumole placed the bags she was carrying on the counter.
She opened a few cupboards and took out a variety of pots.
"Aunty Bisola travelled to Enugu. She won't be back for three months. You're such a freeloader. Didn't you eat before leaving home, or are you just a glutton who wants more?"
"Hey, little girl. Learn to respect your elders."
Tejumole placed a large pot down and gave him a side-eye.
"There's only a two-year difference between us."
"And where were you when I was two years old? Baby face, you were still in heaven."
She ignored his statement and brought out different ingredients from the bags. The combination, they called for question. She took out frozen fish, meat and sausages, then bundles of vegetables. Each a different species. After which she removed a packet of spaghetti alongside noodles and oats.
Tejumole brought out several more things while Ikenna watched on by the side.
There was an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. Feeling uneasy, he questioned the surprisingly excited "busy bee".
" If… Aunty Bisola isn't here then, who's going to cook? Should I or do we order take out?"
"No need. I'll cook. It's a surprise for my little one."
Tejumole answered in a cheery tone. She was like a kid getting ready to make an invention for a school project.
"Oh."
Ikenna gulped and tapped his pretty fingers on the counter. Seeing Tejumole so excited, he couldn't bring himself to tell her down. Besides, there was probably no need to worry. It's been so long already. Maybe her skills have improved.
"I'll just…stay here to assist."
"Okay."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Scarletwaves18
Scarletwaves18 L/T
Stranger:without further ado, here is the newest product for this lunch.It is called the Ikenna doll.A human sized doll capable of doing all and everything.
In an illegal building,an auction is taking place with ten people surrounding a life sized doll in a clear box.Just as the onlookers were entranced, the door was kicked open.
Bang!
RT:Nobody move.
Aanu:we have you surrounded.
Scarlet:on the ground!
TJ tears open the box while HY drags Ikenna out roughly.
The rescue mission was a success!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone