Mother's First Kiss

Ebere and I took turns in reading the poems. Each one told a story and seemed like a continuation of the previous one. We were able to associate with mother’s innocent feelings because, as adolescents, our hormones had become active. One poem I liked was “No More Pretence” and I read it out: -

No more Pretence
Yesterday,
I was a different girl
I did not know what love meant
I did not know I was living in emptiness;

Then you walked into my life
My days were filled with thoughts of you
My heart hungered for more of you
Every day I longed for you
Yet I tried to hide the way I feel;

And then you gave me a kiss
Making me experience the word bliss
Today there is nothing about me I can hold back
I cannot pretend I am in love with you.

“Chimaobi, this should be Mother’s first kiss,” Ebere said excitedly. I nodded. “She must have really treasured it. Awwww! This is so sweet…”

Trust females to get so mushy about such things.

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As the poem “No More Pretence” implied, Ugochi was able to come in contact with Chimaobi again. It was about two months after the spill incident. Once again she was in the kitchen.

“Your food smells delicious, it made my mouth water from a distance,” he said jovially and she let out a light laugh, displaying a perfect set of white teeth. “You should smile more often,” he continued, “you just looked too beautiful to be true when you smiled.”
She tittered.
“Thanks. I smile often,” she said. “Last time we met was a bit awkward. It wasn’t a time to smile.”
“I heard you are always smiling. I guess that’s why you are as lovely as you are,” he added.
This made her smile with embarrassment. It was not because she had not heard such words before. Coming from Chimaobi, it was heavenly.
“I think it’s best you go and see Uchechi in the sitting room because today’s not her turn for cooking,” Ugochi said so he could leave her. Seeing him made her heart beat in fast paces and she was not sure she would do anything right if he was there. All the things she had planned to say to him eluded her memory.
“I didn’t come to see Uchechi today. I came to see you,” he said and his words made stare at him in shock.
“Me?” She asked in disbelief. She was not sure if she was overjoyed for she had secretly wished he would come to see her, but then what could she say to him to pass the time?

“Yes, you. I heard you’ve worked so hard preparing for your SSCE and now you’re done I decided to give you a treat. You deserve it, to go out to a nice place, relax, and then we could get to know ourselves a lot better. How about going out tomorrow?”
“No, thank you,” she said quickly. It was an offer, one in a life’s time, but she had to turn him down because she was scared of her feelings for him. What if he did not return this her growing love for him? She asked herself. She did not want to expect too much from him and get hurt when she got nothing.
“You are so deep in thought, maybe you think your parents would not approve”, he said, penetrating her thoughts, “but I’ve even told your father of my offer and he said you are very reserved, and he’d like you to go out once in a while”.
“Nobody, except God, can make me do what I don’t want to do”, she said flatly.

Next day found her dressed up, and going to the Igwe’s home for the first time since they moved in.
“What made you change your mind?” Chimaobi asked her, surprised she had accepted his offer.
She could not tell him what made her change mind. Ugochi thought, how can I tell him that I really wanted to go out with him? Or that I have suddenly begun to fall in love with him? How could I explain to him that his coming into my life changed me completely?
“A lot of pressures from my folks,” she said, which was partly true.

He took her out to a nice resort. The place was surrounded by beautiful, natural resources like an artificial lake of cool, clear water which was used for recreation, a hill which was easy to climb when one was on top, one could see a vast land of beautiful sceneries not to mention the garden spot with beautiful flowers and shrubs. The area endowed with canopies, table and chairs for couples to sit and have snacks.
“I’ve never known of such a lovely place,” she said. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.
“I bet you’ve never stepped out of your bedroom,” he said teasingly.

After having a nice meal together, they sat on the soft carpet grass, sipping chilled juices. They did not lack what to talk about as Chimaobi had a vast knowledge of things she thought she knew. She made a good listener, hardly ever interrupting him. When he started asking her things about herself, she felt free opening up to him. She had never felt so relaxed with anybody like the way she felt with him.
“I never knew people could have fun this way,” she said. “I thought church activities were the only interesting things to do.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” he replied, “and I hope you are enjoying yourself”.
To this she nodded. He was so patient and understanding, she told herself.
A sudden quietness added to the isolation of the area they were in. Ugochi could not get herself to think normally, nor could she control her unsteadiness caused by the stare Chimaobi was giving her.
“Had a boyfriend before?” He suddenly asked and she quickly replied a sharp “No!”
“Why?”
“It’s a sin. I know it will not lead to marriage and any courtship without the intention for marriage is sinful,” she replied.
“Is it a sin being out here with me?”
“It depends on what’s on our minds. Motives matter.”
“Would it be a sin if I kissed you?” As he asked this question, his fingers were trailing down her face until he cupped her chin.
For that moment, she could not breathe. She could not answer his question for fear that a wrong word might come out of her mouth. If she said yes, she might lose her chance of ever being kissed by him. If she said no, he might know her feelings for him, which she was trying to hide.
But her eyes betrayed her for in her eyes, her desire to be kissed was showing clearly. Her quivering lips did not help matters. She did not stop him as his lips descended on hers, neither could she prevent herself from responding to what she felt was the gate to paradise. As he kissed her, his hand touched and caressed her body in a sensational way that the abrupt end of the kiss left her yearning for more.
“You want me to go on?” he asked in a husky, desire-filled voice.